boxscore

recap

Sooooooo to recap, Josh Smith can dunk and he can put forth effort, and just those two things can literally win games.

The idea that the Hawks are not just lucky. That they are not simply over achieving. The belief that every game is one more mockery of preseason projections. For you people, us people, tonight was a good night. No one ever thought Marvin was struggling at the same rate Josh was excelling, but everyone knows Josh is succeeding without any new skills that don't exist between the ears. So seeing Marvin move far beyond what we expect, it articulates a hope even Hawks fans have yet to be able to articulate. Atlanta can be better, and when those who have made us better so far this season fall short, we have other guys capable of stepping up.

I understand people who think Marvin can be used better in Atlanta. I get that others wish we drafted someone else. I see how his seeming lack of fire can turn people off. However, you can't not like Marvin Williams the person. You just can't. And if you do, no one likes you the person. Go watch the Marvin Williams halftime interview. Then, I challenge you to say something bad about him ever again.The guy has shown up at 8 am every morning of this home stand to knock himself out of his slump, and tonight it paid off. Marvin destroyed for the first two quarters. He was inside, outside, get out of my way I am going ignore the rim for a half hour as I put up the easiest 20 in the history of the world.

The Joe Johnson over dribble into a jumper that allowed for a put back dunk by Marvin Williams followed by a steal and Joe unselfishly giving up the ball for an Al Horford assist pretty much sums up the game. Explain it? You can't. Love it? You can't help but do it.

Victory Bullets

• I love how much Joe Smith enjoys the game from the bench.
• Screw that, I love how much Josh Smith enjoys the game from the bench.
• "Cooking with grease" is in the top 15 of basketball phrases. Way ahead of "heat check."
• The Hawks drafted David Anderson seven years ago? I don't mean to ask that to prove my ignorance but to demonstrate how shocked I am that 2002 was seven years ago.
• Teague plays good defense and still fails to stop buckets. It makes you realize there is more than good defense to good defense, and by that I mean clever fouling.
• Zaza running over David Anderson for a blocking foul is the definition of my ideal.
• Joe pressed. Joe was good. Joe shot bad shots. Joe was awesome. Joe was Joe.
  
• The Hawks out blocked the Rockets 11 to 0.
• Offensive rebounds by Houston made the end of this game necessary.
• Josh Smith not getting a technical in this game might be the best evidence that he is a changed man. Not that they were bad calls but because he used to be bad Josh Smith and bad Josh did not care if the calls were good or not. 
• Trevor Ariza looks like an incredible role player. That is not a compliment if you are a Rockets fan.
• I thought all Jamal Crawford's points were loud. They are not. That was a quiet 21 on almost 50% shooting.
• Jeff Teague where did you go in the second half?
• There is no call I hate and love so equally than the illegal screen.
• How big of a homer am I? I would still like that Marvin Williams loose ball foul/shove at the end of 4th to be a no call. 
• Minus the last five seconds. That was a horrible end for the Hawks, but the Hawks are running right. They only need five seconds.

Go Hawks!