Preview and Game Thread #66: Utah Jazz @ Atlanta Hawks

by hawksdawgs on Mar 11, 2009 1:49 PM EDT in Game Threads Comment 53 comments

Atlanta Hawks 08-09 Game #66
	@
41-23		36-28
Phillips Arena
March 11, 2009, 7:00 PM
Sports South, Hawks Radio Network, NBA Audio League Pass
Probable starters:
Deron Wiliams	PG	Mike Bibby
Ronnie Brewer	SG	Joe Johnson
CJ Miles	SF	Mo Evans
Carlos Boozer	PF	Josh Smith
Mehmet Okur	C	Al Horford

Hawks Injury Report: Marvin Williams is out, and it seems trivial to put next to that, but some dude named Craig is as well.

Jazz Injury Report: Carlos Boozer has a sprained ankle but played last night so I am going out on a limb and saying he suits up tonight.

Blogging With the Enemy: True Blue Jazz, SLC Dunk

Predicted bane of the Hawks existence: Going random with Ronnie Brewer.

Game Preview:

The good news is I can guarantee the Jazz will not win every single game the rest of the season. The bad news is the Jazz apparently have yet to get that memo.

Other good news? The Hawks snapped the Hornets 7 game win streak on Monday, broke up the Cavs 11 game win streak in December, and tried there darndest to ruin Boston's long love fest with winning as well. Take down the Jazz's 12 gamer and you can officially call these Hawks streak killers.

Other bad news? The Hawks have not really shown an ability to stop for an entire game an offense that executes at the high level the Jazz do. One could look at the (shall we call it dominating?) performance of the Jazz in Salt Lake City the last time these two teams met if they want an example. The likelihood of athleting the Jazz out of the offensive game plan is unlikely which means to win is going to require 48 minutes of defensive focus.

I am not even sure if the old Josh Smith knows how to do that.

Still, the Hawks are not the ones coming off the back to back, and the Hawks are not the ones playing on the road. And the Hawks are not a bad team. So a win is highly possible, but it certainly would classify as a heck of a good one if they pull it off.

Keys to the game

One Hawk get hot from outside. I am looking at you Mike Bibby.
Horford and Josh attack Okur and Boozer on the offensive end.
Contest easy looks. Last time out the Jazz probably could have won the game if you only counted their dunks and layups.
Feed off the crowd. Or put another way, crowd be loud. The Jazz are good all the time, but they are better at home.

I sadly will not see this game in person, but that means I can see you in the game thread starting in the second half. Matt Harpring hate, Al Horford love, and Acie Law sightings are all welcome in the comment thread.

Go Hawks!

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Comments

Matt Harpring hate? Why?

I thought you guys would love him. Isn’t he like the greatest athlete to come out of the Atlanta area? Us Jazz fans can’t stand the guys game 80% of the time. He is probably our worst contract on our team. Don’t you want to bring him home this offseason? Anyways, good luck tonight. And please visit the Varsity and eat 2 slaw dogs just for me.

The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.

by clarkpojo on Mar 11, 2009 3:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

because

1. i thought I thought he overreacted to the foul by Josh Smith.
2. i am a uga fan (sorry Jesse) so his Georgia Tech accomplishments don’t do anything for me.
3. he went to my high school and i have heard he is not, shall we say, the friendliest person.
4. I was partially joking.
5. Dwight Howard and Josh Smith are from Atlanta to name two so unless we are limiting the conversation to white athletes then Harpring is not even in the conversation.

i hope we don’t see the 20% of Harpring you like to night :)

thanks for stopping by.

by hawksdawgs on Mar 11, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Even then

we have Keith Brooking, who I would consider more talented at the pro level than Harpring.

And no need to be sorry Drew, it’s not your fault there’s never been anything from UGA’s basketball program. I mean….even us Techies don’t start a list with Harpring anywhere in the top ten.

by Jesse28 on Mar 11, 2009 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We have to

shut down Boozer

go hard or go home

by TO falcon on Mar 11, 2009 3:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Boozer?

You’ll find that shutting down Boozer doesn’t require much right now. He is currenctly a shell of his former self.

Deron Williams is the one to lock down on. Aside from that it is hard to say who will step up, every game there is someone else stepping up: Korver, Brewer, Okur, Millsap.

I’m thinking tonight will be a much better game that last month.

Hopefully Bibby got his nails done before the game so he doesn’t have to spend time manicuring them on the bench. I hate watching NBA players pick and file on the bench. Ugh.

We bleed True Blue.
www.truebluejazz.com

by CB Jack on Mar 11, 2009 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

has deron won you 12 games?

Deron Williams scares the crap out of me, but not by himself.

who should i be thinking disparaging thoughts about?

and I saw bibby at the salon. He said “with this manicure, I am going to rain threes.” direct quote. tell me your not scared now.

by hawksdawgs on Mar 11, 2009 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Deron

…should scare the crap out of you by himself. Whether he’s putting up 20+ points or 10+ assists, he know’s what the team needs, when, and exactly how to hoist them up onto his back.

Still, Atlanta is a good team. I think most of us Jazz fans are nervous about this one… esp on a back to back.

by boomgoesthedynamite on Mar 11, 2009 4:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

balls don't lie over at yahoo

has this game as “the game to pay attention to.”

which by mentioning it here, only goes to show how little national media attention the hawks get.

by hawksdawgs on Mar 11, 2009 6:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Utah Jazz – Atlanta Hawks
Live

http://www.iddaliyim.tr.gg

by iddaliyim on Mar 11, 2009 8:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Joe Johnson has missed 6 straight shots

It’s not a coincidence that Utah is outscoring Atlanta by 18 points in the third quarter.

The Hawks need a few things right now. They need to get Acie Law in for Bibby, because Utah always knows where the weak defender is. They also need to get Zaza the ball on a night where he’s being efficient. And hey, here’s the third item on my list-Mario West is coming back into the game, presumably to guard Ronnie Brewer, who has had a good offensive quarter.

by Bronn on Mar 11, 2009 8:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs