Preview and Game Thread #79: Toronto Raptors @ Atlanta Hawks
| Atlanta Hawks 08-09 Game #79 | ||
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| 43-34 | 30-46 |
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| Air Canada Centre |
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| April, 7 2009, 7:00 PM | ||
| FS South, Hawks Radio Network, NBA Audio League Pass | ||
| Probable starters: | ||
| Mike Bibby | PG | Jose Calderon |
| Joe Johnson | SG | Anthony Parker |
| Mo Evans |
SF | Shawn Marion |
| Josh Smith | PF | Chris Bosh |
| Al Horford | C | Andrea Bargn |
Hawks Injury Report: Marvin Williams is out, and Acie Law has a hurt back but probably would not play regardless. Speedy Claxton does not have a passport and cannot make the trip.
Raptors Injury Report: None that I know of which means there are probably four or five.
Blogging With the Enemy: RaptorBlog
Predicted bane of the Hawks existence: Jose, Jose, and then a little more Jose
Game Preview:
Every game is important from here on out. It is building/reclaiming momentum. It is securing home court. It is learning, at least a little, about how to win on the road.
Over at the ESPN preview, the computers have Toronto as a favorite winning 61% of the time. It just goes to show you how bad the Hawks have been on the road.
I have not watched any Toronto games except for when they played the Hawks, but is it weird that I would be more afraid to play them in the playoffs than Miami? Apparently, there is a lynch pen to their badness that I am not picking up on.
The Hawks are in a mini slump. They have five games to go. All five are winnable, and all five are important in their own way. This one is important for the psyche. Lets hope the team comes out strong, and attacks. I am even going to pull out a Niquism here and say the Hawks need to "put them away early so they quit."
Keys to the game:
- Horford attacking Bargnani on the inside (no jumpers).
- Help defense on Calderon.
- Please, please guard the three point line.
- Flip play the one and post up Calderon.
See you for parts of the game in parts of the comments where we can talk about how the great mystery of how the weather in Atlanta is the same as in Toronto.
Go Hawks!
0 recs |
69 comments
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Comments
i left toronto's team logo blank by accident
but i am going to leave it so as a symbolic reference to deomonstrate the point that it does not usually matter who the hawks play on the road.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 6:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Just put a person shrugging their shoulders. Or a Whammy.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
slighly off topic
i would lose a finger on my left hand to be on press your luck.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
also huge news
zaza is on twitter.
this is not quite davidson is in the elite 8 excited, but its close. it will deserve its own post later.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 6:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yea, interesting stuff
he is following me too so i hope he visits the sight and starts validating my baseless woodson accusations.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
the pa guy sounds like a rip off of the piston pa guy
which makes me like him less.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
so far my game points are correct
and completly going against the hawks.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
until that dunk
i love a dunk horford. always two hands.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed.
This game is one where Al (or as my roommate calls him “The Weatherman”) can have a big night.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
why weatherman?
i have been looking for a reason not to call him “boss”
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Because she used to keep calling him Al Roker...
So now she always just yells “WEATHERMAN!”
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ha
maybe too random. but i like it.
that is like my buddies and i calling zaza “shrimp boat”
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that raptor should be benched
for settling for a fadaway against bibby.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
josh may or may not have taken
five steps there.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
bosh has every single rebound for the raptors
and joe waited for the defense because he can’t dunk
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
so noted so far
you have to guard calderon
joe in the paint bad
josh and horford in the paint good
box out bosh
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Off topic...
Braves up 2-0 already. LOVE the new unis. Already ordered one.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 7:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i was so not excited about the braves this season
and then the first game happened and i am all about it.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that may actually be the defintion of fair weather
now that i read that back.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
whatever i was at the sid slide game
i am brave for life. just not hawks level
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I had tickets to opening day at CBP...
and missed it.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
seriously guard calderon
it will help.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
very surprised to see acie so early
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I honestly believe
Woody is going to play a lot of Acie come playoff time. He was hitting a stride in his role before getting hurt. I think he is slowly gaining Woody’s approval.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
zaza!
i give credit to twitter for that one.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
where is flip?
he is out there and he is not taking shots, not even bad ones
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i actually look forward to zaza coming in
he is so predictable and awesome.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i remember when horford was playing well
i hope he doesnt get four fouls in the second half and ruin all disdain i have in this stategy.
by hawksdawgs on Apr 7, 2009 7:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If we don't see him in the 2nd Q
I’ll be pretty furious.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Josh and Zaza
Anyone notice that little heated exchange? Yikes.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 7:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Smith's new love...
He dumoed his love of the 3 and has moved on to leading the break.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 7:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Joe is having a rough one.
Seems to be happening a little more often lately.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 8:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I figured out where "Shrimp Boat" comes from...
Because his back locks like it is covered in barnacles.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 8:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Not a bad end to the half.
How we’re only down 4 is a total mystery to me.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 8:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
And the lead!
I love Horford leading the break. Josh should take notes.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 8:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Josh Smith and Partick O'Bryant just released an album...
It’s entitled “Effort-less”
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 8:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Our strategy...
Stop passing to Flip and give it to Joe? What the hell is going on? Flip is ON FIRE right now. So tough to watch.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 9:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
NBA refs...
Bosh: every call possible. Joe Johnson: None.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 9:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Close game between Philly and Charlotte...
I’ve been telling myself it doesn’t matter who we play, but I find myself rooting VERY hard for the Bobcats right now.
by Buzzsaw on Apr 7, 2009 9:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
With homecourt
We want Philly. I really believe that.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But the Heat are soo bad.
If one guy beats us, we shouldn’t be in the second round anyway. The Sixers are at least a team.
by Buzzsaw on Apr 7, 2009 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's what happens when you let hot role players try to finish a game.
by Buzzsaw on Apr 7, 2009 9:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That's what you call a TEAM win.
Great contributions all around tonight.
by Duff_Man on Apr 7, 2009 9:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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