Game Recap: Atlanta Hawks 84 New Orleans Hornets 74

The Atlanta Hawks got their first win of the Larry Drew era this season with last night's victory over the New Orleans Hornets 84-74 in Johnson City Tennessee. What you saw in this game was a couple of contrasting takes to a pre-season game. The Hornets rested a lot of players while the Hawks due to the injuries of the past week, went with the regulars a little more. The result was a bad shooting night for both clubs as they both look to shake off some more rust before the regular season starts.

Could have been the strange arena but it was a cold shooting night for both teams. The Hawks shot 40% while the Hornets shot 38%. Neither team was really good from three point range either with the Hawks shooting 5-18 (27%) and the Hornets shooting 2-15 (13%)
The Hawks committed 16 more turnovers with Joe Johnson (4), Jamal Crawford (3), and Zaza Pachulia (3) being the main culprits. The Hawks did force the Hornets into 20 turnovers themselves.
Joe Johnson once again led the way with 22 points on 8-14 shooting in just over 32 minutes of action in this one. In the last three pre-season games, Johnson's turnovers have been the only negative to his game as he has been shooting the ball exceptionally well.
Marvin Williams made his return and once again was very involved in what the Hawks were doing offensively. Williams played 32 minutes while scoring 15 points on 4-10 shooting. He got to the free throw line seven times making six. He also had five rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Jamal Crawford made his pre-season debut for the Hawks playing about 28 minutes and scoring nine points on 3-7 shooting. He missed both of his three point attempts and went 3-4 from the free throw line. Crawford also led the team in assists with five.
Mo Evans also made his pre-season debut playing just over seven minutes of action and had one of the Hawks five three point makes on the night. Evans had been recovering from off season knee surgery.
With many of the regulars back Jordan Crawford was only regulated to nearly 17 minutes of action in this one. The team has gotten a great luck at Jordan in the last couple of games with him playing 45+ minutes in each contest due to the Hawks lack of healthy guards. This however may be a sign of things to come for Crawford as when this team is healthy there isn't going to be a lot of minutes available for him on most nights.
Evan Brock, Richard Delk, Ricardo Marsh, Jason Collins, and Etan Thomas did not receive any playing time in this one. Collins is recovering from an injury but was thought to be available to play in this one. With a lot of the regulars making their debut or coming back from injury, the Hawks shortened their rotation a good bit to get them some much needed action.

A lot will probably be made that the Hornets didn't play many of their starters past the first quarter. In fact neither Chris Paul or Trevor Ariza played after the first. Neither Emeka Okafor or David West played in this one either. While it was good to see the Hawks get their first win, it was more important to get the starters back on the court together and let them play. If anything the injuries have probably set the team back as far as where the coaching staff would like to be at this point.

I would expect to see the rotation starting to look a little more like what we may see during the regular season with just three pre-season games remaining. The Hawks are back at home on Monday against Orlando in a game that will be televised on NBATV.

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The one televised preseason game would be against Orlando, wouldn't it?

The media loves to mock us.

Can't eat sushi in Utah, brother.....Landlocked

by dstdeelite on Oct 17, 2010 3:22 PM EDT reply actions

No Thursday's Miami game is televised as well

@KrisPTHoops

by Kris Willis on Oct 17, 2010 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Great! Two thrashings!

Can't eat sushi in Utah, brother.....Landlocked

by dstdeelite on Oct 17, 2010 7:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Jordan Crawford

Short version: If Jordan Crawfords performance thus far can carry over into the regular season, then I think he should be able to get minutes with the second unit.

I see no reason why Jordan can’t get minutes with the second unit. His minutes and accompanying stats have come against mostly that level of player thus far correct? Given that it is preseason and all, if we temper what we’ve seen from him, his production would still be second unit worthy.

Also, if we assume that LD can and will notice how things are going during the game and be willing to make adjustments if necessary (i.e. Bibby’s shot is off so there’s no reason for him to be in the game), then shouldn’t we assume that LD can turn to the younger Crawford for bench support? I’d like to think that to be true.

"Everybody talks about SEC speed. The 27 fastest guys at the (NFL) combine, how many of them were from the SEC? Three. But if you say it enough, everybody will believe it."
-CPJ

"You could spend the next fifteen seconds of your life watching a man and a tiger scream together, or you could be an idiot."
Fact.

by Jesse28 on Oct 18, 2010 12:30 PM EDT reply actions

I don't necessarily think it is a matter of if he can contribute

It is just that he is the fifth guard. Bibby, Johnson, Teague, Jamal Crawford, then Jordan. When you consider that Jamal played some point last year. Just may not be a lot of minutes left. I am wondering if Teague is the back up point how that will effect Jamal Crawford. Many times last season Jamal played the point position.

@KrisPTHoops

by Kris Willis on Oct 18, 2010 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions

If Woodson were still the coach, I might see it that way as well

But LD seems to like his players staying in their standard roles. Bibby and Teague are the points; JJ, JC, and JC2 are the two’s. Sure, they may switch it up on the court, but for the most part JC2 should be the third two on the roster. Also, I think it’s much more situational than simply 1-2-3-4-5. If Bibby is off, there’s no reason to play him a ton o fminutes just because he exists on the roster. Give JC2 those extra minutes and let him play himself up or down the rotation.

"Everybody talks about SEC speed. The 27 fastest guys at the (NFL) combine, how many of them were from the SEC? Three. But if you say it enough, everybody will believe it."
-CPJ

"You could spend the next fifteen seconds of your life watching a man and a tiger scream together, or you could be an idiot."
Fact.

by Jesse28 on Oct 19, 2010 7:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Give Crawford 2 Mo's minutes?

and let Joe slide to SF? I know I’ve said it before, but I’d like Joe play more SF, with Mo, JC1 or JC 2 at the 2.

http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/

by Mr. Sanchez on Oct 19, 2010 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Depending on the opposition lineup

That would work as well. Joe has the size to play the three and he’d be an upgrade defensively from Mo there, so why not.

In the end, I just think that JC2 is better than a DBL level player and I think he’s better than an Acie Law/Jeff Teague-under-Woody-DNPCD level player. The talent and skill is obviously there and not playing him doesn’t help us in any way.

"Everybody talks about SEC speed. The 27 fastest guys at the (NFL) combine, how many of them were from the SEC? Three. But if you say it enough, everybody will believe it."
-CPJ

"You could spend the next fifteen seconds of your life watching a man and a tiger scream together, or you could be an idiot."
Fact.

by Jesse28 on Oct 19, 2010 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions