Jason Collins Injury: Hawks Center Out At Least Two Weeks With Sprained Elbow

by Kris Willis on Feb 5, 2012 11:48 AM EST

The Atlanta Hawks issued a release on Saturday updating the status of injured center Jason Collins. After having an MRI exam, Collins will miss at least two weeks with what is being called a sprained elbow and will be re-evaluated at that time.

Larry Drew told the AJC on Saturday that the team is exploring options and could potentially add a player on a 10-day contract. Atlanta pursued free agent big man Kenyon Martin last week but was spurned when he opted to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers instead.

Drew said the Hawks are looking at candidates to sign to a 10-day contract. "It's possible," he said. "We met yesterday and talked about it and tossed some names around. We will keep doing that until we make a decision what we want to do."

Names such as Erick Dampier, Kyrylo Fesenko and Dan Gadzuric highlight the available centers list. Joel Pryzbilla is also available but is rumored to be deciding between the Chicago Bulls or the Miami Heat.

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Philly game recap coming soon

Wanted to throw this up for discussion in the meantime.

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by Kris Willis on Feb 5, 2012 11:48 AM EST reply actions

What lucky Center would sign a ten day contract with the ASG?

by HD Bud on Feb 5, 2012 12:29 PM EST reply actions

Fesenko would be the best bet for ATL

http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2012/02/05/atlanta-hawks-good-fit-for-fesenko/?cxntfid=blogs_hawks

Best there is left

by Jonesy24 on Feb 5, 2012 2:18 PM EST up reply actions

+1

by ATLpaul on Feb 5, 2012 2:26 PM EST up reply actions

+1

Hawk Str8Talk

by Hawk Str8Talk on Feb 5, 2012 4:01 PM EST up reply actions

http://www.slcdunk.com/2012/1/27/2752755/fesenko-friday-has-a-95-standing-reach

What is the hold up here?? Cut Stack already and sign this guy for the rest of the season. It’s not Stack is teaching Josh how to post up or telling Joe to get to the bucket.

by HD Bud on Feb 5, 2012 12:34 PM EST reply actions

You do realize that he is a free agent for a reason right?

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by Kris Willis on Feb 5, 2012 12:59 PM EST up reply actions

sadly if hes willing to come here for a 10 day deal

then it might be in the Hawks best interest to sign him. Younger, better version than Twin when hes healthy

by Jonesy24 on Feb 5, 2012 2:23 PM EST up reply actions

Twin whom we don't necessarily want playing ever

I am all for bringing someone in but a big impact isn’t likely.

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by Kris Willis on Feb 5, 2012 2:58 PM EST up reply actions

I agree

And for the most part the center position isnt that big of a deal that many Hawks fans think it is. Larry Drew’s aversion to playing small ball is tho. On some nights just play Josh, Marvin and TMac as your frontcourt and just role with the best 5 players you can put out there.

by Jonesy24 on Feb 5, 2012 3:10 PM EST up reply actions

If our pace is half court

then it will matter. Pushing the pace when you’re small is the best thing but we hardly do that.

Atlanta will win a championship....someday

by maxxj3 on Feb 5, 2012 8:57 PM EST up reply actions

Yep

I don’t have an illusion that we’re bringing in a 10 and 8 guys. I just want someone who is able to not get pushed into the support post for about 10 minutes if we play a Bynum or Howard and doesn’t make us 4 on 5 every offensive possession. So, Fesenko’s games in Utah gave me the belief that he’s at least better than Collins. It’s worth the 10 day deal.

Hawk Str8Talk

by Hawk Str8Talk on Feb 5, 2012 4:09 PM EST up reply actions

It will be someone we never heard of.

by SmokedTooMuch013 on Feb 5, 2012 12:35 PM EST reply actions

They should start Ivan J. an let Zaza come off the bench.

You can rotate Smooth an Ivan at center depending who the opposing center is.

by SmokedTooMuch013 on Feb 5, 2012 12:38 PM EST reply actions

Well not a lot of options.

Fesenko – immature, probably out of shape
Pryzbilla- doesnt want to anchor a team for a lot of minutes at this stage of his injuryprone career
Dampier- past washed up

looks like Gadzuric wins the 10 day.

* Jeff Teague * Joe Johnson* Josh Smith * Troy Murphy * Al Horford *
* Kirk Hinrich * Tracy McGrady * Marvin Williams * Ivan/Vlad * Zaza Pachulia *
----
* {#40 Pick Perimeter F Jon Leuer is better than Marvin Williams and Hinrich cost us the pick}

by PointGuardSlim on Feb 5, 2012 12:45 PM EST reply actions

Ah I see now...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARSeAwX3H2w

He would still be the first I would contact. Sund is clueless on evaluating Centers.

by HD Bud on Feb 5, 2012 12:54 PM EST reply actions

Own up to error and contact Keith Benson.

by PointGuardSlim on Feb 5, 2012 12:56 PM EST reply actions

I think it will be a vet

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by Kris Willis on Feb 5, 2012 1:00 PM EST up reply actions

Can someone tell me why no one mentions Josh's 7blocks in any article i've read?

Or is the box score i seen a misprint? Or is 7blocks that common now?

by SmokedTooMuch013 on Feb 5, 2012 1:56 PM EST reply actions

Blinded by jumpshots

And general lack of effort in the first half. However, in the second he got to the FT line and continued denying the sixers at the rim.

If Josh Smith gets back to getting towards the FT line again instead of settling he’ll return to his all star status. Because honestly he did have a good game, but good isnt good enough for him and this team anymore.

He has to be great or the Hawks, especially without Al Horford, are dead in the water this season.

by Jonesy24 on Feb 5, 2012 2:22 PM EST up reply actions

It's also hard to get past

That he had a tough time scoring while the other team had interior defenders like Lavoy Allen, Thaddeus Young, and Spencer Hawes. It wasn’t exactly a bad game, since he was rebounding and blocking shots and getting a few assists, but people expect him to score like he’s more than a 4th option when the other team doesn’t have any great interior players. Ivan Johnson didn’t really have any difficulties scoring near the basket, against the same opponent. And Josh Smith was on the floor for the big, terrible run before halftime that essentially put the game out of reach.

There’s plenty of blame to spread around in this one, though-why was Zaza able to play with Andrew Bogut, but outplayed by Spencer Hawes? He also should have done quite a bit more. And with Iguodala spending most of his time checking JJ, Marvin Williams was mostly being defended by Jodie Meeks or Evan Turner, and he didn’t step up either. So yeah, there’s a lot of work to be done if these Hawks want to end up beating any good teams, it seems.

Braves will be fine. I'm not worried.

by Bronn on Sep 18, 2011 4:26 PM EDT

by Bronn on Feb 5, 2012 2:48 PM EST up reply actions

Its frustrating

watching Marvin Williams convert an easy layup under the basket against smaller players or get fouled, but instead of milking the obvious advantage they ignore the good result and run something for Joe Johnson, who is being guarded by the best perimeter defender in the NBA.

Somebody has to speak the hell up and im putting some blame on Marvin, i think we can all agree the majority has to go to the coach and the players on the floor. Take advantage of mismatches and make the game easier. When they went to Marvin the ball moved around and the Hawks got good shots out of it.

by Jonesy24 on Feb 5, 2012 2:55 PM EST up reply actions

Josh Smith got to the FT line against New Orleans. It doesn't mean wins.

Josh Smith’s best when he’s running the wing lanes in transition. But we got Marvin playing the wing.

This offense isn’t conducive to that. And Josh Smith was “getting to the line” against Thaddeus Young. A 6’8 small forward.

- Lavoy Allen and Spencer Hawes stand back and clog the lane so Smith can’t drive by them.
- When Josh posts up big guys they have length to bother his shot.
- When Josh drives he’s easily stopped by big guys because they stand back and clog the lane, playing him to take the jumper.

Smith is a small forward and its absurd that rookies named Lavoy Allen can lock him up but no one ever talks about size.

Its very easy to guard Josh Smith where Larry Drew plays Josh, setting screens at the top of the key rolling into 7 footers where no one can pass to him, and playing him at the top of the key as a passer.

The opposing offenses 9 times out of 10 are more efficient than us and this team generates no easy points.

past Time to change the offense.

by PointGuardSlim on Feb 5, 2012 10:01 PM EST up reply actions

I'm also re-watching 7'1 Spencer Hawes play power forward next to Vucevic against the Hawks. sad. I detest Small ball

by PointGuardSlim on Feb 5, 2012 10:14 PM EST up reply actions

when you're Javale Mcgee

Atlanta will win a championship....someday

by maxxj3 on Feb 5, 2012 9:01 PM EST up reply actions

They need to get a center an move josh back to shooting guard, like you did when

he started his career and joe was the point. He shot less 3s an ran the court more for those highlite dunks.

by SmokedTooMuch013 on Feb 5, 2012 2:58 PM EST reply actions

Josh Smith is an all star caliber forward

and should still be an All Star this season, even while playing probably the worst 4 game stretch in his NBA career offensively since he made the leap in 08

by Jonesy24 on Feb 5, 2012 3:00 PM EST up reply actions

Collins missing the next 2 weeks surely slightly increases the Hawks’ chances of winning those games. If they can find a free agent who can rebound and play d even a little, maybe this will lead to early retirement for Jason. (And no I don’t care about not having Collins vs Orlando. Howard put up huge stats vs Atlanta even during the games Collins guarded him. What made the real difference in the Hawks beating Orlando last year was 1) Orlando trading away a bunch of its best shooters and 2) playing Howard straight up instead of double teaming him and thereby leaving shooters open.)

by redwards95 on Feb 5, 2012 3:57 PM EST reply actions