Peachtree Hoops - March 13: Hawks 96, Suns 87The place to read about/discuss the Atlanta Hawks.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/8811/peachtree-fave.jpg2015-03-14T08:51:49-04:00http://www.peachtreehoops.com/rss/stream/79713602015-03-14T08:51:49-04:002015-03-14T08:51:49-04:00Hawks unlikely to re-sign Eddie, per report
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<figcaption>Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Atlanta Hawks won't re-sign forward Jarell Eddie to another 10-day contract. </p> <p>Rookie forward <span>Jarell Eddie's</span> NBA tenure ended Friday night without a minute of playing time. Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that<a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/basketball/hawks-wont-re-sign-eddie/nkWq5/?ecmp=ajc_social_twitter_2014_hawks_sfp"> Eddie said his goodbye's to his teammates</a> following Atlanta's 96-87 comeback win over the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Phoenix Suns</a>.</p>
<p>Atlanta's situation has changed since they signed Eddie to his first 10-day contract. Forward Thabo Sefolosha is nearing a return from a long absence due to a strained calf. A report surfaced on Friday that forward <span>Mike Scott</span> has a broken toe. The team has not confirmed Scott's injury but if the report is true, that could have them looking for a power forward to give a 10-day contract.</p>
<p>Vivlamore reports that Eddie is likely to return to the Austin <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Spurs</a> of the NBA D-League. Eddie appeared in 37 games averaging 11.9 points per game while knocking down 42 percent of his three-point attempts.</p>
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https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/3/14/8214317/atlanta-hawks-jarell-eddie-contract-d-league-call-upKris Willis2015-03-14T00:49:01-04:002015-03-14T00:49:01-04:00Millsap leads Hawks to comeback win
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<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Atlanta Hawks stormed back from an 11-point second half deficit to defeat the Phoenix Suns 96-87.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> come storming back in the fourth quarter to defeat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> 96-87 and grabbed their first win on their current six-game road trip.</p>
<p>The Hawks outscored the Suns 31-14 in the fourth quarter to help erase an 11-point second half deficit. Atlanta was unable to settle in defensively for much of the game but clamped down in the fourth quarter. The Suns knocked down 10 of their first 19 three-point attempts in the game but missed their last seven and went 0-5 in the fourth. Atlanta forced Phoenix into seven fourth quarter turnovers and turned those opportunities into good looks offensively.</p>
<p>Atlanta shot 60 percent from the field in the fourth and knocked down 5-7 three-point attempts including two apiece from <span>Paul Millsap</span> and <span>Kyle Korver</span>.</p>
<p>Phoenix entered halftime with a two point lead but used an 11-0 run to push the lead to 61-50 with just over eight minutes remaining in the third. The Hawks were able to weather the storm but the Suns still took an eight point lead into the fourth.</p>
<p>The Hawks cut the deficit down to two with an 8-2 run to start the quarter fueled by a pair of backups in Dennis Schröder and Kent Bazemore. Schröder opened the quarter with a steal and a layup and later finished the break with a one-handed dunk over <span>Archie Goodwin</span> to cut the deficit to just two points. Both players were called for double technicals after the play as Goodwin took exception to Schröder's reaction to the dunk.</p>
<p>A little later, Millsap and Korver buried back-to-back threes to put Atlanta in front for good. Millsap scored eight of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter. <span>Jeff Teague</span> finished with 14 while <span>Al Horford</span> added 12. Schröder, Bazemore and <span>DeMarre Carroll</span> added 11 each.</p>
<p><span>Markieff Morris</span> led Phoenix with 22 points but was held to just two in the fourth quarter. <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> added 21 points while <span>Marcus Morris</span> chipped in 18.</p>
<p>The win was the Hawks first on their current six-game road trip. The trip continues on Sunday when they travel to Staples Center to take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Los Angeles Lakers</a>.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/3/14/8213461/hawks-vs-suns-final-scoreKris Willis2015-03-13T22:42:37-04:002015-03-13T22:42:37-04:00Korver throws down a dunk against the Suns<iframe src="https://vine.co/v/O9P16xrz5mJ/embed/simple" width="600" height="600"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p><a href="https://vine.co/v/O9P16xrz5mJ">(h/t Andrew Bailey)</a></p></p></div>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/3/13/8213197/korver-throws-down-a-dunk-against-the-sunsKris Willis2015-03-13T22:25:24-04:002015-03-13T22:25:24-04:00Scott out with broken toe, per report
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<figcaption>Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Mike Scott's injury is reportedly more serious than was first thought. </p> <p><a href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Hawks</a> forward <span>Mike Scott</span> <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/basketball/scott-out-versus-suns/nkWRR/">has a broken toe and there is no timetable yet for his return</a> according to a report by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chris Vivlamore.</p>
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<p>Updated story: Mike Scott suffers broken toe. <a href="http://t.co/Rgz0yJQ7j9">http://t.co/Rgz0yJQ7j9</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATLHawks?src=hash">#ATLHawks</a></p>
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CVivlamoreAJC/status/576567043937304576">March 14, 2015</a>
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Scott was originally diagnosed with a sprained toe. Vivlamore cites a "person familiar with the situation" in his story and says that Scott will likely see a foot specialist. The Hawks have yet to issue an update in regards to Scott's status.</p>
<p>Its unclear how serious the injury is but a broken to would clearly be more serious and require longer to heal than a sprain. It takes another of Atlanta's key bench weapons out of the equation. With Scott out on Friday, <span>Pero Antic</span> and possibly <span>Elton Brand</span> were expected to see an increase in playing time.</p>
<p>We will update this story as soon as more information becomes available.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/3/13/8213125/mike-scott-injury-broken-toe-atlanta-hawksKris Willis2015-03-13T22:03:09-04:002015-03-13T22:03:09-04:00Mike Scott's injury more serious than first thought?<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/CVivlamoreAJC/status/576563323656744960">Mike Scott's injury more serious than first&nbsp;thought?</a></h3>
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https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/3/13/8213091/mike-scotts-injury-more-serious-than-first-thoughtKris Willis2015-03-13T14:54:02-04:002015-03-13T14:54:02-04:00Scott out, Schroder probable against Suns
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<figcaption>Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Atlanta Hawks will be without forward Mike Scott on Friday due to a strained toe. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> will be without one of their key weapons off the bench Friday night as <span>Mike Scott</span> will miss the game due to a strained toe. Scott was listed as doubtful on Thursday's injury report but was declared out on Friday afternoon.</p>
<p>With Scott out, <span>Mike Budenholzer</span> will have to juggle his frontcourt rotation a bit possibly opening up some playing time for <span>Mike Muscala</span> or even Elton Brand. Scott has appeared in 60 games this season and is averaging 7.5 points and 2.7 rebounds in just under 16 minutes of playing time a night.</p>
<p>The Hawks did get a bit of good news in regards to guards <span>Dennis Schroder</span> and John Jenkins. Schroder is dealing with a sore ankle while Jenkins has a sore left wrist. Both players are listed as probable and <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/basketball/scott-out-versus-suns/nkWRR/?ecmp=ajc_social_twitter_2014_hawks_sfp">Budenholzer told the AJC earlier today</a> that he expects both to be available for Friday's game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Suns</a>.</p>
<p>Phoenix guard Brandon Knight is battling an ankle injury and has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Atlanta Hawks.</p>
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<p>Brandon Knight is out for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SunsVsHawks?src=hash">#SunsVsHawks</a> tonight & is doubtful for Sunday's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SunsVsKnicks?src=hash">#SunsVsKnicks</a>. Suns then have 3 off-days to get him ready to play.</p>
— Paul Coro (@paulcoro) <a href="https://twitter.com/paulcoro/status/576456305944166400">March 13, 2015</a>
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https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/3/13/8210451/mike-scott-injury-toe-atlanta-hawksKris Willis2015-03-13T08:00:04-04:002015-03-13T08:00:04-04:00Hawks head to Phoenix in search of rebound
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<figcaption>Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Atlanta Hawks did not put their best foot forward on Wednesday in Denver, and they look to rebound from that fault performance against the Phoenix Suns.</p> <p>"The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Hawks</a> have lost two out of three!"</p>
<p>"Atlanta has now suffered two consecutive road losses!"</p>
<p>"PANIC IN THE STREETS"</p>
<p>Two of the above statements were actually heard via different outlets in reaction to the Atlanta Hawks losing to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a> by a lopsided margin on Wednesday evening. I'll let you decide which one was fabricated.</p>
<p>In fairness, the Hawks looked about as bad as they have looked all season during the first three quarters in Denver, and that is a bit unsettling. Still, Atlanta ran into a buzzsaw with a Nuggets team that shot the lights out (hello, <span>Jameer Nelson</span>!) at times, and uneven showings happen on the road in the NBA.</p>
<p>The Hawks will now aim to rebound from that woeful performance, as they face the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> on Friday evening. Objectively, the Suns are a much better basketball team than the Nuggets, and that shows in the standings as Phoenix has been a borderline playoff-level team throughout the body of the season.</p>
<p>Still, the Suns appear to be slightly wounded in the aftermath of the decision to trade <span>Goran Dragic</span>, <span>Isaiah Thomas</span> and <span>Miles Plumlee</span> at the deadline, and Phoenix isn't an overly terrifying opponent. The Hawks have shown the propensity to bounce back in a big way following an embarrassing loss (as evidenced by Monday's evisceration of Sacramento), and you would have to surmise that <span>Mike Budenholzer</span> will have this team ready to play.</p>
<p>From a match-up perspective, the Suns are driven largely by the duo of <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> and Markieff Morris. Bledsoe was the last man standing from the trade deadline bloodbath, and he is an impact player on both ends while averaging 17.1 points, 6.0 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game this season. He is also a difficult physical match-up for <span>Jeff Teague</span> given his size and strength, and it will be interesting to see if Budenholzer deploys the two-PG lineup with Dennis Schröder (or <span>Shelvin Mack</span> if the German point guard <a target="_blank" href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/3/12/8203553/atlanta-hawks-injury-report-vs-phoenix-suns">is unable to play</a>) to take the pressure off his starting point guard defensively.</p>
<p>Morris has been one of the breakout starts of the 2014-2015 season, as the twin forward has upped his scoring to 15.2 points per game this season. The system under <span>Jeff Hornacek</span> fits him perfectly, and Morris will ensure that <span>Paul Millsap</span> (or even <span>Al Horford</span>) has his hands full throughout.</p>
<p>With the schedule poised to get tougher at the end of this trip with visits to Golden State and Oklahoma City, Friday's game is one that the Hawks could use. There is no objective danger in the standings, but Atlanta does not want to be cratering as the stretch run arrives, and this is a spot where the Hawks are simply the better team regardless of venue, even with the potential absence of <span>Mike Scott</span> (toe strain) and/or Schröder.</p>
<p>Stay tuned throughout the day for updates, and be sure to join us in the game thread near game time.</p>
<h3>Game Info</h3>
<p><b>Game Date/Time: </b>Friday, March 13, 10:00 p.m. ET</p>
<p><b>Location:</b> US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona</p>
<p><b>TV:</b> SportSouth</p>
<p><b>Radio:</b> 92.9 "The Game" FM</p>
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https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/3/13/8201961/hawks-vs-suns-preview-time-tv-radioBrad Rowland