In an attempt to turn disappointment into knowledge, I took a look at Sherron's two-point shooting.

It's been generally disappointing most of the year (44.7% on the season vs. 53.4% last year, hasn't finished a game above 50% on the season since the Jackson State game) but I wondered if it had been a specific factor in the seven losses.

The answer (rather predictably) is maybe.

He converted two-point attempts at less than his (already low) season average in 6 of the 7 losses but he also covnerted two-point attempts at less than his season average in 7 of the 25 wins.

The graph should you wish to take a gander.

WHERE: SportSouth, Hawks Radio Network, NBA Audio League Pass

Game Notes: Hawks/Bucks

Blogging With the Enemy: Brew Hoop

This is an open thread for pre-game, in-game, and post-game discussion.

WHERE: SportSouth, Hawks Radio Network, NBA Audio League Pass

Game Notes: Hawks/Bulls

Blogging With the Enemy: Blog a Bull

This is an open thread for pre-game, in-game, and post-game discussion.

WHERE: SportSouth, Hawks Radio Network, NBA Audio League Pass

Game Notes: Hawks/Raptors

Blogging With the Enemy: Raptorblog, Raptors Republic

This is an open thread for pre-game, in-game, and post-game discussion.

Boxscore

Gameflow

During the first quarter, I made a note which read, "When was the last time Mo Evans played a good game?" The answer to that question is now, January 16th in Golden State. The circumstances which made Evans' fine performance possible are unfortunate* at best.

*Heal fast, Marvin.

Also unfortunate is that Mo Evans' line is the only thing a Hawks fan can fully feel good about this morning. Joe Johnson's 8-8 start from the field was followed by a 1-12 finish from the field. Mike Bibby's fine offensive performance in the fourth quarter came at the cost of Mike Bibby's inability to help stop Golden State from scoring.

Unadulterated bad feelings abound from both the reminder of how little Flip Murray contributes when he's not scoring* and that Josh Smith managed to get outrebounded by a man who spent most of the game at the hospital. 5 rebounds in 38 minutes of a game that featured 90 missed field goals? Poor. Very, very poor.

*To be fair, Flip played very well for a 30 second stretch of the fourth quarter.

Mike Woodson on Marvin Williams:

"Right now he's still being evaluated for a head injury. We just wish him well and a speedy recovery. We don't even know if he's going to make the trip back, so we'll just have to see.''

Things may be a bit slow here for the next few days but, fear not, service will return to normal* shortly. The game threads will appear like clockwork for your pre-, in-, and post-game thoughts. Also feel free to make use of all the amenities here: FanPosts for your lengthier ruminations on a given topic and FanShots for choice links.

*If not better than ever.

WHO: Atlanta (23-15) at Golden State Warriors (11-29)

WHERE: SportSouth, Hawks Radio Network, NBA Audio League Pass

Injury Report: Al Horford is out. For Golden State: Marco Belinelli, Stephen Jackson, and Brandon Wright are out. Monta Ellis remains on the inactive list.

Game Notes: Hawks/Warriors

For Entertainment Purposes Only: Atlanta -1, 218.5 o/u

Blogging With the Enemy: Golden State of Mind

For those of you heading out to enjoy Friday night, don't forget to have your DVR add a little recording time on the back end of tonight's scheduled broadcast just in case the Warriors find themselves in another three overtime thriller.

Boxscore

Gameflow

I don't think there's reason to lavish praise on the Hawks for ending their four-game losing streak with a win over a Clippers team that lacks both talent and cohesion nor do I think there's any reason to criticize the team for failing to dismiss their opponent in style. The Hawks took care of business. It was a workmanlike effort. A win is a win. (Insert your preferred cliche in this space.)

Good to see Joe Johnson make some shots. Good to see Josh Smith (mostly) attack the basket. Good to see Acie Law IV get a single stint for a second consecutive night and play fairly well. Good not to see Marvin Williams clutching at any joints or appendages. Good to see Flip Murray play well again.

Solomon Jones must have disappointed those who hold out hope for him. His meager stat line accurately represented his contributions. He's a non-factor when not fouling or falling into an opportunity to dunk the ball. Compare his line with Zaza Pachulia's (who played but a minute more than Jones). Hell, compare Jones's line with DeAndre Jordan's and remember that this time last year, Jordan was playing his way out of the rotation of a mediocre Texas A&M squad.

Josh Smith has discovered the secret of playing well early is to redefine early:

"We definitely wanted to come out and establish ourselves early. We weren't able to do it in the first quarter, but we did over the last three."

The Human Highlight Blog is also willing to stretch the definition of success.

WHO: Atlanta (22-15) at Los Angeles Clippers (8-29)

WHEN: 10:30pm

WHERE: SportSouth, Hawks Radio Network, NBA Audio League Pass

Injury Report: Al Horford is out. For the Clippers (deep breath) Chris Kaman, Baron Davis, Zach Randolph, and Mike Taylor are out.

Game Notes

For Entertainment Purposes Only: Atlanta -4, 193 o/u

Blogging With the Enemy: Clips Nation, Clipper Blog

Apologies for the place-holder version of this game thread getting published twice.

Boxscore

Gameflow

There are a number of points of interest regarding last night's game: Flip Murray's (offensive*) excellence, Marvin Williams' health**, Acie Law IV's aggressive five minutes of play to open the second quarter, the possibility that Randolph Morris could pass Solomon Jones in the rotation, Zaza Pachulia's worthy effort against Shaquille O'Neal, Mike Bibby's strong fourth quarter, Joe Johnson's poor start, and Johnson's worse finish but there is a single defining moment.

*I do have a concern that Flip couldn't pick Leandro Barbosa out of a lineup but I'll chalk that up to Flip's standard disinterest in sound team defense rather than a specific inability to recognize that Barbosa deserved special attention last night.

**It'll be tough to get much information on this as the Hawks appear to be traveling again without an accompanying beat reporter.

Atlanta ball, down 101-98, 1:13 left in the game. The Hawks run a stagnant, slow developing* set in an effort to get the ball to Joe Johnson in the vicinity of the left block. Once Johnson gets the ball, the Phoenix double-team arrives and he (to his credit) finds the open man on the opposite wing. Phoenix not being a collection of complete imbeciles though, the open man is Josh Smith 22 feet from the basket. Smith catches the ball with four seconds left on the shot clock. He shoots with three seconds left on the shot clock. He does not appear to consider not shooting from there. I don't know whether that's because the shot clock is winding down or because he's one of two people** who don't seem to recognize his inability to make jump shots should preclude him from attempting them.

*though not atypically so

**I assume you can guess the other person.

The shot misses. Grant Hill rebounds. Phoenix heads to the other end and scores on their third consecutive possession to take a five point lead. That score doesn't kill the game off though as, on Atlanta's next possession, Josh Smith doesn't stand on the perimeter for 20 seconds before attempting to do something with less than a thirty-percent chance of succeeding. He gets to the paint and works hard to tap in Joe Johnson's missed shot. This effort doesn't end up changing the outcome of the game but, had Smith put in such a good, useful effort on the earlier, more important possession perhaps things would have played out differently in the final minute.

Again, though, the fault does not lie with Smith alone. On that possession that begins with 1:13 left in the game, I ask, which Hawks players are put in a position to succeed?

Joe Johnson? Everyone knows he's getting the ball and can probably guess where he's going to get the ball.

Mike Bibby? He's got to force the ball where the defense knows it's going because he does not appear to have a second option in that set.

Marvin Williams? He's asked to space the floor by standing in the opposite corner but because he shares the weak side of the court with Josh Smith, there's no reason for Marvin's defender to leave him. Ever.

Josh Smith? Asking Josh Smith to stand 22 feet from the basket cannot produce anything positive for an offense. Plus, I get the impression on terrible, unproductive possessions like this one that he's encouraged if not instructed not to make a hard cut into the paint when his defender leaves him to double Johnson.

Randolph Morris? I'm not entirely sure that the previous 46 minutes he'd played with the Hawks over the last ten weeks adequately prepared him to make a positive and aggressive contribution to that possession.

From a distance, Sekou Smith tackles the issue of Joe Johnson's poor shooting night:

But I’m going to say what Joe Johnson won’t. “Gimme a break.” And I don’t mean an extended stretch of days when he doesn’t have to play or practice, but more like an extended stretch of a game where he doesn’t have to be the first, second and third option for the Hawks on offense.

The Hawks made their best run against the Suns with a motley crew of characters on the floor and Johnson resting, deservedly so, on the sidelines. And it’s okay some nights for the star player to watch his supporting cast take care of things, especially when that star player averages 41 minutes a night and carries a load as large as the one the Hawks have asked Johnson to carry the past few years.

Now I also realize that a player’s pride precludes him from admitting that he’s gassed and that he might need a break from the constant pressure of toting the heaviest load.

That’s fine. We’ve all got raging pride that colors our decisions sometimes. But that doesn’t mean someone else can’t step in and notice the obvious and do something to alleviate the problem.

Sekou's a hell of a blogger.

WHO: Atlanta (22-14) at Phoenix (21-13)

WHEN: 9pm

WHERE: SportSouth, Hawks Radio Network, NBA Audio League Pass

Injury Report: Al Horford is out.

Game Notes

For Entertainment Purposes Only: Phoenix -7, 212 o/u

Blogging With the Enemy: Bright Side of the Sun, Ben's Phoenix Suns Blog

Here's a treat for everyone: I particpated in a pre-game podcast with Phoenix Stan of Bright Side of the Sun. In the interests of maintaining my self-esteem, I haven't listened to it but I didn't want anyone to miss out ont he opportunity to hear me stammer, cricle around an argument I'm trying make, or pause awkwardly when I lose my train of thought completely.