Atlanta
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
The Atlanta Hawks gave the Knicks fits last night, taking them to overtime and what would likely have been a second overtime if not for missed free throws by Antoine Walker and Jon Barry. The Hawks have dropped seven straight but played a terrific game, doing everything but winning. The final score was 110-109. They may have the second-worst record in the league but they took one of the top eight teams to the final seconds of overtime.
The ironic thing about Walker's free throw attempts is that after his missed one, and a timeout, he came back looking to intentionally miss the second one.
Nothing but net.
Walker led all players with 36 points and a remarkable 5-of-6 from the three point line. Yet he was only 5-of-8 from the free throw line, which is about seven feet closer than the three point arc. Walker also had a team-high 13 rebounds and four assists, but also a game-high nine turnovers.
Tony Delk, Walker's longtime teammate on three different teams, filled it up off the bench to the tune of 21 points, going 3-for-3 from downtown. Delk also got six rebounds, two steals, and three assists before fouling out.
NEXT GAME
The Hawks (2-12, fifth in the Southeast) take two days off to think about what they've done before facing their divisional foes the Washington Wizards (7-5, third in the Southeast) on Friday, December 3rd. The game will be broadcast on Turner South, Comcast Sports Network, and NBA League Pass. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30pm Eastern. Tickets are still available at Philips Arena.
TEAM NOTES
The All-Star nominations are out, and Hawks players Antoine Walker, Al Harrington and Peja Drobnjak are on the ballots. Want to see them in the 2004-05 All-Star contest? Don't forget tocast your votefor your favorite players now.
The best way to keep up with the Atlanta Hawks is to subscribe to their free e-mail newsletter, Nothin' But Net Mail.
INJURY UPDATE
Chris Crawford(torn ACL) is out for the season and on the injured list.Kevin Willis(shoulder strain) andRoyal Ivey(strained right knee) are also on the injured list.Predrag Drobnjak(sprained right ankle) is out probably a few more days at least.
Steve Adamek ofThe Bergen Recordwrites: When Jamal Crawford caught Stephon Marbury's pass with the Knicks down a point and the clock ticking under five seconds Tuesday night, his shooting line read 6-for-26.Yet, there was never a doubt that Marbury was going to give the ball to him and never a doubt what Crawford was going to do with it. So from a couple steps beyond the three-point line, he squared and shot. Swish. He gave the Knicks a two-point lead with 3.6 seconds left in overtime and they eventually won, 110-109, when Antoine Walker made only one of two free throws with 2.0 on the clock.
The Toledo Bladewrites, citing The Associated Press: The Hawks, leading by one point, had a foul to waste and coach Mike Woodson was yelling that message from the sideline.But Crawford launched the game-winner from the top of the circle before Atlanta's defenders could respond.
The Ft. Worth Star-Telegramwrites: Ted Turner was back in his courtside seat at the Atlanta Hawks game Tuesday night, like in the old days; just visiting this time, though, as the Hawks hoisted a banner bearing the former owner's name to the rafters of Philips Arena at halftime of Tuesday's game against New York.Turner bought the Hawks, along with the Atlanta Braves, in the 1970s, and invested decades of passion into the teams. The banner was raised after remarks by NBA commissioner David Stern, who was booed by the crowd, and Hawks part-owner Michael Gearon Sr., who called the honor "the highest this franchise can pay to one of its all-time greats."
Tim Tucker ofThe Atlanta Journal-Constitutionwrites: Ted Turner was back in his courtside seat at the Hawks game Tuesday night, like in the old days. Just visiting this time, though. "I gave serious consideration" to buying back into the Hawks and Thrashers last year, Turner said in an interview Tuesday afternoon."But I'm doing so many different things, and if I didn't have time for a meaningful contribution . . . it was in a way a relief to let someone else have the responsibility, because I look at [ownership] as a very serious responsibility — not just to field a team but to win.
The Associated Press writes inAccess North Georgia: Crawford's game-winner was a heart-breaker for the Hawks, who suffered their seventh straight loss despite one of their best efforts of the season. The Hawks made 10 of 16 3-point shots, including five of six attempts by Antoine Walker, who scored a game-high and season-high 36 points. ``Moral victories don't help us right now,'' Walker said. ``It was a bad month. That's the only way you can look at it.''Even after Crawford's shot, the Hawks had another chance when Nazr Mohammed fouled Walker with 2 seconds left. Walker missed the first free throw. Following a timeout, Walker made the second free throw despite trying to intentionally miss the shot. The Knicks then inbounded and ran out the clock.