Atlanta
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
Tonight the Hawks begin what will be both a spiritual journey and an extended road trip by visiting the Governator's stomping grounds in Sacramento. They play four road games just this week alone and six in a row over the next eight days. After one quick home stop, they face another three-game road trip. For those keeping track at home, that's nine road games out of the next ten. Only two of Atlanta's ten total victories have come on the road, though the Hawks have played more away from Atlanta than they have in Atlanta.
These next two weeks will either make or break the rest of the season, as it represents about one-third of their remaining schedule. If they come out of this road trip still with only 10 wins, it could be a very painful last month or two in the league. But if they make some unexpected noise visiting teams that they have enough talent to beat, especially if they are able to pull out close games, they will have helped their young players grow into the leaders and veterans they need to be next year when the Hawks will make their push into the playoffs.
Either way, Atlanta is one of the most likely teams to have the first overall draft pick this year. Because of the lottery system, there's absolutely no reason not to win as many games as they still can. The Hawks came within three points of beating the Kings, who have as many All-Stars as the Hawks but one fewer Slam Dunk champion, and may be able to catch them off-guard tonight.
It would be a terrific start.
NEXT GAME
The Hawks (10-41, fifth in the Southeast) face the Sacramento Kings (33-20, second in the Pacific) on their home turf TONIGHT, Tuesday, February 22nd. Game time is 10:00 p.m. Eastern/7:00 p.m. Pacific. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports in Atlanta, Comcast Sports Network in Sacramento and NBA League Pass nationwide. Tickets are still available for this game at Arco Arena.
TEAM NOTES
Josh Smith electrified the Denver crowd with two perfect dunks in the final round to win the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunkcompetition on Saturday night. On his first dunk in the last round, Smith paid homage to his boyhood idol by donning a throwback Dominique Wilkins jersey before converting on a flying windmill slam. "I really wanted to win this for Dominique, for the Hawks organization and for the city of Atlanta," said Smith.
INJURY UPDATE
Kevin Willis(back) is questionable for the Sacramento game andAl Harrington(knee) may return against the Kings; Tyronn Lue(Achilles) andPredrag Drobnjak(ankle) should be ready to go any day now;Kenny Anderson(hamstring) andChris Crawford(knee - out for the season) are both on the Hawks injured list.
HoopsVibe.comwrites: The Hawks will try and move Antoine Walker, who is in first season with Atlanta.Walker is in the final year of a big contract ($14.6 million) and is attractive to a lot of teams around the league. The 28-year- old forward leads Atlanta in scoring and rebounding this season. The Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers are all possible destinations for Walker. In order to obtain Walker it will cost a team young players and a draft pick. Don't be surprised if Atlanta keeps Walker just to get the salary cap relief, as the Hawks are still very much in the rebuilding mode.
The Associated Press writes inAccess North Georgia: The Atlanta Hawks begin a six-game Western road trip Tuesday night at Sacramento.The Hawks go into the second half of the season having won just two of 24 games away from home. And, at just 10-41, they're also dragging the worst overall record in the NBA. In their last outing against the Kings, Sacramento took a 100-97 victory at Philips Arena on January 7th.
Sekou Smith ofThe Atlanta Journal-Constitutionwrites: Hawks coach Mike Woodson has been talking about if for weeks.Since long before Josh Smith's rousing win in the NBA's slam-dunk competition Saturday night in Denver. And weeks before his team regrouped after the All-Star break for practice Monday night at the gym at Sacramento State University, their first on-court session since last Wednesday's loss in Cleveland. The Hawks, 10-41 with the NBA's worst record heading into the post-All-Star break stretch run, are facing a treacherous 10-game stretch that could very well snap their resolve and wipe away any spark that might have been generated by Smith's star-making weekend. Nine of their next 10 games are on the road, including six straight against Western Conference foes starting tonight against the Sacramento Kings at Arco Arena.