Got Karma? Hawks defense swarm Yao-led Rockets, Mike Bibby buzzer-beater 3 wins game

Hawks 103 Rockets 100
27 19 31 23
22 32 25 24

Now that was a good shot. Much prettier and with a much better result than the buzzer-beater we saw on ESPN as the #1 play of the night, and i would still be a little sick about that game if it wasn't for this one. And it was a good shot, great assist by the great Joe Johnson, his season-high 14th of the night, but none of this would be possible without the player of the game -- Josh Smith.

29 pts (13-16 FGs 3/4 FTs) 2 rbs 1 ast 1 blk

Marvin Williams aggrivated a shoulder injury in the last game against the Nets, so knowing he wouldn't be in the lineup, the Hawks would need an offensive lift, they got it. From the first play of the game, with the Maurice Evans assist Josh made a running 7-foot jumper with the AND 1 against Yao, it was felt that Josh would have a good offensive game. Josh Smith scored 29 pts (13-16 FGs 3-4 FTs), these 13 field goals coming mostly on drives to the hoops and short range jumpshots.

It would be an epic battle, for we all know the Atlanta Hawks know no 7-footers, so we had been slightly concerned that Yao would score easily on the Hawks in the paint, and that had been realized when Yao scored 8 points on 2 dunks a jumpshot and 2 free throws, but Josh Smith using his quickness to his advantage showed in the 1st quarter how we would win, Josh scored 13 points on 2 post-up hook-shots 2 driving layups 1 jumper and 3 free throws, and just as Josh Smith won the tip-off, Josh wins the battle of the paint in the 1st quarter, but the Rockets lead, 27-22.

2nd quarter, the Hawks 2nd unit play was great, particularly that of Acie Law (!!) and Flip Murray, who played together to start the 2nd, a rare sight indeed, and of course, Flip Murray has always scored well on driving layups and ill-advised 3s, but Flip played smart in the 25 ft range as well, hitting shots from 18 feet and getting to the line. Hawks played better collectively as a unit than the opponent, as usual, especially at Phillips Arena and the Hawks led 54-46 at halftime.

Halftime leaders: Hawks - Josh Smith 19 Rockets - Yao Ming 15

3rd quarter the Rockets came out gunning, hitting


That was a great game played by the Hawks, Josh Smith needed this offensive outburst, this in-paint confidence booster, so when he is facing Dwight Howard in the next game, he can try to hold him down.

Happy New Year Nets, Vince Carter buzzer-beater in OT wins game

Hawks 91 Nets 93 (OT)
21 28 20 16 6
16 13 34 24 8

BOX SCORE

I mean, it was a great shot, no doubt about it, but that shot wasn't the reason the Hawks lost the game. This was the first overtime game all season for the Hawks, and it was the Nets 4th, so they know a little about how to take care of the few possessions in a 5:00 OT Quarter, the Hawks are still learning that.

In the 1st half, the Nets were in full meltdown mode, the Nets scored 16 points in the 1st quarter and didn't score again until 6:13 left in the 2nd, and that was AFTER Coach Frank was ejected (lol, that was funny, u could see the curses flying from his mouth). the Hawks simply kept their cool, Bibby hit his technical free throws, and the Hawks kept pressing. On the last play of the 1st half, Coach Woodson subbed Joe for Mario West, a defensive stopper. It turned out to be a genius move by Woodson, Mario stole the ball from Devin Harris and with 2 seconds on the clock, lauched a halfcourt 37 foot shot, and it went it. Mario went nuts. This was an important moment because as a friend of mine pointed out at the end of the game, that just goes to show the difference between a veteran in a big moment, and a rookie.

Hawks shot 7/10 3pt FGs in the 1st half

Nets shot 1/5 3pt FGs in the 1st half

The Hawks were in the driver's seat all 1st half, and with their ejected coach making a motivational speech (you men better get out there and win! gotdammit!), the Nets stormed back in the 2nd half with a Vince Carter 3 on a Devin Harris assist, and that started a 14-3 run that cut the score from 49-29 to 52-43. Josh Smith hit a jumpshot after the ensuing timeout and the competition was fierce from that point on. At the end of the 3rd, it was 69-61, Hawks lead.

The 4th quarter start was an indication of things to come for the Hawks, as the Nets' Ryan Anderson fouls Josh Smith for two free throws, and Josh misses both free throws. Those misses turn into a Devin Harris layup, and after a Mike Bibby 3pt attempt, a Jarvis Hayes 3pt is made and the score is 69-66 just like that. After a timeout, somehow Josh Boone was the reciever of a Devin Harris assist and scored easliy. A few lead changes and free throws and the regulation game comes down to this: 83-85 Nets lead Hawks ball, Josh Smith shoots a three-pointer (!!) misses and Mike Bibby gets the rebound, feeds to Al Horford and Al lays it home plus a foul. Now the score is 85-85 with :47 left, time to take the lead, right? No, Al Horford misses the free throw, and the Nets get the ball and call timeout. Nets inbound to Devin Harris who launches a three, misses, and Josh Smith gets the rebound, ignites a break, and feeds Joe for the game-winning jumpshot. Joe's shot actually gets tipped by Devin Harris and Brook Lopez gets the rebound to call a timeout. 3 seconds left in regulation and the ball is inbounded to Vince Carter. Carter launches, misses, and we're in overtime.

We all know what happened in overtime so let's just say what we learned about the Hawks in this game:

• Hawks MUST make crucial free throws to win the game


• if Mike Bibby is ever fouled beyond the 3, worry about the FIRST free throw, not the last


• Josh Smith is truely coming around as a scorer, playing inside-out for 20 pts


• Joe Johnson is as clutch as they come, but we must have another reliable clutch option


• Mario West gets very excited after hitting half-court buzzer-beaters (lol)


• Mike Woodson will play Solomon Jones AND Mario West before he plays Acie Law IV

that last particular bullet is a sad fact, but the Hawks are still a winning team! Let's see how they do against the Yao-led Rockets.