SB Nation Atlanta - 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend: Nothing For Hawks Fans To See Here

Joe Johnson Injury Update: Hawks SG Takes Full Practice Tuesday, Game Time Decision Against Warriors

2012-02-28T20:15:46Z

Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Joe Johnson pulled out of the NBA All-Star Game over the weekend with a sore knee and was replaced by Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics. As the NBA teams get back to the regular-season grind this week, it appears the injury will not keep Johnson out of the Hawks lineup for long, if at all.

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Nubyjas Wilborn of 1500 ESPN Radio reported on Tuesday that Johnson took part in a full practice and full contact drills with the team. Zack Klein at WSB followed up later in the day that Hawks head coach Larry Drew stated Johnson would be a game time decision for Wednesday's game against the visiting Golden State Warriors.

Drew also stated that Zaza Pachulia would be a game time decision against the Warriors. Pachulia was icing his left calf following practice.

For all news and information regarding Joe Johnson, Zaza Pachulia and all things Atlanta Hawks, please visit Peachtree Hoops.

NBA Standings 2012: Can The Hawks Keep Up In The Second Half Of The Season?

2012-02-26T20:08:20Z

The Atlanta Hawks have overcame a nice bit of adversity so far through the first half of the season. Injuries, new players and a lack of practice hasn't prevented the Hawks from having success, as their 20-14 record has them positioned as the 6th-best team in the competitive Eastern conference.

The Hawks did well after the loss of Al Horford for the remainder of the season, as players like Jeff Teague and Zaza Pachulia stepped up admirably. However, over the long haul one must ask if head coach Larry Drew can keep the Hawks on the uptick. Atlanta was just 4-8 in the month of February and the schedule doesn't get any easier as games versus Oklahoma City and Miami loom in the next five games.

Here are the updated conference standings through the first half of the season.

Eastern Standings

GP W-L PCT

Miami Heat 34 27-7 .794

Chicago Bulls 35 27-8 .771

Indiana Pacers 33 21-12 .636

Philadelphia 76ers 34 20-14 .588

Orlando Magic 35 22-13 .629

Atlanta Hawks 34 20-14 .588

New York Knicks 35 17-18 .486

Boston Celtics 32 15-17 .469

Cleveland Cavaliers 31 13-18 .419

Milwaukee Bucks 33 13-20 .394

Detroit Pistons 35 11-24 .314

Toronto Raptors 33 10-23 .303

New Jersey Nets 35 10-25 .286

Washington Wizards 33 7-26 .212

Charlotte Bobcats 32 4-28 .125

	GP	W-L	PCT
Miami Heat	34	27-7	.794
Chicago Bulls	35	27-8	.771
Indiana Pacers	33	21-12	.636
Philadelphia 76ers	34	20-14	.588
Orlando Magic	35	22-13	.629
Atlanta Hawks	34	20-14	.588
New York Knicks	35	17-18	.486
Boston Celtics	32	15-17	.469
Cleveland Cavaliers	31	13-18	.419
Milwaukee Bucks	33	13-20	.394
Detroit Pistons	35	11-24	.314
Toronto Raptors	33	10-23	.303
New Jersey Nets	35	10-25	.286
Washington Wizards	33	7-26	.212
Charlotte Bobcats	32	4-28	.125

For more on the NBA's All-Star Weekend head on over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page. For more updates on the Atlanta Hawks head on over to Peachtree Hoops.

2012 NBA All-Star Game Time, TV Schedule And More

2012-02-26T15:01:21Z

Thanks to a knee injury for Joe Johnson and Josh Smith getting the All-Star snub not once but twice, the Atlanta Hawks won't be represented Sunday night during the NBA All-Star Game. Johnson had become somewhat of a staple in the game having appeared in the game the last five seasons and getting the start in the 2010 game.

Even without an Atlanta representative, the game will be a star-studded affair with the likes of LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony leading the East squad against Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant and the rest of the West squad. The Western Conference took home the victory last season by a score of 148-143.

Game date/time: Sunday, February 26, 7:30 p.m. ET

Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida

TV: TNT

For more on the NBA's All-Star Weekend head on over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page. For more updates on the Atlanta Hawks head on over to Peachtree Hoops.

Rising Stars Challenge 2012: Team Chuck Defeats Team Shaq 146-133

2012-02-25T04:34:29Z

NBA All-Star games are typically a lot of one on one plays, show off moves, and very little defense. The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge was no difference as there were alley-oop dunks and massive blocks through out the game. It was Team Chuck who was victorious in Friday night's game against Team Shaq 146-133.

The Cleveland Cavilers were represented well as Kyrie Irving lead Team Chuck in scoring with 36 points and was 8-of-8 from three-point range, and Tristan Thompson led Team Shaq with 20 points in a losing effort.

Georgia Tech product Derrick Favors who was an injury replacement player scored 14 points and was a perfect 5-of-5 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free throw line.

In addition to the great plays in All-Star games there are also the plays that go horribly wrong and here is one of those in form of a GIF, this one involves MarShon Brooks failing miserably on a dunk attempt.

Via SB Nation.

For more on the NBA All-Star weekend check out SB Nation's dedicates All-Star StoryStream.

NBA Rookie-Sophomore Game 2012 Time, TV Schedule And More

2012-02-24T13:01:28Z

The NBA rookie-sophomore game has a different twist than in years past. Instead of having rookies play sophomores there was a draft where the 18 players were drafted by TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'neil. This did provide some extra excitement to the game.

Local product Derrick Favors who played high school in Atlanta and then with Georgia Tech was added as an injury replacement and is on Team Chuck.

Here are the rosters for the game:

Team Shaq
Blake Griffin, LA Clippers
Jeremy Lin, NY Knicks
Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves
Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns
Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats
Landry Fields, NY Knicks
Norris Cole, Miami Heat
Brandon Knight, Detroit Pistons
Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers
Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons

Team Chuck
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
Derrick Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves
Paul George, Indiana Pacers
MarShon Brooks, NJ Nets
John Wall, Washington Wizards
Tiago Splitter, San Antonio Spurs (out with injury)
Evan Turner, Philadelphia 76ers
Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz

Game date/time: Friday, Feb. 24, 9 p.m. ET

Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Fla.

TV: TNT

For more on the NBA All-Star weekend check out SB Nation's dedicates All-Star StoryStream.

2012 NBA All-Star Weekend: Derrick Favors Among Three Georgia Tech Alums Headed To Orlando

2012-02-23T15:53:41Z

Derrick Favors, currently of the Utah Jazz and formerly of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, has been chosen to play in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, part of the NBA All-Star Weekend of events in Orlando.

For those of you who've forgotten Favors' time in Atlanta, here's a quick reminder from the Georgia Tech web site:

Favors, the No. 1 prep player in the nation in 2009 out of South Atlanta High School, played at Tech in the 2009-10 season and helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the finals of the ACC Tournament and the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 12.4 point and 8.4 rebounds per game.

Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal will serve as the general managers the two teams, comprised of a mix of rookies and sophomores.

While Hawks fans have little to look forward to on All-Star weekend, Tech will have a strong showing: Favors joins Chris Bosh (2002-03), who is a reserve in the All-Star Game, and Anthony Morrow (2005-08) is playing in the Three-Point Contest, while Iman Shumpert (2009-11) was going to compete in the Dunk Contest until an injury forced him out.

For more on the NBA All-Star Weekend, check out SB Nation's NBA page, and for Georgia Tech news and notes, head over to From The Rumble Seat.

Rajon Rondo Will Reportedly Replace Joe Johnson In All-Star Game

2012-02-22T18:45:51Z

With Atlanta Hawks SG Joe Johnson withdrawing from the All-Star Game due to a sore knee, David Stern will reportedly choose Boston Celtics PG Rajon Rondo as his replacement:

Rondo will be the replacement for Joe Johnson on the All-Star team. Hasn't been announced yet, but hey, that's what Twitter's for I guess.
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) February 22, 2012

Stern once again passed over Josh Smith, who is averaging 16.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 assists on 46% shooting while carrying the Hawks front-line in the absence of Al Horford.

As a result, Atlanta will not have a representative in the All-Star Game for the first time since they acquired Johnson from the Phoenix Suns.

Rondo's selection gives the Boston Celtics, who are currently in 8th place in the East with a 15-16 record and a +1.4 point differential, two representatives in the All-Star Game.

For the latest news and notes on the Hawks, head over to Peachtree Hoops.

Joe Johnson Pulls Out Of All-Star Game

2012-02-22T17:18:55Z

A sore knee that will cost Joe Johnson the last two games before the NBA's All-Star Weekend will also prevent him from playing in the All-Star Game on Sunday:

#Hawks F Joe Johnson to pull out of All-Star game per NBA source with sore knee
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) February 22, 2012

While there are no indications that the injury is serious, withdrawing from the exhibition game will give Johnson almost a full week to rest and recover, a rare respite amidst the NBA's lockout-compressed 2012 season.

The 6'8 225 guard is averaging 17.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists on 42.5% shooting this season and he was slated to make his sixth consecutive All-Star appearance.

It's unclear what direction David Stern, who chooses injury replacements for the game, will go in choosing a player to take Johnson's spot.

His absence means Atlanta will not have an All-Star representative and Hawks F Josh Smith was widely seen as one of the biggest snubs when the reserves were selected, but there will be a lot of media and fan pressure to select New York Knicks PG Jeremy Lin.

For the latest news and notes on the Hawks, check out Peachtree Hoops.