SB Nation Atlanta - Nets At Hawks Final Score: Hawks Clinch Playoff Spot With 98-87 Win; Joe Johnson Injuredhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46601/atlanta-fave.png2011-03-26T21:24:55-04:00http://atlanta.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18374992011-03-26T21:24:55-04:002011-03-26T21:24:55-04:00Nets At Hawks Final Score: Hawks Clinch Playoff Spot With 98-87 Win; Joe Johnson Injured
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> sure as heck don't like making things easy, but they ultimately got the job done.</p>
<p><span>Al Horford</span> posted 23 points and <span>Josh Smith</span> added 22 to lead the Hawks to a 98-87 win over the lowly <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/new-jersey-nets">New Jersey Nets</a> on Saturday night at Philips Arena.</p>
<p><span>Jamal Crawford</span> had 18 and <span>Kirk Hinrich</span> 11 for Atlanta, which clinched a playoff spot with the win.</p>
<p>The news wasn't all good for Atlanta, which lost <span>Joe Johnson</span> early in the third quarter due to a sprained right thumb injury. The Hawks All-Star injured his thumb going for a rebound, played a few sequences before Atlanta called time out.</p>
<p>He sat on the bench of a minute before he went to the locker room for X-Rays. He did not return. He finished with 12 points, three rebounds and four boards. Johnson's status for Sunday evening's matchup against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> is up in the air. </p>
<p>Atlanta seized control in this one right off the bat, as New Jersey went ice cold from the field. After the Nets posted the first bucket of the game, the Hawks rattled off 19 consecutive points to stake themselves to an early double-digit lead.</p>
<p>They lead by as many as 30 before New Jersey made a late run in the fourth quarter, cutting it to 88-78 on a tip shot by <span>Kris Humphries</span> with 5:02 left in the game. But Horford, who was playing for Japanese earthquake relief on Saturday night, restored order by scoring the game's next six points.</p>
<p>Horford agreed to donate $10,000 per point to the victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. He will write a $23,000 check.</p>
<p>The former Florida Gator also had 12 rebounds for a Hawks team that held a 40-32 edge on the glass.</p>
<p><span>Anthony Morrow</span> had 25 points and <span>Sasha Vujacic</span> added 13 for New Jersey, which played without <span>Deron Williams</span> (sore right wrist).</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-hawks/2011/3/26/2074349/nets-at-hawks-final-score-hawks-clinch-playoff-spot-with-98-87-winPhil Foley2011-03-26T20:52:02-04:002011-03-26T20:52:02-04:00Nets At Hawks Score: Hawks Lead 82-61 Through Three; Joe Johnson Injured
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> continue to lead the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/new-jersey-nets">New Jersey Nets</a> by a bunch of points. However, the news is not all good for Atlanta. <span>Joe Johnson</span> got hurt.</p>
<p><span>Josh Smith</span> posted 18 points and <span>Al Horford</span> 17 to post the Hawks to an 82-61 edge over the Nets through three quarters at Philips Arena.</p>
<p>Joe Johnson had 12 points before leaving the game with a sprained right thumb. His return is officially questionable, but is unlikely because the Hawks are rolling. His status for Sunday evening's matchup against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> is likewise up in the air.</p>
<p>This one was a game for about one bucket. New Jersey scored first before the Nets went ice cold, missing their next eight shots while Atlanta built a 19-2 lead. It hasn't been close since.</p>
<p><span>Anthony Morrow</span> has 15 points and <span>Kris Humphries</span> 10 for a Nets team that is playing without <span>Deron Williams</span> and is shooting just 46-percent (27-for-59) from the field.</p>
<p><span>Jamal Crawford</span> posted 13 points and <span>Kirk Hinrich</span> 11 for Atlanta, which will clinch a playoff spot with the win.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-hawks/2011/3/26/2074313/nets-at-hawks-score-hawks-lead-82-61-through-three-joe-johnson-injuredPhil Foley2011-03-26T20:28:08-04:002011-03-26T20:28:08-04:00Nets At Hawks: Joe Johnson Leaves Game With Sprained Right Thumb Injury, Return Questionable
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<p>Even though the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> are beating up on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/new-jersey-nets">New Jersey Nets</a> pretty badly, the news isn't all good at the Highlight Factory.</p>
<p><span>Joe Johnson</span> appeared to injure his hand going for a rebound early in the third quarter. He played a few possessions at Philips Arena before the team was forced to use a 20 second timeout to take the Atlanta All-Star out of the game.</p>
<p>Johnson was quickly looked at by trainer Wally Blase before the pair headed to the locker room. He was quickly diagnosed with a sprained right thumb injury.</p>
<p>Obviously, we do not know whether the injury will keep Johnson out for a prolonged period of time. While he is officially listed as questionable for the rest of this one. The Hawks have a 30 points lead. I doubt we'll see him back under any circumstances. His status for Sunday evening's game against the lowly <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> is very much up in the air.</p>
<p>As always, once we hear anything, we'll quickly pass it along, but this could put a damper on any celebration in the locker room if Atlanta holds on and clinches a playoff spot.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-hawks/2011/3/26/2074285/nets-at-hawks-joe-johnson-leaves-game-with-sprained-right-thumbPhil Foley2011-03-26T20:09:55-04:002011-03-26T20:09:55-04:00Nets At Hawks Score: Atlanta Posts A 57-31 Lead Over New Jersey At Half
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<p>It's the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> that have a huge lead at Philips Arena for a change.</p>
<p><span>Josh Smith</span> has 13 points and <span>Jamal Crawford</span> and <span>Joe Johnson</span> posted 10 each to lead the Hawks to a 57-31 lead over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/new-jersey-nets">New Jersey Nets</a> at the break.</p>
<p><span>Kirk Hinrich</span> and <span>Al Horford</span> have nine each for Altanta, which can clinch a playoff spot with a win.</p>
<p>This one hasn't been much of a game. New Jersey connected on one of its first nine shots from the field as Atlanta built a 19-2 lead early. It was Atlanta for a change that was the team winning the low post and the other team that was settling for ill advised jumpers.</p>
<p>The same pattern pretty much continued in the second as Atlanta's basketball team stomped down on a pretty bad New Jersey team that is without star point guard <span>Deron Williams</span> (sore right wrist).</p>
<p>Atlanta has controlled just about every facet of this game. They are shooting 61-percent (25-for-41), while Jersey is connecting on only 37-percent (15-for-41) from the field. The Hawks also have a 22-16 edge on the glass and have five steals.</p>
<p>New Jersey has turned the ball over nine times in the first 24 minutes of basketball.</p>
<p><span>Anthony Morrow</span> and Kris Humprhies have eight each for the Nets, whose playoff dreams die tonight with a loss and an <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Indiana Pacers</a> win.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-hawks/2011/3/26/2074264/nets-at-hawks-score-atlanta-posts-a-57-31-lead-over-new-jersey-at-halfPhil Foley2011-03-26T19:42:16-04:002011-03-26T19:42:16-04:00Nets At Hawks: Atlanta Opens With 19-2 Run, Leads 33-15 Through One Quarter
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/new-jersey-nets">New Jersey Nets</a> are a terrible basketball team without <span>Deron Williams</span>.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> scored 19 of the game's first 21 points to take a 32-15 lead into the second quarter at Philips Arena.</p>
<p><span>Josh Smith</span> lead the way for Atlanta, posting 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the field. Many of the buckets have come from inside -- a place where Atlanta has been allergic to shooting the basketball from in recent games.</p>
<p>But then the lowly Nets came to town. New Jersey connected on the first shot of the game before missing nine straight from the field. The Hawks capitalized, rattling off 19 unanswered points before <span>Sasha Vujacic</span> drained a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 19-14.</p>
<p>Atlanta sailed from there.</p>
<p>How bad did things get for New Jersey? Josh Smith stole the ball and ran down the court. Vujacic inexplicably stopped running play as Smith went in for the easy jam to pots Atlanta to a 23-7 lead.</p>
<p>Yes, folks. This one has the look and feel of a pickup game at Philips Arena -- with New Jersey playing the role of the Hawks for a change. It's the Nets that are taking ill-advised jumpers instead of going inside. Atlanta on the other hand is abusing the post.</p>
<p>The difference is obvious. New Jersey shot 35-percent (7-for-20) in the first quarter, while Atlanta fired at a 64-percent (14-for-22 clip).</p>
<p><span>Joe Johnson</span> had eight points and <span>Al Horford</span> and <span>Kirk Hinrich</span> six each for Atlanta, which can clinch a playoff spot with a win.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-hawks/2011/3/26/2074229/nets-at-hawks-atlanta-opens-with-19-2-run-leads-33-15-through-onePhil Foley2011-03-26T11:33:03-04:002011-03-26T11:33:03-04:00Nets At Hawks: Atlanta Tries To Clinch Playoff Spot With Win Against Lowly New Jersey
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<p>It seems like the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> have been trying to clamp down that pesky playoff spot for about a week. On Saturday night, it may finally become a realty.</p>
<p><span>Joe Johnson</span>, <span>Al Horford</span> and the rest of the struggling Hawks return to Philips Arena to take on the lowly <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/new-jersey-nets">New Jersey Nets</a> on Saturday night. Atlanta's basketball team just needs to win to secure a return to the postseason dance.</p>
<p>As Hawks fans know all-too-well, wins have not been easy to come by for this team, which has lost eight of its last 11 games.</p>
<p>Atlanta will get sort of a break. Nets point guard <span>Deron Williams</span> is expected to miss this one with a sore right wrist. That means that a pretty terrible New Jersey team should be very beatable for Atlanta. However, the Nets do have <span>Brook Lopez</span>, who absolutely terrorizes the Hawks (24 points per game in three games vs. ATL this season).</p>
<p>The Nets have also beaten Atlanta two times this season. However, both of those wins came in Newark. The Nets are a terrible 5-30 away from their temporary digs at the Prudential Center in Brick City.</p>
<p>The Hawks are coming off of a pair of losses, including a 105-100 loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.libertyballers.com/">Philadelphia 76ers</a> on Wednedsay. Atlanta lead for most of that one until they ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. For whatever reason, coach <span>Larry Drew</span> elected to go with a seven-man rotation in that one and gave most of his bench except for <span>Zaza Pachulia</span> and <span>Jamal Crawford</span> the night off.</p>
<p>That loss came on the heels of an embarrassing 114-81 annihilation at the hands of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> on Tuesday. Atlanta was just simply outclassed by the Eastern Conference leaders on their own floor. The Hawks have been terribly inconsistent at Philips Arena, suffering five home losses by 20 points or more, including three by 30 or more -- both NBA records for teams with a winning record according to Stats, LLC.</p>
<p>Atlanta will have to neutralize Lopez and stick to the not tried enough formula of posting up inside in order to win this basketball game.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/2011/3/26/2332219/nets-at-hawks-atlanta-tries-to-clinch-playoff-spot-with-win-againstPhil Foley