2010-11 Game Preview #59: Bulls at Atlanta Hawks

by Orange Juice on Mar 2, 2011 1:12 PM CST

[Thanks to Orange Juice for today's game preview. Bulls get a bit fortunate if indeed Josh Smith is out. Another early start, 6pm on THE U -ed.]

There are two teams the Bulls haven't beaten this season: the Knicks and the Hawks. The Bulls will play the new-look Knicks in April (Game #81), and are going to play the Hawks for the first time tonight.

The Hawks will be without Atlanta native Josh Smith, who sprained his right knee against the Nuggets on Monday, but they will have Kirk Hinrich back tonight. And apparently Kirk will make his ATL debut in the starting lineup (it was a matter of time, Teague has been horrible) and he will be joined by Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Al Horford, and Jason Collins. The Hawks have found some success with this bigger lineup, as it allows Horford to play his true position as a PF, but Collins is a big sexy wannabe, so will Thibs hide Boozer on Collins and let Noah guard his ex-college teammate?

(A side note - I think every team in the East should thank the Hawks front office for selecting a fat ass (literally, you can't miss it) with the #2 pick instead of CP3 or DWill. Can you imagine what the Hawks would be like with a top 3 point guard? They wouldn't be stuck in the 2nd round of the playoffs.)

The Bulls are coming off perhaps their most dominant victory of the season, but give credit to the Wizards for playing horribly. Obviously this will be a closer game (a white mamba sighting is unlikely) but the Hawks will miss J-Smoove as he really brings a lot of intangibles in addition to his defense and highlight factory dunks. Still, they have reigning sixth man of the year Jamal Crawford coming off the bench as well as fan favorite Zaza Pachulia, so the Bulls second unit needs to continue to play well. This will be a chance for DRose to show Kirk how much he has improved since last season.

Oh I should also mention Deng, who is forever underrated as I always say and deserves a shout-out, especially since he has been playing well.

Would be great to kick of a three-game beat-the-East-playoff-teams stretch (that gets progressively tougher) with a win in the dirty south!

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A blow-out is possible.

Atlanta has really stunk it up at times this year, including at home. Then again, other times they’ve played well. They are consistently inconsistent.

by Tim S. on Mar 2, 2011 1:50 PM CST reply actions

wow! an optimist

I’m think it will a tough game

For the record: John Hollinger and Chris Sheridan picked Milwaukee to win the Central Division: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/preview2010/news/story?page=Predictions1011-Central

by JustAnotherFan on Mar 2, 2011 1:57 PM CST up reply actions

I will say that the Hawks two worst blowout losses

against the Hornets and Sixers came when Horford was out. But Smith is also a very important member of their team, and the Hawks don’t really have much of a homecourt advantage, especially against a popular team like the Bulls. And the Hawks have regressed since last year. I don’t think they have to worry about getting stuck in the second round this year; I don’t think they will make it that far.

by Tim S. on Mar 2, 2011 2:03 PM CST up reply actions

Athletic team on the road. Sounds like Golden State revisited.

by rinconen on Mar 2, 2011 3:00 PM CST up reply actions

Naw, Golden State

had an athletic backcourt and a great crowd, and the Bulls didn’t have Noah. Atlanta has an athletic frontcourt, but one of them is out this game and the Bulls have better depth. Atlanta does not have an athletic backcourt, has a meh crowd, and the Bulls do have Noah.

by Tim S. on Mar 2, 2011 3:20 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

"Atlanta does not have an athletic backcourt"

But they have Kurt!

by jpx7 on Mar 2, 2011 4:07 PM CST up reply actions

Precisely.

I don’t expect any half-court traps on Rose. And if they happen, I expect the Hawks to pay.

by Tim S. on Mar 2, 2011 4:23 PM CST up reply actions

I'll be at the game tonight!

With a bunch of asians in first section!
GO BULLS!!

by dpark39 on Mar 2, 2011 1:56 PM CST reply actions 4 recs

Go Asians!

by rinconen on Mar 2, 2011 3:00 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs

Hmmm...

Methinks that these comments might be green for the same reason that Yao Ming was voted an all-star.

Pat Riley is the devil.

by Poloplaya14 on Mar 2, 2011 3:50 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs

Some of my best friends.........

"I love you, mommy!" - Joakim Noah

by Trey23 on Mar 2, 2011 4:04 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

The Chinese are taking over BaB!

And Thibs said, "Let there be 3's" And Deng shot 3's
And Deng saw the 3's, that they were good
And didn't shoot long 2's anymore

by windycitywarrior on Mar 2, 2011 4:57 PM CST up reply actions

All because of Obama's deficit spending!

by Bin Bin on Mar 2, 2011 5:14 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Him and yfbb should stop taking out so many chinese loans.

And Thibs said, "Let there be 3's" And Deng shot 3's
And Deng saw the 3's, that they were good
And didn't shoot long 2's anymore

by windycitywarrior on Mar 2, 2011 5:43 PM CST up reply actions

yeah david!!

i dare you to move.

by dannyp07 on Mar 2, 2011 4:25 PM CST up reply actions

Atlanta used to freak me out when we faced them

I would chalk it up as an automatic L. Not the case this year! Bulls win by 8

"Are you drowning them or makin' love to them?"

by Bullsarenumber1 on Mar 2, 2011 2:08 PM CST reply actions

Nice call on the C/PF cross match.

I think they’ll go to that too. Ever since Thibs defined when Asik would play versus when Kurt would play I’m always waiting for the front court lineup that’s going to garner some minutes for big sexy. I don’t see a low post threat on this team so hopefully we’ll get some ASIK.

by JockstrapNoah on Mar 2, 2011 2:09 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

"I’m always waiting for the front court lineup that’s going to garner some minutes for big sexy."

Friday night against Orlando should be a good opportunity for that.

by jpx7 on Mar 2, 2011 4:08 PM CST up reply actions

ha that seems like it might yield the right matchup.

by JockstrapNoah on Mar 2, 2011 4:09 PM CST up reply actions

If it doesn't,

nothing will. But Asik is on a roll.

by Tim S. on Mar 2, 2011 4:24 PM CST up reply actions

Get the win tonight and all the Bulls need to do is beat the Knicks next time they see them and they will have beaten every team in the league at least once.

by Run M on Mar 2, 2011 2:44 PM CST reply actions

Off topic - why is this site so prone to viruses/SPAM/pop ups?

It seems like every other day, I’m getting redirected to what clearly look like shady web sites. Not to mention my anti virus software popping up with messages. I though SB Nation sites are supposed to be professional?

by rinconen on Mar 2, 2011 2:59 PM CST reply actions

Ive never had that problem.

by Playboy_BullV on Mar 2, 2011 3:02 PM CST up reply actions 6 recs

you're running a pc

that’s your first problem.

hold the Mayo

by livesinnoahsbasement on Mar 2, 2011 3:03 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs

"I'm a mac elitist snob who doesn't know what he's talking about."-livesinnoahsbasement

A true friend stabs you in the front - Oscar Wilde

by dantheman3k on Mar 2, 2011 3:05 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs

or....unix?

by SidM on Mar 2, 2011 3:35 PM CST up reply actions

well mac is based off of BSD

so yes…. unix

Fuck Rondo

by pinoyboy82 on Mar 2, 2011 4:54 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

The equal and opposite PC user response

is just as bad.

by JockstrapNoah on Mar 2, 2011 3:36 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

What he's saying is true in this case

I’m running a PC, and have never had anything happen to me regarding this site.

by Stacey_Is_King on Mar 2, 2011 3:54 PM CST up reply actions

Using a PC

and IE.

Never had a problem with this site until 3 days ago.

by NormVanBeer on Mar 2, 2011 4:44 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not exclusively a PC user

and god damn anyone who makes me hear about how Mac’s are universally superior and the #1 cause of any problem on the internet is “you’re on a PC wakka wakka”.

A true friend stabs you in the front - Oscar Wilde

by dantheman3k on Mar 2, 2011 3:59 PM CST up reply actions

yeah alright

I’ll give you that, its a bit outdated and tired.

by JockstrapNoah on Mar 2, 2011 4:07 PM CST up reply actions

you may or may not be using Internet Explorer for browsing

but if you are, def switch to firefox or chrome.

by JockstrapNoah on Mar 2, 2011 3:04 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Yea

IE is usually the problem more than whatever OS on which you might be running it.

by jpx7 on Mar 2, 2011 4:17 PM CST up reply actions

AdBlock Plus.

by chicity773 on Mar 2, 2011 3:04 PM CST up reply actions

stop looking at porn so much and stop using IE.

A true friend stabs you in the front - Oscar Wilde

by dantheman3k on Mar 2, 2011 3:06 PM CST up reply actions 6 recs

What is the point of the internet if I can't watch porn?

by chowder on Mar 2, 2011 4:01 PM CST up reply actions

You can watch porn,

just not through IE, for goodness sakes!

~BaB fails~
rock_ross: "**** Rhondo"
(edited for the other blogs I sometimes visit)

by Prevenge on Mar 2, 2011 4:07 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

It's the site

At work my Symantec software zaps threats from SBnation all day.

At home, Kaspersky zaps the threats.

I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.

"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley

by NBA Observer on Mar 2, 2011 4:36 PM CST up reply actions

Should be sort of a home game for the Bulls.

A lot of folks from Chicago live in the ATL. And that Derrick Rose kid plays for us. He has his share of “fan” boys/girls. And the Hawks attendance is the worst of all the teams in the East that has a winning record. They’re actually 25th overall in attendance. That’s just terrible.

by chicity773 on Mar 2, 2011 3:04 PM CST reply actions

this will be a ugly one apparently.

and boring. hope we can see some tricks from rose – noah co just like the wizards game. if this is one of those days for atlanta we can even get to see mr. clutch. and that would be something. two straight games with some white bamba!

by Jesus Fever on Mar 2, 2011 3:08 PM CST reply actions

I don't know why everyone is so confident

We are thoroughly average on the road, and Atlanta is not Washington.

by chowder on Mar 2, 2011 4:04 PM CST up reply actions

Atlanta can be Washington at times.

Then again, they can also be good. We’ll see which team shows up tonight.

by Tim S. on Mar 2, 2011 4:22 PM CST up reply actions

"We are thoroughly average on the road"

So far, the Bulls have been, though I have hopes that by the end of the year that will not be the case.

by jpx7 on Mar 2, 2011 4:38 PM CST up reply actions

We are better than average on the road

if you look at strength of schedule and point differential.

by Tim S. on Mar 2, 2011 5:01 PM CST up reply actions

1) .500 on the road is better than average.

2) The Bulls are 15-13, better than .500 on the road.
Conclusion: The Bulls are better than average on the road.

by drock8686 on Mar 2, 2011 5:35 PM CST up reply actions

Seriously. Horford is one of the few big men I would rather have than Noah.

And the thought of Boozer “guarding” Josh Smith makes me vomit.

by Ozzie Montana on Mar 2, 2011 4:44 PM CST up reply actions

No Smith tonight.

by Tim S. on Mar 2, 2011 4:51 PM CST up reply actions

Why not have both?

It worked well at UF.

by jpx7 on Mar 2, 2011 5:32 PM CST up reply actions

considering josh smith's being out

i just hope this could be one of those weird days atlanta looked worse than cavs. i’m not trying to underestimate the hawks and probably this will be a close one but it would be nice to have a blow out before the magic / heat clashes. just hoping like i said.

by Jesus Fever on Mar 2, 2011 4:53 PM CST up reply actions

by Yibs on Mar 2, 2011 4:49 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

One day, long, long ago, there lived a woman who didn't whine, nag or bitch. That would be me....

But that was a long time ago and it was just that one day.

The end

by sue369 on Mar 2, 2011 5:28 PM CST up reply actions

I am watching the Hawks pergame show (Im in ATL)

Dominique Wilkins is lavishing praise on D.Rose. He says D.Rose is definitely the MVP of the NBA this year and that no other player does more for his team or makes his team mates better. :-)

Tired of you Deng haters...sigh. Here to show Deng and the Bulls some love!

by ChiTownBallz on Mar 2, 2011 5:37 PM CST reply actions