Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON – The short-handed Atlanta Hawks defeated NBA-leading Oklahoma City 97-90 on Saturday, snapping the Thunder’s seven-game winning streak.

Josh Smith scored 30 points with 12 rebounds for Atlanta, delivering the big game the Hawks needed as they coped with the absence of leading scorer Joe Johnson and reserve guard Willie Green.

“We were able to compete at a very high level against probably the best team in the league,” said Atlanta coach Larry Drew, whose team also lost Tracy McGrady to a knee injury in the first quarter.

“I thought our guys did a phenomenal job and just competing given what the situation was. I take my hat off to every guy in the locker room.”

Atlanta surrendered a double-digit lead late in the third quarter, but they opened the fourth with an 11-4 scoring run.

With less than five minutes to play the Hawks led 87-79, but the Thunder – who came into the game with a league-leading 29-7 record – pulled within one before the Hawks turned them back.

Smith drained a three-pointer with 2:01 to play to make it 92-88. With a minute left a Smith basket stretched Atlanta’s lead to 95-90.

Kevin Durant, the NBA’s second-leading scorer, finished with a game-high 35 points for the Thunder and Russell Westbrook added 25.

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The New York Knicks are back on the winning track after demolishing the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night (Feb. 22). It was a great night for the Knicks on both offense and defense and the final score 99-82 looks much closer than the game actually was.

After jumping to a nice 30-16 lead in the first quarter, the Knicks turned on the gas even more, pushing it to a 60-35 lead by halftime. From there it was just a matter of finishing off the Hawks and the bench of the Knicks did just that. Five players would finish in double-figures for New York, led by 17 points each from Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak. Novak made 5 three-pointers off the bench, playing in just over 22 minutes against the Hawks.

This was an all-around victory for the Knicks, with plenty of players that shined on the way to this win. Lin would dish out 9 assists, Amare Stoudemire grabbed 10 rebounds and J.R. Smith registered 5 steals off the bench. As a team, the Knicks shot 47.5 percent from the field and out-rebounded the Hawks 47-40. The steals were pretty high at 15 on the night, but the turnovers were also far too high at 21. Baron Davis accounted for 5 turnovers off the bench in just 14 minutes of action while Lin and Tyson Chandler each had 4 of them for the starters.

There were times during this game that the Knicks looked like one of the elite teams of the NBA. The offense was so fluid in the first half that everyone looked good and it gave fans glimpses of what might keep coming along when this team has been on the floor together for a couple of weeks. With everyone on the roster finally healthy, it was interesting to see some of the lineups that coach Mike D’Antoni used. Having Davis and Smith running the transition game for the second unit made for a number of exciting dunks that could certainly provide a nice spark for the Knicks moving forward.

This win helped the Knicks improve to 17-17 on the season and move a full game ahead of the Boston Celtics. The Celtics lost on Wednesday night (Feb. 22) giving the Knicks some breathing room as the All-Star break approaches. If the team can keep playing as well as it did against the Hawks, this roster may now have the firepower to pull off a huge upset in the 2012 Eastern Conference Playoffs.

More From YCN:

Tyson Chandler Holds Franchise Record

Lin a Hero for Knicks

Knicks Stomp Lakers

Lin Saves Knicks

Amare Stoudemire Trade Rumors

Sources:

NBA Standings

Full Knicks Schedule

New York Knicks Website

*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a fan of the New York Knicks that has followed the team since the days John Starks, Charles Oakley, and Anthony Mason instilled their defensive will on the rest of the league.

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New Orleans Hornets

After countless close losses in January, the New Orleans Hornets finally broke out in a big way with a 26-point win over the Orlando Magic Friday night. After a day off, the Hornets looked to make it two in a row against the Atlanta Hawks Sunday evening in New Orleans. It was not meant to be as the Hawks flew past the Hornets 94-72.

New Orleans Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks

As a native of New Orleans, the rivalry between my hometown and the fine folks of Atlanta has led to tears of both joy and sadness. Needless to say, there have been numerous memorable games between the Saints and Falcons over the years. However, the 100-59 pasting that the Hornets put on the Hawks last year holds a special place in my heart.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who remembers that game. The Hawks started out on Sunday night like they wanted to beat the Hornets 100-59 themselves. To be successful, New Orleans has to play great defense. The Hornets are not talented enough to get into a shootout with athletic teams like the Hawks and come out on top.

The Hawks did not miss a shot until well into the first quarter. In fact, the Hornets trailed at one point 27-6. Jeff Teague was particularly deadly for the Hawks. And former Hornet Willie Green was hot as well. In the second period, the Hornets got back to playing defense. But points were still hard to come by as New Orleans trailed 46-35 at halftime.

A 20-2 Hawks scoring run in the third period put the Hornets away. The biggest problem all season for New Orleans continued against the Hawks. The Hornets were anemic once again from three-point land while the Hawks shot over 50% from behind the arc all night. It wasn’t quite 100-59 but the Hawks blew out New Orleans 94-72.

Looking ahead

Things don’t figure to get any easier for the Hornets on Monday. After falling to the Hawks, New Orleans will travel to Miami to face the Heat. Last year, the Hornets got off to a hot start and one of their early season wins came against the Heat. If this New Orleans team can also beat the Heat, it will be the biggest story in the NBA Monday night.

Patrick Michael was born in New Orleans and currently resides in the Big Easy. A loyal New Orleans NBA fan, Patrick was a diehard New Orleans Jazz fan and now cheers for the Hornets. Patrick was in the New Orleans Arena the night the Hornets were one win away from the Western Conference Finals.

Source

CST broadcast of the New Orleans Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks

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The Atlanta Hawks are doing all they can to bring an NBA championship to Atlanta this season. Don’t expect the likes of Joe Johnson and Josh Smith give up. With a strong February, the Hawks can further solidify their spot in the playoffs for the big postseason push.

Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks
Wikimedia Commons

Check with your service provider for channel listings in your area. With NBA League Pass, Hawks’ fans across the nation can catch every game and witness every play.

Note: All start times Eastern

February 2012

Thu 2, Memphis Grizzlies at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. (SPSO)

Sat 4, Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks, 7 p.m. (SPSO)

Mon 6, Phoenix Suns at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. (SPSO)

Wed 8, Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. (SPSO)

Fri 10, Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic, 7 p.m. (SPSO)

Sun 12, Miami Heat at Atlanta Hawks, 7 p.m. (SPSO, ESPN)

Tue 14, Atlanta Hawks at Los Angeles Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (SPSO)

Wed 15, Atlanta Hawks at Phoenix Suns, 9 p.m. (SPSO)

Sat 18, Atlanta Hawks at Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. (SPSO, NBATV)

Mon 20, Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Bulls, 4 p.m. (SPSO, ESPN)

Wed 22, Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. (SPSO)

Thu 23, Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. (SPSO)

Wed 29, Golden State Warriors at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. (SPSO)

Sources:

All data provided by NBA.com

Paul Rados is a Cleveland based freelance sportswriter and Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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On Saturday, Jan. 21, the Cleveland Cavaliers fell behind early against the Atlanta Hawks and never recovered in a 121-94 loss. Kyrie Irving led the Cavs with 18 points, but he committed seven turnovers on the evening.

The Cavs are improved enough to hang with teams if they keep their turnovers down and play good defense. Unfortunately, the team failed to accomplish either task for the second straight game. I suppose I could blame the Cavs’ recent slide on their overall talent deficit, but that would be too much of a cop-out. There have been plenty of clubs who have performed above their skill level over the years by simply playing good defense and protecting the basketball.

The Cavs allowed the Hawks to hit 55 percent of their field goals, including 46 percent from three-point range, and it could have been worse because Atlanta appeared to take its foot off the gas a bit in the fourth quarter. This is a sign the Cavs need to improve its perimeter defense. Joe Johnson was allowed to do whatever he wanted to throughout the game in the back court, and his performance essentially killed any chance the Cavs had to win.

Offensively, Irving has to be more careful with the basketball. Point guards tend to give away the ball more than anyone else on the floor, but his 2-to-7 assist/turnover ratio for the game was unacceptable. I’m usually one of the first people to defend Irving, and I think he’s been very good in his rookie year. However, Irving has to improve this area of his game, and it has to be done quickly. The Cavs’ season is at stake here.

On a positive note, rookie Tristan Thompson came back from a disappointing outing on Friday night to provide a much-needed boost off the bench. He was 6 of 7 shooting with 16 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes against the Hawks. The Cavs will need more from Thompson over the next few weeks as the schedule toughens, and I think he will stand up to the challenge.

Overall, there isn’t much to like about the Cavs’ loss in Atlanta. This team definitely has its flaws, and it’s going to take some time for the club to work through them. In the meantime, I understand the Cavs are going to have games like they did against the Hawks here and there. It’s all part of the growing process, and I have to do everything I can to be patient with it.

Derek Ciapala has followed the Cavs since the days of Mark Price and Brad Daugherty. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala.

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It appears for the Cleveland Cavaliers that the best way to recover from a blowout loss is to experience another blowout loss the following night. There goes the concept of picking yourself up and dusting yourself off after a major embarrassment.

Antawn Jamison of the Cleveland Cavaliers
Wikimedia Commons

The Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Atlanta Hawks by the Score of 121-94 on Saturday, January 21. With the loss, Cleveland falls to 6-9 on the year having lost their last three, while Atlanta improves to 12-5.

Coming into the game, the Cavaliers were still trying to recover from the embarrassing 114-75 loss to the Chicago Bulls the night before. To make matters worse, Chicago was playing in Cleveland and without reigning MVP Derrick Rose. Chicago was physical, and Cleveland folded.

Surely they would learn their lesson and put up a fight against Atlanta.

There appeared to be no veteran presence in the game as the two rookies were the leading performers for the Cavs. Kyrie Irving led the scoring with 18 points shooting a remarkable 8-10 from the field. Off the bench, Tristan Thompson contributed 16 points and five rebounds in a 6-7 performance from the field.

Anderson Varejao had nine rebounds on the night but only scored three points and Antawn Jamison was held to just 10 points.

The Cavaliers shot .486 from the field but it simply was not enough.

For the Hawks, Joe Johnson shined on the night putting up 25 points with three rebounds and four assists. Josh Smith grabbed 11 boards for Atlanta. As a team the Hawks shot .554 from the field. It is no wonder Cleveland simply could not keep up.

As a Cavs fan it is often hard to keep expectations realistic. Last season was so awful that I often try to forget about it even existing. This season I fully realize they are a lottery team but I still want so badly for them to perform as if they are playoff contenders. I know there will be no championship this season so I have to enjoy each game for the athletic competition that it is. It’s hard, but it is realistic.

The Cavs will have a couple of nights off before they travel to face the Miami Heat on Tuesday, January 24.

More Cleveland Cavaliers Commentary from this Contributor:

Cleveland Cavaliers dominated by Bulls, fall 114-75: A fan’s reaction

Cleveland Cavaliers win reinforces belief in team: A fan’s take

Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving charge past Suns 101-90: A fan’s reaction

Cleveland Cavaliers fall short in Utah 113-105: A fan’s reaction

Cleveland Cavaliers bested by Portland Trail Blazers 98-78: A fan’s reaction

Sources:

All data provided by NBA.com

Paul Rados is an avid Cleveland Cavaliers fan and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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The Philadelphia 76ers will be without Spencer Hawes once again when they face the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, January 20. This will be the third game that Hawes misses in the second in a row. Hawes is nursing an injured Achilles and is also likely to miss the game against the Miami Heat on Saturday, January 21. Without Hawes, the 76ers will be a major disadvantage in both games. Hawes has had a great season so far and is one reason why the 76ers are off to such a hot start. The team can still win without him but it won’t be anywhere near as easy.

Hawes has been the biggest surprise on the team. From the beginning of the season he has seemed like one of the most improved players in the league. He’s making his shots and he’s grabbing rebounds at a great rate. Right now, Hawes looks like an All-Star player. Unfortunately his health has been an issue. He had to leave a couple of games and missed a full one with a strain in his lower back. Now the Achilles injury is keeping him out for another game. According to Doug Collins, Hawes is not expected to make the trip to Miami. If he does get healthy, it won’t be a big deal. But with lingering injuries that don’t seem to go away, there is going to be a lot of concern over the status of Hawes in the coming days and weeks.

The 76ers will need Elton Brand and Nikola Vucevic to fill the void left by Hawes. Vucevic can step in and start at center for the 76ers against the Hawks. He has been solid at getting rebounds and that will be critical. Meanwhile, Brand is coming off of one of his better games against the Denver Nuggets. He has to be strong inside. Otherwise, the 76ers could wind up in a lot of trouble against both Atlanta and Miami.

You never like to see injuries, especially to top players. But if the 76ers really are on track to being among the elite in the league they need to learn to win despite that. These two games are the toughest so far this season and losing Hawes doesn’t make things any easier. But for this team, the expectations are still going to be the same.

* – Mark Paul is a Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan. Follow him on Twitter here.

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The Philadelphia 76ers kick off a tough two game stretch on Friday, January 20 when the Atlanta Hawks visit. After facing mostly light competition, the 76ers will face the 11-4 Hawks one night before traveling to face the Miami Heat. This is a pivotal stretch for this team. Coming off of a loss to the Denver Nuggets, the 76ers need to play well against these teams in order to convince everyone that they are for real. As a fan, I believe the team will have no problem going 1-1 in this stretch. Obviously, beating Atlanta is the easier option to earn a win.

The Hawks are playing good basketball and enter this game with a four game winning streak. The Hawks own wins over the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls, arguably the two best teams in the NBA. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith are both playing great ball for the Hawks. As a team, Atlanta has one of the best offenses in the league. That means the Philadelphia defense will have to be on point. The 76ers have been mostly strong on defense though they did struggle in the loss to Denver. This is the kind of game where the team can rebound and play well.

The other advantage for the 76ers involves depth. They run a lot deeper than Atlanta and that should help them win the game. The important thing is getting more from the starters. Andre Iguodala and Jrue Holiday need to shoot the ball better than they did against the Nuggets. If that happens the 76ers should be in control of the game.

The 76ers might still miss Spencer Hawes as he nurses an injured Achilles. That would be a major loss given Atlanta’s strength under the basket. If Hawes can’t play, rookie Nikola Vucevic will need to have a huge game. Elton Brand also needs to contribute with rebounds. It won’t be easy to beat Atlanta inside but it is possible.

Winning this game is crucial for the 76ers. They don’t want to take a two game losing streak into Miami. If they are going to become contenders, these are the kind of games you have to win. Atlanta is good but they are not a championship team. Hopefully Philadelphia can get the job done and bring momentum into the game against the Heat.

* – Mark Paul is a Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan. Follow him on Twitter here.

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After looking like they were in recovery mode from New Year’s celebrations, the Chicago Bulls pulled a fourth quarter miracle and beat the Atlanta Hawks, 76-74 on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

The Bulls climbed back from a 19-point deficit and extended their win streak to four.

Derrick Rose was the miracle worker, scoring 21 of the fourth quarter’s points. He continues to be a man on a mission and if he plays this way through the season, he could see his second MVP award.

It wasn’t a pretty win for the Bulls as they played very sluggishly and struggled with shots in the first three quarters.

The Hawks jumped on the board first and quickly took a 10-point lead. The United Center was quiet and it felt like Bulls were on the floor for practice. Some of the Bench Mob jumped in but it didn’t matter.

Atlanta finished the quarter leading 23-15.

The second quarter wasn’t much better. Atlanta grabbed its largest lead in the game to 12 points and entered halftime with a 38-26 advantage.

Expecting halftime adjustments, nothing happened in the third quarter. I was beginning to think it wasn’t going to happen at all in this game. The Bulls were cold in their shooting and watched Atlanta extend their lead.

The Hawks entered the fourth quarter 56-42. Rose woke up, hitting shots and slowly the Bulls cut down Atlanta’s lead. The Hawks were now the cold ones. Just like a runner slowly coming up behind the leader, the Bulls finally tied the game at 62, at the 6:20 mark.

With less than a minute remaining, the Bulls took their first lead of the game, 72-71 and their second one came with nine seconds remaining, 74-73.

From the Hawks’ poor free throw shooting, the Bulls got the win from a Luol Deng three-pointer.

Scoring…Rose was the leading scorer with 30 points and seven assists. Deng added 21 points with eight coming in the last four minutes.

Rip Hamilton and C.J. Watson both missed the game from injuries.

Next up? The Bulls play the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, Jan. 4.

As a lifelong Bulls fan and Chicago resident, it’s been a good era under Derrick Rose.

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The Chicago Bulls will try to extend a three-game winning steak when they square off against the Atlanta Hawks tonight at the United Center in Chicago. Without further ado, here’s your quick glance advance.

Game time: 8 p.m. EST.

TV: Local coverage in the Atlanta and Chicago areas (check your listings), NBA-TV.

The Hawks: The Hawks were 44-38 last season, good enough for the East’s fifth seed. They upset the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs before falling to the Bulls in the semifinals. The Hawks swapped Jamal Crawford for Tracy McGrady, but otherwise have about the same rotation as last season.

Last Season vs. Bulls: The Hawks and Bulls met three times during the regular season, and in an Eastern Conference semifinals matchup. The Bulls blew out two of the regular season games, then dispatched the Hawks in six during the playoffs.

Statistics

PPG: Atlanta 99.2 (8); Chicago 101.0 (6).

FG%: Atlanta 45.3 (T12); Chicago 46.3 (7).

PPG Allowed: Atlanta 87.6 (1); Chicago 89.8 (6).

Assists: Atlanta 20.2 (19); Chicago 23.0 (4).

Rebounds/offensive – Atlanta 42.8 (14)/11.8 (T10); Chicago 45.8 (6)/14.0 (3).

Probable starters

PG – Jeff Teague (13.4 ppg, 4.8 apg, 58% FG) vs. Derrick Rose (19.8 ppg, 8.6 apg): Rising star Teague played well against Rose in last season’s playoff series, but Rose was better with five double-doubles and a spiffy 29.8 ppg/9.8 apg average in the six-game set.

SG – Joe Johnson (17.2 ppg) vs. Rip Hamilton/Ronnie Brewer (12 ppg): Hamilton sat out the Memphis game with a sore groin, Brewer filled in nicely with 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Johnson leads the Hawks in scoring.

SF – Marvin Williams (11.8 ppg, 6 rpg) vs. Luol Deng (17 ppg, 7.6 rpg): Williams, a part-time starter last season, averaged just 3.5 ppg against Deng in the playoffs.

PF – Josh Smith (10 ppg, 7 rpg) vs. Carlos Boozer (12.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg): Boozer is coming off his best game of the season; Smith had a great playoff series, but his scoring is down from nearly 17 ppg last season.

C – Al Horford (12.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg) vs. Joakim Noah (9.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg): The Hawks give the Bulls trouble when Horford plays well; he averaged 20 ppg and 11.3 rpg in three wins over the Bulls last season.

The Write-Up

Both teams are 4-1 and coming off their best games of the year: The Bulls won a 114-64 laugher over Memphis Sunday, the Hawks upset the Heat, 100-92, in Miami last night. I watched the Hawks-Heat game and must admit, Atlanta looked better than I expected or predicted. I love Teague; he’s shooting nearly 60% since becoming a starter and has developed into the Hawks second leading scorer. McGrady, the new sixth man, is chipping in with 11.6 ppg – he hit two huge fourth-quarter three-pointers against the Heat – so Crawford hasn’t been missed much. Chicago is averaging 108.7 points during its three-game winning streak; the Hawks currently have the league’s best scoring defense. Fatigue might be a factor; the Bulls enter the game after a day off while the Hawks are closing out a three-game road trip and a stretch of four games in five nights.

Notes: The Bulls play four games in the next five nights….. C.J. Watson was sans sling yesterday, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, but was still wearing a wrap on the elbow he sprained Sunday night. He’s listed as day to day. Meanwhile, Rip Hamilton practiced…… What do you think of the new format for game advances? Is there anything you’d like to see added? Let me know!

Coming tomorrow: Make sure to look for my Central Division preview!

Sources: Chicago Bulls team page, Yahoo! Sports; Chicago Bulls Clubhouse, ESPN; Atlanta Hawks team page, Yahoo! Sports; Atlanta Hawks Clubhouse, ESPN; NBA team statistics page, NBA.com; 2011-2012 Atlanta Hawks Season Preview, HoopsWorld.com; NBA Season Preview: Atlanta Hawks, ProBasketballTalk/NBC Sports.

YCN featured sports contributor Steve Merritt is – for better or worse – a lifelong Chicago Bulls, Bears and Cubs fan. He’s followed the Bulls since 1969, when he tuned in after bedtime on a cheap dime store radio tucked under his pillow.

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As an Atlanta Hawks fan, I believe my hometown team is close to making that breakthrough of getting past the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Additionally, it appears head coach Larry Drew is looking to fill spots on the roster and building depth at the small forward position.

Marvin Williams started the 2010-11 season as the starting small forward, but injuries and inconsistent play has opened the door for someone else to take his place.

Tracy McGrady’s signing is one response and another response is Jerry Stackhouse who can provide experience and depth coming off the bench.

I don’t know Marvin Williams’ future, but he could be a candidate for amnesty and if that is the case, the void at small forward has to be filled.

Josh Smith has been interchangeable between the small and power forward positions and had recently lost 30 pounds, but his future is up in the air as well with trade rumors still persisting.

Jerry Stackhouse, a two-time All-Star, is the latest player to be signed and Hawks fans are generally optimistic and hope Stackhouse has something left to give the Hawks in this lockout shortened season.

Stackhouse did turn 37 this year and even though he isn’t the same player from ten years ago that had a 29.3 per game scoring average with the Detroit Pistons, he is a capable defender and is a decent mid-range shooter, especially if left open.

Stackhouse has played in over 900 regular season games and participated in 78 playoff games.

Stackhouse was on that 2006 Dallas Mavericks’ team that came very close to a NBA title against the Miami Heat which featured Dirk Nowitiski and Jason Terry.

During the 2006-2007 season, Stackhouse had shot a career-high from behind three-point line during the regular season and averaged 14 points per game during the playoffs.

Stackhouse played four years in Dallas, but this was the last time he had received a lot of minutes However, even past the age of 30, he has proved he has something left.

The following are some of Stackhouse’s highlights:

June 10, 2006: Jerry Stackhouse scored 19 points and had a four-point play during the decisive run in Dallas’ 99-85 victory in Game 2 of the 2006 NBA Finals over the Miami Heat.

May 15, 2006: Jerry Stackhouse scored 26 and was 10-for-19 from the field along with being a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the three-point line as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Tim Duncan-led San Antonio Spurs in overtime, 123-118.

April 3, 2001: Stackhouse scored a career-high 57 points as a member of the Detroit Pistons against the Chicago Bulls.

1997-2002 : Here’s a look at Jerry Stackhouse highlights from the Detroit Pistons

2004-2008 : Here’s a look at Jerry Stackhouse highlights from the Dallas Mavericks

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As an Atlanta Hawks fan, it will be interesting to see if the Washington Wizards and John Wall in particular are able to take that next step as a young team and secure a playoff spot this season.

I do mention John Wall, but Hawk fans remember Jordan Crawford as well. Crawford has a lot of talent and it will be interesting to see how he will grow as a player.

The Hawks traded Crawford for the veteran point guard Kirk Hinrich last season, but in the long-run will the Wizards get the best of this deal?

Hinrich will start the 2011-12 season on the injury list and Crawford may have a breakout year and could be a super sidekick to John Wall along with posing problems for teams such as Atlanta.

The Washington Wizards haven’t been relevant as a playoff contender in nearly four years when Gilbert Arenas was in his prime.

One of the last playoff moments from a few years ago that Wizard fans may remember is Gilbert Arenas missing two critical free throws after LeBron James’ efforts to distract him were successful in Game 6 of a first round playoff series back in May of 2006. Cleveland won that playoff series four games to two.

The Wizards did finally part ways with the somewhat injury prone Arenas and have invested in the younger, athletic and energetic John Wall.

Can the Wizards make the playoffs and have this team narrowed the gap in regard to progress and talent in regard to the Atlanta Hawks?

The Hawks had won three of four games in the 2010-11 season. However, in the last meeting. the Wizards had blitzed the Hawks, 115-83.

The Hawks had beaten the Wizards 12 consecutive times, but was that loss a blip or a trend?

The Wizards have a collection of talent that includes Wall, third-year player Jordan Crawford, Javele McGhee, Andrae Blatche and 2011 NBA first round pick, Chris Singleton.

Can the Wizards play better overall defense and can Wall make his teammates better along with Wall himself being more clutch in contested games?

The Wizards frontline is very athletic and can cause problems for opposing teams, so it will be interesting moving forward if Atlanta will be able to continue their dominance over the younger, collectively more athletic Wizards within the Southeastern Division.

John Wall has the same potential of a Derrick Rose and was able to elevate his game along with coming up clutch late in games. Rose’s efforts have been able to make the Bulls a perennial playoff contender.

Rose has also been durable and this will be a key to the Washington Wizard’s progression.

Wall did deal with an injured knee and left foot for most of the season but still averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds and came in second place to the Los Angles Clippers’ Blake Griffin for NBA Rookie of the Year.

The Wizards are poised to make progress in 2011-12 and improve on their 23-win season, and the Hawks should be wary of a young, athletic Wizards squad who is trying to get where the Hawks had been the past few years.

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