CBSSports.com wire reports
March 6, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS — The Atlanta Hawks are back on track, and Josh Smith is a big reason.

Smith had 27 points and nine rebounds, leading the Hawks to their third consecutive victory, 101-96 against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.

“Josh has been on a roll as of late,” coach Larry Drew said. “We’ve been going through him offensively and defensively. He’s been an anchor for us. Tonight I felt he played another phenomenal ball game. He was just solid.”

Smith scored 13 points in the first quarter, 11 in the third, and fell three points shy of his season high. He passed the credit onto his teammates.

“It’s great when your teammates lift you up,” Smith said. “That really helped in the third and fourth quarter. We’re coming together and figuring out a way to win ball games.”

Jannero Pargo had 16 points, while Marvin Williams and Zaza Pachulia each scored 12 for the Hawks.

David West scored a season-high 24 points for the Pacers, who have lost two straight. Danny Granger had 19 points and eight rebounds, and George Hill scored 15 points off the bench for Indiana.

“They kept us off balance with good ball movement and we couldn’t seem to adjust to their schemes,” West said. “We just weren’t able to figure them out in the time to stop them.”

The Hawks led by as much as 16 points in the first half, but Granger’s 3-pointer tied it at 62.

West’s basket gave Indiana its last lead at 71-69 before Williams answered with a 3-pointer.

The Hawks outrebounded the Pacers 45-37 and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds.

The Pacers returned home after losing Monday to the Chicago Bulls on the road, 92-72, snapping a season-best, six-game winning streak.

“We didn’t defend the 3 well and didn’t do a good enough job on the defensive glass,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “It cost us the game. I don’t think we were ourselves the last two games.”

The Hawks visit Miami on Wednesday.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The Atlanta Hawks are back on track, and Josh Smith is a big reason.

Smith had 27 points and nine rebounds, leading the Hawks to their third straight victory, 101-96 over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.

”Josh has been on a roll as of late,” coach Larry Drew said. ”We’ve been going through him offensively and defensively. He’s been an anchor for us. Tonight I felt he played another phenomenal ball game. He was just solid.”

Smith scored 13 points in the first quarter, 11 in the third, and fell three points shy of his season high. He passed the credit onto his teammates.

”It’s great when your teammates lift you up,” Smith said. ”That really helped in the third and fourth quarter. We’re coming together and figuring out a way to win ball games.”

Jannero Pargo had 16 points, while Marvin Williams and Zaza Pachulia each scored 12 for the Hawks.

David West scored a season-high 24 points for the Pacers, who have lost two straight. Danny Granger had 19 points and eight rebounds, and George Hill scored 15 points off the bench for Indiana.

”They kept us off balance with good ball movement and we couldn’t seem to adjust to their schemes,” West said. ”We just weren’t able to figure them out in the time to stop them.”

The Hawks led by as much as 16 points in the first half, but Granger’s 3-pointer tied it at 62.

West’s basket gave Indiana its last lead at 71-69 before Williams answered with a 3-pointer.

The Hawks outrebounded the Pacers 45-37 and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds.

The Pacers returned home after losing Monday to the Chicago Bulls on the road, 92-72, snapping a season-best, six-game winning streak.

”We didn’t defend the 3 well and didn’t do a good enough job on the defensive glass,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. ”It cost us the game. I don’t think we were ourselves the last two games.”

The Hawks visit Miami on Wednesday.

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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CHICAGO — Luol Deng’s layup with 3.7 seconds to play lifted the Chicago Bulls to a 76-74 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night.

Derrick Rose scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Bulls from a 19-point deficit. Coming out of a timeout with the score tied in the final seconds, Deng cut along the baseline and took a feed from Joakim Noah to put Chicago ahead.

Atlanta’s Joe Johnson shot an airball at the buzzer, giving the Bulls the win.

Rose missed a runner with 21 seconds left, but Atlanta’s Jeff Teague missed two free throws. Rose then drove past Teague and scored over the Hawks’ Josh Smith with 9.9 seconds left to put the Bulls up 74-73.

Al Horford, who led the Hawks with 16 points, was fouled and split two free throws with 7.7 seconds remaining.

ATLANTA (74)

Williams 5-10 4-7 14, Smith 6-13 3-6 15, Horford 7-14 2-4 16, Teague 2-8 3-6 7, J.Johnson 3-17 2-2 10, McGrady 1-4 0-0 2, Radmanovic 1-4 0-0 3, Pachulia 0-3 0-0 0, Pargo 1-3 0-0 3, Green 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 28-80 14-25 74.

CHICAGO (76)

Deng 7-15 6-8 21, Boozer 5-13 1-2 11, Noah 0-4 2-2 2, Rose 8-22 11-13 30, Brewer 2-8 0-0 4, Gibson 2-7 0-0 4, Korver 1-4 0-1 2, Asik 1-3 0-0 2, Lucas 0-1 0-0 0, Butler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-77 20-26 76.

Atlanta 23 15 18 18–74

Chicago 15 11 16 34–76

3-Point Goals–Atlanta 4-15 (J.Johnson 2-9, Pargo 1-1, Radmanovic 1-2, Teague 0-1, Smith 0-1, Horford 0-1), Chicago 4-17 (Rose 3-8, Deng 1-4, Brewer 0-1, Lucas 0-1, Korver 0-3). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Atlanta 62 (Smith 14), Chicago 58 (Boozer, Asik 9). Assists–Atlanta 19 (J.Johnson, Teague 4), Chicago 16 (Rose 7). Total Fouls–Atlanta 17, Chicago 21. Technicals–Atlanta defensive three second, Deng, Chicago defensive three second 2. A–22,166 (20,917).

By SundownMotel

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Jan 3, 2012 – The Atlanta Hawks will hit the road on Tuesday night to visit the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are coming off a 40-point win over the Memphis Grizzlies, but the Hawks are also riding high one night after snapping the undefeated streak of the Memphis Heat.

The Hawks will still face a strong opponent in the Bulls as their tough stretch of games against top opponents continues. Chicago is averaging 108.7 points during its current three-game winning streak. Both teams boast identical 4-1 records. Atlanta will be trying to hand the Bulls their first loss at home in the shortened 2011-12 NBA season.

Tuesday’s game is scheduled to tip off at 8:00 PM ET from the United Center in Chicago. You can catch the telecast on NBA TV or locally on SPSO. You can also listen to the radio broadcast on 680 The Fan.

For all news and information regarding the Atlanta Falcons, please visit Peachtree Hoops. For updates and conversation on Chicago basketball, head on over to Blog a Bull.

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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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The Chicago Bulls have won three in a row and are coming off a 40-point
victory.

The Atlanta Hawks likely won’t be too intimidated.

In their first meeting since last season’s conference semifinals, the
surging Bulls host a Hawks team coming off an impressive win in their first game
of a daunting stretch.

After opening the season with a 3-1 road trip, Chicago (4-1) made its
long-awaited home opener Sunday night against Memphis, and didn’t disappoint the
United Center fans. The Bulls jumped out to a 26-point halftime advantage, led
by as much as 46 in the third quarter and cruised to a 104-64 victory.

The game was so lopsided, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah spent more time on
the bench than on the court and Derrick Rose played just 25 minutes.

There were a few concerns for the Bulls, though, as starting shooting guard
Richard Hamilton was scratched shortly before tip-off with a sore left groin and
backup point guard C.J. Watson sprained his left elbow late in the game.
Hamilton will likely be a game-time decision against the Hawks (4-1), while
Watson is unlikely to play.

Ronnie Brewer, who started in place of Hamilton, and Boozer led the Bulls
with 17 points apiece Sunday and Rose finished with 16 points and six assists.
Chicago is averaging 108.7 points during its three-game winning streak, while
outrebounding opponents by an average of 9.3 boards.

“I thought we had chance to win (the championship) last year. I think we
have a chance to win this year,” Boozer told the Bulls’ official website. “We’re
going to have a chance every year. Aside from Olympics and All-Star teams, this
is the most talented team I’ve been on in the NBA.”

Boozer and the Bulls got past Indiana and Atlanta in last season’s playoffs
before being eliminated by Miami in five games.

The Heat opened this season with five straight victories and went into
Monday’s game against Atlanta coming off a 39-point win over Charlotte the night
before, but couldn’t keep their perfect record intact as the Hawks won 100-92.

Joe Johnson had 21 points and Tracy McGrady hit a pair of 3-pointers in the
final 2:26 of the fourth quarter and scored 13 of his 16 points in the final
period. Al Horford also had 16 points for the Hawks, who finished with a
season-low 10 turnovers.

“Great execution,” McGrady said. “That’s what you have to do when you’re
playing great teams.”

Atlanta will see two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams this week.

After facing Chicago, the Hawks return home to open a back-to-back-to-back
stretch with a rematch against the Heat on Thursday. They’ll then play in
Charlotte the next night and conclude the three games in three nights stretch
Saturday at home against the Bulls.

Atlanta took Game 1 of last season’s playoff series with Chicago at the
United Center, but the Bulls went on to win the series in six games. Rose led
Chicago, averaging 29.8 points and 9.8 assists.

Johnson scored 34 on 12-of-18 shooting in upsetting the Bulls in Game 1, but
averaged 16.8 points in the other five games.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks, looking for point guard depth while Kirk Hinrich recovers from shoulder surgery, have signed seven-year veteran Jannero Pargo.

Jeff Teague is expected to open the season as the Hawks’ starting point guard. Pargo, who most recently played for the Chicago Bulls in the 2009-10 season, gives Atlanta another contender for a backup spot.

Pargo signed with the Bulls on March 20 but didn’t appear in a game last season. He played in 63 games with Chicago in the 2009-10 season and averaged 5.5 points and 1.4 assists.

The 6-foot-1 Pargo previously played with the Bulls from 2004-06 and has also been with the Lakers, Raptors and Hornets.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks, looking for point guard depth while Kirk Hinrich recovers from shoulder surgery, have signed seven-year veteran Jannero Pargo.

Jeff Teague is expected to open the season as the Hawks’ starting point guard. Pargo, who most recently played for the Chicago Bulls in the 2009-10 season, gives Atlanta another contender for a backup spot.

Pargo signed with the Bulls on March 20 but didn’t appear in a game last season. He played in 63 games with Chicago in the 2009-10 season and averaged 5.5 points and 1.4 assists.

The 6-foot-1 Pargo previously played with the Bulls from 2004-06 and has also been with the Lakers, Raptors and Hornets.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

ATLANTA (AP)—The Atlanta Hawks, looking for point guard depth while Kirk
Hinrich recovers from shoulder surgery, have signed seven-year veteran Jannero
Pargo.

Jeff Teague is expected to open the season as the Hawks’ starting point
guard. Pargo, who most recently played for the Chicago Bulls in the 2009-10
season, gives Atlanta another contender for a backup spot.

Pargo signed with the Bulls on March 20 but didn’t appear in a game last
season. He played in 63 games with Chicago in the 2009-10 season and averaged
5.5 points and 1.4 assists.

The 6-foot-1 Pargo previously played with the Bulls from 2004-06 and has
also been with the Lakers, Raptors and Hornets.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Read More: Kyle Korver (F – CHI), Ronnie Brewer (F – CHI), Jamal Crawford (G – ATL), Joakim Noah (C – CHI), C.J. Watson (G – CHI), Omer Asik (C – CHI), Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks

According to a report, the Atlanta Hawks are discussing a potential sign-and-trade deal with the Chicago Bulls that would land Jamal Crawford in the windy city. The Hawks are thought to be pursuing a package centered around Bulls’ guard Ronnie Brewer. 

Chicago has been rumored to as a potential suitor for Crawford but will likely need the Hawks help to land him. The Bulls could offer Jamal the $5 million mid-level exception but Crawford is likely to find more lucrative offers elsewhere. Hence the Bulls interest in a sign-and-trade deal with Atlanta. 

Other players rumored as being discussed include Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson and Omer Asik. Korver could potentially add a long range element to the Hawks’ offense while Asik would be a mighty addition to the frontcourt. The Bulls however, aren’t likely to part with Asik who is back up to Joakim Noah and is on a rookie scale contract. 

For more on the Atlanta Hawks, be sure to check out SB Nation blog Peachtree Hoops. For more on the transactions going on around the NBA, check out the SB Nation NBA hub.