ATLANTA, May 18 (UPI) — Larry Drew will be back next season as coach of the Atlanta Hawks, the NBA team said Friday.

General Manager Rick Sund said the team was exercising its contract option to retain Drew for at least the 2012-13 season. Financial terms weren’t released.

“Larry did an outstanding job this season in guiding our team to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, despite a condensed schedule and unfortunate injuries,” Sund said.

“The Hawks have reached the post-season in each of his years on the bench and we feel Larry’s experience, expertise and dedication to the game were a key ingredient to our success.”

Drew just completed his second season as the Hawks’ coach. Atlanta was 40-26 and advanced to the playoffs but was eliminated by the Boston Celtics in six games in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. The Hawks were 44-38 last season under Drew and were ousted in the second round of the playoffs.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ATLANTA — Larry Drew is returning for his third season as the Atlanta Hawks’ coach despite the team’s first-round exit from the playoffs.

The Hawks announced Friday the team is exercising its option on Drew’s contract for next season.

“Larry did an outstanding job this season in guiding our team to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, despite a condensed schedule and unfortunate injuries,” said general manager Rick Sund.

“The Hawks have reached the post-season in each of his years on the bench, and we feel Larry’s experience, expertise and dedication to the game were a key ingredient to our success.”

Drew led the Hawks to a 40-26 regular-season record before the team lost to the Boston Celtics in six games in the first round of the playoffs. It was a step back for the franchise after three straight second-round appearances.

Atlanta had the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference despite losing All-Star centre Al Horford for all but 11 games of the regular season. Horford returned in Game 4 of the Celtics series.

The Hawks also lost Joe Johnson, Zaza Pachulia, Kirk Hinrich and other players for stretches of six or more games.

“This group, we never really got to show what we’re capable of,” Horford said last week.

Pachulia, who was Horford’s top backup, missed the Celtics series with a chipped bone in his left foot. Third-string centre Jason Collins started the first four games of the series.

Drew said he and his staff “endured a lot of unexpected things.”

“Obviously when you lose an All-Star at the beginning of the season, you have to make some adjustments and you’ve got to kind of change your way of thinking of how you deal with the team now,” Drew said last week. “Certainly when you have factored a guy in for the entire season and then he won’t be there, you’ve got to change some things around, particularly the mindset of the rest of the team.”

Drew said he did a good job of keeping the team playing hard.

“It’s something I take a lot of pride in and spend a lot of time on,” he said. “Player relationships are very important and how you deal with it, how you deal with your best player all the way down to the guy who may not dress out during games.

“I thought I did a good job with that. I thought my staff did a good job with that. We can only control so much, but the one thing we tried to control is that those guys when they come to that gym they come out and play hard for you every single night, and I thought we got that.”

Drew is 84-64 in two regular seasons and 8-10 in the playoffs. The Hawks were 17-16 on the road this season, the team’s first winning record away from Atlanta in 13 years.

The team’s five starters and Pachulia are under contract for next season. Nine players are free agents, and Sund’s contract expires on June 30.

ATLANTA – Al Horford had hoped to give the Atlanta Hawks a boost in the playoffs.

Now he knows that won’t be possible, at least not in the opening round.

The All-Star center said Wednesday he’s definitely out for the best-of-seven series against Boston, which begins this weekend. The Hawks will get home-court if they win their regular-season finale against Dallas, or if the Celtics [team stats] lose their last game to Milwaukee.

“You obviously want to be there for your team and try to help them,” Horford said after taking some shots on his own at the Philips Arena practice court. “But I realized I’m not nearly where I need to be or want to be to give the team anything.”

Horford, one of Atlanta’s key players along with Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, has missed most of the season recovering from surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle. The team has persevered without him, going into its final game clinging to the fourth-best record in the East.

All along, though, the Hawks held out hope that Horford might be healthy enough to give the team a boost in the playoffs. He was especially eager to return after his replacement, Zaza Pachulia, went down a couple of weeks ago with a sprained left foot, casting doubt on whether he’ll be able to go in the playoffs. Third-stringer Jason Collins has been filling in as the starting center, though he’s rarely on the court at crucial points in the game.

After practicing four-on-four Monday, Horford was optimistic about returning to face the Celtics. But, when he woke up sore and weak the next day, he was forced to concede that his left arm just isn’t strong enough to endure the wear-and-tear of a grueling playoff series.

“We kind of decided it’s best for me to take some time off, keep working and just see how I progress,” Horford said. “It’s frustrating for me. I want to play. I want to get out there with the guys. I know what it’s all about. This is the time of year you play for. By my body is just not responding with me. I can’t do it.”

Even under the best of circumstances, Horford knew he wouldn’t be able to get all his strength back until the summer. But he tried to persuade himself that he had recovered enough to at least give the Hawks some decent minutes in the playoffs.

Realistically, that won’t be possible in the opening round. The 6-foot-10 Horford is already a bit undersized for his position, and there’s no way he could bang in the lane with essentially one arm.

“I have very, very little strength,” he conceded. “The playoffs are intense. The intensity goes way up. I can go in and play with the guys in practice here. I might even be able to play in a regular-season game. But the playoffs are different. The way I play, to be most effective to the team, I’m not at that point yet.”

Horford is still hoping to play in the second round if the Hawks advance.

“I’m learning from this,” he said. “Hopefully this will make me a better player. I’ll be much more motivated when I come back, I’ll tell you that much, whenever it is. I just have to keep working and see what happens.”

ATLANTA — Al Horford had hoped to give the Atlanta Hawks a boost in the playoffs.

Now he knows that won’t be possible, at least not in the opening round.

The All-Star centre said Wednesday he’s definitely out for the best-of-seven series against Boston, which begins this weekend. The Hawks will get home-court if they win their regular-season finale against Dallas, or if the Celtics lose their last game to Milwaukee.

“You obviously want to be there for your team and try to help them,” Horford said after taking some shots on his own at the Philips Arena practice court. “But I realized I’m not nearly where I need to be or want to be to give the team anything.”

Horford, one of Atlanta’s key players along with Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, has missed most of the season recovering from surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle. The team has persevered without him, going into its final game clinging to the fourth-best record in the East.

All along, though, the Hawks held out hope that Horford might be healthy enough to give the team a boost in the playoffs. He was especially eager to return after his replacement, Zaza Pachulia, went down a couple of weeks ago with a sprained left foot, casting doubt on whether he’ll be able to go in the playoffs. Third-stringer Jason Collins has been filling in as the starting centre, though he’s rarely on the court at crucial points in the game.

After practicing four-on-four Monday, Horford was optimistic about returning to face the Celtics. But, when he woke up sore and weak the next day, he was forced to concede that his left arm just isn’t strong enough to endure the wear-and-tear of a grueling playoff series.

“We kind of decided it’s best for me to take some time off, keep working and just see how I progress,” Horford said. “It’s frustrating for me. I want to play. I want to get out there with the guys. I know what it’s all about. This is the time of year you play for. By my body is just not responding with me. I can’t do it.”

Even under the best of circumstances, Horford knew he wouldn’t be able to get all his strength back until the summer. But he tried to persuade himself that he had recovered enough to at least give the Hawks some decent minutes in the playoffs.

Realistically, that won’t be possible in the opening round. The 6-foot-10 Horford is already a bit undersized for his position, and there’s no way he could bang in the lane with essentially one arm.

“I have very, very little strength,” he conceded. “The playoffs are intense. The intensity goes way up. I can go in and play with the guys in practice here. I might even be able to play in a regular-season game. But the playoffs are different. The way I play, to be most effective to the team, I’m not at that point yet.”

Horford is still hoping to play in the second round if the Hawks advance.

“I’m learning from this,” he said. “Hopefully this will make me a better player. I’ll be much more motivated when I come back, I’ll tell you that much, whenever it is. I just have to keep working and see what happens.”

by

The Associated Press

Associated Press

ATLANTA — When the Boston Celtics played the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, it might have been a precursor to an NBA playoff series, but it certainly didn’t qualify as a preview.

Joe Johnson scored 30 points as Atlanta edged the short-handed Celtics 97-92 to take a step toward securing a home-court edge against Boston in the first round of the playoffs.

But the Celtics hardly looked like themselves.

Starters Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and key reserves Ray Allen and Mickael Pietrus did not play. On top of that, there wasn’t much defense from either team in the first half as Atlanta took a 58-49 lead.

Johnson scored 23 points, Boston guard Avery Bradley scored 17 of his career-high 28 and both teams combined to make 23 of 38 shots over the first two quarters (60.5 percent).

Rondo, Allen and Pietrus stayed in Boston with injuries, and Celtics coach Doc Rivers gave Garnett and Pierce rest after playing 11 games in 15 days.

Still, Boston had more energy even with several rarely used players getting big minutes, and the Celtics pulled within one point five times in the fourth quarter before Johnson’s three-point play with 1:56 left gave Atlanta a 90-86 lead.

The Hawks held on, but they were not so happy about it afterward.

“For us, it definitely sits a little uneasy,” Johnson said. “I don’t feel like we brought our ‘A’ game.”

Bradley, who moved into Allen’s starting spot at the shooting guard position several weeks ago when Allen began battling problems with a surgically repaired ankle, moved into Rondo’s point guard position and gave the Hawks fits.

He scored 12 points in the first quarter and surprised the Hawks in a variety of ways while besting his previous career high of 23 points.

“When you come out and pretty much right before the game find out that (Garnett and Pierce) are not going to play … I don’t know if it does something to you mentally, but it makes them that much (more) unpredictable,” said Hawks forward Josh Smith, who had 19 points and 12 rebounds. “Bradley played outstanding for them. I didn’t know he had that much in his game.”

The Hawks lost a home game earlier this season when Miami Heat stars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James did not play, and there was danger of a repeat Friday, especially when Keyon Dooling scored on a layup with 2:33 left to close the deficit to 87-86. Johnson’s three-point play came moments later.

Hawks coach Larry Drew said he considered leaving Johnson and Smith on the bench late in the interest of getting them some rest, but the prospect of moving toward home-court advantage came into play. They each played 5:22 in the final quarter as the unsung Celtics made life difficult.

“That was certainly wavering,” Drew said. “It was a situation of making a decision of just trying to solidify the home court position.”

Dooling finished with 17 points, and Marquis Daniels added 12.

The Hawks (38-25) have the fourth-best record in the East, which as long as they finish with a better record than Boston (37-27) would give them home court in a 4-5 matchup against the Celtics even though the Celtics are going to be considered a top-four seed by virtue of having clinched the Atlantic Division title.

If the teams finish with the same record, Boston would be considered the fourth seed — behind the Pacers — and gain home-court against Atlanta by virtue of being a division champion. Plus, the Celtics beat the Hawks in two of three regular-season meetings.

The Celtics may be back to full roster strength in time for their game in Boston on Tuesday against the Heat.

“It has to help our team in the long run,” Rivers said of resting key players. “I just think when your team plays like that it gives (reserves) a lot of confidence, and it gives the guys that didn’t play a lot of confidence in them, which is huge.”

 NOTES: Hawks starting C Zaza Pachulia missed his fourth straight game with a sprained left foot. In his place, Jason Collins had a season-high eight points and seven rebounds. … The Celtics signed 6-foot-10 C-F Sean Williams, who averaged 15.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots for the Texas Legends of the D-League. Williams, who played at Boston College, averaged 3.6 points and 1.6 rebounds for Dallas. He was drafted by the Nets 17th overall in 2007, and has career NBA averages of 4.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. He had a rebound in 3-plus minutes Friday. To make room, Boston requested waivers on injured C-F Jermaine O’Neal.

When the Boston Celtics played the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, it might have been a precursor to an NBA playoff series, but it certainly didn’t qualify as a “preview.”

Joe Johnson scored 30 points as Atlanta edged the short-handed Celtics 97-92 to take a step toward securing a home-court edge against Boston in the first round of the playoffs.

But the Celtics hardly looked like themselves.

Starters Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and key reserves Ray Allen and Mickael Pietrus did not play. On top of that, there wasn’t much defense from either team in the first half as Atlanta took a 58-49 lead.

Johnson scored 23 points, Boston guard Avery Bradley scored 17 of his career-high 28 and both teams combined to make 23 of 38 shots over the first two quarters (60.5 percent).

Rondo, Allen and Pietrus stayed in Boston with injuries, and Celtics coach Doc Rivers gave Garnett and Pierce rest after playing 11 games in 15 days.

Still, Boston had more energy even with several rarely used players getting big minutes, and the Celtics pulled within one point five times in the fourth quarter before Johnson’s three-point play with 1:56 left gave Atlanta a 90-86 lead.

The Hawks held on, but they were not so happy about it afterward.

“For us, it definitely sits a little uneasy,” Johnson said. “I don’t feel like we brought our ‘A’ game.”

Bradley, who moved into Allen’s starting spot at the shooting guard position several weeks ago when Allen began battling problems with a surgically repaired ankle, moved into Rondo’s point guard position and gave the Hawks fits.

He scored 12 points in the first quarter and surprised the Hawks in a variety of ways while besting his previous career high of 23 points.

“When . . . you come out and pretty much right before the game find out that (Garnett and Pierce) are not going to play . . . I don’t know if it does something to you mentally, but it makes them that much (more) unpredictable,” said Hawks forward Josh Smith, who had 19 points and 12 rebounds.

“Bradley played outstanding for them. I didn’t know he had that much in his game.”

The Hawks lost a home game earlier this season when Miami Heat stars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James did not play, and there was danger of a repeat Friday, especially when Keyon Dooling scored on a layup with 2:33 left to close the deficit to 87-86. Johnson’s three-point play came moments later.

Hawks coach Larry Drew said he considered leaving Johnson and Smith on the bench late in the interest of getting them some rest, but the prospect of moving toward home-court advantage came into play. They each played 5:22 in the final quarter as the unsung Celtics made life difficult.

“That was certainly wavering,” Drew said. “It was a situation of making a decision of just trying to solidify the home court position.”

Dooling finished with 17 points, and Marquis Daniels added 12.

The Hawks (38-25) have the fourth-best record in the East, which as long as they finish with a better record than Boston (37-27) would give them home court in a 4-5 match-up against the Celtics even though the Celtics are going to be considered a top four seed by virtue of having clinched the Atlantic Division title.

If the teams finish with the same record, Boston would be considered the fourth seed (behind the Pacers) and gain home court against Atlanta by virtue of being a division champion. Plus, the Celtics beat the Hawks in two of three regular-season meetings.

The Celtics may be back to full roster strength in time for their game in Boston on Tuesday against the Heat.

“It has to help our team in the long run,” Rivers said of resting key players. “I just think when your team plays like that it gives (reserves) a lot of confidence, and it gives the guys that didn’t play a lot of confidence in them, which is huge.”

Notes: Hawks starting C Zaza Pachulia missed his fourth straight game with a sprained left foot. In his place, Jason Collins had a season-high eight points and seven rebounds. . . . The Celtics signed 6-foot-10 C-F Sean Williams, who averaged 15.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots for the Texas Legends of the D-League. Williams, who played at Boston College, averaged 3.6 points and 1.6 rebounds for Dallas. He was drafted by the Nets 17th overall in 2007, and has career NBA averages of 4.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. He had a rebound in 3-plus minutes Friday. To make room, Boston requested waivers on injured C-F Jermaine O’Neal.
 

The plane bringing them home from south Florida arrived in Massachusetts shortly before 3 o’clock on Wednesday morning.

A weary group of Celtics should have been savoring an impressive road victory over the Miami Heat, but there were other pressing matters at hand.

They had sleep to catch up on, and they had yet another game – the fourth in five nights – against the well-rested and younger Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday evening.

The Celtics have been rolling along since the All-Star break with very few stumbles, but here they were smack in the middle of a seemingly no-win scenario.

A fatigued, veteran team playing on fumes against a team that had been idle since Saturday night certainly didn’t appear to add up in the Celtics’ favor?

So how to explain what happened at the TD Garden where the Celtics continued their amazing late-season charge by willing themselves to an 88-86 overtime victory over the Hawks?

How to explain the Celtics not having a letdown after their emotional win in Miami or keeping the victories coming despite having Ray Allen (sore right ankle) unavailable?

“It just says we have great character, a tough-minded group,’’ said coach Doc Rivers after his team won for the 11th time in the last 14 games. “They really are.

“You could see they wanted to win the game so bad and you could see the way we played. Going into it, what I told the coaches is we’ve got to just keep it close, hang around for the fourth quarter.’’

Said Brandon Bass after contributing 21 points and 10 rebounds: “I think Doc came in and laid it out and let us know that there were no excuses tonight. Everybody’s tired, but he told us to just go out there and fight and do what we do every night – and that’s grind.’’

This should have been the night the Celtics, winners of four in a row and 19-7 since the break, took the foot off the gas. They should have been sitting ducks for the Hawks, who were in need of a win over the Celtics to avoid losing a potential tiebreaker.

Instead, the Celtics fought through layer after layer of adversity with Rajon Rondo (another triple-double with 20 assists, 10 rebounds and 10 points on a night when he missed 13 of 16 shots), Kevin Garnett (22 points, 12 rebounds), Bass, Paul Pierce (14 points) and Mickael Pietrus (a key performer in his return from a concussion) leading the way.

They were obviously a step slower, were battling fatigue and had to overcome two offensive foul calls in the final minute of overtime.

“This team has resolve,’’ said Rivers. “They figure it out. They like each other and I think that allows us to win games on certain nights we shouldn’t win.

“I think this team has a resolve about them that allows them to stay in games that I think other teams would let go of the rope.’’

The rejuvenated Garnett was again superb and Rondo extended his streak of double-digit assists games to 19, second only to John Stockon’s 29.

“Rondo was sensational,’’ said Rivers. “He didn’t want to come out. He said, ‘Because we’ve got tomorrow off, let me just go.’

“I know he’s on a run. I know he’s playing very well. I don’t need the numbers to tell me that. He’s just playing extremely well. He’s been spectacular. It’s not just him. It’s everybody.’’

Even on weary legs and fresh off an emotional win more than 1,500 miles away the previous night, the Celtics still managed to open eyes. They went 5-2 in an 11-day stretch against teams with winning records and are now tied with the Hawks and Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference while owning tiebreakers over both.

“You think about your summer workouts and these are the things that help you in moments like this,’’ said Garnett of pushing through the way the Celtics did. “You see doubt, it’s right in front of you and you go right through it. We were able to stay strong and fight through fatigue and make plays when we had to.’’

Elton Brand took over when the host Philadelphia 76ers needed him most.

Brand scored 13 of his season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter to lead the 76ers to a 95-90 comeback win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.

Andre Iguodala scored 18, and Brand had 10 rebounds to go with his 10-for-12 shooting.

Coming off a 21-point loss to lowly Washington on Friday that knocked them out of first place in the Atlantic Division and down to No. 7 in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers earned a hard-fought win against a team ahead of them in the standings.

“I was having nightmares of 3-13,” coach Doug Collins said, referring to the team’s awful start last year. “I told the guys I want to believe that’s

not who we are, and they showed me tonight that’s not who they are.”

Josh Smith led Atlanta with 34 points.

Spurs 112, Pacers 103: Tim Duncan had 23 points and 11 rebounds and host San Antonio remained the hottest team in the NBA, beating Indiana for its seventh consecutive win. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili added 18 points apiece. The Spurs are 8-1 since making a rare plunge into midseason moves by adding forwards Stephen Jackson and Boris Diaw, giving what Duncan calls the deepest San Antonio bench of his career.

Lakers 88, Hornets 85: As long as there’s time left on the clock, Kobe Bryant can still work wonders even when he’s having a horrible game. Bryant burnished his reputation

as one of the NBA’s greatest closers, hitting a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left after missing his first 15 shots, to help host Los Angeles hold off last-place New Orleans.

“There’s always time to redeem himself,” Jarrett Jack of the Hornets said. “Nobody’s even going to talk about those first three quarters. They’re going to talk about that last shot he made to put his team over the top.”

Clippers 105, Jazz 96: Chris Paul scored 26 points, Blake Griffin added 24

and host Los Angeles beat Utah to win its fifth in a row for the first time since 2006. Randy Foye added 17 points and DeAndre Jordan had 10 rebounds for the surging Clippers, who have won six straight at home and are a game behind the first-place Lakers in the Pacific Division.

Grizzlies 99, Bucks 95: O.J. Mayo scored a season-high 24 points, and Rudy Gay had 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead visiting Memphis to a win over Milwaukee.

Marc Gasol added 13 points and 14 rebounds for Memphis, which is in the midst of playing seven games in nine days. The Grizzlies opened the stretch with a 98-89 loss at Houston on Friday.

Knicks 91, Cavaliers 75: J.R. Smith scored 20 points, Carmelo

Anthony had 19, and host New York shook off more bad injury news before beating Cleveland. Already without Amare Stoudemire, the Knicks announced before the game that Jeremy Lin would have surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and could miss six weeks.

But the Knicks showed they still may have enough. Tyson Chandler had 14 points and 12 rebounds for eighth-place New York, which bounced back from a loss in Atlanta on Friday to win for the ninth time in 11 games. The Knicks have won seven in a row at home.

PHILADELPHIA — Elton Brand took over when the Philadelphia 76ers needed him most.

Brand scored 13 of his season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter to lead the 76ers to a 95-90 comeback win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.

Andre Iguodala scored 18, and Brand had 10 rebounds to go with his 10-for-12 shooting.

Coming off a 21-point loss to lowly Washington on Friday that knocked them out of first place in the Atlantic Division and down to No. 7 in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers earned a hard-fought win against a team ahead of them in the standings.

“I was having nightmares of 3-13,” coach Doug Collins said, referring to the team’s awful start last year. “I told the guys I want to believe that’s not who we are, and they showed me tonight that’s not who they are.”

Brand made sure the Sixers halted their free-fall.

“It’s how you respond to a loss like that,” Brand said. “A lot of things could’ve been in jeopardy if we didn’t win this at home. We had to have this win.”

Josh Smith led Atlanta with 34 points, and Joe Johnson had 15. The Hawks have lost three of four after winning four straight. They were swept in the season series against Philadelphia, losing once at home and twice on the road.

“We haven’t been able to put any consistency together in any game against these guys,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “It’s almost like they are waiting for us to self-destruct. We seem to implode against this team.”

The 76ers pulled within a half-game of Boston in the Atlantic. They had been in first place — either alone or tied — since Dec. 28, but fell behind after losing six of nine. They’re seeking their first division title since Allen Iverson led them to the NBA Finals in 2001.

Brand, the team’s oldest starter, was the difference. He dominated after the Hawks took a 68-62 in the fourth quarter. Brand scored eight points during an 11-4 run that put Philadelphia up 73-72. He had two three-point plays in that stretch. He hit another short jumper to extend the lead to 77-73, then had two key assists after getting double-teamed inside. Brand fed Jrue Holiday for a 3-pointer that made it 80-75, then found Iguodala open for another 3 to increase the lead to 83-77.

“Elton wasn’t going to be denied,” Collins said.

Brand grabbed an offensive rebound, got fouled driving to the basket and made a free throw. He got another offensive rebound off his miss on the second attempt, and Philadelphia led the rest of the way.

After the Hawks got within 88-86 on Marvin Williams’ 3, Brand nailed a 14-footer to give the Sixers a four-point cushion with 1:30 left.

“He looked like he was 23, 24 out there,” Evan Turner said of the 33-year-old Brand. “He hit big shots.”

The Sixers are 9-14 after a 20-9 start. They haven’t had a winning record since the 2004-05 season.

“We showed our fight,” Iguodala said. “People had their doubts, but we believe in ourselves.”

Atlanta is one game up on Philadelphia for the sixth spot in the East.

Down 39-34 in the second quarter, the Sixers finished with a 9-2 run to take a 43-41 lead into halftime. Iguodala hit a 3-pointer to start it off and ended the run with a turnaround jumper.

• Notes: The Sixers won the season series 3-0. … Hawks F Jerry Stackhouse missed the game because of a family emergency. … Hawks F Tracy McGrady didn’t make the trip because of an illness. … The Sixers have held opponents under 100 points in 21 of the past 22 games. … The Hawks are 20-5 when Smith scores 20 or more points. … Earlier in the day, the Flyers lost 4-3 to Ottawa in a shootout in a day-night, two-sport doubleheader at the Wells Fargo Center. … The Sixers have won three straight at home.

The New York Knicks take on the Atlanta Hawks in an important Friday night (March 30) game. The team is on a nice three game winning streak, showing guts and grit that I had worried would go away with all the injuries.

Thus far, the Knicks have overcome the loss of Bill Walker, a new injury to Jared Jeffries, Amare Stoudemire dealing with new back issues and Jeremy Lin going through leg problems. The team hasn’t folded though, beating the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic over the past week. I think the win over Orlando in itself proves that Carmelo Anthony can really lead this team if he stays committed to the mission.

Now the Knicks have to take on a tough Hawks team that is actually suffering its own problems. The Hawks lost center Al Horford for the season and have limped through the season ever since that loss. The up-and-down progression for the team includes two straight losses this week to the Bucks and Chicago Bulls. It gives them extra incentive to play New York hard on Friday night, which could make this a very competitive contest.

The Knicks and Hawks last played on February 22, when New York ran away with a nice 99-82 win. I thought the team put forward a very balanced attack, with eight different players scoring at least 7 points each and that it is exactly what the Knicks need against the Hawks. Stoudemire only went for 7 points in that game, so if the roster can find that scoring from someone else, I think that the Knicks actually stand a really good shot at running the winning streak to four games.

It is questionable whether Lin is going to play against the Hawks, but hopefully he is ready to take the court again. It may come all the way down to game time for him to make that final decision, but the Knicks could certainly use him as an additional weapon on offense. I think that if Lin plays, the Knicks will easily win this game with the depth that the bench possesses right now. Without him it might become a struggle, but one that Steve Novak and J.R. Smith could use to their advantage.

At 26-25 on the season, the Knicks are now just two and a half games behind the Philadelphia 76ers for first place in the Atlantic division. Catching up to the 76ers would certainly prove sweet, especially because it would make the Knicks one of the top four seeds in the 2012 Eastern Conference Playoffs. I think that would give the team a very favorable chance to make at least the second round. Hopefully the Knicks play as well against the Hawks as they did against the Magic and that the team continues to show that it’s got the talent to compete with the best this postseason.

More From YCN:

Knicks Crush Blazers

Tyson Chandler Holds Franchise Record

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.

By Kris Willis

– College Hoops Contributor

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Mar 17, 2012 – The Atlanta Hawks will be without three players and get one back in action for their road game in Cleveland on Sunday. Marvin Williams (hip) Willie Green (hamstring) and Vladimir Radmanovic (back) aren’t with the team on the trip but injured center Jason Collins will return to the active roster.

Marvin Williams was hurt in Atlanta’s overtime loss to Denver on March 13 and has missed the last two games. Willie Green hasn’t played since February 29 against the Golden State Warriors. Green originally suffered a lower back injury but has developed a hamstring problem during his recovery. He has missed the last nine games.

Vladimir Radmanovic was a late scratch for Atlanta’s road loss last Wednesday against the Clippers because of a sore back. Radmanovic played just over four minutes in Atlanta’s win over Washington on Friday but the team decided against him making the trip to Cleveland.

Atlanta will get back center Jason Collins who missed 21 games with an elbow injury against Memphis on February 2.

For more on the Atlanta Hawks head over to Peachtree Hoops.

Read More: Jason Collins (C – ATL), Marvin Williams (F – ATL), Willie Green (G – ATL), Vladimir Radmanovic (F – ATL), Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers

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