Game Thread: Hawks vs Knicks – Complete Game Day Info (Updated)
By David Menze
Josh Smith backs down Carmelo Anthony. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images)
UPDATED — DeShawn Stevenson will start today on his 32nd birthday for the injured Devin Harris.
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The Knicks are riding their longest winning-streak since the 1993-94 season and look to keep it going Wednesday against the Hawks in Atlanta.
They made it nine straight wins on Tuesday by knocking off the Miami Heat 102-90, albeit without LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers in the lineup, as Carmelo Anthony capitalized on the offensive advantage with a 50-point performance, tying his career-high.
Melo started the game on fire, hitting his first seven shots, and put on a shooting clinic throughout the night as he finished 18-of-26 overall, including sinking 7-of-10 from behind the arc.
In three games against Atlanta with former Hawks coach Mike Woodson at the helm, Anthony is averaging 39.0 points. He tied a franchise record with nine 3-pointers and finished with 42 points in a 106-104 victory on Jan. 27 in the only matchup versus ATL this season.
In that game, Amar’e Stoudemire and J.R. Smith each scored 18 points off the bench, while Raymond Felton added 12 points and 10 assists.
Melo drove past Josh Smith in the final seconds for the game-winning layup.
Atlanta had five players in double-figures and were led by Jeff Teague, who abused NY’s backcourt as he finished with 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting with six assists, five rebounds and two steals. Smith had 20 points and Al Horford had 16 on 8-of-8 shooting. DeShawn Stevenson (15) and Kyle Korver (13) were also in double-figures.
Since then, both teams have lost key guys to injury and have also each signed a 10-day contract player for the remainder of the season.
It was announced in the first week of March that Stoudemire will be out approximately six weeks, as he “would need to undergo a knee debridement surgery, a procedure to remove dead or damaged tissue or bone in order to heal the injured area”, according to SI.com.
In Stats’ absence, the Knicks signed veteran power forward Kenyon Martin.
The Hawks, meanwhile, lost backup big man Zaza Pachulia, as he decided to have season-ending surgery to repair a lingering right Achilles injury that hindered him for a significant portion of the year. Pachulia’s surgery is today.
They have also been without combo guard Lou Williams for majority of the season and had to sign former Butler University product Shelvin Mack to add backcourt depth.
The Knicks caught a break Tuesday since the Heat played without their two best players, and might face the same situation Wednesday.
Despite the Hawks sitting in fifth place, one game behind Brooklyn in the race for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, they’re more worried about the health of their banged up players and will possibly rest a few tonight.
Horford just returned from missing two games due to a stomach illness. Devin Harris is recovering from a left ankle injury. DeShawn Stevenson can’t play back-to-backs because of sore knees (you Knick fans should know a thing or two about that dealing with Stat). And John Jenkins is still trying to pass the NBA’s protocol system after sustaining a concussion five days ago in Boston.
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Quick Facts
Who?: Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks
What?: Eastern Conference Showdown (Game #76, Home Game #38)
Where?: Philips Arena (Atlanta, GA)
When?: Wednesday, April 3, 2013 – 7:00 PM (EST)
How?: ESPN
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Projected Starting Lineups:
Atlanta Hawks:
PG: Jeff Teague | SG: DeShawn Stevenson | SF: Kyle Korver | PF: Josh Smith | C: Al Horford
New York Knicks:
PG: Raymond Felton | SG: Pablo Prigioni | SF: Iman Shumpert | PF: Carmelo Anthony | C: Tyson Chandler
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Injury/Inactive Players Report
Atlanta Hawks: Devin Harris (sore left foot), John Jenkins (mild concussion), Zaza Pachulia (Achilles surgery) and Lou Williams (torn right ACL) are out.
New York Knicks: Amar’e Stoudemire (right knee debridement), Kurt Thomas (right foot acute stress reaction) and Rasheed Wallace (fractured left fifth metatarsal) are out.
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Current Records/Streak & Hot, Lukewarm, or Cold
Records: Atlanta Hawks (42-33) … New York Knicks (47-26)
Streaks: Atlanta Hawks –> OVERALL: Won 2 / HOME: Won 2 / ROAD: Lost 1 … New York Knicks –> OVERALL: Won 9 / HOME: Won 6 / ROAD: Won 4
Home/Away Records: Hawks are (24-13) at home … Knicks are (20-16) away.
Atlanta Hawks: Lukewarm.
New York Knicks: Hot.
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Season/Past Season Series
Atlanta hosts New York for the only time this year in the second-of-three meetings between the clubs. The Knicks posted a 106-104 triumph in the first game behind 42 points from Carmelo Anthony (15-28 FGs, 9-12 3FGs, 3-3 FTs) and Raymond Felton’s double-double (12 points/10 assists). Jeff Teague scored 27 points to lead the Hawks and Josh Smith added 20. Atlanta visits The Big Apple on 4/17 to finish the season series. New York has taken two straight games against the Hawks, including the last contest at Philips Arena (113-112) on 4/22/12. The Hawks’ last win over the Knicks was a 100-90 home victory on 3/30/12. Atlanta leads the alltime series 184-166, including a 101-48 edge at home.
LAST MEETING — KNICKS 106, HAWKS 104 — MADISON SQUARE GARDEN — 1/27/13
The Knicks pulled out a back-and-forth affair, featuring 22 lead changes and 14 ties, when Josh Smith’s three-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark. The Hawks shot a season-high .600 from the field, hit 10-23 3FGs (.435) and 16-20 FTs (.800) but it wasn’t enough as New York, led by Carmelo Anthony’s monster night, made .542 from the floor and .593 from three-point range (16-27). Anthony finished with 42 points on 15-28 FGs, 9-12 3FGs and 3-3 FTs and Raymond Felton chipped-in with a double-double (12 points/10 assists). Jeff Teague paced the Hawks with 27 points and Josh Smith scored 20. Al Horford added 16 points (8-8 FGs), DeShawn Stevenson 15 off the bench and Kyle Korver 13. Atlanta had a 50-22 edge in points in the paint and 17-8 in fast break points but committed 19 turnovers.
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Common Threads
Hawks assistant coach Kenny Atkinson spent the last four years as a Knicks assistant. Knicks head coach Mike Woodson served as the Hawks’ coach from 2004-10, compiling 206 wins. Rasheed Wallace played one game for Atlanta in 2003-04. Knicks assistant coach Jim Todd is a former Hawks assistant. DeShawn Stevenson, Jason Kidd, Steve Novak and Chandler all played together with Dallas in 2010-11. Johan Petro, Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith were all teammates in Denver (part of 2008-09 and 2009-10). Petro and Kurt Thomas played together with Seattle in 2007-08. Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer teamed-up in Utah (part of 2007-08-through-part of 2009-10). Iman Shumpert played his college ball at Georgia Tech.
Information was used from the Hawks and Knicks official gamenotes