Gamethread: Atlanta Hawks (25-18) @ New York Knicks (26-15) 6:30 Game, Don't Forget!

[29$JerZ]

SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2013
6:30 PM ET - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Raymond Felton | Jason Kidd | Iman Shumpert | Carmelo Anthony | Tyson Chandler

New York Knicks

POINTS PER GAME
100.3
10th Overall

REBOUNDS PER GAME
40.8
24th Overall

ASSISTS PER GAME
19.6
28th Overall

POINTS ALLOWED
96.1
8th Overall

DEFENSIVE EFFICIENCY
102.6
15th OVERALL

Jeff Teague | Devin Harris | Kyle Korver | J-Smoove | Al Horford


ATLANTA HAWKS

POINTS PER GAME
96.6
16th Overall

REBOUNDS PER GAME
40.7
25th Overall

ASSISTS PER GAME
23.7
3rd Overall

POINTS ALLOWED
95.8
6th Overall

DEFENSIVE EFFICIENCY
100.6
8th Overall

Hawks-Knicks Preview

Atlanta Hawks coach Larry Drew had high praise for his team after a remarkable win its last time out.
He surely hasn't been pleased with the Hawks' recent efforts against the Atlantic Division-leading New York Knicks.
Seeking a fourth consecutive victory, visiting Atlanta tries to avoid a fifth loss in six games to New York as these clubs square off Sunday for the first time this season.
The Hawks (25-18) found themselves on the verge of defeat Friday before storming back from 27 down in a 123-111 double-overtime win over Boston. Kyle Korver came up clutch down the stretch, making five of his career-high eight 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Korver finished with a season-best 27 points while Al Horford scored 24 to go along with 13 rebounds. Josh Smith added 17 points, 14 boards and seven assists and Jeff Teague scored 23.
"This is probably, I'm trying to think as a coach and as a player, one of the most amazing comebacks I've been associated with," said Drew, whose team improved to 13-3 when Korver scores at least 13. "Overall, this was a very, very gutsy win for us, it really shows what we're made of. It shows that we have the ability to persevere through those type of situations."
Drew, who spent six seasons as an assistant to former Hawks and current Knicks coach Mike Woodson before replacing him in 2010-11, led Atlanta to a 100-90 win in his first game against Woodson on March 30. The Hawks, though, came up short 113-112 on April 22, dropping to 4-9 in the series since 2009.
New York (26-15) entered Saturday having won three of four but couldn't keep up in a 97-80 loss at Philadelphia. Carmelo Anthony had 25 points on 9-of-28 shooting and Amare Stoudemire scored a season-high 20 off the bench, but no one else reached double figures.
"We just didn't have it," Anthony said. "They played extremely well. We didn't make shots. We didn't defend. We didn't move the ball."
Raymond Felton, in his first game back after missing 12 due to a broken right finger, scored eight for the Knicks, who went a season-worst 4 for 27 (14.8 percent) from long distance. New York has gone 20-5 when making at least 11 3-pointers and 6-10 when it doesn't.
Despite his inefficient effort Saturday, Anthony extended his streak of consecutive 20-point efforts to 28 - tied with Patrick Ewing for the second-longest in team history and one behind Richie Guerin's record set in 1961-62.
Anthony, averaging 29.0 points to rank second in the league, has scored at least 20 in all but one game thus far. He's averaging 37.5 in his last two matchups against Atlanta.
While Smith and Horford continue to lead the way for the Hawks, Korver figures to keep getting his looks, too. Acquired from Chicago in exchange for cash this offseason, Korver is averaging 20.3 points over his last four games, a stretch during which he's gone 21 for 32 (65.6 percent) from beyond the arc.
Atlanta, which had been outscored by an average of 12.7 points during a season-worst six-game road losing streak before beating Charlotte on Wednesday, has gone 5-18 at Madison Square Garden since 2000.

[StarvingKnick22]

We're gonna lose this, badly...

[D-Leethal]

If we let the Hawks explode offensively, than we need a complete system overhaul defensively. Our close outs on shooters is the worst I have ever seen and we cannot contain guards on the pick and roll at all. Hawks are a sham of an offensive team playing pretty poor basketball, we should win at home this by 10+ and if not theres a real problem.

[yankstheknicks]

I'm really staring to question Tyson Chandler as a defensive presence... For the past 20 games he looks like the Tyson from the charlotte hornets... He lets guards in the paint like their on the VIP list.....
And I agree with leathal... This is a coahing problem as well as a player's problem... And if the FO was smart they need to start today for some defensive trades ..nothing big ..just a bench inside presence and a perimeter stopper....
Other than that these dam Knicks better start understanding they are marked and need to start playing like they have a 16 and 25 record....I think they think their better than ppl think and their playing like it ( if that makes sense ) ..... They haven't done jack yet and it starts with the coach....

[Anji]

I do want to see if the Coach starts Kid and Iman again.

Fundamentally I think it's a bad idea to be undersized at basically positions 1-4. Either start White or Brewer.

[Knick4Knack]

If we let the Hawks explode offensively, than we need a complete system overhaul defensively. Our close outs on shooters is the worst I have ever seen and we cannot contain guards on the pick and roll at all. Hawks are a sham of an offensive team playing pretty poor basketball, we should win at home this by 10+ and if not theres a real problem.

I agree.

Also, has anyone else noticed that our scheme on D has us switching way too easily? We play a zone-man hybrid that leaves us in terrible mismatches at times. It does not encourage players to stay with their man.

Poor starts are happening largely due to enemy guard penetration killing us. Kidd looks tired out there. Is Woody pushing him too hard? Maybe he should come off the bench for a while.

[onlythisfar41]

Heading into the city in about 40 minutes to see the game. Hoping for a good one, I dont want the one game I'm seeing this year to be a loss. Also we really need a W tonight. Hoping for the best.

GO KNICKS!

[RonnieB23Ricky]

Big game

[sports life]

I'm really staring to question Tyson Chandler as a defensive presence... For the past 20 games he looks like the Tyson from the charlotte hornets... He lets guards in the paint like their on the VIP list.....
And I agree with leathal... This is a coahing problem as well as a player's problem... And if the FO was smart they need to start today for some defensive trades ..nothing big ..just a bench inside presence and a perimeter stopper....
Other than that these dam Knicks better start understanding they are marked and need to start playing like they have a 16 and 25 record....I think they think their better than ppl think and their playing like it ( if that makes sense ) ..... They haven't done jack yet and it starts with the coach....

agree 1,000,000%..... tyson chandler being a defensive presence is some sort of bad rumor to me boy this dude sucks and very few ppl dont see it...

[cheetos185]

agree 1,000,000%..... tyson chandler being a defensive presence is some sort of bad rumor to me boy this dude sucks and very few ppl dont see it...

First i thought he might be injured but the dude jumps high for lobs but doesn't for rebounds or block shots. Maybe he's tired or he is mad from lack D rest of his team mates and just doesn't try.

[KnicksPain]

We're gonna lose this, badly...

Lol looks like we have to let him do his ritual to win after all.

[Enzo]

Lol looks like we have to let him do his ritual to win after all.

I'm starting a new ritual. Let's see if it pays off. The Knicks are going to win!!!

[D-Leethal]

The Rondo hyper extended knee turned ACL tear should make us realize how freakin' lucky we are Melo didn't get a season ending injury against the Lakers at the Garden.

[Missing56&33]

Woodson need to start coaching and stop with the.....that's on me as a coach..... ********. I think we should go back to Brewer in the starting lineup. Go back to when we we're elite. Shump is struggling with the starting role. Let Melo go crazy at the 4....let Amar'e replace Tyson at the center spot.

Tyson was grabbing 15-18 rebs a game...13-17pts but now with

[Missing56&33]

^^^^^^^Amar'e back his numbers are down. Amar'e need to help out on the glass and hit his fts....and jump shots. But IMO Tyson and Melo have to get back to the early season DOMINANCE.