Atlanta Hawks spokesman says Phillips Arena apparently OK after storm

Atlanta Hawks spokesman Arthur Triche said Philips Arena apparently sustained little damage from the severe windstorm that hit downtown Atlanta on Friday night.

Inside the arena, there were no immediate signs of fallen debris, but small pieces from a ceiling tile landed on the Hawks’ practice court.

“From what I hear, we’re OK,” Triche said after the Hawks’ win over the Los Angeles Clippers. “They’re checking the roof right now in one corner, but everything looks fine so far.”

The Hawks were playing the Los Angeles Clippers in the fourth quarter when the storm tore a hole in the roof at the Georgia Dome, which is located in the same complex as Philips and less than a half-mile from the arena.

During the Hawks’ game, arena officials made no public announcements about the storm.

At the dome, Southeastern Conference officials stopped the next-to-last game of the night in the men’s basketball tournament, but play later resumed in Mississippi State’s overtime win over Alabama.

The Atlanta Hawks win 2 games in 1 day due to the first replay game since ‘83 against the Heat

The Hawks got the defensive stop they wanted, two in fact, as they finally finished off the Miami Heat in the scoreless replayed 51.9 seconds of overtime of a game they won Dec. 19.

Heat All-Star Dwyane Wade missed a contested 3-pointer from the corner with 1.5 seconds to play that would have tied the game at 114-114. The rebound bounced long, and the Hawks ran out the clock, defeating the Heat for a second time in the same game, they won 117-111 in December.

“This isn’t the biggest win of the year; the next one will be,” said Hawks forward Josh Smith, who was on the bench for the replayed portion of the game, having fouled out in the original game. “We’ve got to get the next one.”

They did. The Hawks defeated the Heat in the regularly scheduled contest 97-94 as Joe Johnson matched a season high with 39 points.

In the first game, Mark Blount missed a turnaround jumper on the Heat’s first possession, and Johnson missed a driving layup on the ensuing Hawks possession.

The Hawks started the replayed game leading 114-111, in the exact same position they were in with 51.9 seconds to play on Dec. 19.

An error by the Hawks’ official scorer that night resulted in a protest that was filed and won by the Heat that forced both teams back to the court Saturday to replay those final 51.9 seconds.

Former Heat center Shaquille O’Neal was fouled out of the original game but actually had only five fouls when he was disqualified. He has since been traded, as have four Hawks players from that night.

Hawks finally get the point, Speedy Claxton the new point man

Al Harrington’s tenure with the Atlanta Hawks is apparently over, and Speedy Claxton’s is set to begin. While Harrington and the Hawks are in the midst of parting ways — a sign-and-trade deal could be consummated any day — Claxton joins the fold to end the Hawks’ nearly two-season search for a point guard. Claxton verbally agreed on Monday afternoon to sign with the Hawks, his agent, Bill Duffy, said. The contract, a reported four-year deal worth an estimated $25 million, can’t be signed until July 12, the first day offseason transactions can be made official.

Hawks general manager Billy Knight could not be reached to comment on Harrington, and per league rules cannot comment on Claxton until July 12.

“I think it’s a good fit,” Duffy said. “Speedy likes the fact you have a bunch of young legs and they need leadership. This is a team that’s definitely on the rise.”

The Hawks offered Clippers free agent point guard Sam Cassell a two-year deal worth a reported $7.5 million per season, an offer the Clippers matched to keep him.

Atlanta turned its attention to Claxton and locked up the 28-year-old, five-year veteran with a deal that will pay him about $6.2 million per season.

Claxton’s addition solves a glaring deficiency for the Hawks, who used inexperienced players (Royal Ivey) or others, namely leading scorer Joe Johnson, out of position to get by at point guard.

Claxton averaged 12.3 points, 4.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds this past season in New Orleans playing behind and often alongside NBA Rookie of the Year Chris Paul. Claxton will be the starter for the Hawks, allowing Johnson to slide over to shooting guard on a full-time basis.

With Claxton and veteran backup Tyronn Lue, the Hawks have floor leaders with championship experience. Claxton played on San Antonio’s 2003 NBA championship team, and Lue won two titles with the Lakers at the start of the decade. Ivey will enter training camp as the third point guard on the roster.

It’s a roster that will be without Harrington for the first time in two years. The Hawks’ second-leading scorer and rebounder this past season, Harrington served as a team captain in each of his two seasons with the franchise.

But Harrington said the Hawks have made it clear to him that they’re going in a different direction, particularly with younger players already on the roster. Josh Smith’s emergence after the February All-Star break may have had more than anything to do with the Hawks’ decision to move on without Harrington.

“As of right now it’s pretty clear to me that I won’t be back in a Hawks uniform next year,” Harrington said by phone Monday afternoon from his offseason home in Los Angeles. “It’s pretty much a wrap for me there.”

The Hawks have been in discussions with several teams, most prominently Indiana and Golden State, about a potential sign-and-trade deal involving Harrington, an eight-year veteran who is only 26 and one of the top 30 scorers (18.6 points per game) in the league.

“I have a genuine interest in both of those teams,” he said. “My only focus is getting back to the playoffs and eventually competing for a championship. I thought we were getting better and heading in that direction [in Atlanta], but sometimes it’s time to move on.”

The Hawks could continue upgrading their roster with more big men and possibly another young point guard by consummating a deal with either the Pacers or Warriors.

Steve Belkin can buy out partners and own the Atlanta Hawks & Thrashers

Estranged part-owner Steve Belkin is entitled to buy out his partners and take over the Hawks and Thrashers, according to a Maryland court ruling issued late this afternoon.  Montgomery County (Md.) Circuit Court Judge Eric Johnson found that the teams’ seven other owners breached the terms of an agreement to buy out Belkin and thus triggered his right to buy them out at cost instead.

The judge also said in the ruling that his finding “will render moot all remaining claims” in the lawsuit, and he dismissed all other counts in the case.

Hawks: The Big Chill AKA Josh Childress

Last season, when Josh Childress took the court for the Atlanta Hawks, the joke could have been made that the main reason he wore number one was that it was the only digit that could fit across his back.

Childress beefed up some — as much as he could — during the off-season. And while he is listed as the same 6-8, 210 pounds that he was as a rookie, he has noticeably fattened up his stat line.

The second-year forward, drafted with the Hawks’ first pick in the 2004 NBA Draft (No. 6 overall), has picked up where he left off last season, when he led the team in field goal percentage (.470). Heading into action March 11, Childress is hitting .557 from the field to rank second in the entire NBA in shooting percentage — sandwiched between Miami’s behemoth Shaquille O’Neal and San Antonio’s mighty-mite Tony Parker, unlikely company for a guy with one of the most unorthodox jump shots in the game.

“I’m not taking that many shots,” he said with a laugh. “I shoot a lot of layups, too.

Modesty aside, Childress turned serious.

“The biggest thing is that I’m getting the shots that I want,” he explained. “I’m getting layups in transition and in the half-court set and I’m getting jump shots in the flow of the offense. When you’re getting good passes and getting into your rhythm it’s easier to knock those shots down. Guys are finding me in spots and I’m just hitting my shots. I want to keep that going and obviously get better with it.”

Hawks Head Coach Mike Woodson believes he’s on the right track and isn’t surprised by what he’s seeing from Childress.

“A lot of it is because he’s what we call a ‘slasher,’” said Woodson. “He’s able to create things around the basket. He’s a good offensive rebounder. He finishes well around the board and he gets out and he runs the floor. He’s an old-school throwback without a real adequate jump shot yet. But his shot has gotten better. The shots that he takes, he feels good about them and he makes them. So I think as he grows in this league, when he’s open for 15-to-20-foot jump shots and he starts making them consistently he’s going to be an unbelievable player.”

Childress has been making spectacular things happen on a nightly basis, especially on the offensive end, where his scoring has increased every month (his stats are skewed so far in the month of March, as he missed three games while resting an ankle injury). Prior to the Hawks’ March 3 loss to Sacramento, when he was held to three points — his lowest output since Nov. 29 — Childress had shot at least 50 percent in 11 straight games, averaging 15.2 ppg during that stretch, and had set season highs for points (21), field goals made (nine) and attempted (14), three-pointers made (three) and attempted (three), free throws made (six) and attempted (eight), and steals (six). He also recorded two double-doubles — one less than he had all season previously.

As important has been Childress’ versatility, which has made him a perfect fit coming off the bench and providing the remedy to what may be lacking on the floor.

“I just do what I have to do,” said Childress, who is fourth on the team, averaging just under 30 minutes per game (only Joe Johnson, Al Harrington and Zaza Pachulia see more court time). “When I see that there’s a problem with energy or a problem with rebounding or a problem with somebody not making the extra pass or whatever, I come in and try to do that. That’s kind of what myself and [rookie Marvin Williams] have tried to do coming off the bench — is be what we’re lacking in that first six or seven minutes.”

“He can play the two and the three and he handles the ball well enough that he can bring it down and start your offense as well,” said Woodson. “He knows his role. He’s done a great job of earning his minutes and he knows he’s going to play positive minutes that will affect the game. Normally when he’s in there good things happen on the floor.”

Those good things are happening at both ends of the floor. While his instant offense has gotten people’s attention, Woodson is most pleased by Childress’ improved defense, proof positive that he is coming of age.

“He’s learning to defend better on the ball, and he’s always rebounded well for his position,” said Woodson. “Being able to defend that two and that three and possibly a one because we switch a lot, has been a learning curve but I think Childress is starting to figure it out. He’s a smart player.”

“A lot of it is confidence,” he continued. “Young guys in this league, if you’re not sure of players that you play against, it’s kind of a threat to you. You’re scared. You’re scared to get up and force the issue or the action defensively because every night you’re going against a guy that can put up big numbers, that’s a player. When you get confidence in your movement, your slides, being able to get over screens, around screens, through screens, that’s how you become a better defensive player in this league and he’s starting to figure some of that out.”

Woodson believes big things are ahead for Childress as he continues to grow and that there is potential to follow in the mold of Tayshaun Prince, who he coached in Detroit.

“As his body gets stronger in this league and he develops more confidence in his outside shot, he’s going to be a much, much better player,” said Woodson. “[Josh] will never be a big, physical specimen but he can be lean and still strong, to be able to withstand the rigor, the pushing and shoving that goes on in the league game by game. Tayshaun was probably like that his first year, too, but Tayshaun has physically gotten stronger and ‘Chills’ will, too.”

 

By Jon Cooper