Short-handed Atlanta Hawks ponder changes against surging Chicago Bulls - NBA Play-offs Update
After clinching the first-round series 4-2 from the Orlando Magic, the Atlanta Hawks are now geared up to meet the Chicago Bulls in the second-round of the 2011 NBA Play-offs for Game 1 at the United Centre, Chicago on May 2.
However, at the moment the Hawks are struggling because of injuries and setting up a different line-up against their new rivals. Atlanta is concerned about their match-ups and has started to consider a number of changes for their starting line-up in the
Monday series opener.
After Sunday’s practice session, Hawks’ coach Larry Drew told the media that he had not found any suitable replacement at point guard position for the injured starter Kirk Hinrich, but he gave the indication that changes are expected at centre and small
forward positions.
The major cause behind the adjustments are that the Hawks are now shifting their focus from defending the Magic’s centre Dwight Howard to the devastating Bulls’ point guard Derrick Rose in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
Coach Drew said, "We're looking at different things [and] we have not decided yet. We'll go through a walk-through [practice] and look at some other things, but we haven't sorted it out. I'm just going on feel right now. Obviously, against this Bulls team,
we're not facing Dwight Howard."
In the absence of their top defensive guard Hinrich, the Hawks can face numerous problems from Rose, who is the most likely the victor of the 2011 Most Valuable Player award. Hinrich is expected to stay on the sidelines for the entire series, as he is suffering
from a severely stressed right hamstring.
Hinrich received the injury when he came down awkwardly on his right knee in the fourth quarter of Thursday's nail biting encounter against the Magic. He struggled back down the court and then collapsed after a while.
Despite the injury Hinrich travelled with the squad to Chicago, but he is on the doubtful list. Drew said he is not expecting a come-back from Hinrich in the series at any point.
In his absence the Hawks gave a chance to both Jeff Teague and Jamal Crawford, in the first-team at guard position in their two day practice session. During the regular season, Teague started seven games for the Hawks and scored with an average of 5.2 points
and averaged 2.0 assists per game.
However, Drew’s first preference will be Crawford, as he scored with an average of 20.5 points per game in the best of the seven game series against the Magic.
Drew said, "The decision that I have to kind of ponder is whether to disrupt what we do off the bench versus just going back and starting [Crawford]. The last few days, we've looked at both situations. The things we've done, we've used them in the starting
line-up and out of the starting line-up."
The Hawks have also created a smaller line-up as a backup plan. In that sequence Al Horford will play at centre position, while Marvin Williams at small forward and Josh Smith will play as power forward.
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