Hooped Up

Crawford leads Hawks to 108-94 win over Grizzlies
Jamal Crawford scored 28 points, including fourth 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that helped the Atlanta Hawks pull away from the Memphis Grizzlies for a 108-94 victory Tuesday night. Crawford scored 14 points in the final period, and on 5 of 7 from 3-point range in the game.

Josh Smith added 17 for the Hawks and Marvin Williams and Al Horford scored 15 each as Atlanta snapped a three-game road losing steak.

All-Star Zach Randolph had 20 points and 14 rebounds for Memphis, which enters the All-Star break on a four-game losing steak. Rudy Gay had 18 for the Grizzlies and O.J. Mayo finished with 16.

The Grizzlies, who rank sixth in the NBA in scoring, fizzled in the third quarter. Leading by two at the half, Memphis shot 37.5 percent in the quarter and fell behind by seven entering the final period.
Atlanta Journal Constitution

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The Hawks and Golden State are close to finalizing a trade that would bring Jamal Crawford to Atlanta and send Acie Law and Speedy Claxton to the Warriors, according to two different sources with knowledge of the negotiations.

Hawks general manager Rick Sund declined to comment through Hawks’ spokesman Arthur Triche.

In Crawford the Hawks would get a veteran player capable of playing both guard positions.

Crawford, 29, averaged 19.7 points, 4.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds last season, splitting his time with New York and Golden State. He also gives the Hawks insurance in the backcourt since starting point guard Mike Bibby and backup guard Flip Murray are both unrestricted free agents.

Atlanta Journal Constitution

Two things I know for sure today. One, Vin Diesel can’t do a movie that doesn’t have him in a wife-beater at least once. Two, Don Nelson does not like Jamal Crawford.

“Crawford sat out Sunday’s game though his Nellie-imposed vacation was done. He’s saying he needs to practice, which is the reason he sat out Friday’s game. The Warriors’ only practices are Monday and Thursday. So, as it turns out, Crawford won’t play until after that second practice, which puts him back in the lineup for Saturday. He’ll have three practices then, because the Warriors have two off days between Wednesday at Dallas and Saturday at Denver. Whose buying the practice line? Not me.”

Not me either Mr. Marcus. For Nellie not to play a guy that has close to no discretion with shot selection, he’s really not gotta like him. Why? Well Billy, that’s because Don Nelson’s entire offensive philosophy for the past 33 years has been solely based on taking bad shots. Their I said it, my wrist couldn’t stop my fingers.

Via Contra Costa Times Blog

Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva got a talking-to from Scott Skiles after the coach learned that Villanueva had posted a message to his Twitter feed – a “tweet” – from his mobile phone at halftime of Sunday’s home win over the Celtics. “Anything that gives the impression that we’re not serious and focused at all times is not the correct way we want to go about our business,” Skiles said yesterday. Using the screen name “CV31″ – his initials and jersey number – Villanueva posted this message during halftime: “In da locker room, snuck to post my twitt. We’re playing the Celtics, tie ball game at da half. Coach wants more toughness. I gotta step up.” Villanueva finished with a team high of 19 points.
Associated Press

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“Rasheed Wallace is doubtful for the Pistons’ upcoming Texas swing this week. The power foward strained his calf muscle last Monday against Orlando and has missed the team’s last two games — he won’t dress for today’s match-up against the Memphis Grizzlies, either.”
Detroit Free Press 

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“Kobe Bryant hasn’t been overly cordial this week, slipping out a side door after the Lakers lost Monday in Portland, preferring the silence of an empty team bus over extended postgame analysis. He also declined to speak to reporters after a Wednesday afternoon shoot-around, furthering the notion that he was all business these days. In other words, it was a bad idea for Houston forward Ron Artest to start trash-talking to him during Wednesday night’s game. Bryant responded by scoring 13 points in the third quarter and 18 in the fourth as the short-handed Lakers held off the Rockets, 102-96, at the Toyota Center. A few years ago, Bryant pleaded with the Lakers’ front office to trade for Artest. On Wednesday, he merely seemed offended by Artest’s in-game antics, calling the dialogue “edgy” and scoffing when asked about their one-on-one “battle.” “It wasn’t much of a battle . . . I kicked his . . . ,” Bryant said. “We’ve had some battles in the past and he’s gotten the best of me a few times. [Wednesday], I got the best of him.”
Los Angeles Times

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The All-Anything team will now be a regular staple of your nutritious Hooped Up diet since it’s been met with such a positive response.  I meant to have this team up earlier but, what can I say…It’s hard out there for a blogger. This go around, I’ve assembled the “All NBA Blogger First Team”. To make this prestigious team, you still must be playing in the league and have a blog that’s different from the rest.

Read and RSS away ya’ll!

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Monta Ellis is back practicing with the Warriors and had nothing but praise for his new teammate Jamal Crawford and kinda dissed his old teammate Baron Davis at the same time, in his first interview with the media since his 30 game suspension was handed down for moped-gate. 

“To be honest, I think it’ll be more exciting because both of us can run. Not taking nothing from Baron, but both of us like to get up and run up and down the court. There’s a lot to be excited about this year.

I think he’s a great fit, with our style of play and his ability to score and pass the ball. And not only that, he can get out there on defense. I see he’s tried to put people in good positions to make basketball plays and make our team better. So I think it’s a great fit for us. … 
In Nellie’s system, we really don’t have a point guard. It’s just get the ball and everybody run it up the court. It’s going to be pretty much like me and Baron last year. I bring the ball up, he brings the ball up, and we just work off each other.”

San Francisco Chronicle

The Knicks might be willing to part with Jamal Crawford to land Al Harrington, and that move seems pretty backwards considering the level of play Wilson Chandler is at right now. Let’s see how this one plays out.

The Knicks appear to be close to landing athletic forward Al Harrington from the Golden State Warriors in a trade that possibly could send the team’s leading scorer, Jamal Crawford, out to Oakland, Newsday has learned. Details of the deal were only starting to slip out late last night and the only concrete piece of information so far is that the Knicks were getting Harrington, who Knicks president Donnie Walsh, while with the Indiana Pacers, drafted out of St. Patrick’s High School in Elizabeth, N.J., in 1998. Harrington before the season had demanded a trade from the Warriors after a falling out with coach Don Nelson. 

NY Newsday

UPDATE: Harrington to New York and Crawford to Golden State is a comfirmed deal