Hawks Defeat The Hornets 94-72

The Hawks come out with another win on their five game road trip. This time, a win against the 4-16 New Orleans Hornets. Atlanta came out strong in the 1st half and didn't look back since despite having a 20-6 Hornets run against them in the second quarter. Star PG Jeff Teague had 24 points despite quiet nights from both Joe Johnson and Josh Smith.

The bench was also very productive. Guard Willie Green had 16 points on 6/11 shooting. Hawks big man Ivan Johnson also poured in 9 points. Atlanta had a lot of help from their three point shooting. Jeff Teague went 4/4 on his threes. Willie Green went 4/7 on three point shooting also.

Hawks' PG Jeff Teague

The New Orleans Hornets continue to look dismal after having a rough offseason. Losing superstar PG Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers was the bullet that helped the Hornets go down the drain. This is a franchise that is owned by NBA commisioner David Stern and his front office. This was a team that went to the western conference finals four years ago but has been melting year by year. Chris Paul leaving only made it worse. New Orleans is in rebuilding mode and is playing without guard Eric Gordon. They also have the toughest schedule in the league. They play Miami in their next game.

The Hawks travel to Toronto to finish their five game road trip and look to finish strong on their way back to Atlanta. Head coach Larry Drew has his team playing hard and doesn't plan on looking back. Atlanta continues to win games and wants to put themselves on the map as one of best teams in the East, and if not, the NBA.

Keep on continuing to look out for more blogs about your Atlanta Hawks and I look forward to keep on writing about them and seeing more and more Hawks victories come along the way this season. So until then, GO HAWKS!!!-Yuriy A.

Hawks Defeat The Trailblazers 92-89

It was a good night in Atlanta as the Hawks came out with a win in Jamal Crawford's return to the Highlight Factory. Hawks superstar Joe Johnson poured in 24 points and Josh Smith had added a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Hawks SG Joe Johnson

Blazers PF LaMarcus Aldridge

Portland's Jamal Crawford had 22 points and star forward LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Despite their 8-6 record, this is a talented Trailblazers team that has a lot of potential and that can make a run in the West. They've beaten the Lakers on numerous occasions and are playing well despite losing one of their all-star guards Brandon Roy to injuries on both of his knees that cost him to retire. A five year veteran who was unquestionably Portland's best player and it's always sad to hear that a player has to have his career cut short due to a serious injury.

After a slow first half for both teams, the Hawks ended the third quarter on a 13-0 run while Portland answered back and went on a 14-0 run to start the fourth quarter. Great shooting from Joe Johnson and great play from Josh Smith helped Atlanta take the lead back and didn't look back since. The Blazers didn't want to go away and kept on fighting but in the end it was Atlanta who was the team who got the better result.

Since Horford went down, many players have stepped up, both the starters and the bench. Sensational rookie Ivan Johnson and Zaza Pachulia, who's been with Atlanta for seven seasons, has helped fill that void. The Hawks have also had fantastic shooting from Willie Green and Vladimir Radmanovic. Tracy McGrady has also showed that he has some gas left in the tank, and is greatly contributing to this talented Atlanta Hawks team.

The Hawks improve to 11-4 and play the 10-4 Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. Atlanta continues to make a statement in the NBA and is riding a four game winning streak since all-star center Al Horford went down with a shoulder injury that will put him out for the season. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith each have improved their statistics in every category.

The Hawks take their momentum to Philly on Friday and are hoping to pull out another big win. Keep on looking out for my blogs and I hope you have enjoyed them all so far. So until then, GO HAWKS!!!!-Yuriy A

My Take On Al Horford's Shoulder Injury

Hawks Center Al Horford going for a dunk against Orlando

It now appears that the Atlanta Hawks' all-star center Al Horford is out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. Many people have a lot of ideas as to what the Hawks should do from this point. There was always the speculation of Atlanta bringing back the hometown superstar, from the Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard, to play in his city. I think the Hawks would have to give up way to much to get him. I like the core group of players we have on our roster now.

Our bench can definitely help us in the long run. The development of rookie Ivan Johnson is going well and Zaza Pachulia, in his seventh year with the Hawks, plays with great intensity every night and his leadership is strong.  Great shooters such as Willie Green and Vladimir Radmanovic can help us in crucial situations in a game. They all helped us beat the Heat and the Bulls all in the same weak.

Filling Horford's role in the line up will be tough but if every player in that locker room shows up to play every single night then we should win a lot of ball games this year and make another huge run in the playoffs. Josh Smith is playing on another level and has greatly improved his shooting. Head coach Larry Drew has this team playing cohesively and has a desire to win.

The Hawks can play with any team in the league if they show up to play every night. At times in the season Atlanta did all that they were supposed to do to win games. Other nights they just walked down the court during turnovers and fast-breaks. Those are easy ways to lose games in this league. So the Hawks have to have that same intensity level every night.

I'm looking forward to what the Hawks do during the rest of the season. I think we will have a great record at home and have the Highlight Factory rocking. We're primed to make a big playoff run and put the NBA on notice. With or without Al Horford, we will make a statement. For Future blogs about the Hawks, please click on the link at the bottom of the article and feel free to leave comments. I look forward to writing about the Hawks and looking forward to a fantastic season. So until then, GO HAWKS!!!-Yuriy A.

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Atlanta Hawks defeat the Miami Heat, 100-92

It's been a while since I've been on here, but it's back to business. The Hawks improved their record to 4-1 with their win over the Heat tonight on January 2nd, 2012. Atlanta is the first team to beat Miami this season, giving Miami their first loss at home. We've seen the rise of young PG Jeff Teague and we saw it from him tonight. Newly aquired free agent Tracy McGrady was also a key factor in the Hawks' win.

Atlanta's top performer in the night was Al Horford with 16 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Jeff Teague had 15 points and 5 assists. Star shooting guard Joe Johnson had 21 points. Sixth man Tracy McGrady had 16 points off the bench and went 3/3 on three point shooting. Jannero Pargo's 2/3 on 3 point shooting also helped seal the game in the fourth quarter for the Hawks. Jeff Teague got in to the paint at will and finished when he drove to the basket.

LeBron James had 28 points and 7 rebounds for Miami. Dwyane Wade had an off night with 12 points and 4/17 shooting. Chris Bosh added 19 points and 6 rebounds. Shane Battier came off the bench and added 11 points with 3/4 from 3 point shooting but it wasn't enough to hold off the Hawks' rally in the second half.

The Hawks were hungry to bounce back after a 95-84 loss to the Rockets on New Years' Eve. Atlanta started the New Year out right and continue a brutal schedule as they play at Chicago on January 3rd, play the Heat at home on January 5th, go on the road to Charlotte on January 6th, and finish it at home on January 7th against the Bulls again.

Even though the Hawks are faced with this brutal schedule, they showed they can compete with anybody with their huge win against the Heat. The development of young point guard Jeff Teague is crucial to the Hawks' success and will take them far. The bench giving the starters help and closing out games will also be a X-Factor. 6th man Tracy McGrady is proving his doubters wrong and is showing that he has a lot of gas left in the tank. Star shooting guard Joe Johnson is playing with a chip on his shoulder also quieting his doubters when they say he is overpaid and didn't deserve the contract he got in the summer of 2010. His play on the court speaks for itself.

Head coach Larry Drew is winning over  an improving Hawks team year by year and will be determined to make another run in the playoffs this year. The chemistry with the team is where it needs to be and that will win ball games. PG Jeff Teague is the player I thought he would be when we drafted him in 2009. It took him a couple seasons to develop but that's what every great PG does in this league. I'm looking forward to watching him and the rest of our Hawks play this season and what they can get accomplished. Keep on looking out for my Hawks blogs and upcoming blogs about the Atlanta Falcons trip to the playoffs. So until then, GO HAWKS!!!-Yuriy

Atlanta Falcons-Indianapolis Colts Preview

Fresh off their bye week, the Falcons return to the Georgia Dome to play the winless Indianapolis Colts. Since losing starting QB Peyton Manning to two neck surgeries in the offseason, the Colts have been dismal. They've started the season 0-8 with no progress. Colts fans expect Manning back by December, which is highly unlikely.

Falcons QB Matt Ryan

Colts WR Reggie Wayne

The Falcons (4-3), on the other hand, have had a progressing season. They had a rocky start at 1-2, but have been 3-1 since. It seems as if Michael Turner rushes for over 100 yards, Atlanta is undefeated. The Falcons offensive linemen have had an up and down year. It seems as if they're getting back on track since the Falcons have won two straight. Matt Ryan has the Tom Brady/Peyton Manning leadership but hasn't quite gotten to that certain type of peformance. But Atlanta is hot right now and looking forward to welcoming the Colts to the Georgia Dome.

As for the Colts (0-8), nothing has been going right for them. From losing their MVP quarterback to an 0-8 record, fans in Indy must be embarrassed. Star WR Reggie Wayne hasn't been putting up big time numbers like he was when Manning was at QB. Neither is WR Austin Collie or RB Joseph Addai. Now all their hope (if there is an ounce of hope left) for the Colts is QB Curtis Painter. They're coming off a 27-10 loss to the Titans. The week before they suffered a horrific loss to one of the Falcons' NFC South rivals, the New Orleans Saints, 62-7. It now appears that Peyton Manning made up 100% of this franchise. The Colts weren't this bad since Manning's rookie year back in 1998. Ever since he stept on the scene, he has taken the Colts to two Super Bowls and has won one. Once one of the most dominating teams in the NFL, is now considered the worst along with the 0-7 Miami Dolphins. The Colts' 12 year streak of 10-plus wins is now over. Colts fans have now moved on to 2012.

Falcons rookie WR Julio Jones returned to practice on Monday, but it is unknown as to if he is going to play on Sunday. I want Julio to get back out and show everybody he really is that star wide receiver everybody in Atlanta thought he was going to be. Prior to his injury, he was playing very well. I want to see WR Roddy White get back to that elite wide receiver caliber status he was at in 2010. Only at 39 catches for 425 yards and 3 TDs, Falcons fans expect better. Also, like I said earlier, we need to keep on giving Michael Turner the ball. It is critical to getting a victory. His 100 yard rushing games always pay off.

I think the Falcons will come out on top in this game. I expect a blowout, but I also expect the Colts to compete. Indianapolis knows their season is over and they want to earn respect around the league. The Falcons will improve to 5-3 heading into their big NFC South matchup against the Saints, who suffered a loss to the winless St. Louis Rams last week. This is why I'm not taking the Colts so lightly in this game. We will still need to keep on playing hardknock Falcons football.

I hope you've enjoyed this edition of my Falcons blog and you can expect more and more in the future. Keep on spreading the word to your friends and family members as these blogs get better and better every week. So until then, GO FALCONS!!!-Yuriy

Georgia Defeats Florida, 24-20

Georgia QB Aaron Murray under center

It was a good day to be a Bulldog. Coming into the game losing 18 out of 21 games to the Gators, Georgia comes out on top. Georgia rallied after a 14-3 deficit. The Dawgs never gave up followed by great leadership from QB Aaron Murray. Mark Richt had great play calling and a great job from the defense were major factors that helped us win this game.

The Traditional Georgia-Florida classic

QB Aaron Murray went 15/34 for 169 yards and 2 TDs with 1 interception. RB Isaiah Crowell had 18 carries for 81 yards even though he suffered an injury in the second half. He eventually came back though. RB Richard Samuel had 17 carries for 58 yards and 1 TD. Not A great day on the ground but Samuel's TD in the redzone late in the 3rd quarter helped Georgia take the 24-20 lead. Contributions also came from WR Tavaress King with 3 catches for 44 yards and 1 TD and Michael Bennett with 2 catches for 25 yards and a TD. Just like the RBs, the WRs didn't have a great day but it still lead the Dawgs to victory. The Georgia offense combined for 354 yards. The Bulldogs dominated with 37:40 on time of possession. The Defense got into the backfield all game and were constantly harassing John Brantley. LB Jarvis Jones went off on the Gators with six tackles, four sacks, and a forced fumble.

On the Gators' side, QB John Brantley went 12/34 for 245 yards and 1 TD. Florida had an awful day on the ground with -19 rushing yards. WR Jeff Reed had 4 catches for 69 yards and 1 TD. Jeff Demps returned a kick 99 yards for a TD. The Florida offense combined for 226 yards. The Gators had two turnovers and those two turnovers were two fumbles lost.

The Gators started the season 4-0, but have lost four straight ever since. They have been dominated by superpower SEC teams such as #1 LSU and #2 Alabama. The 4 game losing streak has all came from SEC teams: LSU, Alabama, Auburn, and Georgia. They look to bounce back at Vanderbilt next week.

Georgia got payback on the Gators and are now rolling on a six game winning streak and improve to a 6-2 record. They play New Mexico State next week which shouldn't be a problem. They have two remaining SEC teams to play. #24 Auburn, and Kentucky. I think head coach Mark Richt's job status is now locked. I think UGA fans can start the SEC Championship game conversation. They are now tied with South Carolina for 1st place in the SEC. I think UGA can win out. Their four remaining games are against New Mexico State, #24 Auburn, Kentucky, & Georgia Tech. I think they can compete for a BCS bowl game. We will see what transpires for the remainder of the season for UGA.

Keep on visiting and reading my blogs every week covering one of your favorite Atlanta Sports teams. I will keep on trying to make my blogs better and better and make the best ones possible. So UGA fans, until then, GO DAWGS!!!-Yuriy

Georgia Bulldogs-Florida Gators Preview

It's here again. The Georgia-Florida Classic. The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. The 5-2 Bulldogs take on the 4-3 Gators. Georgia had the momentum going heading into their bye week on a five game winning streak. Meanwhile, Florida has lost three straight heading into this game. They lost 38-10 to Alabama, 41-11 to LSU, and 17-6 to Auburn. They Gators haven't been the same team since QB Tim Tebow left.

Georgia QB Aaron Murray

Florida QB John Brantley

The Bulldogs are red hot right now and so is QB Aaron Murray. I expect him to have a huge game on Saturday and lead the Dawgs to victory. I can also see freshman RB Isaiah Crowell having a big game as he ranks 4th in the SEC with 608 rushing yards. WR Malcolm Mitchell is questionable. He has been Aaron Murray's go to WR with 25 catches for 238 yards and 3 TDs. TE Orson Charles has also been a huge factor with 4 TDs on the season. 

Someone on defense that I know can break out again this week is CB Brandon Boykin. He is a lockdown corner and is a dangerous weapon on kick-returns and everywhere else on special teams. I want to see freshman LB Ray Drew finally get it together and play like the player everyone thought he would be.

Florida QB John Brantley (ankle injury) is expected to play on Saturday. This injury resulted in freshman QB Jacoby Brissett getting the start in the last two weeks. He has not performed well at all and resulted in a blowout loss at LSU and a loss at Auburn. They also rotated QB Trey Burton. The Gators look to get their rushing attack going with the rotation at RB with Jeffery Demps and Chris Rainey. Rainey also plays a lot of WR. 

Georgia and Florida are going to be playing hard-knock, SEC football all game long. One of the best rivalries in college football is going to be renewed again. I think the Dawgs will come out with the win and avenge a tough overtime loss to the Gators last year. I expect both teams to put a lot of points on the board. Both offenses will put on a show and I believe both teams will find a way to make eachother's defenses vulnerable. Out of every team on Georgia's schedule, I want us to beat Florida the most. They are every UGA fan's most despised team. Keep on checking out my blogs and share it to a friend or family member and expect my next blog soon. So until then, GO DAWGS!!!-Yuriy