{"id":409055,"date":"2011-04-29T23:54:21","date_gmt":"2011-04-29T23:54:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/29\/hawks-hinrich-doubtful-for-bulls-series-ap\/"},"modified":"2011-04-29T23:54:21","modified_gmt":"2011-04-29T23:54:21","slug":"hawks-hinrich-doubtful-for-bulls-series-ap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/hawks-hinrich-doubtful-for-bulls-series-ap\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawks’ Hinrich doubtful for Bulls series (AP)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

ATLANTA (AP)\u2014For a team that comes across as emotionally fragile, the Atlanta Hawks<\/a> sure showed plenty of toughness in the opening round of the playoffs.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll have to dig even deeper this time around.<\/p>\n

After knocking off Orlando 4-2\u2014winning three homes games by a total of 10 points\u2014the Hawks are getting ready to face the top-seeded Chicago Bulls<\/a> in the Eastern Conference semifinals.<\/p>\n

The Bulls won a league-high 62 games during the regular season and they\u2019ll have the home-court edge. Game 1 is Monday night in Chicago.<\/p>\n

Compounding the challenge for Atlanta: guard Kirk Hinrich<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> went down with a strained right hamstring in the closing minutes of the clincher against the Magic.<\/p>\n

Hinrich underwent treatment and an MRI on Friday, which revealed a \u201csignificant\u201d strain. He was listed as doubtful for the series, and the Hawks aren\u2019t sure about his status should they advance. After collapsing to the court in severe pain, he had to be carried to the locker room by two members of the training staff.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis certainly changes things,\u201d Hawks coach Larry Drew said. \u201cHe\u2019s our starting point guard. Hopefully, he\u2019ll be able to go. But if he\u2019s not, we\u2019ll have to make an adjustment. We don\u2019t know what we\u2019ll do at that point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Losing Hinrich would be a tough blow, especially at the defensive end against Chicago star Derrick Rose<\/a>(notes)<\/a>.<\/span> The Hawks would likely counter with Joe Johnson<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> though Drew doesn\u2019t want to wear down his best player using him exclusively on Rose.<\/p>\n

The Hawks also could hand a bigger role to Jeff Teague<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> who\u2019s played sparingly his first two years in the league but is one of their quicker players. Damien Wilkins<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> is another option.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking at the matchups against Chicago and seeing what works best for us,\u201d Drew said. \u201cBut we don\u2019t really know if Kirk can go or can\u2019t go. Maybe he can play some. Maybe he can\u2019t play at all. A lot of that will change things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atlanta certainly will have its hands full against Rose, no matter who\u2019s guarding him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has the speed. He has the strength. He\u2019s really good off the pick and roll,\u201d Drew said. \u201cHe gets you in the paint at will.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Bulls know their chances will improve significantly if they don\u2019t have to worry about Hinrich\u2019s defensive presence in the Atlanta backcourt.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s one of the top defenders in the league. I thought that was a big hit for them,\u201d coach Tom Thibodeau said. \u201cIf he plays, he plays. That\u2019s part of it. I would never rule out a guy like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hawks face all sorts of lineup questions going into this series. Against Orlando star Dwight Howard<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> they bulked up the frontcourt by starting Jason Collins<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> at center, moving Al Horford<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> to power forward and shifting Josh Smith<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> to small forward.<\/p>\n

But the Bulls have a quicker, more flexible frontcourt, so Atlanta will likely go back to the lineup it used most of the season: Horford at center, Smith at power forward, Marvin Williams<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> at small forward.<\/p>\n

Collins said he\u2019ll be ready for whatever role he\u2019s needed in.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name could be called at any time,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve got to be ready to go out there and help this team win.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hawks, who were swept in the second round each of the last two years, hope to hang around a little longer this time.<\/p>\n

They were an enigmatic bunch during the regular season, becoming the first team with a winning record ever to lose five home games by at least 20 points. But the Hawks looked a lot tougher emotionally in the opening round of the playoffs, other than a 25-point loss at Orlando in Game 5.<\/p>\n

Atlanta really had to grind one out Thursday night, shooting just 39 percent from the field but doing all the little things to finish off the Magic. The Hawks were aggressive at the 3-point line, holding Orlando to just 5 of 19, and hustled for 14 offensive rebounds, including a crucial tap-out by Johnson that helped preserve the win.<\/p>\n

Drew said his team gets a bad rap because it doesn\u2019t have any dominating personalities.<\/p>\n

He hopes these playoffs will answer the critics.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe finished them in six,\u201d the coach said. \u201cTo me, that takes a pretty strong team. Not only physically having to battle a Dwight Howard and the rest of their team, but mentally being able to endure that. And our guys did it.\u201d<\/p>\n

AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman in Chicago contributed to this report.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

View the original here:
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