Mario West News

Finding Jeff Newton in the summer is easy. Just check the gym. One night it might be the Adamsville Recreation Center downtown.

Believe it or not, there is actually a fascinating statistic featuring Mario West.

The Hawks have a versatile guard in Jamal Crawford, giving Atlanta flexibility during free agency.

The most specialized* specialist in the NBA, putative energy guy, and offensive rebounder of such abandonment that he might be classified as a health risk Mario West accomplished at least two things in his second NBA season: He scored more points than he committed fouls.

Mike Bibby has improved the Hawks during his season-and-a-half in Atlanta. Considering his defensive limitations and giving further consideration to the team's inability to minimize the damage caused by those limitations one must conclude, even after accounting for the established level of his predecessors, that Mike Bibby is, 11 years into his NBA ...

Anderson Varejao knows his role. After finishing with 12 points, eight rebounds, a career postseason high four blocked shots and two steals in a busy 28:38, the Cavs forward wanted to talk about his defense, not about making six of nine shots in Thursday's 105-85 victory in Game 2 against Atlanta.

The outcome of the game was never in doubt. And after the fan sporting a King James crown made of red and yellow balloons with a tiny baller hanging off the side, the Shaker Heights Police Honor Guard who stood at attention while Jerry DePizzo coaxed the national anthem from his sax and halftime entertainer Rubber Boy took one final look at the ...

While the rest of the NBA exchanges elbows, flagrant fouls and menacing stares in the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking for a fight.

We've talked off and on all season about swagger. The Hawks have talked often enough about it themselves.

I suddenly find myself watching an NBA game for the first time in my adult life.

MIAMI ? Turns out there indeed is a sizable gap between the Hawks and the Heat, but it has nothing to do with talent, strength or energy.

If the Hawks are going to dig their way out of their first-round playoff series against Miami by Wednesday's Game 5, they might have to do it without any help from Marvin Williams.

That's exactly what the Hawks are right now. Their collective backs aren't against the wall just yet, but they are certainly close enough to count the number of bricks or cinder blocks.

Hawks forward Marvin Williams, a starter, will miss tonight's Game 3 against the Heat due to an injury to his right wrist.

Josh Smith couldn't wait for Game 1 start to Sunday night at Philips Arena. He was so anxious to get going that he left his house hours early so he could get to the arena first and begin preparations for his second trip to the playoffs.

The Hawks rolled to a Game 1 victory over Miami Sunday in the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

For the second consecutive season, the Atlanta Hawks are in the NBA playoffs. This time around, however, they're in a better position to advance, having earned home-court advantage against the Miami Heat with a sterling 31-10 record.

Mario West blew a dunk. Speedy Claxton threw up an airball on a free throw. And Miami missed five shots on a decisive possession.

That's it for the Hawks. Win one more game and the race for the fourth spot and home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs is done.

If this is some sort of sick belated April Fools' prank Hawks, it's not funny. Three straight losses, now? I know, it was three straight to playoff bound teams playing at a much higher level than the you could.