PHILADELPHIA -- The Hawks' season may be fizzling, but they've already earned a place of distinction with team radio play-by-play man Steve Holman, who Wednesday called his 1,868th consecutive Hawks game.
No Hawks team Holman has seen has been more difficult to understand.
"It's strange," he said. "It's been a little bit bizarre. Because when we're good, we're very good, and it seems like when we lose, we have some doozies when we lose."
Holman said he figured the team would not win as many games as last season, given the increased strength of teams in the Eastern Conference. And despite the Hawks' recent slide, he still maintained that the team is better than last season's version. He finds the Hawks' 18 losses by double digits a little puzzling, though.
"When you see those lopsided games like that, you shake your head a little bit," he said. "You just wonder how it happened."
Pachulia benching
Coach Larry Drew met with center Zaza Pachulia after Tuesday night's loss to Chicago. Drew pulled Pachulia with 8:12 left to play and the Hawks down 45 points after what the coach said was an ill-advised shot that Pachulia took, probably because the game was already out of hand.
"The one thing I'll never allow to happen with this team is for us to do things that are not going to benefit the team," he said.
Said Pachulia, who had words with Drew coming off the floor, "I got the message and [I'm] moving forward."
Pachulia entered the game at the end of the first quarter.
Etc.
Center Al Horford was being monitored after leaving the Chicago game with a hamstring strain. Horford initially suffered the injury at the end of the team's win over Detroit on Sunday. Horford played 15 minutes in the first half. ... Drew started the lineup of Horford at center, Marvin Williams and Josh Smith at forward and Joe Johnson and Kirk Hinrich at guard. ... When it rains, it pours. The team bus driver, after taking the early group to the arena, forgot to come back to pick up the rest of the team. A few players ended up taking taxis.
About the Author
