ORLANDO -- Hawks forward Josh Smith suffered a sprained left elbow during Atlanta's 103-93 Game 1 victory against Orlando on Saturday night, and he had an ice pack on it prior to Atlanta's practice on Monday.
Smith, who is left-handed, said he planned to play Tuesday night in Game 2 of the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
“I don't know if a guy fell on me or I caught a screen or what,” Smith said. “With all of the adrenaline I didn't feel it after the game, but when I woke up it was a different story.”
Smith started at small forward in Game 1 and had 15 points and eight rebounds in 34 minutes.
"I'm a little concerned," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "He mentioned that it was sore today and it was bothering him a little bit. He's getting treated for it so hopefully it's better by game time tomorrow."
Howard top defender again
The league announced on Monday that Magic center Dwight Howard had won a record third consecutive defensive player of the year award.
Howard, a product of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, anchors one of the league's best defensive teams. He finished the regular season ranked third in the league in defensive rebounds (13 per game) and fourth in blocked shots (2.38).
“I want to thank my teammates for allowing their man to get to the basket again and force me to block shots and pick up fouls and sometimes technical fouls,” Howard joked. “So, thanks, teammates, you're the best.”
Howard earned 114 of 121 first-place media votes. Celtics forward Kevin Garnett was second and Mavericks center Tyson Chandler third in the voting.
“He's an unbelievable defensive talent,” Drew said of Howard.
The league began the defensive player of the year award in 1983. Former Hawks center Dikembe Mutombo and Detroit's Ben Wallace won the award four times each.
Same defensive plan?
Drew said he wasn't sure whether the Hawks would stay with the same game plan to defend Howard.
In four regular-season meetings against Orlando and again in Game 1 the Hawks didn't double-team Howard and instead focused on limiting Orlando's 3-point attempts. The Hawks stayed with that approach even as Howard went for 46 points in Game 1.
Hawks players said they lobbied Drew to change tactics as Howard dominated and the fouls piled up for Atlanta's centers. But Drew said the Hawks deviated from the strategy on just two possessions, one of which resulted in a corner 3-pointer by Magic guard Gilbert Arenas.
“Whatever we decide it's going to be important that each player is on the same page,” Drew said. “Players have shown they are comfortable and confident with it and believe in it. That's the most important fact, that they don't abandon what our philosophy will be."
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