The Atlanta Falcons took and early lead over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, and hung on to win 23-13. With the win, the Falcons will clinch the division on Sunday if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose to the Denver Broncos.
The Saints' playoff hopes took a big hit as their record fell to 5-7 with the loss. They would basically need to win their last four games to have any hope of making the postseason. Drew Brees' NFL record of consecutive games with a touchdown pass came to an end in the loss, but he did set another personal record. He threw five interceptions in a game for the first time in his 12-year career. After the Falcons took a 17-0 lead, the Saints completely dominated the last half of the second quarter and most of the third quarter, but they could never pull even. Brees finished the night passing for 341 yards and receiver Lance Moore hauled in seven catches for 123 yards to lead the Saints.
Michael Turner and Matt Ryan staked the Falcons to their early lead. Turner ran the ball into the end zone from three yards out for his 58th career touchdown as a Falcon. It broke Terrance Mathis' old team record for touchdowns. Ryan then threw a seventeen yard pass to Tony Gonzalez in the end zone for another score. The rest of the Falcons' points came on three Matt Bryant field goals, including a 55-yarder to put the Falcons up by two possessions late in the game.
Ryan finished the night with only 165 yards passing and his touchdown, it was an off-night compared to his usual standards. Turner ended up having a decent game with 83 yards rushing and his record setting touchdown. Safety William Moore had a career game, leading the Falcons with ten tackles and picking off two of the five interceptions Brees threw. Thomas DeCoud, Sean Weatherspoon and Jonathan Babineaux had the other three interceptions. John Abraham also had a big sack late in the game on a third down play.
With this victory, the Falcons hope to have gained some respect and also hope that critics will begin to realize they are true playoff contenders. They will take their 11-1 record on the road next Sunday, December 9th, and take on Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers will play this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. The game between the Falcons and Panthers will be at 1 p.m. next week.
Falcons' safety William Moore picks off one of his two interceptions on Thursday night. Moore led the defense in the Falcons' 23-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
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The Atlanta Falcons short week of rest comes to an end tonight as they face the New Orleans Saints at 8:20 p.m. The rivalry for the game was displayed early, as airport workers threw eggs at the Saints' team buses after they landed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Wednesday night.
The Saints are 5-6 on the year and are looking to keep their already slim playoff hopes alive. They lost to the San Francisco 49ers last week 31-21. Saints' quarterback Drew Brees threw three touchdowns last week and for 298 yards, but he also threw two interceptions and both were returned for touchdowns. The Saints usually have the Falcons' number though, as they have won eleven of the past thirteen meetings between the two teams, including the last two meetings at the Georgia Dome. If the Saints can manage to beat the Falcons again for the second time in three weeks, their hopes for the playoffs will still be alive.
The Falcons will try and hush the critics, who still give them a hard time week to week, despite the fact the Falcons are 10-1. It's games like the last two that give the critics reasons to doubt the Falcons. The Falcons barely beat the lowly Arizona Cardinals two weeks ago, and won by a single point against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past Sunday. In order to beat the Saints and silence the critics, the Falcons need to do two things to improve their game.
First, they need to get out to an early lead and maintain that lead. The Falcons have had to play "catch-up" the past few weeks, and throughout most of the season. If Matt Ryan can lead the offense and score a few early touchdowns, the Falcons will have a better shot at winning.
Second, they need to have a defense that will come up big and protect that lead. If players like John Abraham, Sean Weatherspoon and Dunta Robinson can make big plays and the rest of the defense does their part, the Falcons will again have a better shot at defeating the Saints. They need to pressure Drew Brees and force an interception or two to slow down the Saints' fast-paced passing attack. They also hope to have Asante Samuel playing, his hurt shoulder has slowed him down for a few weeks now, but he will be key in protecting some of the Saints' top wide receivers.
With a win tonight, and a Buccaneers' loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, the Falcons would win the division. Maybe then the critics would realize the Falcons are for real, and could possibly contend for the Super Bowl title in February. Before thoughts of the Super Bowl come up though, the Falcons need to "Rise Up" tonight and beat the Saints.
The Falcons' Asante Samuel (22) deflects the ball on the final play of the Falcons' win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The Falcons hope Samuels' shoulder will feel better for tonight's big game against the New Orleans Saints.
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The Atlanta Braves made a move today to greatly enhance their roster. They signed free agent center fielder B.J. Upton to a five-year, $75 million contract.
Upton had initially drawn interest from the Philadelphia Phillies, the Washington Nationals, the Braves and a few other clubs. The Phillies were always considered the front runner, until the Braves hosted Upton at Turner Field two weeks ago. Apparently he liked what he saw.
Upton hit .246 last year, with a career-high 28 home runs and 78 RBI's. He also struck out a career-high 169 times. Upton hits for power, as he has had 20 or more home runs three times in his career. He is also quick, as he has 20 or more steals in the past six seasons, including three seasons in a row when he stole 44, 42 and 42 bases. Only two downfalls for Upton, he has hit .300 only once in his eight-year career, all with the Tampa Bay Rays. He has also struck out 150 times or more in five of the past six seasons. The Braves are hoping he can improve in those two areas.
Upton gives the Braves a much needed right-handed power bat to put in the middle of their lineup. Along with second baseman Dan Uggla, they will be counted on to be the heavy right-handed hitters. Also, he will form one dynamic outfield duo with Jason Heyward, they both have the potential to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases each season. If the Braves trade to get B.J.'s younger brother, Justin, from the Arizona Diamondbacks, their outfield could become one of the best in the major leagues after years of little production.
B.J. Upton signed a five-year contract with the Braves on Thursday to become the teams' new center fielder.
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The Atlanta Hawks were down at halftime, but fought their way back to beat the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night, 94-91. This was the Hawks' sixth win in a row, currently the longest winning streak in the NBA.
The Bobcats were hoping to move on from their last game, they were defeated by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. The loss to the Thunder was the worst loss in franchise history for the Bobcats, a 114-69 massacre. Tonight, they led at the half and Ben Gordon made it close, but when Ramon Sessions threw the ball away with 5.2 seconds left in the game, it was basically over. Gordon led the Bobcats with 26 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter alone. Sessions added eighteen points, Kemba Walker had fifteen and Byron Mullens chipped in with ten. Brendan Haywood had eleven rebounds in the losing effort as the Bobcats' record falls to 7-7.
Al Horford hit two clutch free throws with one second left to seal the win. He went one for ten from the free throw line a week ago against the Washington Wizards. He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for last week though, and he put up big numbers again tonight, scoring seventeen points and pulling down eleven rebounds for another double-double. Josh Smith also had a double-double, he also scored seventeen points and led the Hawks with thirteen rebounds.
Lou Williams also had seventeen points off the bench and Jeff Teague chipped in with eleven points. Devin Harris returned after missing the last game with a toe injury to score seven points off the bench. Kyle Korver left the game with back spasms in the third quarter and didn't return, he finished the night with eight points.
The Hawks are now 9-4 on the year and will take their six-game winning streak and put it on the line Friday night when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers have lost their last four games and their record stands at 3-12 on the season. The game will be at 7:30 p.m.
Al Horford drives to the basket on Wednesday night against the Bobcats. Horford, who won Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors last week, hit two clutch free throws to seal the victory.
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Michael Turner scored a late touchdown in the fourth quarter to help the Falcons come from behind to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-23. It was a close game as each team scored points in all four quarters.
Tampa Bay falls to 6-5 on the year, this puts them four games behind the Falcons in the southeast division with only five games left for each team. Connor Barth kicked three field goals and running back Doug Martin had two one-yard touchdown runs to complete Tampa Bay's scoring. Martin was held to only 50 yards rushing on 21 carries after dominating in the last four games for the Buccaneers. Barth missed a 56-yard field goal late in the game, if he had made that, it could have proven to be the winning kick.
The Falcons scored two rushing touchdowns in the win. One was a five-yard run by Jacquizz Rodgers to give the Falcons a 10-7 lead at the time. Turner's game-winning touchdown came with almost eight minutes left, but his three-yard jog ended up being the difference. Julio Jones also caught an 80-yard bomb from Matt Ryan and Matt Bryant kicked a field goal to complete the Falcons' scoring. Bryant had an off day though, as he missed two other field goals, including a 22-yard chip shot, that he shanked so bad it went past both goal posts and very wide left.
Ryan had a good day throwing for 353 yards along with his touchdown to Jones. He becomes the first Falcons' quarterback to throw for 300 plus yards in four straight games. He did throw an interception to Ronde Barber in the first half, luckily the defense held the Buccaneers to a field goal. Jones had six receptions for 147 yards and his touchdown. The rushing attack had the two touchdowns but was otherwise comatose. Rodgers had 49 yards rushing and Turner ran for a mere seventeen yards on thirteen carries.
The defense did well, as Stephen Nicholas and Sean Weatherspoon led the team with six tackles each. Dunta Robinson and Kroy Biermann each recorded a sack. Robinson left the game for a period of time but did return later, it appeared he could have suffered a concussion but was fine. Corner back Asante Samuel kept re-injuring his already hurt shoulder, he seemed to have hurt it again on the final play. They will be re-evaluated during the next day or two.
The Falcons win helped them to keep pace with the Houston Texans for the NFL's best record at 10-1. They will only have a few days off before having a rematch against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night in Atlanta. The Saints are the only team to have beaten the Falcons this season, a 31-27 win two weeks ago. The game will be played at 8:20 p.m.
Jacquizz Rodgers scores the first touchdown of the game for the Falcons, he had 152 all-purpose yards in the Falcons' win over the Buccaneers.
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The Atlanta Falcons will take on the red-hot Tampa Bay Buccaneers today and try to shut them down. It will be a tough task, especially since the game is in Tampa.
The Buccaneers have won five of their past six games after starting the season 1-3. They can really make a statement today if they beat the Falcons, who have the NFC's best record. With a win, the Buccaneers would only be two games back of Atlanta in the division. Quarterback Josh Freeman has been sensational lately, including throwing two or more touchdowns in the past six games for Tampa Bay. The biggest contributor on offense though, would be running back Doug Martin. The rookie out of Boise State has already rushed for over a thousand yards on the year. In the past four games, Martin has run for 592 yards and five touchdowns. He should find more running room against the Falcons, as they have one of the worst running defenses in the league.
The Falcons had a rough game last week, but barely beat the Arizona Cardinals 23-19. Matt Ryan had the worst game of his career as he threw five interceptions and no touchdowns. He tied legendary Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr as the only quarterbacks ever to throw five interceptions in a game and still win. Ryan and the Falcons will have to have a better game today though if they want to beat their division rivals. Here are three things they need to fix in order to beat Tampa Bay.
First, Ryan needs to become an elite quarterback again. In four career trips to Tampa, Ryan has thrown five touchdowns, but has also thrown seven interceptions. He needs to cut down on the interceptions and throw more touchdowns to help his team win. Plus the Buccaneers have the best defense in the league against the run, so look for Ryan to be throwing more today.
Second, the defense needs to stop the run. Martin is only the second rookie running back since 2000 to gain a thousand rushing yards in the first ten games of the season. He will get the ball plenty, but that doesn't mean the Falcons can let down on the pass defense, as Freeman can throw the ball well.
Finally, the Falcons need to show they are still the top team in the NFL. After two mediocre weeks, critics have started wondering if the Falcons are for real. They need to score aplenty. They need to silence the Buccaneers and prove they are the team to beat, not just in the NFC but in the entire league.
If Ryan can come back and have a good game and Sean Weatherspoon returns to anchor the defense, the Falcons can win. They just have to play at a higher level than what they have been playing at in recent weeks to overcome this hot Tampa Bay team. Look for the Falcons to have just enough strength to win a close game and improve their record to 10-1.
The Atlanta Hawks cruised past the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night, 104-93. Atlanta took the lead early in the second quarter and never looked back, leading by 20 points at one time during the game.
After winning six in a row, the Clippers have taken a step back and have now lost three straight. They shot only 42 percent from the field on a night after setting a season low in field goal percentage in a loss to the Brooklyn Nets. The bench was outscored 20-0 by the Hawks' bench in the first half. Blake Griffin scored 22 points, Chris Paul added nineteen and Jamal Crawford and Eric Bledsoe each chipped in with twelve. Griffin also had eleven rebounds to lead Los Angeles. The Clippers fall to 8-5 on the year.
The Clippers kept it close in the first quarter but the Hawks went on a 16-0 run in the second quarter to go ahead for good. Jeff Teague and Zaza Pachulia each had double-doubles and five players scored in double figures. The Hawks were without Devin Harris though, he sat out the game with a sore toe. DeShawn Stevenson didn't play either, coach Larry Drew said he wouldn't play on the second night of back-to-backs during the season.
Teague and Pachulia both scored nineteen points and Teague had eleven assists while Pachulia pulled down twelve rebounds. Lou Williams scored eighteen points, Josh Smith added seventeen and Al Horford chipped in with ten points. Rookies Mike Scott and John Jenkins got some playing time, neither player scored.
The Hawks are now 8-4 and have won five straight games. They have a few days off before playing again on Wednesday night against the Charlotte Bobcats. It will be the second time in three games the Hawks have played the Bobcats. The game will be at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Bobcats are 7-5 on the year and will play again on Monday before coming to Philips Arena on Wednesday.
Zaza Pachulia shoots over Blake Griffin of the Clippers, Pachulia scored nineteen points in the Hawks' victory.
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The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday night, 101-91. Al Horford had another double-double and dominated down low to lead the Hawks to the victory.
The Bobcats have had a strong start to the season. With one more win they will match their win total from all of last year. They were hot coming into the game, winning five of their last six games, but they couldn't seal the deal tonight. They got within six points near the end of the fourth quarter but they didn't get any closer.
Ramon Sessions scored 22 points off the bench to lead the Bobcats and Kemba Walker had sixteen, both of them have scored in double-digits in every game for the Bobcats this season. Jeffery Taylor added sixteen, Byron Mullens had twelve and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had eleven. The Bobcats fall to 6-5 on the year.
The Hawks basically led the game the whole way. They led 57-51 at the half and Horford hit eight of his ten shots to begin the game. Atlanta was still a little sloppy though, turning the ball over 22 times. They had fifteen blocks as a team, the most by the Hawks in a game since 2000.
Horford finished the night with 26 points and thirteen rebounds. Jeff Teague also had a double-double, scoring thirteen points and having twelve assists. Kyle Korver had sixteen points, including four 3-pointers and Josh Smith had ten points on a poor shooting night as he hit only four of his twelve shots.
The Hawks move to 7-4 on the season. They fly home to face the Los Angeles Clippers tomorrow night at Philips Arena at 7 p.m. The Clippers have lost their last two games to fall to 8-4 on the season, but they already beat the Hawks earlier this year, winning 89-76 back on November 11th.
Al Horford throws down a dunk, he scored 26 points in the win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday night.
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The winless Washington Wizards gave the Hawks a run for their money, but it was Atlanta that came out on top, 101-100. Kyle Korver hit a three pointer with 1.9 seconds left in overtime to give the Hawks the win.
The Wizards were looking for their first win of the year. They thought they had it too, as Martell Webster scored on a put back as time expired and they celebrated wildly. When referee's looked at the replay though, they saw the ball was released after the shot clock lights went on. With the loss, the Wizards become the 13th team in NBA history to start a season 0-10 and the first since the 2009 New Jersey Nets. Kevin Seraphin had 21 points to lead the Wizards, A.J. Price added fourteen, Nene and Trevor Ariza had twelve and Webster had ten. Ariza had fifteen rebounds and Seraphin pulled down ten to give each a double-double.
The Hawks had trouble with the Wizards all game and only led 50-47 at the half. They let the Wizards take a lead, and the Hawks had to fight for overtime and then had to fight just to stay close enough for Korver to hit the winning three. Josh Smith led the team with 25 points and twelve rebounds for a double-double. Al Horford was a rebound shy of a triple-double, he had fifteen points, ten assists and nine rebounds. Korver finished the night with sixteen points, including five 3-pointers, Jeff Teague had fourteen and Devin Harris had thirteen, he hit three 3-pointers.
The Hawks move to 6-4 on the year. They will travel to play the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday at 7 p.m. The Bobcats have won their last two games and they are 6-4 on the season.
Kyle Korver hits a three point shot to propel the Hawks to an overtime victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
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The Atlanta Hawks held on and defeated the Orlando Magic, 81-72 on Monday night. The game was very ugly in the first half, as both teams were slowed by illnesses and tiredness.
The Magic fall to 3-7 on the year after suffering their second straight loss, and their seventh loss in their last eight games. Two of their biggest stars, J.J. Redick and Jameer Nelson, both were under the weather and just didn't perform as well as they usually do. The Magic kept close in the first half, but never led again after having a 37-35 lead near the end of the second quarter. Glen Davis was the only Magic player to score in double figures, he had eleven points and Nikola Vucevic pulled down thirteen rebounds.
The Hawks meanwhile won their second game in a row and their fifth in a row at home. Ivan Johnson hit a lay up and got fouled near the beginning of the fourth quarter. He hit the free-throw and the Hawks had a 72-50 lead. Orlando then went on a 20-7 run and cut the lead to nine, but the Hawks strengthened up the defense and held on. The third quarter, was the Hawks' biggest quarter, as they outscored the Magic 24-12.
Only two Hawks scored in double figures tonight. Al Horford led the team with fifteen points and Lou Williams added fourteen off the bench. Zaza Pachulia pulled down eleven rebounds off the bench to lead the Hawks. Josh Smith scored a season-low six points and Kyle Korver scored only five points after scoring 22 in the last game on Friday against the Sacramento Kings.
With the win, the Hawks are now 5-4 on the year. They play again on Wednesday at home against the Washington Wizards. The Wizards are 0-9 on the year after losing to the Indiana Pacers in their last game. Game time is at 7:30 p.m.
Devin Harris drives in against Jameer Nelson of the Magic. Harris had eight points in the game, including two 3-pointers.
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The Atlanta Falcons pulled out a win on Sunday and avoided another upset by beating the Arizona Cardinals, 23-19. Both offense's were anemic in a game dominated by both teams' defensive units.
Arizona scored thirteen points in the first quarter to stake themselves to an early lead, but only kicked two field goals the rest of the game. It was their sixth consecutive loss and puts them at 4-6 on the year. The Cardinals even replaced starting quarterback John Skelton with rookie quarterback Ryan Lindley to try and create some offense but it didn't work for them. Former Falcons' kicker Jay Feely had a good day for the Cardinals, kicking four field goals. Running back LaRod Stephens-Howling had a good day too, as he rushed for 127 yards, but was the Cardinals only option on offense.
Kicker Matt Bryant led the Falcons offense, kicking three clutch field goals, and the strong defense pushed Atlanta to the win. Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux had a fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown on a play that appeared to be an incomplete pass as Lindley threw the ball for the Cardinals. No whistle blew though and Babineaux alertly picked up the ball and ran into the end zone. The Falcons scored their other touchdown on a one yard run by Michael Turner, who redeemed himself after failing on the same play against the New Orleans Saints last Sunday.
Ryan had a horrible day at quarterback, completing 28 of his 46 passes for 301 yards but throwing a career-high five interceptions. That mark also set a Falcons' record, one he wouldn't like to hold. The running game was again non-existent as Turner only gained 46 yards on the ground. Roddy White had a good day, catching the ball eight times for 123 yards, most of that came in the first half though as the Cardinals started shutting him down after halftime. Corner back Robert McClain led the team with seven tackles, defensive end John Abraham had two sacks and linebacker Stephen Nicolas got a huge sack that resulted in a fourteen yard loss. Receiver Julio Jones left the game after re-injuring his ankle and didn't return.
Despite playing a very sloppy game, the win gives the Falcons a 9-1 record. They will play the Tampa Buccaneers next Sunday, who are on a roll now. Ryan will have to play a lot better next week to help the Falcons win. Also, the Falcons will hope linebacker Sean Weatherspoon can return and that Jones' ankle won't keep him out next Sunday in a big match-up between division rivals.
The Falcons' John Abraham sacks Cardinals' quarterback Ryan Lindley. The defense saved this game as they held the Cardinals' offense multiple times throughout the game.
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The Atlanta Falcons will look to get back on track this Sunday when they play the Arizona Cardinals. After falling 31-27 to the New Orleans Saints last Sunday, Atlanta will try to get another win to help themselves move closer to a playoff berth.
The Cardinals have been struggling since starting the season 4-0. The last game they played was on November 4th and they lost to the Green Bay Packers, 31-17. It was their fifth straight loss and they are now 4-5 on the year. After having a week off though, they will be looking to correct the ship, and get back into playoff contention. The Cardinals will be making a change or two to their offensive line, as they have given up an NFL-high 41 sacks on the year.
The Falcons will be trying to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time since December 2009. To do that, they are gonna have to improve their game in three ways. First off, they need to run the ball better. Michael Turner has had a few games this year when he has rushed for over 100 yards, but in the other games he hasn't done much at all. In last weeks loss, Turner rushed the ball thirteen times and only gained fifteen yards.
Second, they need to do better on defense. Last week the defense was horrible, giving up 31 points, over 140 yards rushing, and a ton of passing yards, including 146 by Saints' tight end Jimmy Graham alone. They addressed the defensive line this week by releasing Ray Edwards and they will give some younger defensive ends a chance to play. The line backing core needs to control the Cardinals' run game and the secondary needs to stop the passing game better.
Third, the Falcons need to do a better job in the red zone. That has been the area of concern for the Falcons all season, and they received much criticism over it this past week. The Falcons got the ball on the Saints' one-yard line late in the fourth quarter. All they needed was one yard for a touchdown, and they would have taken the lead and got the win. Instead the Falcons couldn't score on four chances from the one, something that is inexcusable for an NFL team.
If the Falcons can execute better in these three areas of their game, they will win tomorrow. They are playing a Cardinals' team in the midst of struggling too, so that will help them get back to their winning ways. Look for the Falcons to increase their division lead and move to 9-1 on the season.
The Atlanta Hawks beat the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, 112-96. It was Atlanta's biggest win of the year and also helped them finish 2-2 on their road trip out west.
The Kings fell behind by fourteen early in the game, but put together a run in the second quarter and tied the game. Eventually they trailed by only two at the half. Aaron Brooks led that run, hitting three 3-pointers to help the Kings get back into the game. Then, Sacramento only scored fourteen points in the third quarter and could never recover.
Jason Thompson had nineteen points to lead the Kings, he also pulled down ten rebounds. Marcus Thornton scored seventeen points, Tyreke Evans had fourteen and Brooks had thirteen. DeMarcus Cousins pulled down a game-high sixteen rebounds. The loss puts the Kings at 2-7 on the season.
The Hawks' defense fell apart in the second quarter, when they let the Kings get back into the game. Players would stand and watch as Kings' players would drive the lane and score easy buckets, or take wide-open three pointers. Coach Larry Drew must have given them a good talk at the half, as the Hawks' defense was superb in the third quarter and they took a lead they wouldn't squander.
Kyle Korver scored 22 points for the Hawks, including going five for five from downtown. It was easily his best game so far as a Hawk. Lou Williams added 21 points and Al Horford had 20 points and led the Hawks with ten rebounds. Josh Smith had nineteen points and Jeff Teague chipped in fifteen to give the Hawks five players with double-figures.
The Hawks evened their record at 4-4 as they return home for three games this next week. On Monday they will host the Orlando Magic. The Magic are 4-5 on the season and will play against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday before flying to Atlanta to play the Hawks. The game will be at 7:30 p.m.
Jeff Teague drives the ball in against the Kings, he scored fifteen points in Friday's win over Sacramento.
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The Atlanta Braves found their replacement for former backup catcher David Ross. They signed Gerald Laird to a two-year deal yesterday, a down-grade after having someone as good as Ross backing up starting catcher Brian McCann.
The 33 year-old Laird has a lot of experience, he has played ten seasons in the big leagues with the Texas Rangers, two stints with the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals. He has gone to the past two World Series', winning with the Cardinals in 2011 and losing last season with the Tigers. He has a lifetime batting average of .244 and only 37 home runs in almost 700 career games.
Laird will be counted on to not only replace Ross, but to be Atlanta's starting catcher for most of the first month of the 2013 season. His defense is decent, but there will be a major hole offensively from the catcher's position in the lineup. Laird will have a lot of pressure to produce and the Braves' hitters will have more pressure to pick up the slack from McCann's absence. It's easy to say everyone will be much happier when McCann is back from his injury.
Today's Braves' recap will be over reliever Jonny Venters. This is the last of the Braves' recaps.
Venters was originally drafted by the Braves back in 2003. He made his major league debut with them in 2010 and immediately became a big part of Atlanta's bullpen. He had an ERA of 1.95 that year and then in 2011 posted an even lower one of 1.84. He established himself as one of the most dominating setup men in all of baseball.
2012 was a little rough for Venters though. His ERA was higher than it has ever been in his career. He would be dominating in some games and in others he was ridiculously wild and couldn't throw a strike. On June 12th against the New York Yankees, he came in and blew the lead by giving up four runs on three hits, including a home run, without recording one out. He took the loss in that game. He also suffered the loss on September 10th against the Milwaukee Brewers when once again he didn't record an out while giving up three runs.
Venters did provide some reliable relief through other parts of the season. In April, he pitched in nine games and didn't give up one run, while striking out seventeen batters in a little over eight innings. And in 22 games through August and September, he had two wild appearances, but didn't give up any runs in the other 20 games. He finished the year with a 5-4 record, a 3.22 ERA and 69 strikeouts.
Venters will once again be around with the Braves in 2013. He will be one of their top relief pitchers, but he needs to remain in control next season. If he can regain the confidence and command he had his first two years, he will really improve the Braves' bullpen. If he falters again, the Braves might look to trade him since they have two other left-handed relievers in Eric O'Flaherty and Luis Avilan.
Jonny Venters will look to regain the command that made him one of the best relievers in the majors in 2010 and 2011.
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Today's Atlanta Braves recap will be on reliever Anthony Varvaro.
Varvaro made his major league debut back in 2010 with the Seattle Mariners. He came to the Braves off waivers before 2011 and pitched well for them in 18 games that year. He compiled a 2.63 ERA in 24 appearances.
He didn't appear in as many games in 2012 with Atlanta. They thought he would help them more than Cory Gearrin, another young arm who was down in Triple-A at the same time. It turns out they were wrong as Varvaro didn't do as well and Gearrin was terrific throughout the second half of the year. One of Varvaro's worst appearances came on July 18th against the San Francisco Giants, when he pitched one inning and gave up four runs on two hits and three walks, he took the loss in that game.
He did have a few good outings in his short stint with the Braves this year. He had six outings where he came in and gave up no runs. Including July 14th against the New York Mets, when he came in and pitched a perfect inning while striking out two batters and picking up his first major league win. Overall on the year, he had a 1-1 record with a 5.40 ERA and 21 strikeouts.
It will be determined in spring training on what will happen to Varvaro. He will either have a good spring and make the big league roster. Or he will have a bad spring and start the year off in the minor leagues again. Either way, he has potential and could eventually be a dominating reliever for the Braves one day.
The Atlanta Hawks fell to 1-2 on their current road trip out west, with a 92-88 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Lou Williams led a furious rally late in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors' were able to hold on after blowing a lead in their last game.
The Warriors moved to 4-4 on the year with their win. Rookie Harrison Barnes led the team, and got his first career NBA double-double, with nineteen points and thirteen rebounds. David Lee also had a double-double with eighteen points and ten rebounds. The Warriors had five players score in double figures in the win. After Barnes and Lee, Stephen Curry had twelve, Carl Landry and Richard Jefferson each scored ten off the bench.
The Hawks were without two of their biggest players. Devin Harris was inactive after his hamstring injury and Al Horford missed the game with an illness. Rookie John Jenkins also didn't play in the game. Center Johan Petro was active for the first time this year, he didn't produce in any way.
Josh Smith had a double-double for the Hawks tonight, scoring sixteen points and pulling down ten rebounds. Lou Williams ended up leading the Hawks with eighteen points, including three 3-pointers in the final seconds of the game to keep it close, but it wasn't enough. Kyle Korver had a big first half scoring fourteen points, but he only took one shot after halftime and missed it. The only other Hawk to score in double figures tonight was Ivan Johnson, who had a hot hand, making seven of his eight shots from the field and finished with fifteen points. Rookie Mike Scott hit a shot for the first two points of his career.
The Hawks fall to 3-4 on the year with the loss. They will play again on Friday night at 10 p.m. in Sacramento against the Kings. The Kings have lost their last three games and are currently 2-6 on the young season.
Josh Smith had sixteen points and ten rebounds for the Hawks in their losing effort against the Warriors on Wednesday.
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Today's Braves' recap will be on second baseman Dan Uggla.
Uggla made his major league debut back in 2006 with the Florida Marlins. He starred there for five years before coming to the Braves in a major off season trade before the 2011 season. Last season he had 36 home runs and also had one of the longest hitting streaks in Atlanta history.
2012 wasn't as good for Uggla. He was criticized much of the year by fans. At one point he was even benched by coach Fredi Gonzalez because he wasn't producing like he should be. The only problem with benching him, he has one of the highest salaries and the Braves aren't paying him to sit on the bench. He set a team record that he wouldn't like to hold, he struck out more than anyone ever has for the Braves in a season. The worst part of the season for him was the whole month of July, he played in 24 games and only had nine hits, one home run, six RBI's and struck out 28 times.
He did have some big moments for the Braves. He got some clutch hits to drive in runs and also hit some clutch home runs. One of his best games of the year came against his former team, the Marlins, on June 5th. In that game he went four for five with a double, two home runs, five RBI's and three runs scored. In that game, one of his home runs was career home run number 200. Overall he finished the year with a .220 average, nineteen home runs and 78 RBI's.
Uggla needs to have a better season in 2013. He will once again be Atlanta's second baseman, but if he has another bad year, he could possibly be on the move next off season. He needs to get more hits, strike out less and show the Braves and their fans that he is one of the best second basemen in the game right now. Look for him to have a big year and help push the Braves further into the playoffs next October.
Today's second Braves' recap will be over starting pitcher, Julio Teheran.
Teheran was originally signed by the Braves back in 2007. He made his major league debut for them last season and ended up pitching in five games. He won a game and lost a game. He also had a terrific season down in the minor leagues at Triple-A Gwinnett.
This year was different for Teheran, he struggled all year down in Gwinnett and only appeared in two games for Atlanta. He didn't pitch well in his only start, which came on June 10th against the Toronto Blue Jays. After throwing four good innings, he lost control, pitching four innings plus and giving up four runs. The only other game he appeared in was on the last day of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he threw two scoreless innings in relief. His final numbers for the two games, no record with a 5.68 ERA and five strikeouts.
Teheran has a bright future ahead of him, and it seemed that future was going to be in Atlanta. Now this off season his name is already being mentioned in trade rumors. With the Braves' sudden abundance in pitching, Teheran could be part of a package of players to help the Braves satisfy their biggest needs. Wherever he ends up playing next season, he hopes he will finally get a shot at being in a major league rotation. If he stays in Atlanta, that shot would be small, as he, Randall Delgado and Tommy Hanson would be competing for the fifth spot in the starting rotation.
Julio Teheran could be traded this off season to help the Braves satisfy their current needs.
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Today there will be two Braves' recaps, the first one will be over shortstop Andrelton Simmons.
Simmons was drafted by the Braves back in 2010 and was immediately considered a top prospect. He came into spring training before the 2012 season and was fighting with Tyler Pastornicky for the starting job at shortstop. He didn't win it then, but he took over the job just two months later in June.
His only down part to the 2012 season was the broken pinkie finger he suffered on his right hand. That happened on July 8th in Philadelphia against the Phillies when he slid into a base and ended up being out until September 10th. When he first came up, he provided the Braves with an exciting spark. Once he came back from the injury, he didn't seem the same as he probably still felt some discomfort.
When Simmons was called up, he caught fire. Through his first month in the big leagues, he was batting .333 with three home runs and fourteen RBI's. He surprised everyone with his bat, as it wasn't his best aspect in the minors. His defense was what he was always known for, and it was superb, along with the hustle he displayed. His best game came on June 5th against the Miami Marlins as he went three for five with a triple, three RBI's and also scored a run. He finished the year overall with a .289 average with three home runs and nineteen RBI's.
Simmons will be Atlanta's starting shortstop next season. He provides the Braves with another young player that could potentially be a star in the near future. It will be exciting for the Braves and their fans to see what Simmons can do in a full season in 2013.
Andrelton Simmons was most known in the Braves' system for his great defensive skills but he surprised everyone with his hitting too.
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The Atlanta Hawks played hard in their second game in two days and held off the Portland Trail Blazers 95-87. Portland seemed out of it much of the game, but fought their way back into it, only to lose in the final minutes.
The Trail Blazers have lost their last four games and fall to 2-5 on the year. At halftime they were down by nine points, but slowly came back and even took the lead in the fourth quarter. The Hawks called a timeout and that helped rejuvenate them and helped them to fight off the Blazers' late run. Nicolas Batum and J.J. Hickson led the way for the Blazers with nineteen points. Hickson also had eighteen rebounds. Wesley Matthews added seventeen points, LaMarcus Aldridge had fourteen and rookie Damian Lillard had twelve. Portland's bench was of no help as five players combined to score six points.
The Hawks snapped a two game losing streak in the win. They didn't get through this game though without a few casualties. Devin Harris hurt his hamstring in the first half and he never returned, only playing eight minutes tonight. Also, Josh Smith played most of the game under the weather and it was obvious at times during the game as he looked very ill. He still led the Hawks in scoring and rebounding though, with nineteen points and eleven rebounds. It will be known later if Harris and Smith will be ready for the Hawks' next game.
The Hawks ended up having five players in double figures tonight. After Smith's nineteen, Kyle Korver had sixteen, Al Horford had fifteen to go with ten rebounds, Jeff Teague had thirteen and Lou Williams added eleven. A day after making their debuts, rookies John Jenkins and Mike Scott were the only two active players that coach Larry Drew didn't play in the game.
With the win, the Hawks are now 3-3 on the year. Their next game will be against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. The Warriors are currently 3-4 on the year and have lost their past two games.
The Hawks' Josh Smith shoots over the Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge. Even though he felt ill, Smith still led the Hawks with nineteen points.
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The Atlanta Falcons announced today that they have released defensive end Ray Edwards. He was supposed to give the Falcons a fearful rushing attack with John Abraham on the opposite side, but instead he has proved to be a bust.
Edwards had only started four of the Falcons' nine games so far this year. Kroy Biermann has slowly taken over his spot. This season he had only nine tackles and no sacks for Atlanta. Last year, he only managed to get 3 1/2 sacks in what apparently will be his only full season with the Falcons after signing a five year, $30 million contract during training camp last season.
The reason the Falcons gave him such a large contract, in his previous five years with the Minnesota Vikings, he had 29 1/2 sacks. Those numbers are off the charts compared to his production in Atlanta. He also never fit in with Atlanta's tight-knit locker room, as he was always lazy. Coach Mike Smith showed he isn't messing around, and will put whoever he thinks is the better player on the field to help his team win. Let's just hope this move doesn't come back to haunt them in the near future.
Today's Braves' recap will be on starting pitcher Ben Sheets.
Sheets started his big league career with the Milwaukee Brewers back in 2001. He was a main member of their starting rotation for eight years before joining the Oakland A's for a season. He retired after having an arm injury but after two years, he came out of retirement to pitch again for the Braves this year.
Sheets only pitched in nine games for the Braves in 2012. He started off red hot, but then he struggled. In three starts from August 12th to August 24th, Sheets gave up a total of fifteen runs and his ERA went from 1.41 to 3.54. He was then put on the disabled list and didn't pitch again until the last day of the season.
As said before, when Sheets first came back, he was red hot, no one could hit him. In his first three starts, he pitched a total of eighteen innings and gave up only one run. His best start of the year though came on August 6th against the Philadelphia Phillies, as he pitched over seven innings and gave up only one run. He finished the year with a 4-4 record with a 3.47 ERA and 35 strikeouts.
Sheets already has stated he won't play again next season. He retired right after his final appearance, a scoreless inning pitched against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finishes his career with a 94-96 record, a 3.78 ERA and 1,325 strikeouts. When he came out of retirement, he revitalized a Braves team that was staggering midway through the season and just having lost Brandon Beachy for the rest of the year. He helped right the Braves' season and helped himself to go out on a better note than he did with Oakland.
Today's Braves' recap will be over backup catcher David Ross.
Ross made his major league debut back in 2002 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox before coming to Atlanta before the 2009 season. He has been one of the most reliable backup catchers in the game and had been a huge asset for the Braves when starting catcher Brian McCann would go down with an injury.
In 2012, Ross had another good season backing up McCann. His only bad part of the year came in a five game stretch at the end of May and the beginning of June when he went hitless in five straight games. He also suffered a minor injury, but he over came that and was easily the best backup in the major leagues this season.
Ross' best game came against the New York Mets on July 13th, as he went one for two with a home run and four RBI's and three walks. Another great moment he had this year was when he hit a two-run home run in the wild card game over the St. Louis Cardinals. The only thing that would have made that day better for him is if the Braves could have held the lead that he staked them to. He also was a great defender and was really good at throwing out would-be base stealers. Ross finished the year batting .256 with nine home runs and 23 RBI's.
Ross has already left the Braves, signing a two year, $6.2 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. Ross will most likely be a backup to another former Brave, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, next season. He could also see duties as the designated hitter on days that David Ortiz needs a rest. The Braves will have to find someone to replace Ross as the primary backup to McCann, which will be a nearly impossible task for general manager Frank Wren to accomplish.
The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Atlanta Hawks today, 89-76. The Hawks made a game of it until the fourth quarter, when they suddenly forgot how to play basketball and the Clippers pulled away for the win.
The Clippers have won their last three games to move their record to 5-2 on the year. They were winning 39-37 at halftime and never looked back even when the Hawks kept it close. The Clippers had six players score in double figures, led by Blake Griffin would have sixteen. Chris Paul added fifteen, Caron Butler had thirteen, Eric Bledsoe had twelve, former Hawk Jamal Crawford had eleven and Matt Barnes had ten. They play the Miami Heat on Wednesday in Los Angeles.
The Hawks had an awful game, especially in the fourth quarter. The Hawks shot only 41 percent from the field during the game, but they went almost six minutes in the fourth without making a shot. It's the second game within a week that they have gone an extended period of time without being able to make a shot. They also turned the ball over ten times in the fourth. For the game they had 22 turnovers, including five by Josh Smith, and four each by Jeff Teague and Zaza Pachulia, three of the core players. To make things even worse, they made only seven of their sixteen free throws, shooting less the 50 percent from the foul line.
The Hawks were led by Smith who had thirteen points, followed by Al Horford and Lou Williams who each had eleven points. Horford led the Hawks with nine rebounds. Rookies John Jenkins and Mike Scott finally made the debuts. Jenkins scored six points and Scott missed his two shots. DeShawn Stevenson and Anthony Morrow didn't play, it was coach Larry Drew's decision to sit them.
The Hawks fall to 2-3 on the year. Their next game will be tomorrow night at Portland against the Trail Blazers. The Trail Blazers are 2-4 on the year after losing to the San Antonio Spurs in their last game. The game will be at 10 p.m.
Ivan Johnson goes for a block. The Hawks played a miserable fourth quarter as the Clippers sent the Hawks to their second loss in a row.
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The Falcons suffered their first loss today to the New Orleans Saints. It was a high scoring affair but the Saints held the Falcons late and won 31-27.
Drew Brees extended his NFL record to 52 straight games with a touchdown pass. Two of his three touchdown passes went to tight end Jimmy Graham who caught seven passes total for a career-best 146 yards receiving. The biggest play of the game for the Saints happened when Jabari Greer knocked away a pass intended for the Falcons' Roddy White, which if caught, would have put the Falcons on top and they would have most likely won. Greer dove and barely got his hand on the ball to save the game for the Saints. The win gives the Saints a 4-5 record now on the season.
The Falcons had a 10-0 lead in the beginning, fell behind and came back to lead 17-14 but then fell behind again for good. The offensive line provided little protection again for Matt Ryan or for running back Michael Turner, who amassed a grand total of fifteen yards rushing on thirteen carries. Ryan moved the ball effectively, but they couldn't score late from inside the red zone. They had first and goal from the one, before Greer's heroics occurred on fourth and one. The defense picked off a Brees' pass, but did nothing after that giving up almost 300 yards passing and 150 yards rushing, including a 56 yard touchdown run by Saints' running back Chris Ivory.
Other than suffering their first loss of the season, the biggest news for the Falcons was tight end Tony Gonzalez caught his 100th career touchdown pass. He became the first tight end ever to accomplish the feat in the history of the NFL. He finished the day with eleven catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns. White ended the day with seven catches for 114 yards and Ryan threw for a career-high 411 yards along with three touchdown passes and an interception. Kicker Matt Bryant had a perfect day this week, kicking two fields goals. Corner back Dunta Robinson led the team with seven tackles and fellow corner back Asante Samuel had the interception on Brees.
The rival Saints were the last team the Falcons wanted to lose their perfection to, but now they can forget about that and just focus on winning the division and making the playoffs. They will continue their quest for the division against the Arizona Cardinals next week at the Georgia Dome. The game will be at 1 p.m. The Cardinals are currently 4-5 on the year, they had their bye week this week.
The Saints' Jabari Greer knocks the ball away from the Falcons' Roddy White to seal the win for New Orleans.
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The Atlanta Falcons will take their perfect record to New Orleans tomorrow to face the surging Saints. After starting the season off slow, Drew Brees has led the Saints back into contention for a playoff spot. The Falcons will hope to slow their progress down and keep their perfect record intact.
Brees has an NFL record going with 51 straight games with a touchdown pass. Last week he threw two touchdown passes against the Eagles in the Saints' 28-13 win. It was their third win in their last four games after starting the season 0-4. Since joining the Saints, Brees is 10-2 against the Falcons, so he usually dominates them, but the Falcons have the upper-hand this time with their perfect 8-0 record. Brees usually comes up strong when playing in big situations though.
The Falcons are coming off a 19-13 win over the struggling Dallas Cowboys. It was another less than impressive win for the Falcons, which has been a problem for them all year. It's also a reason why they have so many critics. They are only the 15th team since 1978 to start a season 8-0, but they have struggled and looked sloppy accomplishing that feat. Most every team they have faced has a losing record and with that, critics wonder how long they would last in the playoffs playing good teams.
The Falcons have three things they need to do better this week. First, the offensive line needs to protect Matt Ryan again. After struggling with it earlier this year in a game against the Carolina Panthers, the line had been doing really well, until last week when repeatedly the defense was hurrying Ryan up or stuffing running back Michael Turner immediately after he got the ball.
Second, they struggled in the red zone last week. They would move the ball effectively, Ryan passed for 342 yards and Turner ran for over a 100 yards, but in the red zone the offense would die. Kicker Matt Bryant also missed two field goals, after missing only one in the first seven games. The Falcons need to score touchdowns in the red zone. If they have to turn to Bryant, he needs to make his kicks, because the Falcons will need all the points they can get facing Brees and the offensively high-powered Saints.
Third, the Falcons need to try and stop that Saints' offense. Starting linebacker Sean Weatherspoon will once again miss the game this week, so other linebackers will need to step up. Also, the Falcons need Asante Samuel, Thomas DeCoud and the other safeties and corner backs to try and intercept Brees, if possible, to help slow them down.
If the Falcons can do these three things, they can beat Brees and the Saints. It will surely be a tough test with a lot of scoring tomorrow. Brees is good, but the Falcons have what it takes to be better, and they will be tomorrow keeping their record perfect and moving to 9-0.
Matt Ryan, under pressure here by the Cowboys' Jay Ratliff, needs his offensive line to protect him better this week so he can lead the undefeated Falcons to another win.
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Today's Braves' recap will be on left fielder Martin Prado.
Prado was originally signed by the Braves back in 2001 and made his major league debut with them in 2006. He was a backup on the team until 2009 when he became a big contributor for the club. Ever since then he has been a vital piece to Atlanta's everyday lineup.
Prado had an off year in 2011, but was able to bounce back in 2012. His worst part of the season was in the first month. He wasn't hitting well and fans were beginning to question if he had fully recovered from his injuries and off-season in 2011. He was batting around .250 in the middle of April, but after that his average would hover around .300 for the rest of the year.
Prado's best game of the year was on September 17th against the Marlins in Miami. He had a perfect day going four for four with two RBI's and a run scored. He also had 60 multi-hit games this year, easily leading the Braves in that category and in hits as he amassed 186 total. His other final numbers for the year included a .301 batting average with ten home runs and 70 RBI's. He was the Braves best offensive player this season and showed he was a dependable hitter, especially in clutch situations.
Prado will be one of the Braves' leaders next year, but where he will play in the field will be determined during the off season. If the Braves sign another third baseman to replace Chipper Jones, Prado will stay in left field. If the Braves can find a left fielder then he will replace Jones at third base. Wherever he ends up though, he will be fine, as Prado played left field, third base, shortstop, second base and first base last season and provided stellar defense and showed why he is the Braves' most valuable player.
The Atlanta Braves lost one of their top free agents today. Backup catcher David Ross agreed to a new deal with the Boston Red Sox worth $6.2 million for the next two seasons. The deal is pending a physical.
Ross has been a main part of the Braves for the past four seasons, being the primary backup to starting catcher Brian McCann. He hit .256 with nine home runs and 23 RBI's this past year. He also hit a big two-run home run against the Cardinals in the wild card, putting the Braves on top for their only lead of the game. He has also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cincinnati Reds, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the San Diego Padres and even played eight games with the Red Sox in 2008.
Re-signing him was a top priority for general manager Frank Wren this off season. This could be a scary sign for Braves fans. Not only does Wren have to find a new backup catcher, but someone that will be able to start while Brian McCann misses the beginning of next season. Also, if Wren didn't complete this deal, what will he do with his other top priorities for free agents this off season?
The Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks played a close game on Friday night, but the Heat came out on top, 95-89. The Hawks were keeping it close, until LeBron James hit a shot with thirteen seconds left to seal the deal.
The Heat, who were playing without Dwayne Wade tonight who sat out with a cold, moved to 5-1 on the year. Chris Bosh led the Heat with 24 points, James finished with 21, Ray Allen added seventeen off the bench and Mario Chalmers scored twelve to give the Heat four players in double figures. James also had eleven rebounds and nine assists to finish an assist shy of a triple-double.
The Hawks gave the Heat a good fight. They were even winning at halftime, 46-42. Miami started to put the game away in the fourth quarter before Jeff Teague hit two 3-pointers to tie the game at 85. Al Horford then scored on a layup to give the Hawks an 87-85 lead, but that would be Atlanta's last effort.
The Hawks had five players score in double figures, led by Teague's 20 points. Anthony Morrow added seventeen, Josh Smith had thirteen, Kyle Korver had eleven and Horford had ten. Smith led the team with eight rebounds and Teague had a season high eleven assists. The Hawks used all their players in this game, besides rookies Mike Scott and John Jenkins, who still haven't made their NBA debuts.
The Hawks, who are now 2-2 on the year, will travel to Los Angeles to play the Clippers on Sunday. The game will be at 3:30 p.m. The Clippers are currently 4-2 on the year after beating the Portland Trail Blazers 103-90 on Thursday.
Jeff Teague drives against Miami's LeBron James, Teague led the Hawks with 20 points on the evening.
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Today's Braves' recap will be on infielder Tyler Pastornicky.
Pastornicky was originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays. He came to the Braves organization along with shortstop Alex Gonzalez when they traded Yunel Escobar to Toronto. He made his major league debut this past season as the Braves' opening day shortstop.
Pastornicky had a decent first season in the big leagues. He hit pretty good but struggled defensively at shortstop and that caused the Braves to demote him back to the minor leagues. He was there for a month and a half until he got called back up in the middle of July and stuck around for the rest of the year. Through the months of August and September though, he only managed to get two hits.
Pastornicky did enjoy some firsts as a rookie. He hit his first major league home run in Houston against the Astros on April 10th. He also had a couple of three hit games during the year, one on April 24th against the Los Angeles Dodgers and the other on May 2nd against the Philadelphia Phillies. He finished the season batting .243 with two home runs and thirteen RBI's.
Pastornicky will be around with the Braves next season, whether it's in Atlanta or in the minor leagues remains to be seen. He will have to have a strong showing in spring training to earn a spot on the roster, likely being the primary back up to Andrelton Simmons. He also has been learning how to play second base, third base and the corner outfield spots to increase his value as a utility player.
Tyler Pastornicky could become a valuable bench player for the Atlanta Braves in 2013.
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The Atlanta Hawks fell behind by as much as fourteen points on Wednesday night to the Indiana Pacers, but somehow came back to win 89-86. They went on an 18-0 run in the fourth quarter to take a lead that they held in the final minute to clinch the victory.
The Pacers looked like they were going to win this game in the third quarter, as they held the Hawks to only fourteen points. David West and George Hill each had big games for Indiana, each scoring 20 points. Paul George was the only other Pacer in double figures with thirteen points. The Pacers fell to 2-3 on the year, and they will possibly have to play the next three months without star forward Danny Granger, as he will be out with a knee injury.
The Hawks had a good first half and led at halftime 51-50. In the third they had their problems when they were held to their fourteen points. Josh Smith, who returned after sitting out the last game with an ankle injury, missed four straight free-throws to start the third and more trouble followed. They went more than six minutes without scoring a point and missed nine straight shots. Smith and Zaza Pachulia also picked up technical fouls to make matters worse and it looked as if the Pacers were going to win.
Kyle Korver and Jeff Teague had other plans though, and they led a furious rally that helped the Hawks win the game. Korver scored eight straight points in the beginning of their 18-0 run and Teague scored five points in the final minute to help put the Pacers away. The Hawks also held Indiana to only nine points in the fourth quarter as they played stellar defense. Al Horford led the Hawks with sixteen points, Teague had fifteen, Korver scored thirteen and Smith added eleven. Pachulia led the Hawks in rebounds with fourteen.
The Hawks moved to 2-1 on the year. Their next game will be this Friday against the defending champions, the Miami Heat, at 7:30 p.m. The Heat are currently 4-1 on the year after beating the Brooklyn Nets in their last game.
Kyle Korver reacts after making a shot, he scored eight straight points to help the Hawks catch the Pacers in the fourth quarter.
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Today's Braves' recap will be over first baseman Lyle Overbay.
Overbay started his major league career back in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since then he has also played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates and then back to the Diamondbacks. The Braves picked him up this past summer after the D-Backs released him.
Overbay was signed to primarily be a pinch hitter and come off the bench for the Braves down the stretch. That's exactly what he did, but he didn't do anything to help the Braves out. In the twenty plate appearances he had for the Braves, he managed two hits and a walk, he also struck out eight times. Not exactly what the Braves envisioned when they signed him to be a productive pinch hitter. He finished the season batting .259 with two home runs and ten RBI's combined with the D-Backs and Braves.
Overbay will not be back next season with Atlanta, and he will have to look for a new home this winter. If anybody takes a chance on him, it will most likely be a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.
Today's Braves' recap will be on relief pitcher Eric O'Flaherty.
O'Flaherty made his major league debut back in 2006 with the Seattle Mariners. He pitched there for three years and the Braves signed him before 2009. He has been one of the Braves best signings in recent years as he has been a stellar reliever since joining Atlanta. 2011 was undoubtedly his best season as he posted as ERA of 0.98 after giving up only eight earned runs in 78 appearances, one of the lowest ERA's by a reliever in modern day history.
O'Flaherty had another terrific season in 2012 with the Braves. His only down parts to the year were giving up more runs and blowing two games. That all happened at the beginning of the season too, down the stretch his was tremendous again. His two blown games came on April 13th against the Milwaukee Brewers and May 2nd against the Philadelphia Phillies. In those two games he gave up three-run home runs to tie the game. Fortunately for him, the Braves still found a way to win both games.
As said before O'Flaherty's second half of the season was his best part of the year. In his first 36 games of the season he gave up eleven runs. In his last 28 games of the year though, he didn't allow one earned run to score. During that stretch his ERA went down over a whole run, and he was once again one of the Braves' most dominant members of it's bullpen. He finished the season with a 3-0 record, a 1.73 ERA and 46 strikeouts.
O'Flaherty will be around again in 2013 with the Braves. He will most likely be counted on by manager Fredi Gonzalez to be the bullpen's top left-handed reliever. He has shown he can pitch well in big games and he is one of the toughest left-handers to bat against in the game today. Whenever he takes the mound, Braves fans know it's usually going to be a quick inning for the opposing team.
Today's Braves' recap will be over reliever Peter Moylan.
Moylan pitched for Australia in the World Baseball Classic back in 2006 and that's were the Atlanta Braves discovered him after some impressive appearances. He ended up signing with the Braves and has been with them since '06. He has had three spectacular seasons with Atlanta, but he has also had three injury riddled years, including the past two seasons.
Moylan only appeared in eight games in 2012. He spent most of the season rehabbing in the minor leagues. When he made it to Atlanta in September, he only had one bad game. That game was on September 18th against the Miami Marlins, he gave up a home run, his only earned run allowed during his September stint.
Moylan was sharp in his other seven appearances. He got out of a few jams in some games and held the lead in others. He even picked up a save on September 9th against the New York Mets, pitching one inning and striking out a batter. He finished the year with a 1-0 record, a 1.80 ERA and two strikeouts.
With the way Moylan pitched, he might have earned another shot with the Braves. They might only be willing to offer him a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, but he could win a spot in the bullpen if he is fully healthy. He would have tough competition though with most of the bullpen set and with Cory Gearrin emerging as a younger option. Moylan might have to find a better opportunity somewhere else.
Peter Moylan is one of the longest tenured Braves, and a fan favorite in Atlanta, after signing with them before the 2006 season.
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The Atlanta Falcons played in front of America on Sunday night and pulled out another victory in a 19-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys. The win helps the Falcons to remain the only undefeated team in the NFL at 8-0.
The Cowboys had a 6-0 lead after the first quarter but they didn't score again until a late touchdown in the fourth. Tony Romo had a good game passing for 321 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker Bruce Carter had a big game on defense for the Cowboys, getting ten tackles. The defense did their part for Dallas, including sacking Matt Ryan three times, but defense coordinator Rob Ryan will have to eat his words after guaranteeing a Cowboys victory just a few days ago.
Falcons kicker Matt Bryant was key to the victory. He had four field goals during the game, his last two were the difference. He didn't have a typical game though, missing two field goals after missing only one through the first seven games of the year. Michael Turner also had a big game for the Falcons, carrying the ball twenty times for 102 yards and scoring the Falcons only touchdown of the game.
Ryan had a decent day throwing the ball, he passed for 342 yards with no touchdowns or any interceptions. Julio Jones had five catches for 129 yards and Roddy White had seven catches for 118 yards, but it was running back Jacquizz Rodgers that had two of the biggest catches in the game. On the final drive, Rodgers first caught a pass and ran 31 yards to keep the drive alive. Later, he caught another short pass, and fought for the first down to take more time off the clock and help the Falcons keep the ball away from the Cowboys.
The defense didn't have that good of a game, but it was enough to help the Falcons win. Penalty after penalty gave the Cowboys good field position and poor tackling didn't help the cause either. Linebacker Akeem Dent ended up getting the most tackles with six. Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux had the only sack on Romo.
The Falcons will try and keep their perfect season going next week. It will be a tough task though with Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints in the way. The Saints are only 2-5 on the year, but Brees and his teammates always seem to play their best against their division rival Falcons. The game will be in New Orleans, which will make it that much harder for the Falcons to go 9-0, but if they play strong and battle like they did tonight, it can be done.
Falcons' running back Michael Turner rushed for the Falcons only touchdown in their win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.
Photo Courtesy of yahoo.com
After falling late in their season opener, the Hawks bounced back and beat the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night, 104-95. The Hawks had started off strong, fell behind but then came back and hung on for an impressive win over the defending Western Conference Champions.
The Thunder had fallen behind early but then had a good second quarter to take a lead into halftime. Kevin Martin had a great night off the bench for the Thunder, as he scored 28 points, including six 3-pointers. Kevin Durant added 22 points, and Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka had fourteen points for the Thunder. It wasn't a very good night for Westbrook or Durant, as they went a combined 12 for 35 from the field. The Thunder also turned the ball over twenty times. They are 1-2 on the year now.
The Hawks started the night off quick scoring 30 points in the first quarter. They scored 29 in the fourth quarter then to complete the comeback. Al Horford powered the Hawks tonight, scoring 23 points and pulling down twelve rebounds to lead the team in both categories. It will be nice for Atlanta to have Horford back after he missed all but eleven games last season. Lou Williams added nineteen points off the bench, Jeff Teague had sixteen and Ivan Johnson had ten points in his first game of the year. The Hawks are now 1-1 this season.
Atlanta doesn't play again till Wednesday when they return home to play the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers are 2-1 so far and will play the San Antonio Spurs on Monday before traveling to Atlanta. The Hawks will hope to have star forward Josh Smith back Wednesday, he missed the game against the Thunder with a sprained ankle. The game will be at 7:30 p.m.
Al Horford had a big game against the Thunder, leading the Hawks with 23 points and twelve rebounds.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
Today's second Braves' recap will be over starting pitcher Mike Minor.
Minor was drafted by the Braves and drew comparisons to another great Braves left-handed pitcher, Tom Glavine. He made his major league debut in 2010. He showed signs of potential that year and in 2011 when he made a few starts.
In 2012 Minor started off strong, then struggled for a few months before ending the season on a good note. In his first fifteen starts of the year, Minor gave up four runs or more ten times. His worst start came on May 5th against the Colorado Rockies when he pitched five innings and gave up eight runs on ten hits. That was in the middle of a span of four starts when he gave up seven runs, eight runs, six runs and then six runs again.
He was in danger of losing his job before he turned things around and improved in the second half. Compared to his first fifteen starts his last fifteen were much better, as he gave up four runs or more only once. His best start came on July 28th against the Philadelphia Phillies as he pitched eight strong innings and gave up a run on four hits and struck out nine batters. Minor also won his last five decisions of the year to help him finish the season with an 11-10 record. He had an ERA of 4.12 and added 145 strikeouts.
Minor has almost identical stats at this point in his career as the legendary Glavine did at the same point in the beginning of his career. That should be some positive news for the Braves and their fans. He will be part of a young and exciting pitching staff next season that will include Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy along with veteran Tim Hudson. Minor's better years are ahead of him and he hopes to help the Braves return to the playoffs in 2013.
Today there will be two Braves' recaps, the first one will be on pitcher Kris Medlen.
Medlen started his career in 2009 with the Braves. He came up and was starting originally before the Braves moved him the the bullpen. In 2010, he split time as a starter and reliever, then missed almost all of 2011 after elbow surgery.
In 2012 Medlen had his best major league season yet, in fact, it was one of the best seasons by a Braves pitcher in a long time. Medlen had only two down parts to his season. One, he suffered his only loss of the year in relief against the Washington Nationals on May 26th, giving up two runs on three hits and pitching only one inning. Two, he lost the wild card game against the St. Louis Cardinals. After having such a great year, the Braves and Medlen thought they could win, but he wasn't quite good enough to help Atlanta advance.
Medlen's biggest highlight of the year was when he set a new major league record for the most consecutive starts in which the Braves have won. In the past 23 games he has started, during the regular season, the Braves have won. Throughout this performance, he drew comparison to former Braves' legend Greg Maddux.
As a starter this year Medlen went 9-0. He pitched two complete games too. One came on August 16th against the San Diego Padres as he gave up only five hits and struck out six men. In his other complete game on September 3rd against the Colorado Rockies, he gave up an unearned run on five hits and struck out twelve batters. Overall on the year, Medlen had a 10-1 record with a 1.57 ERA and 120 strikeouts.
Medlen will be one of the Braves top pitchers going into next season. He would most likely be the opening day starter right now. The youngster will be counted on to anchor a young staff that will include Mike Minor and Brandon Beachy (halfway through 2013) and possibly another young arm, such as Randall Delgado or Julio Teheran. It will be fun for Braves fans to see just how many more wins Medlen can get as he and the Braves try to march on to another playoff appearance.
Kris Medlen set a major league record by helping the Braves win the past 23 games he has started for them.
Photo Courtesy of images.yahoo.com
The Atlanta Falcons will take the field in the Georgia Dome later today against a stubborn Dallas Cowboys team. The Falcons will be looking to go 8-0 and will be playing in front of America on Sunday Night Football as they try to do it.
The Cowboys are a pesky team that usually bring a lot of fight to the field. They are currently 3-4 on the season. They lost a heart breaker to the New York Giants last week 29-24. Wide receiver Dez Bryant caught what appeared to be the game-winning touchdown but was ruled out-of-bounds as his finger tips touched the white line in the back of the end zone. Quarterback Tony Romo had a good game, throwing for a career-high 437 yards, but he also threw four interceptions.
The Cowboys could potentially be short-handed today. They already know that their top running back, DeMarco Murray will be out. The running back who replaced him, Felix Jones, was limited in practice with an ailing knee. Also, Bryant and fellow receiver Kevin Olgetree were limited in practice too with different injuries. This means the Cowboys will have to rely more on tight end Jason Witten for the second week in a row. In last week's game he caught a franchise-record 18 passes for 167 yards.
The Falcons had a good week last week, in a convincing 30-17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. After spending their bye week working on fundamentals, the Falcons played more like a complete team in the win. The one headline that everyone will be focusing on, is if the Falcons can go to 8-0.
Here are two things they can do to help their cause. First, the Falcons need to keep using those fundamentals. In the three games before their bye week, they won by a combined twelve points and they all came down to the wire as the Falcons struggled throughout all the games. If they can play with those fundamentals in mind today, like they did last week, they can win.
Second, they need to contain Romo and Witten. Romo is known to choke in big games, so the Falcons' defense needs to make that happen today, with interceptions and sacks. Concerning Witten, they know he will be Romo's main target, especially if Bryant and Olgetree miss the game. The Falcons need to make sure he is covered at all times, otherwise he will break out with another big game, just like he did last week. Plus with star linebacker Sean Weatherspoon out, the Falcons will need more help from their back up linebackers in containing Witten.
The Falcons have the momentum in their favor. If Matt Ryan and the offense can come out and score quick, it will be a good day in Atlanta. Look for the Falcons to dominate Romo and the Cowboys and move to 8-0.
