AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 18
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Joe Johnson sets the pace
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Have you gone from reading the points, rebounds, assists and blocks columns of these exhibition stat sheets to reading the minutes played column and analyzing that and only that?
I know I have. When I realized Joe Johnson logged 32 minutes Tuesday night against Orlando, I cringed. Why so many minutes for a guy who is clearly going to be counted on to deliver much more important half hour stretches for the next seven months?
But Johnson assured me that he’s fine. And that he’s taking the necessary precautions to preserve his energy and his body during training camp and this preseason. So if he’s not worried, and Dennis Green isn’t hollering anymore, I’ll stop worrying.
Wednesday’s version of the five things we know right now:
Beware of Dwight Howard this year. Dude is a nightmare for opposing big men and anyone foolish enough to get in his way when he wants a rebound or a dunk. Seriously, this could be the year he ascends to his rightful place as Shaq’s successor as the league’s most dominant inside presence (Sorry Yao Ming, Amare Stoudemire and all the rest of you contenders). And with Darko Milicic feeding him from the high post, Howard could have a monster year on the offensive end, too.
Shelden Williams continues to go about his business. He had 12 points and 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes against the Magic. Solid stuff from a rookie that none of was sure would be able to deliver these things consistently. He floored Milicic Tuesday night on a layup attempt, making it clear that even when he’s at a clear size disadvantage he won’t back down. I like it.
The most impressive thing I saw Tuesday night was Lorenzen Wright barking instructions for his younger teammates in the second half when the game got tight and both teams had reinserted their starters in an effort to pull the game out. Wright made sure that his young teammates understood what was going on and what needed to be done. If Wright knows anything, it’s how to play the game after 10 years of toiling against the best big men of his era.
I owe Andreas Glyniadakis an apology. The minute I write a feature about the training camp invitee and how impressive he’s been, he gets a DNP-CD (Did Not Play – Coach’s Decision). My bad big fella. I didn’t meant to slow your mojo. I still think he’s got a chance to make the roster, though.
Those of you worried about Josh Smith and his play this year need not worry. I still have people come up to me and tell me how they’re still not “sold on him” or they still aren’t sure “he gets it yet.” But when the Hawks needed an energy boost Tuesday night, there he was. He blocked a Howard dunk attempt on one end of the floor raced to the other for a driving layup and made it clear that Howard wasn’t the only “freak of nature” on the floor. If the Hawks have a chance this year, everyone is going to have to live through the ups and downs of Smith’s ongoing development process.
