AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2007 > October > 15
Monday, October 15, 2007
Did someone say long, lean and athletic?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For the record, the difference between 6-foot-9 and 7-feet is more than just three inches.
If you don’t believe it, find a copy of Sunday’s Hawks-Trail Blazers game and see what I’m talking about.
LaMarcus Aldridge and Joel Przybilla showed the Hawks, undersized in the paint just like I mentioned in the last blog, exactly what the difference is between 6-9 and 7-feet.
The Hawks are without a doubt one of the longest, leanest and most athletic young teams in the NBA. But the Trail Blazers, even without Greg Oden and Brandon Roy in uniform, are even longer, leaner and more athletic.
On most nights in the NBA that and five dollars will get them a tail whippin’ from the league’s upper echelon crews. But it’s worth noting that that the Blazers have all their working parts in perfect order (their point guards are solid but nowhere near spectacular, their wings are solid and capable of dictating play when Roy is out there, and their bigs are feisty and play their specific roles with precision).
That’s something I still don’t see from this Hawks team. It’s coming, though, slowly but surely. But it’s not there yet (I’ll refrain from my daily analysis of the point guard situation, which still has to sort itself out).
Marvin Williams appears to be easing back into his groove of last preseason (before the cracked finger). And Joe Johnson is a known commodity. But the Hawks’ frontcourt remains a mystery to me, specifically who is going to play which role.
Josh Smith is the ideal hybrid forward (built like a big 3 but more effective as an undersized 4), but he’s spending more time on the wing than he inside, presumably to allow Zaza Pachulia the space to work his offensive game inside. Yet, ZP seems more inclined to face the basket and shoot than he is to park on the low block, call for the ball and get busy.
If anything, the reserves have defined their roles much better than the starters. Al Horford and Shelden Williams have actually played really well off of each other, Horford owning his space on the floor and Williams setting up shop in and around the basket on the regular (though not finishing with the authority you might like).
When we’re discussing chemistry for a team it’s more than just guys that get along on and off the floor, it’s also about guys whose games complement one another. Your power forward and center need to have a symbiotic relationship that allows each guy to play to his respective strengths.
In the Hawks’ case, it’s still very much a work in progress (isn’t that what training camp is for anyway?) …
