AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2007 > October
October 2007
Hump day ramblings …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While chomping at the bit for the season to start (from my remote office at the Panera Bread in Vinings) I had a great exchange with a fellow customer while waiting for my bagel and OJ this morning.
I’m on the cell with a writer friend form another city and we’re talking over the prospects of our respective teams. I tell him that I see the Hawks winning anywhere from 38-45 games depending on how the injury and luck bounces fall. And this dude directly in front of me in line turns around and says, “You’re crazy. We’re going to win at least 55 games this year. And we’re definitely going to the playoffs.”
My response, “Mam, can I get two shots of whatever this cat is having in my orange juice please.”
First thing, mind your business big homey. There’s nothing worse than a person all up in your phone conversation without an engraved invitation. Second, decaf works better for the criminally optimistic. Uh, 55 wins? Come on now. That’s just, as Mike Tyson would say, “Ludicrist.” And finally, how in the world is a team that’s won just 69 games in three seasons supposed to rip off 55 in one season (without adding a single All-Star to aid that cause)?
I can understand the reason for tempered optimism after watching these Hawks blaze their way through the exhibition season - you have no idea how many people have emailed or called asking if this team is “finally legit.” But to say something like “55 wins” with a straight face, even if you really believe it in your foolish heart, is just silly.
So in the interest of keeping things somewhat realistic around here today, I’m calling for predictions. What’s your guess on how many games the Hawks win this season? I’m sticking with my range but I’m going to focus it even tighter and go with 38-42 - numbers that would have landed a team in the playoffs last year but numbers that I don’t know will do that this year with the Eastern Conference supposedly improved from a year ago.
I came to that number based solely on the Hawks making the reasonable improvements from one year to the next and factored in all the games they squandered in the late minutes last year, figuring improved point guard play could help them recover at least half of those. So let fly with your predictions and we’ll tear each other’s to shreds as we go along.
Now, for a couple of other quick observations before you dive in:
- The opening night starting lineup could look something like this - PG - Anthony Johnson SG - Joe Johnson C - Al Horford SF - Marvin Williams PF - Josh Smith
Zaza Pachulia won’t play and hasn’t really practiced since injuring his knee and ankle two weeks ago in Charlotte. Speedy Claxton also will not dress. And Lorenzen Wright, who injured his foot in Monday night’s scrimmage at McEachern, will probably be on the inactive list as well. That leaves an interesting crew to deal with both Dallas and Detroit (Sunday night at the Palace). It also leaves Hawks coach Mike Woodson with a crew that will have to get up and down the floor to be successful against both those teams. Acie Law IV is ready to go, his left wrist will just be taped up for the foreseeable future. But he can play with his injury (sprained ligaments). There’s a chance there could be a late change to that first five, but I’ll update you on that if it happens.
- Little tidbit picked up while eavesdropping on a conversation on the sideline before a recent exhibition game. The conversation turned to the contract extensions that weren’t given to Josh Smith and Josh Childress. A star point guard from an opposing team was stunned. “They’re not going to sign Josh Smith to an extension. That’s crazy. I wish I had him. With all the [this is a family blog so I can’t include this word] he can do, he’d be an All-Star if he played with me. I hope they’re crazy enough to let him go. I’ll take him right now.”
Not coming to terms with either guy could end up costing the Hawks a ton more than it would have had they found a way to get deals done now. It’s a gamble sure, but one probably not worth taking if you expect this team to come together the way the Hawks front office is hoping it will.
Did you stay up late enough to watch the Lakers-Rockets last night? I don’t know why so many people have been touting the Rockets as a championship team. I just don’t see it. I’ve always been a harsh critic of both T-Mac and Yao (mostly for their failures in the postseason). But I love Rick Adelman’s freewheeling style. I just don’t know that this Rockets team is built to run with it the way Adelman’s Kings teams did.
Kobe was, well, Kobe. Love him or hate him, he shows up every night with his swagger and cut-your-heart-out attitude. That Lakers team, though, captures our argument about philosopher or strategist coach perfectly. I don’t know which one Phil Jackson would qualify as these days. They look like they’re just scratching and clawing to stay relevant in a loaded Western Conference.
Utah’s still rolling along, they punished the Warriors last night by putting up 117 points on opening night. Even with months to think about it, the Warriors still don’t know what to do with Carlos Boozer (32 points and 15 rebounds) or Deron Williams (24 and 8 assists).
OK, enough of my yapping. Back to your predictions for the Hawks this season. And try and base them in reality. And be fair. Don’t hate just to hate and don’t be a fan boy (or girl) just for the sake of being one. Cook up something that makes sense so the haters won’t come after you. This is a hate free zone today, hopefully (haven’t I done enough already today?).
Start the season already!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Whose idea was this, this fortnight (or close to it) between the end of the exhibition season and the start of the regular season (for the Hawks at least)?
Were they trying to torture us?
Was the intent to drive us underground until we cooked up something else to talk about?
Why the wait?
What are we supposed to do with ourselves after we’ve read every letter of every preview (magazines, .coms and soon newspapers) out there?
It’s been less than a week and already I’m going through withdrawals.
I was even forced to turn back to college football over the weekend, what with a little time on my hands and my Wolverines still crawling back to their feet after being knocked silly earlier this season.
That said, we don’t have to wait much longer. TNT is taking care of us Tuesday night with a double-header that includes the reigning champion Spurs smacking around the Greg Oden-less Portland Trail Blazers followed by the Houston Rockets and LA Lakers (I’d much rather see the Utah-Golden State game on TNT, with their announcers and halftime crew, but we don’t always get what we want).
The Hawks and Mavericks can’t get on the floor fast enough for me:
I need to see if the Hawks are ready to crank it up to another level after their best exhibition season since I was king of the playground at St. Stephen’s School in East Grand Rapids, Mich., all those years ago (25 years is a long, long time).
I need to see if the Mavericks are ready to rebound from last spring’s playoff fizzle against the Warriors.
I need to see if the Hawks still plan on playing that up-tempo style that seemed to disappear later in the exhibition season (though you couldn’t tell by the way Josh Childress is still playing).
I need to see if Joe Johnson’s body language improves (he hasn’t cracked a smile yet, a sign of determination or a sign of disdain, no one’s sure right now).
I need to see if Zaza Pachulia has made enough progress to suit up (probably not) and if Speedy Claxton’s anywhere near close to seeing the floor in anything other than a suit (probably not).
I need to see if the fine folks at Philips Arena have come up with a better opening show than the drumline (nice kids but 41 nights a year? Come on now) and those fire-breathing towers that scare all the children and old ladies.
I need to see if Marvin Williams wants to be great half as much as everyone wants him to want to be great.
I need to see if Josh Smith is ready to be the court-covering force he was with Joe Johnson out of the lineup late last season with Joe Johnson back in the lineup.
I need to see if my man Salim Stoudamire is going to get a shot to play against a team that will most certainly force the Hawks to score some serious points to beat them.
I need to see if Hawks coach Mike Woodson is serious about pushing his team to push the pace the way he prodded them to during the exhibition season when their bodies said otherwise.
Start the @&%! season already!
Can they do it?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The only bad thing about this nine-day gap between the end of the exhibition season and the start of the Hawks’ regular season is it gives people more chances to ask the dreaded question: Can they do it this year?
I can’t tell you how many times I hear it. And from all sorts of people you’d never expect to be interested in the Hawks. It’s like everybody I’ve run into since the start of training camp knows that their eight-year playoff drought is the league’s longest.
My barber spends the first five minutes of my weekly visit on the Hawks and their playoff chances - he was convinced they were headed to the postseason last year only to have his dreams shattered by Christmas. Since I haven’t come to a conclusion about their playoff chances this season (still working on that and my prediction for their wins/losses), I can’t really provide any hints about what might happen.
Are they better than they were a year ago? I think so. Without a doubt. But are they good enough to make the top eight in the Eastern Conference? I’m just not sure yet. I’ve heard all sorts of conflicting reports from other writers regarding what the teams they cover have looked like so far. But it’s the exhibition season, which some teams take more seriously than others.
I’m inclined to believe that the Hawks will at least have a fighting chance to be in the hunt for one of the final playoff spots in the East. More important than what any of us believe, however, is that the Hawks seriously think they’re going to compete for one of those spots.
They’ve talked about it in the past. But it was just rhetoric, hollow words from guys who had no idea what it takes to play at a playoff-caliber level over the course of an 82-game season.
Whether I agree with them or not, the fact that they’re drinking their own Kool-Aid is a good sign. Because if they’re not convinced of their own chances, they’ll get run off the floor during the first two weeks of the season.
After perusing many of the previews that have the Hawks finishing anywhere from (a surprising) second in the Southeast Division standings to next to last in the entire Eastern Conference, the only thing I’m sure of is that the Hawks will win more than 30 games this year.
I’ve seen nothing that would suggest this team would regress from the past three seasons. It’s reasonable to expect this team to continue it’s gradual improvement (from 13 to 26 to 30 wins). Whether it’s a 13-game leap like two years ago or a four-game leap like last year, remains to be seen.
So for anyone that I happen to pass on the street between now and Friday’s opener against Dallas, I don’t know. I don’t know if they can do it.
Speechless
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
NEW ORLEANS - I had every intention of spending my insomniac hours strolling the streets of the French Quarter and revisiting the haunts I cruised during the many visits I made here during college.
It never happened.
Not even close.
After spending Tuesday afternoon touring the some of the city’s most devastated areas (Katrina), I was spent. I’m talking too whipped to stretch out after dinner or even to cruise down Bourbon Street and people watch a bit before bed.
Like Salim Stoudamire, I wasn’t expecting to be sucker punched by what I saw here. But now here I am, staring out the window of my hotel room with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
What I saw left me speechless.
It also left me feeling like a chucklehead for fretting over much of the foolishness that we chomp on here on a daily basis (trivial pursuits most days for sure, but oh so much fun).
I feel like a bit of a goon for instigating so much of the bickering about things that mean very little in the grand scheme of things.
I guess we all have to play our parts in this bizarre circus. But that doesn’t mean we can’t feel crazy for being caught up in the matrix some days.
Are we wrong to debate the merits of contract extensions for Josh Smith and Josh Childress while the people here are still digging out from under the rubble that was their lives before Katrina?
Probably not. But that won’t help me sleep any better tonight (or any other night for that matter).
I will rebound from this current funk, I always do don’t I? I’ll live to stir it up another day, mostly about the latest news on the contract extension front regarding Smith (check ajc.com if you haven’t read about it already. No deal will be done before the deadline).
Maybe I’ll even return to my jokester ways and lighten the mood with some veiled shots at folks I love to pick on. Maybe.
But rest assured, the good people I saw here Tuesday won’t be far from my thoughts. Not far at all.
Look at all these rumors
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sacramento is one of my favorite places to visit on the road. And I’ll get my chance to check it out this season when the Hawks are out that way for one of their Western Conference swings. Flattering as it sounds, there is no truth whatsoever to the rumor that I’m departing these parts for Sacramento.
The reason I am posting in the “wee hours” is because I am and always have been a raging insomniac (I snore like a bear, too, and I’m not exactly a morning person either). And while I usually spend my late night hours reading or listening to music, lately I’ve decided to put on my Blog Z cape to entertain myself in the wee hours.
I love rumors, especially the crazy ones (that ultimately aren’t true).
Now, on to a few more house cleaning items (and cut me some slack for going off topic for the first time since training camp started):
mykhalc, I didn’t mean to confuse you on the starters in Sunday’s article. Zaza and Speedy are both out right now. And that includes practices my man. And both Al Horford, Mario West and Acie Law IV have done time on both the Blue and White teams in practice. When the Hawks are at full health, all three of those men are on the White team.
You know I’m always engaged in some sort of discussion with one of my boys. Our latest has been arguing over which is more useful in sports, a philosopher coach or a strategist coach. Follow me now. We were talking specifically about NBA coaches, but it’s really something that extends to all competitive sports. It’s my belief that few guys at the pro level are going to outsmart someone else 82 nights a year. Talent trumps this other stuff anyway. So a coach with a tried and true philosophy makes much more sense to me (a guy who can weave them both together with equal precision and impact comes along once every 100 years - think John Wooden, who also had a robust amount of talent during his tenure at UCLA) than some cat who thinks the spread offense will be his salvation. Of course, I’m skipping from sport to sport here. But my point is this, for all his Evil Coaching genius, Steve Spurrier couldn’t outsmart anyone at the NFL level. The same way all these college coaches that have tried their routines at the NBA level have found out over the years. Can you help me settle this argument (feel free to agree, or not)?
This water crisis has me worried. But it doesn’t appear to mean a thing to restaurants in my hood (currently that’s Smyrna). I was at three different spots over the weekend, more on them in a second, and they weren’t in conservation mode. Water was flowing like crazy and there was ice all up in my sweet tea glass. I’m no environmentalist but I did feel the need to speak up at the Taco Mac on the East West Connector Saturday night. My waitress just laughed when I told her that I didn’t want to waste the glass of water she brought for me (unsolicited). I’m seriously planning on doing my part. One shower a week until we get some rain (uh, that’s a bad joke). Actually, I made sure there is going to be rain soon by paying $20 bucks to get the whip cleaned inside and out (too lazy to do it myself this weekend). Dating back to 1997, any time I wash a car or get one washed, rain shows up within 48 hours. So someone call the Governor and tell him to ease up on Bush, Blog Z took care of things.
Speaking of Saturday night I can’t help but bring up my boys just this one time. I’m not ready to forgive or forget Lloyd Carr for the first two weeks of the college football season but it’s something to see a team come back from the brink of complete disaster to win six straight games. I just hope they can keep it going (and maybe help me win back some of the swagger and petty cash I lost the first two weeks of the season).
Back to my weekend of workouts (the Hawks and my early morning strolls on the Silver Comet Trail, I do 45 minutes to an hour of brisk walking every morning. Gotta get back to my fighting weight baby) and ruining those workouts by restaurant testing in the new hood. I remain a true barbecue specialist, having stuffed my belly full of it from coast to coast and even across the Canadian border. And while I’ve been somewhat under whelmed by Atlanta’s offerings, I did discover a little bright spot on the East West Connector and South Cobb Drive. I wasn’t terribly excited about this spot, Atlanta Ribs, going in but they won me over (though they could sweeten up the sweat tea a bit). Their beef brisket is the best I’ve tasted around here. And like the Governator said, “I’ll be baaack.” Any suggestions around town? I’m willing to fight our brutal traffic for good food.
Quick crossover back to basketball. The Southeast Division is already on injury overload, especially in Charlotte. First Sean May gone for the season with microfracture and now it appears that Adam Morrison is done with a knee injury, too. If they win 30-plus games again this year, with a new coach in charge, Bernie Bickerstaff should get some love for Executive of the Year.
We’re down to the final 10 days of possible negotiations for contract extensions for the draft class of 2004. And I’m hearing nothing but crickets for the Hawks duo of Josh Smith and Josh Childress. I’ll keep working it up until the Halloween deadline. It’ll be interesting to see if someone buckles before the deadline in an effort to get a deal done. Stay tuned.
If you’re not convinced that Al Horford is a legitimate candidate for Rookie of the Year, take the word of a good friend and NBA scout who has seen the major contenders already this preseason: “He’s by far the best rookie that I’ve seen. Kevin Durant can score the ball and he’s going to be special. But this guy [Horford] is just a winner. He makes winning plays on both ends of the floor and he does all the little things to make his team better. There’s a reason why everyone from the third pick on down wanted to get their hands on him.”
Since you know I haven’t been getting my rest lately, I should probably vacate these premises for a few hours and let you all have at it … until I wake up at 3 a.m. and get back to yapping.
Up to Speed(y)?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’ve discussed this man’s future here almost as much as anything, non-draft related, we’ve talked about (and I suspect now that we’ve found out that his other right knee is sore that we’ll continue discussing him even more).
Speedy Claxton is the man I’m talking about. And once again, he’s caught in the crosshairs at the start of the season. No is sure what his role will be on Nov. 2, when the Hawks open the regular season at home against Dallas.
Starter? Backup? Third string? Man in a suit?
What do the Hawks do now with Speedy Claxton? And what does Speedy Claxton want to do?
And how strange is it now for Claxton to be experiencing these problems after so many of his teammates raved about the way he was playing leading up to training camp?
I know you’ve got plenty to say, so I’ll get out of your way now and let you speak on it.
Cruncing the numbers (late night style)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m just like you. I’m trying to make sense of it all. Most of you probably don’t do it at midnight after exhibition games (you’ve probably got much more of a life than I do, so you don’t spend the late night hours studying box scores the way I do).
Yet here I am, staring at the box from Tuesday night’s Hawks-Timberwolves game and trying to read between the numbers, so to speak. Yes, I watched the game in person. But when it’s over all you have is the images you saw burned into your brain (Solomon Jones got dunked on late by Corey Brewer so funky I’m still jumping out of my seat thinking about it) and this darn box score.
My observations, man for man, go like this:
Marvin Williams, 28-plus minutes, 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting, 5-for-5 free throws, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 fouls, 2 steals, 1 turnover. Marvin’s continued his nightly assault on opposing teams with a steady diet of mid-range jumpers and the occasional slash to the basket or transition layup. Other than his light rebounding figure, there’s not much here to complain about.
Josh Smith, 25-plus minutes, 14 points on 7-for-12 shooting, 0-2 free throws, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 1 block. Smith’s night was cut short when he took one too many shots that Hawks coach Mike Woodson didn’t like. Of the seven shots he did make, Smith looked really comfortable with his stroke from all over the floor. He didn’t go inside and work much, which has to happen for him to be most effective. But again, his jumper was on early.
Zaza Pachulia, 20 minutes, 16 points on 5-for-6 shooting, 6-for-7 free throws, 4 rebounds, 4 fouls, 3 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 block and one fly behind-the-back layup on a 3-point play before halftime that had the crowd buzzing. When Pachulia comes to play as he did Tuesday night, the Hawks are a totally different team to deal with. When he doesn’t, it’s a struggle.
Joe Johnson, 34-plus minutes, 13 points on 5-for-13 shooting, 3-for-5 3-pointers, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 fouls, 2 steals, 5 turnovers. The turnover number is high, but always is when you’re best scorer is handling the ball this much and not being set up by his point guard. Johnson, wisely, is not trying to go berserk during the exhibition season.
Anthony Johnson, 34-plus minutes, 5 points on 2-for-9 shooting, 1-for-1 3-point shooting, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 fouls, 1 steal, 1 turnover. Johnson is once again serving as the steadying force for a team so desperately in need of direction at his position. Johnson always there to play the band-aid role. He was the instigator of the second half offensive push that got the Hawks back on track.
Al Horford, 29 minutes, 9 points on 3-for-9 shooting, 3-for-4 free throws, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 fouls, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 block. I’m getting tired of telling you how promising dude’s career already is. He just shows up every night and gets after people. It’s a totally refreshing attitude to see from a rookie with his credentials.
Shelden Williams, 19-plus minutes, 10 points on 3-for-4 shooting, 4-for-4 free throws, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, 1 block. He looked much better against the T’Wolves than he did against Portland Sunday. Williams simply has to rebound with more ferociousness, as do most young NBA big men not named Howard.
Mario West, 20-plus minutes, 10 points on 3-for-4 shooting, 2 rebounds, 3 fouls, 1 turnover. He’s like a 6-4, 200-pound shot of Red Bull every time he touches the floor. Five words: GET HIM A UNIFORM, PLEASE!
Solomon Jones, 17-plus minutes, 9 points on 3-for-5 shooting, 6 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 steal, 3 turnovers. That late-game dunk almost ruined what was otherwise an excellent night for Jones, who altered several shots, snagged at least one rebound like he was Caldwell Jones and helped spark the Hawks fourth quarter defensive surge (they scored 23 points and allowed just 7). All he needs is more live game action.
Overall, I really liked what I saw from Anthony Johnson when he cranked up the tempo early in the second quarter. The Timberwolves couldn’t keep up with the Hawks when they decided to turn up the heat. The Hawks’ 23 assist, 37 rebounds, .486 (36-for-74) shooting percentage and their .444 (4-for-9) shooting effort from the 3-point line all look like solid figures compared to Minnesota’s numbers. The 19 turnovers weren’t bad, but the 27 points generated because of them won’t be fun to look at when the coaches pop in the game tap Wednesday morning. Overall, though, it was a solid showing by a team earning more and more kudos as the days go by.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT I “Offensively we had good balance. We just kept feeding whoever was hot at the time. AJ and Joe did a great job of getting the guys the ball in good spots to score, and Zaza was huge, knocking down shots and getting the to the line.” - Horford.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT II “I’m a defensive, and yes I like to score. I want to see guys have fun scoring the basketball. But you have to do the dirty work before you get to the offensive end. I thought we did that tonight.” - Hawks coach Mike Woodson.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT III “Our bigs were huge, something they weren’t in the Portland game. Zaza was as good as he’s been all camp. Al, Shelden and Solomon stepped in. All our bigs were solid and we need them to play that way for us to play at a high level.” - Woodson.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT IV “We had a few guys out and everyone just stepped up. Al, Shelden, Mario and Solo were unbelievable off the bench. Not only on the offensive end, but defensively those guys played tough as well.” - Marvin Williams.
What’s going on?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I spent part of this morning at the Hawks’ shootaround practice (not a regular stop for me on home games but a must on road trips) and I realized that for all the questions we have about this team, the players have just as many, if not more.
NBA training camp is often portrayed as just the meaningless month before the real games begin. But in actuality, there always seems to be a ton of drama that has to play itself out before the start of the season if a team is going to reach its full potential.
To date, the Hawks are still trying to:
Find the right fit at point guard (injuries to everyone but Anthony Johnson has prevented anything from being resolved).
Determine what the best combination will be in the post (for a team with undersized players at nearly every frontcourt position, the right mix at the 4 and 5 are can be the most crucial decision made, outside of who runs the point).
Come up with a happy medium between the up-tempo style they prefer and the half court style opponents will try to force on them (if you don’t believe the league is worried about the Hawks playing a frantic style just watch how many teams try and zone them out of it).
The answers are hard to come by right now. Nothing seems settled. I’m no more convinced today than I was Oct. 1 that the point guard situation was in the proper hands.
My eye-witness knowledge of the toll a first season can take on a rookie keeps telling me that Al Horford and Acie Law IV need to be eased into things rather than being forced into untenable positions. Yet everything I see from both guys makes me think waiting is only delaying the inevitable.
And knowing that the keys to the Hawks being able to run at will this season are based largely on the consistency they get at point guard and center, it’s clear that no one knows what’s really going on with this team.
Maybe I’m over thinking all this, worrying too much about things that have a way of working out naturally - I have been known to overreact you know. Remember those salvos fired off the first two weeks of the college football season?
But my gut tells me this team is still as uncertain of itself as I am of what they are and what they’ll become this season. It certainly hasn’t deterred them from working like crazy (this training camp remains the most intense I’ve seen from the Hawks).
But we won’t know the true measure of the competitive nature of this crew until the meaningless month comes to an end. For the Hawks’ sake, you just hope that’s not too late.
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?) …
Where’s the beef? (The remix)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Miami - One of the two or three most hilarious things I’ve seen this year has to be the sight of poor Solomon Jones trying to guard Shaquille O’Neal Wednesday night at American Airlines Arena without a hammer in one hand.
Shaq backed him down (with Jones bouncing off of him like he was chest-bumping a trampoline) and got rag-dolled around by the Big (whatever Shaq is calling himself these days). I hate if for Solomon. It’s not his fault he’s only 235 pounds, or roughly 120 pounds lighter than Shaq (who by the way appears to be in pristine shape).
But that’s where the Hawks’ problems will begin on defense this year. Even with their upgrades in the post, they’re still going to too light to handle the league’s remaining battleships (Shaq, Dwight Howard, etc.). It’s clear after watching these first two preseason games that another big man added to the mix (a veteran big man, a real vet and a real big man) is not only needed but a necessity.
Zaza Pachulia is the Hawks’ biggest guy and he’s not big enough for either of those battleships mentioned. Shelden Williams and Al Horford certainly aren’t bulky enough to handle those guys if Zaza isn’t. And poor Solomon.
By the way, the Hawks rallied from a 14-point deficit to take a 50-48 lead into the locker room at halftime here against the Heat. When they run, they compete. When they don’t, just like Monday night, they get taken to pieces in the paint.
The Hawks did end up winning the game, 106-100 in OT. Some quick observations:
If Josh Childress can play anywhere close to this level every night (25 points off the bench on 7-for-11 shooting and 11-for-12 from the line) he’s going to do damage. He worked the baseline with ease and wasted very little motion on the offensive end. He also had a monster block on a Devin Green dunk attempt.
Whatever ailed Joe Johnson in last week’s public scrimmage has been fixed. He was back to his usual form on Wednesday night, scoring 21 points (in just over 25 minutes) on 6-for-10 shooting, while also grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists. When he’s in a comfort zone, JJ makes it look so easy. He didn’t even play when the game was on the line, resting the way a superstar is supposed to during the preseason.
Marvin Williams was solid again, knocking down shots (6-for-13) and being aggressive (5-for-6 from the line) and rebounded decently (six). He also had two assists and three turnovers. This is the type of line they need from Marvin nightly.
Josh Smith struggled from the floor (0-for-5) but made up for it with 15 rebounds, seven assists (they listed him with four but he had seven by my courtside count). It’s a good sign that he knows that when his shot isn’t falling he needs to do all the other things to stay effective. When he recognizes that he can go inside and do damage on nights like these, when the outside shot isn’t falling or when he’s in early foul trouble.
Shelden Williams was extremely efficient (4-for-4 from the floor in just under 14 minutes) and battled Alonzo Mourning in the post. He has to play well in limited minutes this season if the Hawks’ second unit is going to be effective.
The last guy I’ll mention is Mario West, my new favorite player on the planet. He only played nine minutes. But it was the highest-octane nine minutes you’ve never seen (sorry, I know the games aren’t on TV right now). He was all over the place. He blocked a shot (that the stat crew didn’t give him credit for), scored three quick points, caused two turnovers, had a steal and totally changed the tenor of the game with just his presence on the floor. Even the players and coaches on the Heat bench acknowledged his impact.
Three stats that stuck out: the 22 turnovers (resulting in 25 points) are brutal. The Hawks have to take much better care of the ball if they want to develop any type of offensive flow. And the 51-38 rebounding edge for the Hawks really jumps out at you when you consider what type of emphasis Pat Riley puts on that category with his crew (and the Heat, in all their disheveled roster glory, did play really hard until the whistle last night). The Hawks 34-for-48 showing from the free throw line is putrid. But they did get to the line 48 times, which is sort of a backhanded victory.
Where’s the beef?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Miami - One of the two or three most hilarious things I’ve seen this year has to be the sight of poor Solomon Jones trying to guard Shaquille O’Neal Wednesday night at American Airlines Arena without a hammer in one hand.
Shaq backed him down (with Jones bouncing off of him like he was chest-bumping a trampoline) and got rag-dolled around by the Big (whatever Shaq is calling himself these days). I hate if for Solomon. It’s not his fault he’s only 235 pounds, or roughly 120 pounds lighter than Shaq (who by the way appears to be in pristine shape).
But that’s where the Hawks’ problems will begin on defense this year. Even with their upgrades in the post, they’re still going to too light to handle the league’s remaining battleships (Shaq, Dwight Howard, etc.). It’s clear after watching these first two preseason games that another big man added to the mix (a veteran big man, a real vet and a real big man) is not only needed but a necessity.
Zaza Pachulia is the Hawks’ biggest guy and he’s not big enough for either of those battleships mentioned. Shelden Williams and Al Horford certainly aren’t bulky enough to handle those guys if Zaza isn’t. And poor Solomon.
By the way, the Hawks rallied from a 14-point deficit to take a 50-48 lead into the locker room at halftime here against the Heat. When they run, they compete. When they don’t, just like Monday night, they get taken to pieces in the paint.
Above the Law
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
MIAMI - It’s time for some full disclosure from me in regards to how I felt about the Hawks’ draft picks on draft night.
I was bullish on Mike Conley Jr., as everybody knows, and in favor of perhaps moving the No. 11 pick for a veteran big man or another shooter. After watching Acie Law IV in summer league and the past 10 days, let’s just say it’s a good thing I wasn’t running the show on draft night.
This guy couldn’t be a better fit for this team (his teammates already love playing with him) or this franchise (he’s a mature and no-nonsense dude who is coming into the league with an understanding of not only how things work but how they should work). That’s not to say that my man Mike Conley Jr. wouldn’t have been just as good a fit. But Acie is far above and beyond what I expected, having seen him sporadically throughout his college career.
For one, I expected him to be much more of a score-first point guard. But again, he’s far too advanced to show up with that type of attitude. He knows that this team needs him to accentuate some of his other qualities instead.
I also wasn’t sure how mature a guy he’d be, you can never tell from afar, but he’s all grown up. No kid in him. He’s straight business.
Yet he still has a fantastic sense of humor (“I told Jameer Nelson he must be on steroids or something he was so strong,” Law joked after Monday night’s game in Orlando. “It was a shock. But I think my body and my skills translate to this level. I can play on this level. I can compete with these guys. But it’s everything I expected it would be and more.”) and the perfect temperament for the trials and tribulations he’ll face during his first NBA season.
After watching the Hawks fold youngsters into the mix the past few years, it’ll be interesting to see how they deal with Law and Al Horford, who is in the same mold.
“I think Al and I are in a different situation than maybe Josh and Marvin were when they came here out of high school and after one year of college,” Law said. “In Al you’ve got a guy who finished his junior year of college with back-to-back NCAA championship runs. And in me you have a guy that helped turn a traditional doormat into a contender. We’ve been through a lot as players and as young men. Coach [Mike Woodson] has confidence in us. All we have to do is go out there and perform.”
One last thing on another topic, I saw the debate about which position suits Josh Smith better (the 3 or the 4). My first inclination was to devote an entire blog entry to that topic. But instead I checked in with an executive from another team to solicit an outside opinion (since we’ve all made our opinions clear on the subject for quite some time). He had an interesting response:
“Does it really matter? I mean, I guess if you’re playing a certain way and you want to feature him at either of those spots it would matter. And if you look at that team and the personnel they have, you could look at Al Horford and Josh Smith and want Horford as your power forward and Smith as your small forward. But what do you do with Marvin Williams? I don’t think that team wins without all of those guys playing important roles. I do think Josh Smith is naturally more of a three. I think trying to make him a four is maybe forcing him to be something that just doesn’t come natural. But if you look at his numbers, he rebounds and blocks shots like a power forward. He’s just not a post-up guy right now. Those are things he has to learn. The fact that he’s versatile enough to play both spots is what makes him so valuable, and not every guy his size can play both effectively. I promise you this, if a guy like [Golden State coach] Don Nelson, he’d have Smith, Horford and Williams out there together. He’d go crazy for a frontline like that with the way he likes to play. And really, in today’s NBA, you can go to work with that, even though they are a bit undersized.”
Five Things (the return)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ORLANDO - Five things is back (in this case, five things that are still on my brain this morning after last night’s exhibition opener). So without further ado:
HOMEGROWN - There are states and foreign countries that can’t boast two talents the likes of Josh Smith and Dwight Howard, yet Atlanta does. The idea of these two young monsters playing on the same AAU team with another current NBA player (Randolph Morris) is beyond reason. If they lost a game back then, to anyone, I want to know why? Seriously. Smith and Howard are easily two of the league’s most breathtaking young players, mostly because they’re each capable of making plays only a handful of guys in the league can make. Howard is an absolute human destroyer (the Mad VP had the line of the night at courtside when I yelped, “Good Lord, look at how big Dwight’s shoulders are,” and he replied, “Yeah, he looks like a Transformer.”) who has somehow found a way to improve his skills every year. If you don’t think he’s the future of the league at his position, you’re crazy. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s a risky proposition, waiting out this season to extend Josh Smith. HUGE!
ON SECOND THOUGHT - Thinking back to draft night, the rumored prospects of an Amare Stoudemire being traded to the Hawks didn’t allow me to analyze the additions of Al Horford and Acie Law thoroughly. People kept reminding me that the Hawks were getting the two guys most ready to play in the NBA. I wrote it, too. But until you see Horford and Law in game action (like I did last night), it’s a theory and nothing else. After seeing both guys in action last night it’s clear that their transition to the league will be different than those of most recent Hawks predecessors. The words “battle tested” and “winners” came up so many times in the locker room last night I couldn’t count them all. The comfort level of both guys already is startling. They’re not awestruck at anything they are seeing.
MARVIN’S ROOM - Marvin Williams finished with 19 points (13-for-17 from the line) and didn’t play particularly well, and he’d be the first to admit it. He shot just 3-for-6 from the floor and only grabbed three rebounds (which is unacceptable for a 6-9, 240-pound guy with his tools and athleticism). But unlike the past two years, when an off night from either Williams, Josh Smith or Josh Childress would be detrimental to the Hawks’ cause, their increased depth covered for Marvin’s early struggles. It’s clear to me, though, that he’s still finding his way, especially offensively, to be consistently effective within the constraints of the half court game. When the ball moves around the floor or the Hawks start running, he’s fine. When there’s a breakdown in that flow … not so much.
MORE PLEASE - Two guys that fall into my minutes-don’t-match category after the first exhibition game are Solomon Jones and Mario West. Based on what they’ve done in training camp so far both guys should have seen more of the floor Monday night, in my humble opinion, of course. Jones played a grand total of 3 minutes and 46 seconds (and made a great, flow-changing block on a Trevor Ariza dunk attempt). West, who could serve as the ideal defensive specialist a team uses to quickly change the tempo of a game, didn’t scratch. That’s bonkers for a guy who has played as hard as he has and clearly works as hard as he does. I’ll chalk this first one up to the coaches wanting to see their main guys work a little bit. But these two cats have made major cases for more minutes.
THREE STRIKES - It didn’t take long for people to start questioning the ethics of the game officials (I call it the Tim Donaghy Syndrome). Fans sitting courtside near the Hawks bench had the same head-scratching reactions to many of the blown calls that were obvious to everyone but the three-man crew that nearly ruined the game - my favorite reaction after two straight awful calls from Zach Zarba was the fan who jumped from his seat and yelled, “The FBI needs to investigate this guy.” While the players need a few weeks to work their way into mid-season form the officials are atrocious from the gate. I don’t know how many times I have seen the official from 40 feet away make a call when one of his counterparts is two feet away from the play and doesn’t so much as blink at the same play. I know they’re always telling coaches “that wasn’t my call.” But it’s just not logical to blow whistles on plays where your visual angle is obstructed by six to seven men that are the size of small buildings. It’s awful watching them work sometimes, just plain awful.
Unleash the Cracken!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ORLANDO - That’s my favorite line from one of my favorite, campy 80s movies of all time (if you haven’t seen Clash of the Titans you are truly missing out on a treasure of American cinema).
It’s also the only thing I can think of that captures what I need to see tonight when the Hawks and Magic go at it. I need to see these Hawks unleashed to really believe in their much-hyped up-tempo attack.
The first week of training can be a mirage sometimes. Things you think you’ve seen really aren’t there. And something that you never expected shows up when the real games start. Tonight’s exhibition opener qualifies as a “real” game, albeit one that doesn’t actually count - go figure.
So the skeptic in me is yearning to see the Hawks’ running game in action. I understand, as some of you pointed out last week, that it’s not an every second of every game thing. The smart teams pick and choose their opportunities to push the pace.
But in order to do that there has to be some chemistry on the floor. There has to be a discipline involved with running that is directly related to the way a team plays defense and collectively rebounds the basketball.
I don’t know that we’ve seen those links work together in the past. They have to be working tonight against an Orlando team, while welcoming a new coach and several new faces, was a playoff squad last year.
They’ll push the Hawks tonight because they have some things to work out of their own, namely how these guys fit in Stan Van Gundy’s system. And there’s never a bad night to see Dwight Howard in action (who isn’t curious to see if Rashard Lewis fits here?), especially against his hometown team.
This opening test, against a division rival, is an ideal one for the Hawks. That said, I couldn’t care less about which team wins or loses, since we all know these games are often filled with the backups and roster fillers by the end.
It’s the moments in between that will allow us to see if this team has the makings of the playoff contender they believe themselves to be (every huddle at the end of practice finishes with a “1-2-3 Playoffs!”) and their most ardent supporters are convinced they are.
I’m still on the fence on that one. I have to see more. And it starts with what I see tonight.
Bodies on the floor
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday’s end of practice scrimmage was a much more graceful display than Friday’s Wrestlemania impersonation.
Hawks coach Mike Woodson told them at the intermission that it was a “sloppy” first 10 minutes. That was mostly the result of guys playing much more physical (due to fatigue perhaps?) after a couple of hours of drills.
“It was a physical workout,” Woodson said. “We weren’t sloppy because the effort wasn’t there. Guys were just banging into each other out there and that takes a toll eventually. But I liked how hard we worked.”
The White team won for the second straight day, holding on for a 30-29 win as Joe Johnson’s potential game-winner sailed wide from the corner as Josh Smith defended.
Per an earlier request the teams break down like this:
The White team consisted of - Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Shedlen Williams, Salim Stoudamire, Josh Childress, Lorenzen Wright, Anthony Johnson and Steven Smith. Jamaal Tatum sat out with a hamstring injury and Acie Law, who was on the sideline with the white team, spent much of the second half of practice in the training room after being poked in the eye.
The Blue team consisted of - Speedy Claxton, Tyronn Lue, Joe Johnson, Zaza Pachulia, Al Horford, Solomon Jones, Mario West and Antywane Robinson. Horford didn’t play in the scrimmage, spending half of his time on a training table at the end of the gym with an ice pack on his left foot and the rest standing on the blue sideline.
Play of the day - Salim Stoudamire pinned Josh Smith’s reverse layup attempt to the glass during one drill that had the entire gym buzzing. Stoudamire’s not the biggest guy but he can get off the floor in a hurry and he can get some serious elevation when he does go up.
Quote of the day - “We’re not in the bonus yet?” - Anthony Johnson to the sideline crowd after the 11th whistle during the sloppy first 10 minutes of Friday’s scrimmage.
Crickets (and a a surprise)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m guessing Halloween comes and goes without either of the Hawks fourth-year forwards agreeing to contract extensions. Both Josh Smith and Josh Childress are eligible to receive hefty new deals by the Oct. 31 deadline, but from what I can gather there has been no movement in talks for either guy.
There’s nothing but crickets on both fronts.
Everybody involved insists that it’s not an issue and that may be true three days into training camp, but I can’t imagine anyone feels good going into a contract year (which this is essentially for both guys) without his long-term security intact.
The good thing is both Smith and Childress are true pros, guys who wouldn’t think of putting themselves above the team goal (and the better the team does this season the greater their individual value at the end of the season). And truth be told, the Hawks are the taking the biggest risk here, because they could (still) sign both guys to extensions at prices they can play a large part in determining. If they wait and the cost for both guys up in connection with fantastic seasons, they could be forced to pay much more (as restricted free agents, the Hawks will have the right to match any offers made to both guys).
I also think that by waiting you send a message to your young players, even if it’s not intended, that you’re still not sold on them. And that’s a dangerous message to send when you’re talking about talented young guys that could fit into just about any system in the league.
Granted, the Hawks aren’t the only team playing the waiting game. Neither of Chicago’s eligible young stars (Luol Deng and Ben Gordon) have received extensions yet. And neither have budding talents like Andre Iguodala or Al Jefferson. But the Hawks don’t need to concern themselves with anything or anyone but their own.
Because in order for this team to do anything close to what it’s dreaming of this year, both Smith and Childress have to come up huge. And if they do, the Hawks will have to do the same at the bargaining table next summer.
Ramblings from Thursday’s practice (which included the first scrimmage of camp):
Marvin Williams knocked down an off balance jumper at the buzzer to win the scrimmage for his team (the squads were mixed with starters and second unit guys scattered randomly). It was a solid finish to a highly contested and really entertaining scrimmage.
The same guys who have shown well the first few days of camp continued their standout play during the scrimmage. A few notes I made to myself during the scrimmage (I won’t comment on everyone but just the guys I made notes about):
Josh Childress was all over the floor making plays. He’s going to thrive in this new system because he plays so well without the ball and he can work the baseline as well as anyone on this team. He made two fantastic passes in the open court as well.
Solomon Jones is another player who stood out during the scrimmage. He knocked down open shots, ran the floor and contested shots consistently inside (check tomorrow’s paper for more details on him).
Acie Law’s a rugged player. He doesn’t mind mixing it up with bigger guys and he’ll go to the basket when the opening is there. You’re never sure if a rookie point guard is ready for prime time but if he’s not, lots of us who are watching him now will be wrong.
Salim Stoudamire’s trigger finger is as quick as ever. He was a threat all from all over the floor and Joe Johnson found him several times from across the floor for wide open shots. He also played some aggressive defense against Childress when they were matched up on each other.
Camp invitee Mario West also stuck out with his aggressive play and relentless style. He’s the ideal camp guy and the type of player teams keep around to fill that final roster spot because they know he’s going to keep practice lively with his play. He had a great block of an Anthony Johnson breakaway layup early in the scrimmage.
There was one casualty, rookie point guard Jamaal Tatum pulled a hamstring and is probably out for at least the next couple of days. And Shelden Williams sat out the scrimmage (as did Tyronn Lue) while still recovering from their injuries.
Before the scrimmage started I was in the press room off the practice facility writing about how the first and second teamers don’t do go at each other enough for me to get a good feel for how guys will compete. But quite a bit of those questions were answered during the scrimmage. The competition will be nasty this fall and that’s the best part for the Hawks, because the internal pressure to perform will be as high as the external pressure.
From what I’ve been told the blog comments fiasco of the past couple months is now fixed, so your complaining was worth it (I hated it as well). And don’t forget about the public sccrimmage Saturday at Philips Arena. It’ll be your chance to see some of this stuff for yourself.
Fresh start
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you want to chalk Tuesday’s late-practice sluggishness up to the first day of camp doldrums go ahead, because the Hawks looked like a totally different crew during Wednesday’s session.
And even when they did seem to lose steam for a brief stretch, assistant coach David Fizdale stopped them and gathered everyone around to remind them that they “started off with the intensity here [holding his hand above his head] and now you’re down here. You’ve got to crank it back up fellas.” They did exactly that on the very next trip up and down the floor.
At this stage of the game all you have go on is what they look like each and every minute you have to watch them. All of us sideline observers (there were just three of us today, Steve Smith, Steve Holman and Blog Z) are watching. We’re trying to pay specific attention to their intensity, the collective energy level and see if it matches what they’ll need to start the season with one of the most challenging schedules in the league.
So I’m willing to give them a fresh start now after having some serious reservations about their readiness after Tuesday’s camp opener.
Some other notes, quotes and an opinion or two:
Both Salim Stoudamire and Shelden Williams were back on the floor Wednesday and both looked like they eased into the flow of things rather well. I snuck into practice a few minutes early today just to see who was in and out of the action with injuries and Tyronn Lue was the only guy on the sideline. He did some stretching with the training staff and had an ice pack on his right knee after that but it’s nothing to worry about, he said. Lue is still working his way back into game condition after knee surgery. He’s working to be ready in time for the start of the regular season and will slowly work his way through training camp.
I don’t know if it means anything yet or not, but Al Horford’s quickness with either hand around the basket could make him an extremely intriguing offensive option in the Hawks’ half court set. He far more skilled than I thought he was watching him at Florida (granted I didn’t watch him regularly there). And he shoots it well facing the basket, too.
Everybody on the sideline is watching Acie Law and the consensus is that the rookie point guard is going to be hard to keep off the floor if he continues to show as well as he has thus far. His ability to get to the basket in transition is going to make him the most effective option at the point, if he doesn’t struggle with the transition too much once the regular season lights come on. The Hawks have the luxury of not rushing him, though, thanks to their abundance of depth at the position.
“Solomon Jones might be the longest man on the planet,” was the phrase someone muttered when he took off from the 3-point line (or somewhere near there) for a dunk during one drill. He certainly looks comfortable getting up and down the floor. And he’s showing much better here than he did during his stint in summer league play in July. His confidence appears to be soaring right now.
Another conversation hatched during practice revolved around the idea that the Hawks, for the first time in at least three years, will have a full-fledged second unit. We’re just not sure who those five guys will be. You figure Al Horford, Shelden Williams, Josh Childress and a backcourt tandem of Acie Law and perhaps Tyronn Lue or Anthony Johnson. But that second five is certainly going to be fluid at this point. But it’s certainly a topic worthy of debate.
Who’s running …?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It sounds great in theory, the Hawks playing an up-tempo brand of basketball. But the first day of practice didn’t convince me - or several others on hand - that this Hawks team is capable of doing it and doing it well over the course of a season.
Sure, it’s just the first day. And the way Hawks coach Mike Woodson worked them in the first couple of hours had to tire out the guys in the very best shape. But the discipline required to run the way we’ve talked about around here requires a team to be capable of maintaining an accelerated pace for a full practice and then some.
Captain Joe Johnson was explaining the finer points of that theory to several of his younger teammates in the locker room long after practice ended. And having played in a system where they ran at an elite level in Phoenix, folks would be wise to listen to the man.
“It takes a commitment to conditioning that guys have to maintain not just when the season is going on but year round,” Johnson said. “It’s no joke. And if you’re not ready for it, you get sloppy out there.”
That’s no doubt the reason the Hawks returned early from summer vacation (or should there be another name for that when you “summer” starts in April every year?) to begin voluntary workouts.
Much like the Joe Johnson point guard experiment from two years ago, the Running Hawks plan is one that needs to be monitored closely over the next few weeks just to see if it works as well in live action as it does in theory.
A few other observations from the sideline:
Those concerns about Al Horford’s height limiting his ability to play center were for nothing. The kid is about the same height as Zaza Pachulia and plenty physical enough to handle himself in the paint. He should be fine.
During one late practice drill when the players were split into position groups on both ends of the floor (bigs on one end and guards and wings on the other) and demanded to finish at the rim Josh Smith showed off elevation that can be seen on very few teams in the league. Smith has always blown people away with his superior athleticism. But to think he’s jumping higher than before … ridiculous. And his improved moves around the basket were on display several times during a timed scrimmage drill.
Salim Stoudamire (knee) and Shelden Williams (hamstring) were both slowed a bit by injuries and held out of the action I was allowed to view. Stoudamire said he hyper extended his knee. Williams apparently tweaked his hamstring while running during voluntary workouts. Both are expected to be back in action this week.
The rookies both had their moments during their first training camp practice. Acie Law IV looked good running the floor in his match up against Speedy Claxton during the timed scrimmage action. And Al Horford, who turned an ankle but played through the pain, more than held his own inside - where the elbows were flying thanks to a rebounding drill.
Saturday’s scrimmage (open free to the public at noon at Philips Arena) might be the first chance any of us get to see all these guys going full tilt. Then and only then will I be able to get a better handle on who is making the best adjustment to this new style of play.
Guess who’s bizzzzaaack!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’re going live today folks. Live from Hawks media day (or whatever they call these things these days).
I’m hunting point guards. I want to talk to the guys who’ll be in the crosshairs during the first few days of camp.
In my mind, there’s no battle that requires closer scrutiny than the tussle for the starting job as well as place on the pecking order thereafter.
What else is on your mind?
(I’ll be back periodically throughout the afternoon to see what’s good.)
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