AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2007 > December > 17
Monday, December 17, 2007
Sorry I’m late …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As you might imagine, it was quite the long weekend for myself and other members of the extended Wolverine nation, as Ice Cube said before me, TODAY WAS A GOOD DAY!
But that’s no excuse for being as late I am right now with this post.
I’m currently sitting courtside at this teeth-grinder between the Hawks and Utah Jazz at Philips Arena. I’m trying to figure out how the Hawks are in this game (rookies Mario West and Al Horford have helped tremendously) with just nine players in uniform.
They’re sweating these games out shorthanded, and doing it in ways we haven’t seen around here the past three years. Someone deserves some credit for this mettle upgrade - take your pick, the players, coaches, etc.
One thing that is striking about these two teams, though, is the way the Jazz reserves play when they enter the game. To say that they play at a fever pitch would be an understatement. Their activity and ability to cause havoc on defense and in the passing lanes while also manufacturing baskets is impressive.
It certainly hasn’t kept helped them win games recently (1-6 in their last seven coming in), but it will no doubt serve them well as the season wears on. And it’s something the Hawks’ bench crew might want to take notes on. Their something to be said for a second unit that, when healthy, can perform at the exact same level as the starters.
One last thing before halftime is over, talked to a scout buddy of mine before the game and asked for his assessment of the Hawks right now and what they need to make the playoffs and he gave me a rather interesting synopsis in between bites of his chocolate cake in the press dining room. And before you read on, he didn’t mention a point guard or a big man - so much for all of our armchair analysis around here.
“They’ve got to have another shooter, or two man. Everybody could use more help in the post but it’s just not happening. There aren’t enough quality big men to go around. Plus, with Josh Smith and Al Horford, they’ve got two of the better young tweeners in the league. Neither of those guys is the ideal size, but they play off of each other perfectly. But what they can get, and what they desperately need, is another quality shooter. Other than Joe Johnson, they don’t have a guy that you’re worried about spotting up and knocking down shots in transition or in the half court game. Marvin Williams is on the path, but he’s still a guy you can take away by getting underneath him with a smaller, active guy. They don’t have another guy that scares you from distance. They just don’t. And if they did, that would open up the floor for the rest of those guys to operate a little easier. Sometimes a subtle thing like that can open up a team’s offense in ways they never imagined.”
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