Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby haven’t shared space on a basketball court since May, when the Hawks’ season came to a crashing end in a Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics.

Sure, they’d spoken a few times and even saw each other out Friday night in Atlanta.

But until Monday they hadn’t worked together on the court in months.

Easing back into the routine, however, proved to be no problem, Johnson said.

“Mike knows my sweet spots on the floor and I know his as well and when we’re both out there healthy and hungry, like we are right now, we’re going to be tough to deal with,” Johnson said. “Even though you take a few months away from all this doesn’t mean you can’t come right back and get right back into the flow. It feels good knowing [whom] you’re dealing with out there and having the confidence in each other necessary to get into an immediate groove. Having him healthy, too, is the best part.”

Johnson said the Hawks must continue grooving until training camp starts at the end of the month. Everyone scheduled to be on the training camp roster either has been or will be in for “unofficial” workouts before the start of camp.

And while it was a total coincidence that he and Bibby made their grand entrances simultaneously, the tone of the workouts changed dramatically for a reason.

“We’re not messing around,” he said. “You can’t really judge much from these workouts, because it really is guys being mixed and matched on teams of five to run and just play to get in shape. But we’re not playing around. This is serious business, just like it was before last season. We don’t have everybody here yet but when we get the entire crew in here, we’ll be ready to go.”

Bibby was glad to be back, finally healthy after an injury-plagued start with the Hawks.

“I got here Friday and it was a good run for me, trying to get into that flow again,” Bibby said. “I’d been working and doing drills and stuff. But as far as playing, I hadn’t really played since last season. So it was good to get back out here with all these cats and get busy.”

SPEEDY, TOO: Johnson and Bibby weren’t the only Hawks’ veterans to make it the floor Monday.

Speedy Claxton was in the house as well, looking as “explosive” as Johnson said he could remember seeing Claxton in a “long time.”

Claxton showed off a similar burst during a two-game stint in summer league in July, but there remains some uncertainty as to whether or not he’ll be able to regain his form after two injury-riddled seasons that have cost him his security in the playing rotation.

There were good vibrations this time a year ago and ultimately Claxton never did get back to form. So he’s realistic about his situation this time around.

“I’m coming around,” Claxton said. “Honestly, earlier in the summer I wasn’t feeling this explosive. But now, it’s starting, slowly, to come around. I kind of know how to read my body now, too. I know when I have to rest and when I have to take a day or two off. And once I’m able to do that I can get back into the flow.”

With Bibby, Acie Law IV, newcomer Flip Murray and Claxton all on the roster, it’s going to be a scrap for minutes at point guard from the start of training camp until the situation is resolved.

“I know right now I’m the odd man out,” Claxton said. “That’s just how it is. But I can’t complain about it. They depended on me the last two years and I wasn’t able to be there for them, so they had to move on. I can’t be mad at anybody about that. The most frustrating part is that I know they had big plans for me, just like I had big plans for myself, and it’s a letdown when your body betrays your heart and mind. So hopefully, I can be back out there this year and prove myself.”

Strange words coming from a veteran with a championship ring. But that’s Claxton’s reality these days.

LIGHTS OUT: The spies around the Hawks’ practice court the past few weeks have proclaimed free agent swingman Von Wafer the most lethal shooter of the summer, with retired former Hawks’ sniper Tony Delk right on his heels.

Wafer reportedly won a game by himself last week - he scored every single point as his team shutout the opposition, which is a frightening shooting display in any venue.

Permalink | Comments (179) | Post your comment |

Advertise here »