DEL.ICIO.USJohnson flips over new Hawk Murray
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Hawks captain Joe Johnson thought he knew what kind of player Flip Murray was after competing against him the past six years.
Then he got a chance to practice and play with Murray and realized that the crafty veteran combo guard is even better than he imagined.
AP
New Hawks combo guard Ron ‘Flip’ Murray (center) averaged 9.4 ppg and 3.4 apg with the Pacers and Pistons last season.
“I remember that year in Seattle when he replaced Ray [Allen] and the first 15 or 20 games he was averaging like 25 points a game or something ridiculous like that,” Johnson said. “So I knew he could play. But he looks [darn] good out here with us. It doesn’t matter if he’s working with the second team or blending in with whoever is on the floor, he knows what he’s doing out there.
“When you practice with a guy, you get to understand his strong points and weak points out there. And Flip has been solid. As far as getting his team involved, talking and making sure he’s leading out there and getting everybody where they need to be on the floor, he’s done a great job of that. He’s doing exactly what a [veteran point guard] is supposed to do.”
Johnson pleaded for veteran help this time last year, a request that rankled some younger players in his own locker room who thought he was indicting them. But after seeing both Murray and Mo Evans on the floor the past week, Johnson is sure that everyone understands where he was coming from now.
“I wasn’t knocking anybody,” Johnson said. “Anybody that doesn’t understand the importance of having some veterans on the roster doesn’t understand NBA basketball.”
Nasty fall involves Gardner, West
The Hawks’ ended Saturday’s scrimmage portion of practice with a nasty fall by second-year swingman Thomas Gardner.
Gardner was driving to the basket for a dunk on a fast break when he collided with Mario West. Both players hit the floor, West on his back and Gardner on his side first and then his head hit the floor.
Gardner stayed on the floor for about 90 seconds before being helped to his feet. He had an ice pack on his left wrist but appeared to shake off the blow to the face.
It was an ugly finish to what Woodson said was a good practice for Gardner, who had missed the past couple of days of workouts with a calf injury.
“Maybe he was able to get up as quick as he did because he has fresh legs,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. “I thought he moved well today before that, though, and he just has to get his wind and get his legs under him before he’s ready to go for good.”
Roster move
Reserve big man Olumide Oyedeji was the first player cut from the Hawks’ roster. He was released after Saturday’s workout, and the move leaves the Hawks with 17 players.
Teams can carry a maximum of 15 players on their regular-season rosters.
