ESPN's Hubie Brown likes Hawks

By Ken Sugiura

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ESPN analyst Hubie Brown called himself a "big fan" of the Hawks.

He warned, though, that the next two months will be a time to prove what sort of team it is. Brown helped call the Hawks' game Friday night against Boston.

At this point of the season, contending teams must establish themselves, said Brown, a member of the basketball Hall of Fame and a former Hawks coach.

"January and February, you've got to handle the bad teams. And then, you've got to take care of home court and then, handle the plus-.500 guys on the road," he said. "This is a big test here."

Brown said the Hawks' 11-2 start "showed that they belong," but that they are susceptible to "little lulls" like those that cost them their two games against Cleveland last week. Brown attributed it to having three new players in the rotation, forward Joe Smith and guards Jamal Crawford and Jeff Teague.

In those instances, he said, "you're going to have up and downs until it all comes into place."

Unsuccessful recruiter

Coach Mike Woodson, who doesn't hide his admiration of Celtics forward Rasheed Wallace, tried to make him a Hawk over the offseason. Woodson said he spoke with Wallace, as well as Detroit center Ben Wallace, when both were free agents.

"We had conversations, but they elected to go to their destinations where they are now, and I had to respect that," Woodson said.

Woodson coached both when he was an assistant in Detroit.

23 hours

Players were not concerned about playing Orlando at 7 p.m. Saturday after playing an 8 p.m. game against Boston on Friday.

"I don't think that hour is going to make a difference," swingman Mo Evans said. "If we were going from here to play New Jersey, I don't think anybody would be making a big deal. It's probably because we're playing Orlando that it seems like a big deal."

Etc.

Forward Othello Hunter, whom the Hawks put on waivers Wednesday, was not claimed after 48 hours. He is now a free agent and can sign with any team in any league. ... As of Friday, the Cleveland Cavaliers had not filed their written argument responding to the protest filed by the Hawks over the shot-clock malfunction in their Dec. 30 loss to Cleveland, but intended to do so by the Monday deadline, according to the team.