Marvin Williams prepared to be target for Hawks

Kansas City, Mo. — With five returning starters from a playoff team, someone has to be the target of opposing teams.

Someone has to be identified as the weakest link, the one player on the Hawks’ roster who can be attacked — physically and perhaps even schematically — in the hope that he will break down and the entire team will falter.

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Barry Gossage / Getty Images

Marvin Williams used his speed and skill to outplay Suns forward Louis Amundson during Wednesday’s victory.

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Wednesday night in Phoenix the Suns targeted Hawks small forward Marvin Williams. And Williams made them pay, outlasting the rest of the starters on both teams in the final minutes with plays that helped the Hawks secure the 100-96 victory.

Williams finished with a team-high 19 points to go with six rebounds, four assists and a body full of sore muscles courtesy of the pounding he took from Suns reserve power forward Louis Amundson, who spent most of his night trying to get under Williams’ skin.

“I don’t know if that was the case, and I don’t feel like they were trying to hurt me or anything,” Williams said. “I used to play football, man, so nobody in this league is going to hurt me. Physically I’m not worried about getting beat up out here.

“And the truth is, the way our team is built, they’re going to have to go after somebody. Whether that’s going after Mike [Bibby] or Joe [Johnson] and trying to make them go extra hard on both ends or Josh [Smith] or Al [Horford] inside and put the heat on them to guard bigger cats on defense, they’re going after somebody.

“And that’s the beauty of our team. If you target one guy there are four or five other guys that are ready to step up and make you pay for that approach.”

Williams certainly made the Suns pay, and Hawks coach Mike Woodson said he should be prepared to do the same tonight against Portland if they choose the same strategy.

“He’s got to be ready every night because there’s no doubt about it, the small forward and shooting guard in our league are going to have to play to the max every night,” Woodson said. “And that kid [Admundson] was so active. You could tell he had it in his mind that he was going to try and knock Marvin off his mark. That’s smart basketball, too.

“There was nothing dirty about what he was doing. But teams know Marvin’s still not ready yet and that’s where he has to become a complete player.

“And I thought he did a great job of stretching his game out and forcing the action on offense and taking the challenge on the defensive end of the floor as well. He made plays that I needed to see him make down the stretch that will go a long way toward his ultimate development in our league and even more important, for our team.”

Rather than taking the bait and trying to outmuscle Amundson, who is curiously listed at 6-foot-9, 225 pounds but appeared much bigger than that, Williams showcased his expanded range by taking Amundson away from his comfort zone around the basket.

Williams sank both of the 3-pointers he attempted in the second half and scored 10 of his points in the final 12 minutes, including two free throws to finish off the Suns in the game’s final seconds.

His teammates gave him the business afterward for logging huge minutes, a game-high 37 with no other player on either team playing more than 27. But they also appreciated the way Williams kept his cool in what could have been a hostile situation.

“Marv’s battle-tested,” said second-year point guard Acie Law IV. “It’s almost like people forget he’s been in the league three years already. He’s certainly not going to back down from anybody. And he’s a money player. He’s going to take and make big shots like that if he’s in the position to do that.

“And really we all have to be willing to step up the way he did if were in his shoes.”