LOS ANGELES -- It probably is not accurate to characterize Jamal Crawford's struggles as a shooting slump because that implies the Hawks guard actually is taking his normal shots.
Crawford is 47-of-135 (35 percent) from the field in his past 12 games, well below his season average of 42 percent. In four of his past seven games Crawford has failed to shoot more than nine times.
The declining shooting percentage has Hawks coach Larry Drew less concerned than does Crawford's lack of aggressiveness. Drew said it's "nothing unusual" for scorers to go through rough shooting stretches, but he needs Crawford to keep attacking.
"I need him to be in that assassin mode, just letting it fly," Drew said. "It seems like he's doing a little bit of thinking out there, which that is not when he is at his best. He is an instinctive ballplayer, so he's got to allow his instincts to take over. When he plays like that we are much better."
So before the Hawks played at the Lakers late Tuesday, Drew told Crawford: "Don't think about it. Just play."
Crawford, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, usually provides the only consistent scoring punch among Hawks bench players.
"I've been thinking to get everybody else shots, but I need to be more aggressive," he said. "I think everybody has a role, and that's my role. That's what puts other teams on their heels, that's what helps up other stuff for my teammates. That's what I've done my whole life."
Crawford had a few spells last season like this earlier this season. He said he's not sure why he sometimes falls into a funk.
"Once or twice a year I do that for whatever reason," he said.
Homecoming for Drew
Drew played for the Clippers and Lakers in the 1980s, was a Lakers assistant coach and lives in Southern California. He said his first game as head coach against the Lakers would be "very, very special."
"Being here over All-Star weekend, I ran into a lot of people that I knew, that had followed my career," he said. "It feels good being back under these type conditions."
Among those Drew said he saw over the weekend include actor Jack Nicholson, whom Drew said has been supportive since his days playing for the Lakers. Nicholson told Drew he would be at the game Tuesday.
Etc.
After contemplating a change to his regular starting lineup over the break, Drew said he would stay the course for the time being. "It won't be anything[change], I think, on this road trip," he said. ... Hawks center Al Horford played just 10 minutes in the All-Star game Sunday after he told Eastern Conference coach Doc Rivers that his back is still sore. Drew said he doesn't plan to limit Horford's minutes. ... A crew from NBA TV is chronicling the Hawks behind the scenes from Monday until after the team's game at Phoenix on Wednesday. No air date has been set for the footage.
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