In a week, under the glare of the NBA playoff spotlight, the scrutiny of Jeff Teague begins again in earnest.
The Hawks point guard is not vocal. His body language can be misconstrued. He is still learning to distribute on the fast break. Yet Teague, in his fourth season, will be counted on heavily as the Hawks make another playoff run.
It was by design that coach Larry Drew recently met with team leadership in an attempt to break a three-game losing streak before the end of the regular season and included Teague with Al Horford and Josh Smith.
“I look at us as a three-headed snake,” Drew said. “Yes, Josh and Al are our captains, but Jeff is just as important and just as viable. I want him to feel that he is a huge part of the equation, which he is. When Jeff is playing at a high level, we are pretty good. I’ve said that to him on a number of occasions.”
The Hawks will embark on their sixth consecutive postseason trip next weekend. Teague has been here for the past three after being a first-round draft pick (19th overall) in 2009. His role has increased each season and each title run.
After starting only 10 of 141 regular-season games his first two seasons, Teague had a breakout performance in the second round of the 2010-11 playoff, in his second season. He started all six games in the series against the Bulls. He became a mainstay of the Hawks’ lineup since, starting 148 of the 151 Hawks games, regular season and playoffs. He missed just one of those games with an ankle sprain, the first time in his basketball career he missed a game because of injury.
With two games remaining in the regular season, Teague has averaged career-bests in points (14.7) and assists (7.2). In Friday’s victory over the Bucks, Teague had his 10th 20-point, 10-assist game of the season. It’s the third most in Atlanta history behind Pete Maravich (13 in 1972-73) and Eddie Johnson (11 in 1984-85).
The Hawks are working with the reserved Teague to become a vocal leader. Much of that charge is on player-development instructor Nick Van Exel, a veteran of 13 seasons.
“I think the point guard is an extension of the coach,” Van Exel said. “If you have a point guard out there who is thinking on the same lines as the coach, then he is going to be more vocal. It’s going to be natural. He’s going to be a person who gets on guys a little bit, not in a negative way, and keeps everybody in line. Jeff is so quiet. He probably worries about hurting other people’s feelings, but at that position you can’t worry about that because it’s not personal.
“We would like to see him be a little more emotional, not go crazy or anything like I used to do, but just challenge guys a little more and speak up a little more on the court because you are the leader out there. We know we have Josh and Al but the point guard is the leader on teams.”
Van Exel said Teague has improved his fast-break decisions. No longer is he focused on the basket. The speedy guard is getting better at seeing the floor and his options with open teammates. Teague remains one of the Hawks’ spot-up 3-point shooters.
Teague’s role as the primary ball-handler will be magnified in the postseason. The game slows down. Every possession is critical. Being careless with the basketball, especially on a fast break, can be the difference between a win and a loss.
“I think it’s a lot easier,” Teague said. “You get the ball to the guys in spots they are comfortable and just try to play off that.
“I don’t think we will slam on the breaks. We will run at the opportune time. You know it’s not going to be a lot of transition 3s, unless you know you can knock it down, or those crazy alley-oop passes we try some times. Every position matters so I think we’ll be a little more cautious but we are still going to play our game.”
Teague ranks 11th in the NBA is assists per game. Not bad for a player who Van Exel said is still learning to be an NBA point guard after playing much of early career at the off-guard position.
The next step in the maturation of the 24-year-old Teague is getting him focused on the mental aspects of the game, on and off the court, and his leadership responsibilities.
“I try to tell him your preparation starts in shootaround, maybe the day before when you are learning about your opponent,” Van Exel said. “How are they going to cover you in the pick-and-roll schemes? All of that comes into play. You can’t just line up an hour before the game and think I’m ready. It doesn’t work like that. It’s a mental preparation. Don’t just think about the game, but think about everything that goes into the game. Get your mind ready for it all.”
