Hawks start Training Camp with new Swagger

With pictures snapping during the start of the 2008-2009 season training camp, there was a new air among the players. Excitement, condidence, and high expectations flowed in communication verbally and physically, especially the starting lineup of this season's Hawks.

Mike Bibby - Joe Johnson - Marvin Williams - Josh Smith - Al Horford

We at playoffshawks have already analyzed the performances of each player induvidually and collectively last season, many other atlanta sports writers have done the same in more statistical detail, but now it is time for their play to speak for itself. I had a vision of the 08-09 Hawks playing like a well oiled machine, like the 04 Championship Pistons, no one-two scoring option, no LeBron, more like everybody plays in-synch and shares the ball, no one cares to average 20 pts or be the leading scorer, everyone just wants to win, sort of like the 08 Celtics... Now, NO ONE is suggesting the Hawks will go 66-16 this season and win the championship (that would probably cause The Rapture, and the world would surely come to an end), but this Hawks team is capable of winning 47 games, +10 improvement from last season, only a few things are dependant on that occuring this season:

1. DO NOT trade Mike Bibby at mid-season. We all know Bibby is an expirer, but for the love of God do not treat these players like just product. We all understand this is a business, and we all want to improve the team, but chemistry and leadership are the main ingridients to a championship, and though the Hawks may or may not even get to the Finals with this core, it is not outside the realm of possibility with Mike Bibby. Play Bibby the whole season, then decide whether not to give a extention, or let him go and sign another great, better point guard.

2. Josh Smith's leadership.

3. Joe Johnson's consistency.

4. Al Horford's swagger

5. Marvin Williams' continued development.

6. Bench

7. Coach

Sekou Smith in-depth interview with GM Rick Sund

Rick Sund has great vision. He truely has a plan and there is order to the development of this team. Peep the interview
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General manager working on foundation for team’s first winning season since 1998-99

By SEKOU SMITH

The Atlanta Journal-Consitution

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Hawks players aren’t the only ones getting in early work for the upcoming season.

Hawks general manager Rick Sund and his staff are implementing their program in time for training camp — the team’s first after a playoff season in almost a decade.

So while the players convene this week for voluntary track, weight room and on-court workouts, Sund is busy laying the foundation for what he hopes will be the first winning season for the franchise since the 1998-99 (31-19 in the lockout shortened season) and a return trip to the playoffs.

Sund spoke with AJC Hawks beat writer Sekou Smith about all that and more in a recent interview.

Q. Mike Bibby wasn’t healthy last year at any point after coming to the team in a trade deadline deal, how important is it for him to have a training camp with this team and to finally be healthy?

A. What’s good about this upcoming season is Mike was injured a lot last year and I read all the injury reports from our medical people and what they wanted for him was rest. And I think he got that this summer on the thumb. You’re in a situation where it’s a great opportunity for him to be on a team that’s pointed in the right direction and he’s a veteran and a point guard and he seemed to enjoy, from what I could gather watching him playing, himself with this team. But it was an important summer for all of these guys.

Q. Important for all these guys in what ways, specifically?

A. Al Horford had an opportunity to play with the Select Team that played against the Olympic team that won the gold medal and that helped him. Acie Law made the All-Tournament team at the Rocky Mountain Revue, and that shouldn’t be a surprise because he was a first rounder, but we wanted him to go out there and get some quality playing time. We found a couple of players in the summer league that look like they might have some potential for the future, maybe not necessarily this upcoming season but in the future in [Othello] Hunter and [Thomas] Gardner. Josh Smith got signed in early August so now we’re in a situation where he had a month and half where he’s been free to focus and get ready for this season. His situation didn’t linger into training camp. And that’s a big plus. I just think training camp is going to be extremely important for us as a group as well as individually.

Q. It sounds like there is going to be a renewed focus overall for training camp. Is that something you thought was necessary for this team or the way you always prefer to handle business?

A. By virtue of the way they finished last year, with a good taste in their mouths despite getting beat in Game 7, these guys are going to come in with high expectations for themselves, just like the coaching staff and management. We’re going to really focus in on training camp. I’ve had some discussions with Mike [Woodson]. It’s going to be a serious, serious endeavor this year. We’re putting them up at the hotel this year. They’re going to have practice sessions in the morning and skull sessions and meetings and everything at night. We’re going to be like Hard Knocks on HBO, we’re going that route. We’re not going to go crazy because we have rules. But training camp is going to be a 24-7 gig. We’re going to be focused. We want to set some goals and do some things that will … we want to catch some teams ahead of us [in the standings] and keep the seven teams that finished last season behind us, behind us.

Q. Coming off the season this team had and with the changes that occurred this summer, how cautious do you have to be in regard to not overdoing it with the “change” theme, that seems to be all the rage this summer, going into the season?

A. Well, and I think I’m getting your point, the one thing you have to be concerned with is that the season is a marathon and not a sprint. You don’t want to get off to a 6-2 start and think “we’re there” or get off to a 2-6 start and say “you’re not there.” I think you have to battle that to some extent with players as well. You can’t get to high on the highs and too low on the lows. You don’t want them thinking they’ve arrived if they get off to a 6-2 start because you know it’s a marathon. And you also don’t want them down and thinking they’re not that good if they start 2-6. Our schedule the first month is tough because we’ve got a lot of road games. So again, you don’t want to get too high or too low early. And that takes work.

Q. It’s one thing to try sell that perspective to your team but how do you cement that ideology into the way they go about their business?

A. The one thing I have to emphasize this year is that we’re a young veteran team. Josh Smith is a young veteran. He’s started for three or four years. You’re in a situation where Joe Johnson is a young veteran, relatively speaking. But we’ve also made a concerted effort to get some veterans in here with Mo [Evans] and Flip [Murray] and Bibby last year. We’ve got some veterans.

Q. In your experience, how tough a transition is trying to meld new faces and returning faces in such a short period of time?

A. The transition is easier with veterans than it is with rookies, provided they are in the rotation. It’s not something I’m overly concerned about with guys like Mo and Flip specifically, because they’ve been on different teams and have gone into situations like this in the past and done well.

Q. How conscious were you in your tweaking of things this summer to maintain some stability from last season while also trying to affect as much change as you thought was needed?

A. The thing that I think, and if we’ve done anything this offseason, is we took a team that didn’t have a great record last year but made the playoffs and played pretty well in the playoffs, and we had a nice assimilation of some continuity and some change. It starts with the coaching staff. We don’t have the same exact coaching staff we had last year. We’ve got some changes there. Same with management. We have some people that are still here with management and personnel and some that are new. And it goes on with the players. Take Mo, Flip, Randolph Morris, Hunter and Gardner we have five new players that are going to be on this roster. But you still have your core. With a playoff team we’ve managed to maintain some continuity while also adding some changes to the mix. And I think that’s a good way to move forward with a team that made the playoffs with an under .500 record and performed well against the eventual world champions in the playoffs.

Sekou Smith Q&A with Hawks forward Josh Smith

This is a great interview, Sekou always asks the best questions to really allow the interviewee to really show their standard for success and ambition to achieve. Josh Smith is a great player, maybe he'll lead this Hawks team in scoring next season.
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By SEKOU SMITH

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday, September 05, 2008

Hawks forward Josh Smith is ready to lead this season.

Armed with a new contract, a renewed sense of his place on his team and eager to show that last season’s playoff berth was more than just a stroke of luck, Smith is the driving force in unofficial workouts and pickup games at Philips Arena a month before training camp.

Hawks forward Josh Smith is ready to lead this season.

Q. You recently signed a five-year, $58 million contract, why are you in here sweating through pickup games instead of relaxing on the beach somewhere?
A. I came in [a couple weeks back] just after I signed my contract and got one game in. This week I’m here for good. We’ve got to start early like we started last year. We have to keep it up. We came in early last summer about this time and we ended up making the playoffs. We’ve got to do it again this year. And we’ve got new faces as well so we have to give ourselves some time to gel. So I wanted to be here to make sure that happens.

Q. Heading into your fifth year in the league do you feel an increasing need to assume more of a leadership role on this team along with Joe Johnson?
A. I do. It was always about me knowing I would be here and knowing I needed to step up and be a leader. And not just me but also Marvin Williams, Al Horford and all the other guys that have been here and know our program and what we’re about.

Q. Considering the additions and subtractions made since that Game 7 loss to Boston, is this team as good, better or worse going into training camp?
A. I think it’s a little better because the guys we added have been in the playoffs, been in situations and have been on winning teams. They’re veterans who know what it takes to win. Mo Evans played a huge role in Orlando last year. Flip Murray gives us another breakdown guard who can create off the dribble so Joe won’t have to dribble through three and four people at a time. Mo can knock down a consistent 3-point shot and gives us another offensive weapon to spread the floor. And they’re both good defenders. Randolph Morris is a big body that gives us some much needed depth inside and I think overall these are all good additions to our team.

Q. You and Al Horford did most of your work last year within the framework of the offense as opposed to anything schemed specifically for the two of you. Are you guys yearning for more designed opportunities that cater to your abilities on the offensive end?
A. I think so. We’re both good enough post players that we can make moves and cause double teams on the block. Al showed that last year and I showed that whenever I got a chance to get the ball in the post. I think we can have an inside out presence, even though we’re undersized, we can cause a lot of mismatches. And I think that helps our team out to have a more balanced attack.

Q. One of the biggest knocks of your games is you take a lot of 3-pointers, a lot of ill advised 3-pointers. But you obviously feel comfortable taking those shots. How confident are you in that part of your game now?
A. I feel comfortable. You saw me out here [today], taking and making 3-pointers and mid-range jump shots and they were going in. I feel more confident than I ever have in that part of my game. Listen, I know people are going to scrutinize my game even more now that I’ve got a new contract. They’re going to wonder if I’m all of a sudden satisfied and relaxed or am I going to keep getting better and maintain my hunger. I’m a competitor and I’m still hungry. I go in the gym and work hard every single day to work on my overall game. And you can see the improvement on the court. And all the people that knock me for the shots I take … it doesn’t mean anything to me.

Q. Much was made this summer about a rumored strained relationship between you and [Hawks coach] Mike Woodson. Can you finally put that drama to rest now that you’re back here in a Hawks uniform?
A. People talk, man. They’re on the outside looking in. And we’re on the inside dealing with this. Like I said, people are going to have their opinions about me and they’re going to make their assumptions about me. And I can’t do anything about that. And I honestly don’t care to. Coach Woodson and I have a good relationship. We talked several times throughout the summer before my contract was signed. We’re good.

Q. A spin-off from those rumors about a frayed relationship with Woodson was talk of you being hard to coach and malcontent. Are you worried that those perceptions have become a reality for some people?
A. I like to win and I like to show my emotions at times, because I’m a competitor and I hate to lose. And it’s funny to me sometimes that a competitor can be miscast as someone having an attitude. I’ve never heard of anything like that happening before. Like I said before, I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing. As long as people ask the right people about me and about my character, and I mean people that actually know me, I’m really not worried about it.

Q. After four full seasons in the league is your game where you expected it to be and where you wanted it to be at this time?
A. Well, I have extremely high expectations for myself. So I’m pleased with how far I’ve come but hardly satisfied. I set goals every year for myself. Some I might not get and some I might. But being 22 and having already played four years in the league and having been a part of the teams I’ve been a part of, I feel like a lot has been accomplished but I’m not close to done yet. I’m not satisfied. I feel like I have more to prove. And I keep getting better every year and keep working on my game, I’ll do just that.

Q. Which of your teammates do you think will surprise people this fall with the improvements he’s made in his game?
A. I’d have to say Marvin. People know him as a mid-range jump shooter but he’s added more to his game. He’s got counter moves and being able to get to the hole and he’s even doing moves in the post that I haven’t seen him do before. I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people.

Q. Is there more pressure on this team now that you’ve made the playoffs?
A. Sure, we have something to prove. And we are a year better. But we’re are one of the top 16 teams in the league and we have to show that every single night and not just every three or four nights. That’s our great challenge as a group and really for some of us as individuals, to play at a high level every night.

2008-2009 Season Preview, Atlanta Hawks, Eastern Conference Assessment Predictions

Southeastern Division:





Orlando Magic ( 52-30)


The Orlando Magic are better this season than they've ever been and the Magic are the #2 seed in the eastern conference and a legitimate championship contender at least the eastern conference. Alot of people are feeling that Micheal Pietrus, a 6-6 G/F with GS last season, will not be a significant upgrade over Maurice Evans. I think that Pietrus will be at least as good as Evans and start at SG to add stability to their team, consistent shooting and slashing ability that will make requirement-doubling Dwight Howard a big price to pay, if he learns to hit his free throws(68.6% FTs). Courtney Lee will be a good player, he will probably play sparingly, but will score and play defense. and Anthony Johnson is a highly underrated 34 year old point guard, he was always a veteran leader on the hawks and played strong and clutch down the stretch of those few and far wins, and he hasn't slowed down a bit, playing big minutes for the Magic. Kenyon Dooling was a decent guard (not PG) who could shoot but he was always a additude problem and felt he was better than he was, the Magic will not miss him, and the other best bench player, Kieth Bogans will be better in his place. Rashard Lewis (31) will be better, Hedu Turkoglu(29) will play better but score less points than last season, and Jameer Nelson(25) will be the Derek Fisher point guard leader, scoring and passing well, hitting free throws, and making good decisions.


and this is all outside the gold-medal DWIGHT HOWARD factor, whom will average
25.5 ppg 14.9 rpg 2.5 asts 2.1 blks 60.1% FGs 67.2% FTs
being the team leader offensively and defensively to make him an MVP candidate






Washington Wizards (50-32)
Gilbert Arenas is never going to stop talking, his perspective is one of the realist voices and he is one wildest personalities in the NBA, but his game is about to talk alot louder than he will. Gilbert Arenas is still the man on that team, he is going to adjust his game to fascilitate and score as great as he knows he can, but it all starts with GILBERT, it all depends on him if he can make the BIG three of Caron Butler, Antwan Jamison, and Agent Zero ALL all-stars and have their best season in franchise history, and the pieces around those three aren't too bad either. Deshawn Stevenson kept us entertained while Gilbert was gone, he made himself an important role player on this team, and now he has to adjust his play with Gilbert, he should score a little less but still hit make big plays and get Gilbert the ball for big shots. The young boys of the Wizards are gonna improve and play big minutes this season, Nick Young and Andrey Blatche. Blatche is already really underrated as a 22-year-old 6-11 small forward matchup nightmare on offense or defense, he is going to play more with 23-year-old Nick Young, the second year ROY contender. Brenden Haywood will be solid as usual, Etan Thomas is back so we hope they don't fist fight again, but if they share the center they'll both be solid, we're pretty dure Antonio Daniels is still there, but we don't care because in order for this team to be great its going to take the following:


Gilbert Arenas - 25.5 ppg 4.3 rpg 6.4 apg 44.3% FGs 36.7% 3pt FGs 80.1% FTs
Caron Butler - 20.3 ppg 5.6 rpg 3.4 apg 46.1% FGs 27.3% 3pt FGs 83.4% FTs
Antwan Jamison - 17.4 ppg 9.3 rpg 2.1 apg 45.3% FGs 36.4% 3pt FGs 74.2% FTs


Miami Heat (30-52)


Dwayne Wade is (probably) the best guard player in the NBA, he could very well be the second coming of Micheal Jordan, score 35 ppg this season, and lead the NBA-worst, used-to-be-champion Miami Heat to respectability and playoffs in 2009. Problem is, if he does he will need Jamaal Magloire and Udonis Haslem to play defense, the rookies, Mario Chalmers and Micheal Beasley to play their role, and James Jones to hit threes off the bench, i.e James Posey. And they can do it, maybe Micheal Beasley is as good as some say he is, he could average 17 pts 7 rbs and be the Rookie of the year, maybe Shawn Marion won't get traded even though he and Beasley are the same man Marion will play PF and average 17 pts 10 rbs, Jamaal Magloire will be reborn at 30 and averag 9 pts 9 rbs and Mario Chalmers starts and is rookie of the year candidate with Beasley averaging 10 pts 4 rbs 5 asts, i.e Rajon Rondo. Maybe James Jones is a 6th man of the year candidate and averages 10 pts off the bench and leads the league in 3pt FG%, maybe Alonzo Mourning DOESN'T get bought out to play for a real contender, and plays backup to Jamaal Magloire or Mark Blount......and plays his heart(no pun) out.


But in order for any of this to be a possibility, it all starts with gold medal Dwayne Wade, being the best PER player in the league and a likely MVP award winner averaging

Dwayne Wade - 33.4 ppg 5.4 rpg 5.4 apg 52.4% FGs 32.3% 3pt FGs 85.1% FTs

Charlotte Bobcats (27-55)




Sigh. Micheal Jordan, Larry Brown, and Bob Johnson is a train wreck in immediate unfolding. This is a team that looks good on the surface but when the surface is seen through you realize that this is a franchise that has not yet achieved respectability yet. Larry Brown is going to prove himself as a curse to young teams and give this franchise its worst record since its first year in business. D.J Augustine is a good player, but he will not be good until and only until he leaves that situation, he and Raymond Felton are going to beef, Adam Morrison is going to play big minutes and Gerald Wallace is going to demand a trade. Jason Richardson will remain good, averaging 20 ppg, but in the attempted development of Adam Morrison, Richardson will take less control of the team and turn Vince Carter, just not caring. Now, the focal point of the defense, and maybe one day the offense, Emeka Okafor, will also play up to his contract, he may have a career year, and he is the deciding factor on whether or not the Bobcats will completely suck or just be bad, if he's good (15 ppg 10 rpg) the Bobcats will only be bad, but its set in stone, the Bobcats will be at least bad. Sorry, fans.


Emeka Okafor - 15.2 ppg 10.1 rpg 2.1 bpg 52.1% FGs 67.8% FTs
Jason Richardson - 18.7 ppg 5.1 rpg 3.2 apg 44.3% FGs 38.1% 3pt FGs 71.2% FTs
Gerald Wallace - 16.2 ppg 7.1 rpg 2.1 apg 1.8 spg 43.2% FGs 78.2% FTs



THE Atlanta Hawks (47-35)




The Atlanta Hawks, its our year baby. I speak as a general basketball fan first, knowledge and realistic expectation second, and hometown fan bias last. And with that being said, i think the Hawks are going to increase their win total by at least 8, but im betting 10, and i'm going to explain why. The Atlanta Hawks spent the first 20 games of the season, tinkering with the lineup, trying to find the best players for positions and matchups, often Anthony Johnson and Tyronne Lue started at PG, when the Hawks got Bibby, they were 22-28. They took some getting used to on the road, when the Hawks went 4-11 before their first winning streak finished 11-7 for a 37-45 record and the #8 seed in the 'Leastern Conference'.This season, the starting center is no rookie, the PG situation is not unstable, joe johnson will not be injured and Josh Smith, the leader offensively and defensively for this team will have his best season yet again. Mike Bibby will be the good PG consistently the Hawks have lacked since Jason Terry, he will be the leader to improve his teammates with passing first, scoring second. Joe Johnson is livid he wasn't chosen to be on Team USA, he will play consistently great like he always has, and be a third time all-star this year.


Mike Bibby - 14.5 ppg 4.5 rpg 6.5 apg 46.3% FGs 37.4% 3pt FGs 78.9% FTs
Joe Johnson - 20.3 ppg 4.2 rpg 5.2 apg 48.4% FGs 39.7% 3pt FGs 82.1% FTs
Marvin Williams - 12.2 ppg 5.2 rpg 2.3 apg 43.1% FGs 32.3% 3pt FGs 76.4% FTs
Josh Smith - 20.8 ppg 9.2 rpg 3.3 apg 3.1 bpg 2.1 spg 48.9% FGs 33.7% 3pt FGs 81.3% FTs
Al Horford - 14.2 ppg 10.4 rpg 2.1 apg 1.4 bpg 1.2 spg 51.4% FGs 80.1% FTs
bench

Maurice Evans 8.7 ppg 3.2 rpg 3.2 apg
Flip Murray 6.5 ppg 2.3 rpg 2.1 apg
Zaza Pachulia 5.1 ppg 4.8 rpg
Acie Law IV 4.2 ppg 3.2 apg
Jeremy Richarson 2.3 ppg
Randolph Morris 1.4 ppg 2.2 rpg



Southeast Division:

Orlando Magic (52-30)
Washington Wizards (50-32)
Miami Heat (30-52)
Charlotte Bobcats (27-55)
Atlanta Hawks (47-35)






Atlantic Division:

Boston Celtics (58-24)
Toronto Raptors (48-34)
Philiadelphia 76ers (50-32)
New York Knicks (24-58)
New Jersey Nets (18-64)



Central Division:

Chicago Bulls (44-38)
Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31)
Detroit Pistons (48-34)
Indiana Pacers (30-52)
Milwalkee Bucks (40-42)





1.celtics
2. magic
3. cavs
4. wizards
5. 76ers
6. pistons
7. raptors
8. hawks