Atlanta Hawks Tickets - 2010-11 Season Preview
(Note: This article was written on Sept. 8.)
The Atlanta Hawks had their most successful regular season in recent memory in 2009-10, earning the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, the Hawks looked somewhat lackadaisical once the postseason began and nearly dropped their first-round series with the sixth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee took Atlanta to seven games in that series and looked to be a much hungrier team. The Hawks then proved to be no match for the Orlando Magic in the second round, getting swept out of the playoffs and failing to score 80 points in two Conference Semifinal games. As a result, head coach Mike Woodson was ousted and assistant Larry Drew is set to take over and implement his up-tempo offense.
The Hawks appeared to be in a doomsday scenario as they entered the offseason with Joe Johnson, the team's best player, set to hit unrestricted free agency. Speculation regarding Johnson's departure from Atlanta ran wild and the popularity of Atlanta Hawks tickets seemed ready to plummet, but the Hawks bit the bullet and awarded Johnson with a maximum contract. Without Johnson the Hawks might have been in position for a significant regression this season, but did the team overpay for his services in order to stay relevant?
Johnson ended up being the highest-paid free agent of the offseason, receiving more money than more heralded players like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, but that might have been more of a product of players' decisions than anything else. Still, Johnson's struggles in the postseason have cast doubt on the hefty contract he was awarded with this summer.
Johnson will still be the team's go-to option on offense, but he could have a new backcourt mate sooner rather than later. Mike Bibby is penciled in as the starter for 2010-11 as of now, but Drew has declared that second-year player Jeff Teague will be given a chance to compete for s starting spot in training camp and the preseason. Bibby looks to be wearing down and he's not much of a distributor, while Teague has a ton of upside.
If Teague can win the starting gig, Bibby would still be a valuable bench player that is looked at to make shots off the pine. Teague is being groomed to be the starting point guard for this team, but the implementation of Drew's up-tempo offense could expedite that process. The former Demon Deacon is extremely athletic and a solid outside shooter. He needs to learn how to run a team, but the potential for a dangerous offensive weapon is definitely there, especially in a run-and-run system.
Josh Smith was a pleasant surprise in 2009-10, as he finally figured out that he can't shoot and started playing within himself. He reverted back to the Smith of old a bit in the postseason, though, which has to have the team concerned heading into this season. If Smith can accept the fact that he's not a perimeter player and give maximum effort on defense, he's a game-changer. Another guy that could play a significant role for this team is former number two pick Marvin Williams. Williams probably has one last chance to show the Hawks that he can produce like his talent suggests he should, but his career to this point has been marred by inconsistency and a lack of aggressive play.
One thing that remains to be seen is if 2009-10 Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford stays with the team. Crawford is seeking an extension with the club, and rumor has it that he wants to be traded if he's not going to get one. Crawford said and did all the right things last season, but he, like many other people, probably thought that Johnson was on his way out of town. Now that Johnson is locked up for the next six years, Crawford wants an extension if he's not going to be a starter.
The x-factor for this team is probably Al Horford. The Hawks wanted to secure a starting-caliber center this offseason to allow Horford to slide over to his natural position at the four, but they were unsuccessful. Horford still has a lot of potential and has been working hard on his offensive game. If he can manage to improve his post scoring, it could be huge for the Hawks this season, but playing in the middle could limit his effectiveness. That said, the Hawks will still probably struggle to earn home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs in the much-improved Eastern Conference.
by: Pat Smith
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