Two full weeks into the NBA season, the divide between the elite and the dismal has already become apparent. The bottom of the Eastern conference looks all too familiar as the New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Bobcats — all lottery teams a year ago — are a combined 6-32. Out West, not much has changed either, as the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors boast a combined 10-33 record. But with the plethora of talent that enters the league every year, patient franchises have reason to believe that in five years the cream of the NBA's crop will have a different look.
A great example of this is the Atlanta Hawks. In 2004-05, the Hawks completed one of the worst seasons in NBA history, finishing a striking 13-69. One year later, they finished 26-56. Since that time, they had four straight years with top 10 draft picks, selecting Josh Childress, Marvin Williams, Sheldon Williams and Al Horford, respectively.
This season, the Hawks have sprinted out of the gates, and after beating the Boston Celtics 97-86 on Friday, they are sitting at with an 8-2 record, best in the Eastern Conference, and playing efficient, unselfish basketball. Atlanta's veteran backcourt and athletic frontcourt have both hit their stride and are dismantling the team's opponents.
The Hawks frontcourt is anchored by Josh Smith, who has always possessed otherworldly athleticism but has gradually developed a more solid all-around game since being drafted out of high school in 2004. Smith is averaging 15.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game to go with his 2.67 blocks per game on the defensive end.
His size and speed make him a nightmare for opposing small forwards to match up against, and his supporting cast forces mismatches all over the court. The key to his progress has been an increased maturity and acknowledgement of the limits of his game. This season, Smith's field goal percentage has skyrocketed to nearly 59 percent, while his shot attempts are down. Perhaps most importantly, Smith has yet to hoist up a three-pointer this season, a major improvement for the Hawks considering Smith's 27 percent career three-point shooting.
Power forward Al Horford, the Hawks' 2007 draft pick, is already averaging 13.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Horford, 6-foot-10 and mobile, complements Smith's size in the frontcourt, and together they form one of the fastest and most athletic forward tandems in the NBA.
But the undisputed leader of these Hawks is found in the backcourt, in the form of three time All-Star Joe Johnson. Johnson is off to a great start himself, leading the team with an average of 21.3 points and 4.4 assists per game. Over the past three years, he has emerged as one of the NBA's premier pure shooters and prolific scorers. The fast-paced Hawks offense revolves around Johnson, a career 37 percent three-point shooter, whose range stretches the defense to the perimeter.
His backcourt mate is veteran point guard Mike Bibby, who was acquired from the Sacramento Kings in 2008 in a trade that has paid tremendous dividends for the Hawks. This summer, Bibby signed a contract extension valued at $18 million for three years. Bibby has never made an All-Star team, but he is one of the few true, veteran point guards left in the NBA. He knows how to run an offense and distributes the ball evenly to his talented supporting cast. Bibby is averaging 11.3 points and 4.6 assists while turning the ball over at the lowest rate of his career through the first 10 games this season.
The addition of swingman Jamal Crawford this offseason has bolstered the Hawks' depth and given them a legitimate scorer off the bench. Averaging 17.7 points per game, Crawford's mid-range ability keeps the pressure on opposing perimeter defenses when Johnson is on the bench.
During their current four-game winning streak, the Hawks have beaten the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics, two of the top teams in the NBA. Their opponents for the next five games consist of nothing but 2008 playoff teams in the Portland Trailblazers, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Hornets and Orlando Magic. If it can continue its surprising run against such high-caliber competition, Atlanta will prove itself to be one of the East's elite — and a serious contender for the NBA title.
