Crawford makes a great first impression
Hawks fans are going to get a full dose of Jamal Crawford this season and if first impressions count for anything, it should be an exciting show.
HAWKSVILLE – From the minute Jamal Crawford hit the door Monday all eyes were on the Hawks’ newest addition (well, so to speak).
And he didn’t disappoint, not that anything he could have done would have disappointed the crowd of players, many of them his new teammates, hoping to get a glimpse of him in Hawks’ practice duds.
“They’re going to be (expletive) good this year,” said a visiting pro from another NBA team. “You throw JC and Joe Smith and this kid [Jeff] Teague, and they’ve got some wrinkles now that they didn’t have last season. They were already a dangerous team and now they’re really dangerous. And knowing these fans down here and what they like, they’re going to love the style this team can play. They’re going to love JC.”
Crawford loves the idea of what this Hawks team could be. He was all smiles after playing a few pickup games with guys like Marvin Williams, Al Horford, Mike Bibby and others, for the very first time.
“If you look at us on paper, you know we should be pretty good,” Williams said, “but so far I’d have to say it looks even better than I thought. It’s impressive. It’s different. Everybody knows what Jamal is capable of. And Jeff can play, man. I don’t know any other way of saying it, he can just play. And it’ll be exciting when we get everybody in here and see how the pieces fit. I truly believe we are going to be one of the most explosive teams in the league.”
Crawford wasn’t even in scoring mode on his first day (training camp starts in one week but most of the main faces have already made it back to town or are on the way). He played the role of set-up man. “Everybody knows I can score a little bit,” Crawford said modestly. “I’m a good passer, too. I love to set guys up. I always have.”
A nasty no-look pass here, another wicked dish there and his teammates, not to mention everyone else in attendance, had seen enough.
Horford couldn’t contain his glee while watching Crawford break down a defender in the lane on one play. He let out a loud yelp when Crawford’s crossover dribble whipped from one side to the other. Horford calmed down just in time to catch the pass (yup, he was on the floor and playing in the game but clearly enjoying the spectacle) of Crawford shredding yet another ill-fated attempt to slow him down.
“I couldn’t help it,” a smiling Horford would say later. “It’s fun to watch him got o work on somebody. I’m just excited, man. Training camp is going to be so competitive and it’s because we have some of these [new] guys coming in that will stir it up. I can’t wait to get going.”
OTHER NEW FACES
Crawford wasn’t the only new face to open a few eyes Monday. Training camp invitee Courtney Sims made his first appearance at the John “Beans” Beckett Invitational and did not disappoint.
Sims is a solid 6-11, 240-pounder that didn’t seem at all out of place banging against the likes of Horford, Randolph Morris, Othello Hunter and Garrett Siler – the other true bigs on the floor for most of Monday’s action. Sims finished with authority around the rim and was as active as any big running the floor and getting his hands dirty in the rebounding battles on both ends of the floor.
“We’re going to have so many bigs now that things will change dramatically for us,” Horford said of he, Josh Smith and Zaza Pachulia, the men who shouldered the bulk of the low-post burden for the Hawks last season. “You go from playing three or four guys, with Solomon Jones, to having five or six quality guys that can play and that has to make a big difference for us.”
THE WAFER RULE
Day after day veteran free agent Jerry Stackhouse turns heads during these informal workouts.
I haven’t found a player yet that isn’t convinced that he could help this Hawks team this season as versatile specialists off the bench.
Whether or not that connection ever comes to fruition is obviously not up to said players or any of us around here.
But let me offer up a cautionary tale about watching a free agent dazzle on the practice court all summer only to find work elsewhere once training camp rolls around. Von Wafer [breakout season in Houston last year and ow a teammate of former Hawks swingman Josh Childress in Greece] put on a somewhat similar type of show last summer, wowing everyone with his shooting stroke from deep and his ability to finish at the rim without any regard for whoever and whatever might be in his way.
Wafer would have helped this Hawks team tremendously last year but a decision was made to go in a different direction (one that, it should be pointed out, helped net 47 wins). It’ll be interesting to see if the Hawks look past Stackhouse (for whatever reasons) and break the Wafer Rule.
It’s not my decision, my team, my money or my main concern right now. But I don’t know that I’d be able to rationalize not trying to sign Stackhouse up if he goes anywhere this season and plays half as well as he’s played since I’ve been watching this summer.
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483 comments Add your comment
espn
September 24th, 2009
8:04 pm
Josh Smith for all-star not JJ.
spy
September 24th, 2009
8:19 pm
yeah, It that easy.
spy
September 24th, 2009
8:23 pm
It’s
Big Ray
September 24th, 2009
8:28 pm
Daniel ,
Crazy ain’t even the word for the Falcon blogs. However, go over to the Falcons Fan blog, known as The Bird Cage . The blog host/author there is a GREAT guy (he does some nice work), and the blog is full of true falcon fans. But you’re right, there are some nutcases over there that make our resident multi-named, misguided, starved-for-attention closet racist look like a harmless loony. Wait. He IS a harmless loony. Heh…
VaVa74 ,
You’re right, rubber meets the road this season, and for more than one person. I hope for the best for all parties concerned.
Ariose ,
Believe it or not, the whole “logged into wordpress” thing was an actual mistake. The words I posted weren’t though.
KevinA ,
Circles, eh? Yes, I would be dizzy, too. Fortunately, my line of thinking is very much linear, especially in this case.
Big Ray
September 24th, 2009
8:48 pm
Nire ,
Wow, is there a difference in the taste of bait, or what? I mean, there is the harmless but hardly unexpected stuff Melvin gives you, then there’s….well, you see what it is. LOL….
celtic spy
September 24th, 2009
9:32 pm
Hello fans of the Atlanta Hawks, am a spy from the Boston Celtic’s sent to Atlanta to spy on the Hawks. I have attended the Hawks training camp and I most tell you, your rookie teague is going to turn out to be a bust. And what can I say about Josh Smith he has not improved his jump shot. I do have to give creadit to your team for trading two bench players that never played for Crawford, that move will take your team far next season.
niremetal
September 24th, 2009
9:36 pm
Ray,
It’s training camp time. I’m just getting into shape after lazing off for a couple months
Doublenought Celtic spy
September 24th, 2009
9:43 pm
Yeah, You wasted roster space and salary by not using Flip in the space where you now will us Crawford. The two bench players only had one year left on their contracts, so it would have been wiser to go through the year and then be poised to go after a legit center while keeping your core intact. That was dumb of you guys but us Celtics appreciate your stupidity.
celtic spy
September 24th, 2009
9:46 pm
Hawks training camp starts (Sept. 29)
richbrave
September 24th, 2009
9:46 pm
HAWKS have learned how to use those fledgling wings and now are going to soar. This is getting to be a dangerous club for anyone to play. Back in D.C., the HAWKS are just a bunch of pretenders with no legs since savior GILBO is once again on the scene. October 29, lesson numberr one with three to follow right HAWKS fans. Man has this club traveled from September 2007 when I first stumbled onto SEKOU’s blog along with “Dr’” D. Mary B………
richbrave
September 24th, 2009
9:49 pm
As witness to the angst stirred up around the league by HAWKS moves this off-season, I give you the comments of Doublenaught Celtics Spy as exhibit #1.
celtic spy
September 24th, 2009
10:16 pm
Soon I will travel to Orlando to spy on the magic.
Celtic Spy my Arse
September 24th, 2009
10:28 pm
…yeah, if you can ever get out of the library.
Celtic Spy my Arse
September 24th, 2009
10:32 pm
CNN_
A chinese crack monkey was arrested for public exposure outside of Phillips Arena. He was wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood and top shirt with Chinese triad pants and shoes that said Black Panthers on them. He was trying to show everybody his NUTZ. He said they were so EXTRAORDINARY that he thought he should share them with everybody. Protestors wonder if there will be any relief in sight because apparently the jail has internet access and he can blog to his hearts content.
BeFrank
September 24th, 2009
10:32 pm
Sekou – How many slots are available for another big? Will Siler, Sims, Hunter really be given a legitimate shot to make the team?
celtic spy
September 24th, 2009
10:36 pm
have the hawks become that good that other team have to spy on us? I think so. GO HAWKS !
Ramon
September 24th, 2009
11:18 pm
Interesting, Flip is scheduled to sign with Charlotte.
Ariose
September 24th, 2009
11:19 pm
Aww hell, Flip just signes with the Charlotte Bobcats over Denver. Shaw university is right down the street from him so it works, but I KNOW he wants a little payback
Ariose
September 24th, 2009
11:24 pm
Info on FLip:
http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/2030ap_bkn_bobcats_murray.html
The worlds biggest d ! ck
September 24th, 2009
11:28 pm
Id like to take the credit for The spy guy, but hes his own man. Its funny how anyone who exposes you guys, nonmental and Daniel,(by the way Dan, im not interested in your review on nutz), is quickly converted into truth serum. Just face it, once you get outside of this bubba milita get woody hate cell, most of the people like Woodson and the Hawks.
Ariose
September 24th, 2009
11:29 pm
GOON-SQUAD IN THE BUILDING!!!!!!!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4501615
o_0
I am personally relived. He was so great for us last season, i’d hate to see a guy like him have to go overseas to find work.
A Tribe Called Quest
September 24th, 2009
11:32 pm
The Nets have an owner worth almost 10 billion dollars.
The Hawks have 91 owners, all of whom are barely millionaires.
Stating the Obvious
September 24th, 2009
11:37 pm
Yeah, those real estate and telecom tycoons that own the Hawks are dirt poor. They probably have to shop at the salvation army thrift store and scrounge through the trash.
And besides, the Clippers are doing sooooooooooooooo well with a multi-billionaire owner. And the Knicks are just going gangbusters with their google-billion-trilllion-dollar ownership group.
Ariose
September 24th, 2009
11:37 pm
I’m calling it!!! Bobcats in the 2010 playoffs!!! New players & New Jerseys!!!! Don’t sleep on LB, they were 37-45 lastseason….sound familiar? They’ve got a nice roster too:
Flip, Felton, Gerald Wallace, VladRad, Raja Bell, Tyson Chandler, Nazr Mahammed, D.J Augistin, Gerald Henderson & Boris Diaw
Underrated, but with LB as the coach and a full training cam with eahother, they will be fun to watch. That means either Chicago, Philly, or Toronto WON’T make the playoffs……and Detroit already vacated a spot lol.
Ariose
September 24th, 2009
11:39 pm
*camp
*each other
Ariose
September 24th, 2009
11:39 pm
http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NBA&id=888&line=117829&spln=1
Ariose
September 24th, 2009
11:41 pm
Wally Sczerbiak ang Stackhouse are the last decent Vets out there….oh, and of course G.Green hehehe…..
Rick, where you at!!!!!
Ariose
September 24th, 2009
11:42 pm
Miami, might not make the playoffs either….
niremetal
September 24th, 2009
11:42 pm
Actually, it’s “Salvation Army.” And they’re “Family Stores,” not “thrift stores.”
icecold
September 24th, 2009
11:59 pm
can we stay on the hawks please!! its already alot to read!!! can we stick to the topic!!! but i kind of feel that the hawks should change that blue color to black!! it would be fi!! but any way!! did joe johnson touch in for training camp yet?
Ariose
September 25th, 2009
12:01 am
The Boston Globe has relaeased a Mental Health Article in light of the summer incidents involving NBA stars like Delonte West, Beasley, and Stephon Marbury:
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2009/09/13/coping_with_fame_is_no_slam_dunk/
Najeh Davenpoop
September 25th, 2009
12:08 am
I don’t know if a score-first swingman off the bench is a real need for the Hawks right now, but signing a veteran with playoff experience like Stackhouse definitely couldn’t hurt. If the Hawks have some spare change lying around, go for it.
Can’t wait for this season to start. I really haven’t been this excited about an upcoming Hawks season in forever.
Ariose
September 25th, 2009
12:15 am
http://multimedia.boston.com/m/26569054/globe-10-0-does-matt-ryan-remind-you-of-tom-brady.htm
Ramon
September 25th, 2009
12:17 am
Here’s a riddle for you guys. Does Woody need Bibby more? Or does Bibby need Woody more?
Ariose
September 25th, 2009
12:20 am
AAAAhhhhhhh!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiNsa6-upWM
icecold
September 25th, 2009
12:24 am
Big Ray
September 22nd, 2009
10:48 pm
That and I think Josh and Al can play a bit of hi-low sometimes. If Josh can hit a midrange jumper (Al already can, seen it a few times and it was nice) then he can draw a defender off of Al. And Josh DOES know how to pass.
EXACTLY!!!!
thats y we need a better coach!! he make the plays he tells them what to run and what to do!!! mike woodson is doin good cuz he got good players!! but good coaches turn good teams into great and great teams into dynasties!! and dynasties into legendary teams!! got the great roster!! now all we need is a good coach!!!
Ariose
September 25th, 2009
12:54 am
I think theres a strong possibility that we could have the whole SouthEastern division in the playoffs this season…
Big Ray
September 25th, 2009
1:01 am
Ariose ,
Thanks for the update on Flip. I know you were watchin’ homeboy closely!
Big Ray
September 25th, 2009
1:06 am
Najeh ,
Where in the devil have you been? Good to see you are still kickin’.
Ariose ,
No doubt, the southeast, and the East overall is fairly loaded this year. Teams like Miami could go backwards. In fact, I expect them to. If Beasley can’t turn into a major contributor for them this year, then what are they going to do? Sixers figure to be in better shape with a healthy Brand and Eddie Jordan at the helm. Or so I figure, anyway, could be dead wrong.
We’ll see how it goes.
Hawkshurrah
September 25th, 2009
5:47 am
Does J Crawford remind anyone here of Terry Furlow who was with the Hawks briefly in the late 70s? Yes, Michigan State. Not the off the court issues. A top notch scorer off the bench can make a world of difference. He sure did. This blog is about Crawford, right?
vava74
September 25th, 2009
7:02 am
Big Ray,
Wade is an asset which the NBA cannot have the luxury of missing the playoffs hence, Miami will be carried by the refs to the 8th seed, at least.
In relation to Philla, I think they lack a proven PG (Williams is nice but…) to be successful.
Furthermore, Eddie Jordan’s interpretation of Princeton’s offense needs a stronger perimeter game than they currently have and does not match neither Iguodala nor Brand’s games.
I think they will have chemistry issues at least until January.
niremetal
September 25th, 2009
7:18 am
I’m not sure Flip’s such a great fit in Charlotte. He’ll be fighting a lot of guys (Felton, Augustin, Bell, Henderson) for minutes, and I could easily see him ending up in Brown’s doghouse. I’m also sad he won’t be coming to Philly, because I woulda liked to see him in action up here…
Melvin
September 25th, 2009
7:48 am
Hoopsworld evaluation of the Hawks…
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=13885
The Truth
September 25th, 2009
7:51 am
Flip Murray
Congratulation in finding your new home with the Bobcats; your time with the Hawks was much appreciated. We wise you nothing but the best(except when you play the Hawks). A shout-out to all your Shaw Alumni
Sincerely
The Truth
Daniel
September 25th, 2009
8:15 am
Congrats to Flip, wish him all the best.
What did he sign for?
Daniel
September 25th, 2009
8:25 am
melvin- thanks for the link
I think that they gave a very fair and balanced outlook on the Hawks this season.
Interesting that rebounding is such a glaring area to improve, will Joe Smith and Collins help that number? Will Josh Smith’s new plan to stay inside the arc change that number? We shall see.
A couple of blogs ago, Sekou mentioned he wouldn’t worry about JJ and the extension until October. We have only a week to go. Anyone worried yet?
Big Ray- When is the fans blog going to get running?
Daniel
September 25th, 2009
8:27 am
Ramon- Woody needs Bibby more. Bibby has established himself as an upper tier player in the league, yes his run with the Hawks has reignited his game, but Woody is still trying to establish himself as a legitimate NBA coach. Just look at this blog.
The Truth
September 25th, 2009
8:29 am
Flip Deal
Ariose
September 25th, 2009
8:32 am
Daniel, he signed for the Bi-Annual 1.99 mill. I beleive with Denvers cap restriction, they were only offering him a non-gaurenteed contract.
Nire, Maybe Flip choose not to come to Philly because of Local hero/family distractions. I think Flip WAS coached by LB up in Detroit for a season(??) and Charlotte was ranked dead last in the leauge in scoring last season, so I think he will help them out a lot.
The Truth, LOL @ Your September 24th, 2009
11:31 am post!!
Ariose
September 25th, 2009
8:34 am
Nire, It’s good that he can swing between the PG/SG spots though, but the minutes will defenetly be a little scarace for him there.