Atlanta Hawks: Teague’s time?
There was a time when there was no question mark on that headline.
By December it had a qualifier.
Eventually the question faded away as the DNPs and cameo appearances piled up for Teague. This happened even though Teague had shown enough promise and production to warrant more opportunities, at least in my view.
And now here we are again. Teague was impressive against the Blazers and now he’s the talk of (true) Hawks fandom, which of course includes my blog people.
One great game doesn’t mean Teague is The Man, especially since there will be tougher match ups. But you’d think this at least means no more DNP-CDs or quick hooks from L.D.. If L.D. wants the Hawks to run and play sound defense, which they must to have any kind of a chance to be better, then don’t Hinrich and Teague have to get all of the minutes at point guard?
No doubt some of L.D.’s concerns about Teague are (were?) legit. Teague doesn’t seem to have much “dog” in him. He doesn’t (didn’t?) always pressure the ball full court, attack the rim or push the pace the way L.D. wanted. Teague does (did?) tend to defer to his teammates too often.
In other words, Teague has had plenty of games where he didn’t do any of the things he did on Saturday. But the constant question has been: How can Teague gain confidence, and how can the Hawks know for sure what they have, if L.D. doesn’t let him play through some rough patches?
I’ve always felt L.D. sincerely wants Teague to succeed. He’s said the kind of things he did after Saturday’s game all along (I figured my blog people would pick up on some of the contradictions in those statements and you didn’t disappoint). But even as Drew praised Teague, he continued to jerk him in and out of the rotation for reasons that weren’t always clear and even as the Hawks struggled with in areas where Teague’s skills could help.
(I’ve seen theories among my blog people that perhaps L.D. hasn’t given Teague more of a shot because he concerns about job security made him stick with Bibby. That wouldn’t make sense considering Woody’s reluctance to give Teague more burn was a strike against him in management’s view.)
In any event, Teague says the sporadic playing time hasn’t weighed on him.
“I don’t think my confidence wavered,” Teague said. “It’s difficult when you go back and forth but you have got to be a professional and stay ready. Smoove and those guys told me, ‘Just play your game.’ I went out there and I played my game [Saturday].”
Said Josh: “He stayed with it. It’s easy for a guy to hang their head. He’s had every excuse and every reason to not play confident.”
J.J. has been a consistent supporter. Each time Teague has flashed the kind of ability he did Saturday, J.J. says the Hawks just need to trust in Teague.
“I was in a similar position as Jeff,” Joe said. “Back in my first and second year in the league, my minutes were sporadic. Whenever I got a chance to play I always produced and tried to do my best. When Phoenix traded away Penny and Steph, I just kind of blossomed.
“I look at Jeff as the same way. He’s got unbelievable talent, speed, explosive. He has all the tools. He’s confidence is the only thing left. Once he gets his confidence he is going to be a beast.”
Perhaps dominated the Blazers will be the thing that brings out Teague’s inner dog.
“Every time I get on the court I feel like I play with a little fire,” Teague said. “I’m a laid-back person; I have a laid-back personality. But when I go on that court I think everybody plays with emotion and a chip on their shoulder.”
Now we’ll see if L.D. is finally ready to give Teague regular minutes.
“I just have to keep being that little birdie on his shoulder and keep letting him know how good he can be for our team,” L.D. said. “I don’t want him hesitating; I want him being vocal. He was out there [Saturday], which was shocking. I saw him clapping and having both fists in the air and that was a welcome sight.
“I don’t want him to bow down to any of our other players on our team. Joe is a captain, Josh Smith is a captain and Al is a captain. But [Teague] is the head of that snake at the top of the floor and I want him to know that I have all the confidence in the world in him.”
Check back later for updates from practice today.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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121 comments Add your comment
Nobody Cares
March 14th, 2011
7:06 pm
This is a blog.
Note, I’m probably MC’s biggest critic.
But the ” LD ” thing on a blog;
?
Excuse me?
That would be me..
Mike Cunningham is an Idiot!!! period. And I guarantee this post will be removed shortly by the idiot in subject.
drmaryb (*_-)
March 14th, 2011
7:18 pm
Trolling!
Yall know who the troll is: content reveals character. TS has been harrassing MC for over a year re: using abbreviations and nick names.
It’s a blog for crying out loud!
The troll ran out of his meds again.
SMH
Nick P.
March 14th, 2011
7:36 pm
it needs to be, look we are not really going anywhere this year as a team, so why not invest in Teague and make him the starter for a year and find out if he will do or not! with the insignificant minutes he has been receiving and making roster decisions based on practice and scrimmiges i dont think the fan base has even remotely seen what this kid is capable of, we never really saw what Acie Law could do either, but should he not at lease get a season worth of action on a team that has this particular glaring issue with its roster?
Bird
March 14th, 2011
8:32 pm
Forget all the jiber jabar LD, START TEAGUE!
Nobody Cares
March 14th, 2011
8:34 pm
Yeah I agree Truth Sirem Is Mike Cunningham greatest critic. Got to admire the truth.
Mike Woodson for COY!!!!
Nobody Cares
March 14th, 2011
8:37 pm
Actually are recent AJC poll Proved that more readers and bloggers have left the AJC since Mike Cunningham took over. He like Sund and Drew have the hawks on a downward spiral…
Nobody Cares
March 14th, 2011
8:41 pm
Ok im out of her Mary the fake dr in Drag is still haunting the house here. No wonder readership is way down. The few sponsors should ask for a refund. There are many better sites that this loser….
Smell you later Drmarb buttbreath.
Nobody Cares
March 14th, 2011
8:42 pm
Teague Sucks!
superiorblogman
March 14th, 2011
10:22 pm
Teague is going to be better than Rondo if he ever gets consistent playing time. He took 17 shots and made 11. You don’t take that many shots if you are not confident. Confidence is not the thing Teague needs. He needs playing time.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
March 15th, 2011
2:53 am
Right on superiorblogman. Anymore DNPcd for Teaugue and I am on the Fire TUE, MAR 15, 2011 bandwagon because that’s just negligence and incompetence.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
March 15th, 2011
2:58 am
I agree superiorblogman. Anymore DNPcp for Teague this season will push me to the “Fire TUE, MAR 15, 2011″ crowd because that would be negligence & incompetence.
Tremaine
March 15th, 2011
7:26 am
TEAGUE!!!!!! MVP! MVP! MVP! Nice article Michael. I pushed the ignore button on LD along time ago. The guy has contradicted himself all season. Teague should have been starting at the beginning of the season. When everybody in the league knew that Bibby was a liability, Teague sat on the bench. When he finally played him, Teague would make one mistake and LD would give him the hook. Yeah, that’s a real confidence builder. I don’t expect Teague to put up huge numbers every night. I just expect him to push the ball, get to the basket, and play defense. Something we haven’t gotten from the point all year.
Tremaine
March 15th, 2011
7:30 am
I knew when Dominique finally started giving Teague props it was Teague time. The guy is the LD of broadcasters.
W.R.Terrell
March 15th, 2011
9:09 am
LD made a very good decision in inserting Jeff Teague against Portland. I hope the wisdom continues. There’s an old saying “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear” and LD has to realize that with that “smoove”person. Hilton Armstrong will be more then adequate because of what he will bring to the table, which is; strong defense, rebounding and he does not have to be the quote, unquote “SUPERSTAR”, but, a steady player with heart and love for the game. Josh Smith does not have that ability, he has talent true enough but we all know that the most talented ball players are the ones who stole their chances to be great by using drugs, alcohol, or doing jail time. Basketball is as much as knowing how to play as well as having good skills, both are needed to be a superior player. That’s where the “smoove” loses it all, he will never be a Hall of Famer, because “STOO-PID” will never make it. Tonight he will continue to play dumb basketball with no real understanding of the game. The “SOFT’S” may be able to overcome his narrow mindedness but more then likely his idiocy will make it a very close game. LD needs to sit Marvin down and forget he’s in uniform, he is definitely not a pro basketball player. LD should be fired after this game if he lets that idiot “smoove” launch dumbass shots and not bench his silly ass. We’ll see if LD’s job is important to him, will be interesting to watch.
ICECOLD
March 15th, 2011
10:31 am
I know this might not happen, but can you imagine..
Jeff Teague
Joe Johnson
Josh Smith
Al Horford
DWIGHT HOWARD
bench
Kirk Hinrich
Jamal Crawford
Marvin Williams
Josh Powell ( or Al Harrington )
Zaza Pachulia ( or any other center…
3rd
pape sy
Damien Wilkins
Collins
now tell me thats not a championship squad down to the T!!!! I bet Jeff Teague becomes Rajon Rando with his other 4 starters 2 starters All stars ( josh smith , Joe Johnson ) and two super stars ( Al Horford , Dwight Howard) and two time 6 man of the year Jamal crawford… and a starter thats now on the bench Marvin Williams…. thats 48 minutes of straight Defense and getting killed in the paint by two guys… Alley oops all day.. might not be as much jump shooting….. until Jamal Crawford get in the game!!!!! You have to play everybody 1 on 1…. everybody…
and we can afford to give Dwight Howard the same amount of money we gave to Joe Johnson
and we can give Jamal Crawford 8 million a year for 2-3 years!!!!
because everybody else would be getting the veteran minimum or the rookie scale, except marvin williams… and zaza would be traded!!!
PopeyeJones
March 15th, 2011
10:36 am
Regardless of what anyone says, does or thinks and no matter how many STUPID BLOGS show up on this outlet, playing Teague has been a BRILLIANT MOVE FOR L.D. In fact, that move has saved Larry Drews job this season and will enable Larry Drew, Joe Johnson, Al Horford and Jamal Crawford to hoist the championship trophy in June when the ATLANTA Hawks will be CROWNED CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD.
ICECOLD
March 15th, 2011
12:15 pm
Etan thomas is faster , stranger , and more aggressive and athletic then Collins , why doesn’t he play… or start. He is better then Collins
Ken Strickland
March 15th, 2011
12:44 pm
DOC-To answer your earlier question about why and who turned on Jason Terry. Well, it was Lenny Wilkins. He desperately tried to turn Terry into a pure PG like he was in his day, and Terry really struggled with that burden. Lenny didn’t have the patience that he displayed when he developed that Cleveland team of MPrice, RHarper, CEhlo, BDaughtery, JWilkins, LNance.
With the Hawks, he was more focused on breaking the record for most career wins by a HC than developing players. As a result, he actually took the Woodson approach of relying heavily on his vet players and using his bench and younger players sparingly. And like Woodson, that approach got his butt dismissed.
I don’t believe Teague when he says he hasn’t been affected by LDrews uneven treatment of him. After a dominant OFF and DEF performance like the one he had against Portland, LDrew is still hesitant about making a committment to giving him every chance to build upon that performance. How can Teague not be affected and concerned when almost every solid performance has been routinely followed by LDrew giving him the WOODY TREATMENT(a DNP CD, or 3-5 meaningless mop up mins)?
Can you imagine how many contradictory excuses LDrew would have made if Teague had put together a gm like the one he had against Portland while Bibby was still on the team?
tj painter
March 15th, 2011
1:00 pm
why u mad rest of the nba. u mad cuz u aint got jeff teege? i personally kno him and hes an extremly chill person and a very good friend
Tremaine
March 15th, 2011
1:52 pm
Question, are you guys going to applaud or boo Bibby?
O'Brien
March 15th, 2011
2:00 pm
I am pleasantly surprised that LD is going with the Teague-Hinrich combo.
I just hope LD (and the fans) dont expect Teague to put up 24 pts again. However, Teague definitely needs to play solid if he wants to keep starting.
And LD needs to juggle the rotation so that a PG is always in the game with Jamal.