July 3
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
From Athens to Milwaukee and back to Atlanta, the name Josh Childress is being tossed around in every direction these days. Childress is in Milwaukee today visiting the Bucks with his agent, Jim Tanner. What that means for the Hawks is that they might get a do-over with Childress, a restricted free agent again this summer as he was last summer. Last summer they lost him as an asset when he chose to sign with Greek power Olympiakos (for $20 million post taxes). What the Hawks didn't lose was the right of first refusal on Childress if he decided to return to the NBA this summer. And two of my spies have made it clear that were Childress to receive any sort of "reasonable" NBA offer (the $5.6 ..."
July 2
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
From Athens to Milwaukee and back to Atlanta, the name Josh Childress is being tossed around in every direction these days. Childress is in Milwaukee today visiting the Bucks with his agent, Jim Tanner. What that means for the Hawks is that they might get a do-over with Childress, a restricted free agent again this summer as he was last summer. Last summer they lost him as an asset when he chose to sign with Greek power Olympiakos (for $20 million post taxes). What the Hawks didn't lose was the right of first refusal on Childress if he decided to return to the NBA this summer. And two of my spies have made it clear that were Childress to receive any sort of "reasonable" NBA offer (the $5.8 ..."
July 2
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Hawks point guard Jeff Teague never has had a problem operating in the shadows. At Pike High School in Indianapolis, he showed up two years after current players Courtney Lee and Robert Vaden led an undefeated team to the state title and established the program as one of the nation's best. At Wake Forest, Teague had the unenviable task of following NBA superstar Chris Paul as the Demon Deacons' catalyst, spending two seasons trying to live up to a standard set by one of the world's greatest point guards. Teague might not even go down as the most celebrated basketball player in his household. His father, Shawn, was a standout at Boston University under Rick Pitino and his younger brother ..."
July 1
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Hawks general manager Rick Sund doesn't have enough hands for all the phones he'll need for keeping things straight this month in free agency. It'll help that he's detail-oriented because the Hawks have as many or more T's to cross than any team in the league. Four of the Hawks' top eight players become targets for the rest of the league Wednesday - the second after midnight. Mike Bibby, Zaza Pachulia and Flip Murray are all unrestricted free agents. Marvin Williams is a restricted free agent. That means Sund and his staff either have to re-recruit their own players or find replacements between now and the start of training camp. "The one thing I've learned in the free agent world is that ..."
June 30
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Hawks are making progress on their offseason to-do list. Select guard Jeff Teague in the NBA draft. Check. Trade for veteran guard Jamal Crawford. Check. Re-sign Mike Bibby? And Flip Murray? And Zaza Pachulia? Keep your shirt on. First things first. Crawford was officially introduced as a member of the Hawks Monday following his predraft trade from the Golden State Warriors for Speedy Claxton and Acie Law IV. General manager Rick Sund and coach Mike Woodson both referred to Crawford as another piece in the puzzle, but praised the guard for his scoring ability. "We won't really know until you get all the pieces in place but I've got a feel of what [Crawford] can do from watching him ..."
June 30
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
Mike Woodson is a coach, and every coach wants more and better players. On Monday, as the Hawks welcomed Jamal Crawford to Atlanta, Woodson spoke of the Hawks' four key free agents and said this was how many he wanted to see back here. "All of 'em," he said. This is how ambitious Woodson is: He wants to keep the four free agents - Mike Bibby, Flip Murray, Zaza Pachulia and Marvin Williams - plus add "another veteran big, and there are some out there." But that's a coach talking, not a general manager. And Rick Sund might have a more pragmatic take. Me, I can't see any way the Hawks keep all four. Nor should they. With Crawford and Jeff Teague in a mix that already included Joe Johnson, ..."
June 27
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
For a first day on a new job, Jeff Teague couldn't have asked for a better one. Not that he would have known any better. Friday marked his first official day in his chosen profession, the Hawks having picked him 19th in Thursday night's NBA draft. And the sight of Hawks captain Joe Johnson cutting through a conference room doorway to greet his newest teammate was the kind of welcome Teague needed. "It's just great to see Joe out here supporting me like this on the first day," Teague said after being introduced at the Hawks' downtown headquarters. "When I looked up and saw him, that me feel good. That really put me at ease knowing that he didn't have to be here today for this, and he came ..."
June 26
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
I'd have preferred Eric Maynor, but I'm not going to gripe. The Hawks took the guy they liked at the position of greatest short- and long-term need, and at this point I'm disposed to give Rick Sund and his chief aide Dave Pendergraph the benefit of every doubt. The Hawks greeted the week not knowing if they'd have anyone to handle the ball next season. They're covered now. If Mike Bibby and/or Flip Murray signs somewhere else, they'll be OK. If Bibby stays, they'll be better than OK. Heck, if they handle Marvin Williams properly, they just might catch and pass Boston as the third-best team in the NBA East. Jamal Crawford was an inspired acquisition, one of those there-has-to-be-a-catch ..."
June 26
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Hawks didn't pass on the sophomore point guard from Wake Forest this time. Four years after taking Marvin Williams instead of Chris Paul early in the NBA draft, the Hawks snagged Jeff Teague with the 19th pick Thursday. If Teague's pro career comes anywhere close to Paul's, the Hawks will have landed the steal of this draft. Paul is a two-time All-Star, an Olympic gold medalist and widely regarded as the best point guard in the NBA just four years into his career with New Orleans. The expectations for Teague won't be nearly as crazy as they were for Paul — there were seven point guards drafted ahead of him Thursday night — but Teague says years from now he expects everyone to realize ..."
June 25
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The five minutes the Hawks spend on the clock in the first round of Thursday night's NBA draft is just a small part of a retooling of the roster that could take all summer. It's a process that's actually already begun. The Hawks and the Golden State Warriors are close to completing a deal that would bring veteran guard Jamal Crawford to the Hawks for point guards Acie Law IV and Speedy Claxton. The draft, a staple for the Hawks in recent years as they tried to rebuild a program from the ground up, is just an appetizer for the full-course meal that is free agency. The Hawks enter the negotiating period, which begins July 1, with all sorts of business to tend to. And that includes deciding ..."
June 24
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The Hawks and Golden State are close to finalizing a trade that would bring Jamal Crawford to Atlanta and send Acie Law and Speedy Claxton to the Warriors, according to two different sources with knowledge of the negotiations. Hawks general manager Rick Sund declined to comment through Hawks' spokesman Arthur Triche. In Crawford the Hawks would get a veteran player capable of playing both guard positions. Crawford, 29, averaged 19.7 points, 4.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds last season, splitting his time with New York and Golden State. He also gives the Hawks insurance in the backcourt since starting point guard Mike Bibby and backup guard Flip Murray are both unrestricted free agents. Law and ..."
June 24
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Tyler Hansbrough has heard it all before. About how his game won't translate to the next level of basketball, how he's not athletic enough to deal with the elite players and how he'll struggle to dominate the way he did before. That's what they said about him in high school, before the North Carolina All-American went on to become the most prolific four-year college player since Tim Duncan, finishing with the one thing Duncan never could win at Wake Forest - an NCAA title. Hansbrough's critics are saying the same things about him now, with the NBA draft on tap Thursday. They're convinced he'll struggle against taller and more athletic power forwards in the NBA and that he won't be as ..."
June 23
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
I stand before you a weary man. I'm tired of hearing that Al Horford isn't a center (because he is) and that the Hawks won't amount to anything until they find a center. But being my dogged self, I wasn't willing to sit idly by as the conversation raged on the ol' blog. I actually went out - at the prodding of reader JSS, who put a bug in my tin ear - and found the Hawks a center. Actually, Rick Sund and his crew beat me to it. They had Garret Siler of Augusta (Ga.) State in for a workout last week. But I'm not just giving him a look. I'm saying: Take him in Round 2! Make him the draft's 49th pick! And then hire Tree Rollins, who helped groom Shaquille O'Neal in Orlando, as a special ..."
June 23
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
B.J. Mullens didn't need a freshman economics class at Ohio State to master the law of supply and demand in the NBA. The supply of quality big men, particularly 7-footers like Mullens, falls woefully short of the demand. There isn't a team in the NBA that isn't on the lookout for someone like him. So you take a 7-footer with elite athleticism, with all the requisite offensive skills, even a kid that is two or three years away from being ready to work in a grown man's league - a player just like Mullens - and the payoff is still in millions. That's why Mullens said he couldn't bypass the opportunity to enter Thursday's NBA draft after just one year at Ohio State. "I knew I was one and ..."
June 22
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Wayne Ellington looked like everyone else during his workout with the Hawks last week. He sweated through a rugged 90-minute session in practice gear. It wasn't until the court work ended that the former North Carolina star distinguished himself from the crowd. Ellington was in a suit and tie after the workout while his fellow draft hopefuls opted for more casual attire. But his approach made an impression on Hawks coach Mike Woodson, who appreciated Ellington's attention to detail. "That's a man on a job interview," Woodson said with a smile. "I love to see that." Ellington would love to see his name come up when the Hawks are on the clock during Thursday night's draft. The Hawks own the ..."
June 21
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Sins from past drafts can haunt NBA franchises for years. The Hawks infamously passed on All-Star and Olympic team points guards Chris Paul and Deron Williams in the 2005 draft and they are still paying the price for that decision to this day. Sure, the Hawks got a starter at small forward in Marvin Williams in that same draft. But they'll enter Thursday's draft with the same questions at point guard that were there four years ago. Even with some of their recent draft blunders (Shelden Williams in 2006 comes to mind), the Hawks were able to make enough moves in free agency (Flip Murray and Mo Evans) and on the trade market (Mike Bibby) to make up for those mistakes. Still, there's no ..."
June 18
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Jeff Schultz
"
There is a point guard who just started for a team that reached the NBA finals - and he's available. He also comes with a contract considered Atlanta Spirit budget-friendly. Hello? The Hawks shouldn't re-sign Mike Bibby. They should trade for Orlando's Rafer Alston. He requires less of an investment than Bibby and might get them further in the playoffs. Look what he just did for the Magic? I know. The Hawks finally got good again. The last thing you want to do is blow things up. But this isn't a razing as much as it's a needed remodel. (See ajc.com photo gallery.) There's a pretty good chance that we've seen as far as this Hawks team can go. They survived a seven-game series with Miami in ..."
June 18
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
Marvin Williams is the least essential Hawks starter. He scores points and takes rebounds but seems to leave no imprint on games, and one of the reasons Joe Johnson gets the ball with three seconds on the shot clock - or, worse, Josh Smith gets it 25 feet from the hoop - is that Marvin, four years a pro, still won't assert himself. I want to see Marvin not assert himself elsewhere next season. I want the Hawks to re-sign him - he's a restricted free agent - and ship him and Acie Law to Washington for Caron Butler and Javaris Crittenton. The Wizards are looking to cut salary, so that part would work for them, and they're also looking to get younger. Williams turns 23 on Friday; Butler is ..."
June 16
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
The annual Josh Smith trade rumors are swirling (ESPN.com link requires registration), and they make less sense than ever. The Hawks are getting close to something good, but they must negotiate a summer in which four of their top eight players are free agents of some stripe. Josh Smith is under contract through 2013. He's not the immediate problem. On the contrary, he's a massive part of the solution. He's a very good player bordering on greatness. He's 23. He has already had his free-agent summer. He'll be the best player on this roster in two years, and that's even if Joe Johnson sticks around. Josh isn't the guy you move. He's the one you keep. Last month Rick Sund, the Hawks' general ..."
June 16
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Jeff Schultz
"
I always figured if money wasn't an issue for me, my vice would be sports gambling. There's no off-season. There's always something new to interest you. And every Las Vegas sports book is within 10 feet of a $7.99 buffet. You know how cheap those 127 items come to at $7.99? Only in sports gambling can a season end one night and you already have a chance to "invest" in the next season at breakfast the following morning. Which leads to this week's Tuesday Countdown. Did you know somebody's already not projecting greatness for your Atlanta Hawks - and general manager Rick Sund hasn't even made a roster move yet? 10. Psst. But what if Shaq goes to Cavs?Just got word from Bodog.com, which ..."
June 16
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Sekou Smith
"
If you believe what you read, and I'll warn you that you can't always do that where NBA rumors are concerned, Josh Smith's name is generating some serious buzz on the trade rumor mill as the NBA draft approaches. ESPN.com's NBA Insider Chad Ford claims the big rumor of the day is that the Hawks are shopping Smith (I've had two Hawks sources insist to me this afternoon that they aren't shopping Smith or anything like it, but what else do you expect them to say?), hoping to find a taker for their 23-year-old power forward (the one with the $6 million trade kicker and the love-him-or-hate-him debate stuck to his profile). Normally, I'd take my garbage extinguisher and put down a silly, ..."
June 12
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
First, a disclaimer: The Hawks aren't apt to trade anybody this summer unless it's Marvin Williams (or Josh Childress) as part of a restricted-free-agent sign-and-trade. But the matter of dealing either Joe Johnson or Josh Smith keeps arising, and Ian Thomsen of SI.com addressed it in his Mailbag last week. Thomsen argues that, of the two, Smith should be the one to go. First, because Johnson will be a free agent next summer and therefore wouldn't elicit full value. Then this: "Smith is an upside talent who may yet mature to become an All-Star. He isn't there yet, while Johnson is the bird in the hand. It wouldn't make sense to trade a 27-year-old All-Star at his peak because such reliable ..."
June 7
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Los Angeles Clippers won the NBA lottery Tuesday and wasted no time announcing they plan to take Oklahoma power forward Blake Griffin with the top overall pick in the June draft. It won't be as easy for teams such as the Hawks to decide which player best fits their needs. They own the 19th selection and still have to rummage through the data on scores of players who could conceivably be in play when they pick. There will be no shortage of experts suggesting what the Hawks should do. Already the mock drafts have them taking everyone from Wake Forest point guard Jeff Teague to Ohio State center B.J. Mullens. Funny thing is, before the Hawks are on the clock on draft night, their options ..."
June 5
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Rick Sund picked the Lakers and the Magic to reach the NBA finals before the season began, and the Hawks' GM is proud of himself. He's so proud he reminded me, not altogether ungraciously, "You liked Cleveland over Orlando." And I did. (I love everything about the city of Cleveland, as we know. But I digress.) I called Sund, who was in Minneapolis at an NBA draft showcase doing his due diligence, because I wanted to know which team he likes now. (I've already made my pick.) And he said the Lakers, so I'm hoping he's wrong. And so is he. "I'd love to see Orlando win," Sund said. "I'm rooting for the Eastern Conference. And you always like to have games against the NBA champion [to publicize ..."
June 2
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
The annual chorus is in fine voice. "The Hawks," goes the full-throated refrain, "won't get any better until they find a superstar [meaning LeBron James or Kobe Bryant] or a true center [like Dwight Howard]." And there's no rebuttal. Sure, the Hawks would be better with LeBron/Kobe/Dwight. Any team would. But the cold truth is that the Hawks won't find such a transcendent talent unless Dame Fortune smiles an outrageous smile. That's the way of the NBA. "You don't trade for superstars," says Rick Sund, the Hawks' general manager. "You draft them." The lottery is, by design and definition, pure luck. The Hawks were participants in 2003 (LeBron's year, when their No. 8 pick was made by ..."
May 23
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Los Angeles Clippers won the NBA lottery Tuesday and wasted no time announcing they plan to take Oklahoma power forward Blake Griffin with the top overall pick in the June draft. It won't be as easy for teams such as the Hawks to decide which player best fits their needs. They own the 19th selection and still have to rummage through the data on scores of players who could conceivably be in play when they pick. There will be no shortage of experts suggesting what the Hawks should do. Already the mock drafts have them taking everyone from Wake Forest point guard Jeff Teague to Ohio State center B.J. Mullens. Funny thing is, before the Hawks are on the clock on draft night, their options ..."
May 22
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
Given that Rick Sund only went one-for-two on keeping last summer's key free agents, the inclination is to think he might pull a Jeff Francoeur and bat .250 (or worse) this time around. But I'm thinking Sund will do better. I'm thinking the Hawks have a real chance to keep this team together, provided two things happen: 1. The economy stays bad. 2. Nobody gets mad. "I like the core of this club," Sund said this week. "I'd like to keep as much of it together as I can." His endorsement is a major factor: It means he likes what he has and wants to add, not subtract. Sund inherited last summer's free agents, and it's no secret he valued Josh Childress less than ownership did. The fractious ..."
May 22
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
What looks like pressure to some people looks like an opportunity to Hawks coach Mike Woodson. That's why he was undeterred Thursday after it became clear he'll enter next season in the final year of his contract. "There's always pressure, if you want to call it that," Woodson said after a day filled with meetings with Hawks officials and ownership. "I don't look at it as pressure because I'm not made like that. All these people talking about fire Woodson and all that stuff, it's never entered my mind. I swear. "The chatter is what it is. But we're not going to do anything but keep pushing ahead trying to take another step next year." Neither Woodson nor general manager Rick Sund broached ..."
May 17
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The good vibrations from a 47-win season and first-round playoff series win were undone by the four-game sweep against Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals. But it's hard to dismiss all the Hawks accomplished in their best season of this century, so to speak. MORE ON THE HAWKS• Schedule • Beat Blog • Stats • Player pages: Josh Smith • Roster outlook | Free agents RELATED STORIES Outlook of Hawks roster Outlook of Hawks' free agents TNT's Ernie Johnson does more than put up with Barkley More Hawks coverage "I don't think you do all that and rank as one of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference without being a pretty good team," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "You ..."
May 13
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson played more minutes during the regular season than any other player in the NBA. He didn't realize what kind of toll that volume of work can take on the body until Tuesday morning, when he woke up and realized that it was all over. So don't expect him to head back to the gym immediately for offseason workouts, which he did in his first two seasons when the Hawks didn't make the postseason. "I've got to get off my feet a little bit and let my body heal up," Johnson said Tuesday as the Hawks cleared out their lockers the day after their season ended in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. "I'll get back at it here pretty soon. But right now, I ..."
May 13
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
Much has to happen. The Hawks need to re-sign Mike Bibby, to work a sign-and-trade with Marvin Williams and to draft a guard, preferably Eric Maynor of VCU, in Round 1. But for this team to climb from pretty good to really good, something more must be done. The Hawks must wean themselves from their reliance on Joe Johnson. Almost every bit of the Hawks' offense since 2005 has run through Johnson, and it's past time for an adjustment. It's not that he isn't a fine player; it's that this team has two younger players who require room to grow. Come 2011, Josh Smith and Al Horford should be the Hawks' best players. (And this assumes Johnson re-ups next summer.) Together, Smith and Horford took ..."
May 13
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Marvin Williams heard Zaza Pachulia refers to his Hawks teammates as his "family" Tuesday and immediately leaned over and hugged him. "You heard him," Williams said, playfully resting his head on Pachulia's shoulder. "He said we're family." But for how much longer? Four of the Hawks' top eight players are free agents this summer. Williams, Pachulia, veteran point guard Mike Bibby and sixth man Flip Murray could all have new locker room neighbors next season, depending what the Hawks decide to do in the draft and free agency this summer. "It's a possibility," Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson said of seeing a cast of new faces. "It happens in the NBA. Guys get shuffled around in this ..."
May 12
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
Much has to happen. The Hawks need to re-sign Mike Bibby, to work a sign-and-trade with Marvin Williams and to draft a guard, preferably Eric Maynor of VCU, in Round 1. But for this team to climb from pretty good to really good, something more must be done. The Hawks must wean themselves from their reliance on Joe Johnson. Almost every bit of the Hawks' offense since 2005 has run through Johnson, and it's past time for an adjustment. It's not that he isn't a fine player; it's that this team has two younger players who require room to grow. Come 2011, Josh Smith and Al Horford should be the Hawks' best players. (And this assumes Johnson re-ups next summer.) Together, Smith and Horford took ..."
May 12
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Jeff Schultz
"
Almost every player on the Hawks' roster is either at the end of a contract, or near the end of a contract, or on somebody's, "Let's drop-kick this guy out of town," list. Josh Smith doesn't have a contract issue. That tells you what category he fits in. But if you really believe the Hawks need to shake things up this off-season and possibly trade one of their starters, don't look at Josh Smith. Look at Joe Johnson. People, this isn't even close. This week's Countdown . . . 10: Ordinary Joe: 2-for-18 in playoffsJoe Johnson is a three-time All-Star. I felt I needed to get that out there right away because it seems like any time somebody criticizes Joe Johnson, one of his defenders ..."
May 12
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
This is not the way Mike Bibby wants to go out - not out of the playoffs and certainly not out of Atlanta. The Hawks point guard scored just three points in nearly 31 minutes Monday night as the Hawks were swept out of the Eastern Conference semifinals after an 84-74 loss to Cleveland. "If I do anything more than what I did tonight, we win this game," Bibby said. "I didn't shoot the ball well. I do anything and there is a good chance we come out on top." Bibby made just 1-of-6 shots, a 3-pointer. He had just one assist. It wasn't just one bad game for Bibby during the series, but part of a pattern. He averaged 10 points and four assists a game. The Hawks needed far more to have a chance to ..."
May 12
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Hawks finally played like a team that wanted to be in this moment. They finally made league MVP LeBron James look mortal and they finally seemed up to the monumental task of battling the NBA's best team to the finish. It took them three games to get adjusted to the pace set by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, but for once, they lived in the moment. It was just too late to make a difference. The Cavaliers outlasted the Hawks 84-74 in Game 4 before a sellout crowd of 19,241 Monday night at Philips Arena, sweeping them out of the playoffs and ending their season with a four-game losing streak. "You show up to the fight like that and who knows, this series goes ..."
May 12
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Jeff Schultz
"
Seven months ago, you would have taken 47 wins. Seven months ago, you would have taken a playoff series win and a second-round sweep by the possible eventual league champion because that's more than any Hawks team had given you in 10 years (and it only seemed like 20 years). In short, it's OK to feel satisfied with what front offices like to refer to as "incremental progress." "It was a good season," Josh Smith said Monday night. "I'm not going to let a sweep leave a bitter taste in my mouth like last year." But when the Hawks lost to Cleveland 84-74 at Philips Arena, they completed a strange postseason that created more questions than positive vibes. The starting point guard? Mike Bibby ..."
May 12
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Finishing with 47 regular-season victories and a first-round playoff series win over Miami won't be enough to send the Hawks into the offseason with a good feeling. Getting swept by Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals has a way of draining all of the positive energy associated with the Hawks' best season in over a decade. Just as tough, Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson said, is the immediate shift in the perception of the Hawks around Atlanta and around the world. The Hawks were the toast of the town after their Game 7 win over Miami in the first round, only to be skewered by fans and pundits for being on the wrong side of a 3-0 series deficit to Cleveland before Monday ..."
May 11
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Hawks are 12 quarters into the deep end of the NBA playoff pool and are still flailing for some of the resolve that has become their trademark under Mike Woodson. Throughout the improvement seen in Woodson's five-year tenure with the Hawks, his team has developed ways to defy the odds, winning when it seemed impossible and surviving when it appeared implausible. Yet here they stand, their season on the brink of being finished off by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have been pretty impossible themselves. Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Monday night at Philips Arena is perhaps their last chance to make a little noise against the Cavaliers, who own a 3-0 lead in ..."
May 11
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Chris Vivlamore
"
Cleveland's Mike Brown, who just won the NBA's Coach of the Year award, did so by recognizing one salient fact: when LeBron James wants the basketball, you give it to him. Everybody else, get out of the way. Call it The LeBron Rule. James, who just won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award, scored 47 points in the Cavs' 97-82 Game 3 victory over the Hawks Saturday in their Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series. Statistical note: that's nearly half his team's point total. "That's what great players do," Brown said. "Great players sometimes get the basketball and say 'Get out of the way.' And they go win the game. That's what he did. … He took the ball and put it in his hands and said ..."