Lue finds niche with Hawks

[WraithSentinel]

Sekou doing great job in covering the Hawks yet again. After reading this article. I have become an ever bigger Tyronn Lue fan.

By SEKOU SMITH

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 10/06/05

Playing on one of the NBA's biggest stages wasn't enough to pry Tyronn Lue away from the Atlanta Hawks.

Playing alongside one of the greatest players didn't convince him either.

Not even calls, repeated, from one of the game's all-time great coaches could coax the veteran point guard to abandon the Hawks' rebuilding project for a more promising path to the playoffs.

Lue spurned a chance to rejoin Lakers star Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson for another title run in favor of a backup role with the Hawks.

It was a decision that stunned some, but made all the sense in the world to Lue, who played some of his best basketball as a pro after being traded by Houston to the Hawks in December.

"I grew close to these guys last year, we all bonded," said Lue, who signed a free-agent deal with the Hawks Aug. 23. "I felt I owed it to these guys to come back here. They respect me and they look up to me, besides, I'm fun in the locker room. When things are tough, I'm always there to help them out. And starting really isn't a big thing to me."

Lue has long championed the role of the super sub. He's been known to tout himself as one of the league's three best backup point guards.

"Well," Lue said before flashing his trademark smile, "you got Bobby Jackson, Earl Boykin and me."

But Jackson and Boykin don't have championship rings. Lue has two, having played the role of super sub on the Lakers' title teams in 2000 and 2001.

"He's been telling me for years that all he wants is to play 20 minutes a game," Hawks forward Al Harrington said. "That doesn't mean he's not competitive. He just feels like he's found his niche. He wanted to find a place where he can play his role and be effective, and you've got to respect that."

Lue started 46 of 49 games with the Hawks and averaged 13.5 points, 5.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 31.2 minutes per game - the points, assists and minutes were all career highs.

This season he'll switch to one of the league's most important security blankets, depending on the success of the Hawks' Joe Johnson at point guard experiment.

"Lue is a true pro," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "For him to come back and want to play for a team that won 13 games says a lot about who he is and what kind of respect he has for me and this coaching staff and what we're trying to do. And that respect he has for me, I have for him.

"And Lue will play minutes for us this year. The fact is everybody can't start. I played 11 years in this league, half as a starter and about half off the bench. But I tried to play the same way no matter what. I tried to bring it every night no matter what. And Lue is that kind of guy."

That's probably what prompted those phone calls from Phil Jackson. "He's won championships," Hawks assistant coach Larry Drew said of Lue. "He's been with teams that have had success and teams that have obviously been in a rebuilding phase. What he's shown me is he believes in what we're doing here."

[Peoriabird]

Lue spurned a chance to rejoin Lakers star Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson for another title run in favor of a backup role with the Hawks.

Title run?

[Wurider05]

What title run where they talking about? Hell the Lakers probably will only win 10 0r 11 more games than us. Title run my ass!!

[Gray Mule]

That's right ! Title run for the LA Lakers. They're

undefeated this season, you know. With the return of

the head coach who has, "Been there, Done that" and an

all star player to hang their hopes on, they can talk

right now about a title run.

Now, about this year's Hawks team. We have been so bad

and ended up so low, no one outside the orginization or

the really rabid fans believe that they can go anywhere

or accomplish anything.

We may not. We may be terrible again.

Not everyone believes that, however. JJ wanted to come

here and play. Lue wanted to return to the Hawks. We

have added two draft picks and some free agents who

wanted to come here and be a part of our rebuilding

program.

Al, Josh & Josh return with a load of experience as

starters. None of them had that experience last season

when we started. Our two second round picks last season

both made the team, played, gained experience and return

for more.

Our head coach AND his entire staff now have a year's

experience in their positions and working together,

knowing what they want to accomplish.

Both of this year's draft picks should make the team and

contribute to the overall success of the Hawks.

Hawks get no respect. Until they win some games and prove

to everyone that they are capable, they will continue to

be regarded as that team that won 13 games last year.

We who follow closely KNOW that we are a much better team

this season. Just how much better remains to be seen.

There are still a lot of questions yet to be answered.

Filled with youth and enthusiasm, being overlooked by

so many, who know how things will work out?

Heck, the Braves went from worst to first once upon a time.

This season, they had to go with a load of rookies and

despite all that, made the playoffs again this year.

Can the Hawks follow this pattern? Maybe not, but, right

now, like the LA Lakers, we are undefeated in the regular

season and will remain undefeated for a while yet!

It's only a dream? O.K. So, go away and let us dream!!!!

GO HAWKS !!!!!!

[mrhonline]

Okay, assuming Lue gets his "20" minutes, JJ gets his typical 40, and Childress continues last year's production at 36 minutes, what does that leave for Salim (or Delk or Ivey)?

[Nicholasp27]

assumptions:

jj 40mpg

lue 20mpg

jc 35mpg

js 35mpg

al 35mpg

za 30mpg

mw 15mpg

ss 12mpg

pg: jj 28mpg, lue 20mpg

sg: chill 24mpg, jj 12mpg, salim 12mpg

sf: js 22mpg, chill 11mpg, mw 15mpg

pf: al 35mpg, js 13mpg

c: zaza 30mpg, bastista/edwards/collier 18mpg

ivey/donta on nbdl team until injuries/improvement/trades

delk gets spot mins at 1/2, with more if injuries and/or trades come into play

note: lue/salim will not play at same time together (no mini-me backcourts for us)

[Iman]

For sure the Nicolas breakdown looks like what we have to expect. It looks like Salim, Delk, etc wont get many minutes but when you factor in injuries and did not plays it can throw the statistics off a good bit. I see us really trying to make the JJ/JC backcourt work early in the year or until Delk gets injured, Salim doesnt get many minutes. Then once he comes in and takes over a game or two we'll start using him more. By the end of the season I hope both Salim and Marvin are getting over 20 mins per game at the expense of Delk and Lue in Salim's case and Al in Marvin's case.

[CBAreject]

Do you really think the #2 pick in the draft gets 15 mpg? Tough to envision MW not getting more pt if he's even just decent.

[Nicholasp27]

well there will be injuries, trades, and his improvement (hopefully)

those will push him mins up

also, u can give chill more time at sg and less at sf and then open up more mins for marvin

[Traceman]

PG: JJ 24 mpg, Lue 20 mpg, Salim 4 mpg

SG: Chillz 25 mpg, JJ 13 mpg, Salim 10 mpg,

SF: Smoove 24 mpg, Marvin 18 mpg, 6 Chillz mpg

PF: Al 36 mpg, Smoove 6 mpg, Marvin 6 mpg

C: Zaza 30 mpg, Bastista/Edwards/Collier 18mpg

JJ - 37 mpg

Al - 36 mpg

Chillz - 31 mpg

Smoove - 30 mpg

Zaza - 30 mpg

Marvin - 24 mpg

Lue - 20 mpg

Salim - 14 mpg

Batista/Edwards/Collier - 18 mpg

I think that a lot of our guys will sacrifice some minutes due to so many guys playing multiple positions. In fact, as the season goes on, unless we are winning, I look for Marvin and/or Smoove to start cutting in to Al's minutes at PF.