AJC: More depth means more decisions

[WraithSentinel]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/h.../1011hawks.html

More depth means more decisions

By SEKOU SMITH

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 10/11/06

Memphis — Who to start? Who to play?

Those are questions Hawks coach Mike Woodson didn't always have the luxury of answering last season. Not with his paper-thin depth at certain positions and the Hawks' health always the foremost concern for a coaching staff managing the NBA's youngest and perhaps most incomplete roster.

Heading into tonight's exhibition opener against Memphis at

FedEX Forum, those same questions are the ones Woodson and his staff must answer.

This being the exhibition season, their answers could be temporary in some cases. Tyronn Lue will start at point guard in place of Speedy Claxton, who remains sidelined with a fractured bone in his non-shooting hand. Lue will slide back into his more comfortable backup role when Claxton is healthy.

Other positions, though, will require a bit more deliberation. Will it be Josh Smith or Shelden Williams at power forward? Smith or Marvin Williams at small forward?

"As a staff we have to sit down and really figure this out," Woodson said after a practice earlier this week. "I think all these young guys are on target. This is the two Joshes' [smith and Childress] third year and Marvin and Salim [stoudamire's] second year, and they've all made major strides in terms of their games and how they approach the game now. Their attention spans and mental approach to the game is so much better than it was last year and when we first got them. Really, it's like night and day with these guys."

Still, it's tough to make such crucial decisions with just over a week of training camp to evaluate the performances of the players involved. Both Smith, a starter last season, and Marvin Williams have made cases for starting spots with stellar efforts in drills and scrimmages.

But Shelden Williams also has made an impression on the coaching staff with his knack for being in the right place at the right time on defense and his willingness to tackle the competition inside, where the Hawks are in need of the most significant help.

Whatever decisions are made, there is a distinct possibility that a top-five draft pick could be coming off the bench for the second consecutive season — Marvin Williams played as a reserve last season as a 19 year-old rookie.

"I don't think anybody cares where you were drafted," said Williams, who hasn't been a full-time starter since his senior year at Washington's Bremerton High.

"I learned that last year. You really do have to go out there and earn your way. I went into the summer with not only the goals coach and I talked about but also my own set of goals for what I wanted to accomplish in my second year. So I've definitely approached things more focused."

The collective focus, Woodson said, is the biggest change from last year to now. Whoever can maintain that focus and translate it into production on the floor during the eight-game exhibition schedule will also have the best shot at retaining a starting job when the regular season begins Nov. 1.

"Only time will tell," Woodson said. "We've got to get them on the floor playing games, see how they respond to live action, and then see where they stand."

THREE ON TWO

The Hawks have to decide between three players for two forward positions before tonight's exhibition against Memphis. A look at the players involved and the case for and against each:

JOSH SMITH, 6-9, 240, Third season

• The case for: Smith has started 132 of the 154 games he played the past two seasons, making him easily the most experienced option at either spot.

• The case against: There isn't a sound one. The only knock that can be made is that Smith isn't a "natural" power forward.

SHELDEN WILLIAMS, 6-9, 250, Rookie

• The case for: The only natural power forward of the bunch, Williams knows his assignments and would run through a brick wall to execute them.

• The case against: As beneficial as he would be on defense, he could be liability on offense. Plus, he still has to prove himself in the NBA.

MARVIN WILLIAMS, 6-9, 230, Second season

• The case for: Williams made his case the old fashioned way ... he earned it. No player on the roster has made a bigger leap from last year to now.

• The case against: Williams hasn't been a full-time starter since his senior year of high school, making his transition even tougher.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Can't wait till Speedy comes back healthy. It should be interesting watching the three forwards battle it out for the two spots

[DJlaysitup]

Read on a post over at Basketballboards.net that Shelden would start at the 4 and Marvin at the 3 (i suppose that means tonight). Nothing there as far as backup though so it could have just been a BS post.

Hard to believe JS would be left out of the starting lineup.

[HawksFan87]

That can't be true Smoove and Marvin have both earned the right to start, Shelden has'nt proven anything until he does he deserves to come off of the bench.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

This is preseason. There's nothing wrong with bringing Josh off the bench tonight, and starting him in the next game with one of the other guys coming off the bench.

That's how I'd go at it.

I'd even let Salim start a few preseason games at the point, just to see how he responds.

I'd even start Lorenzen a few games at center.

[frosgrim]

Woody has to be doing this to see what MW and Shellhead can do with a lot of minutes. He has a very good idea of what Smith brings. I wouldn't put anything into it. Its like starting Joe Blow in front of Chipper at third during spring training. Means nothing more than the staff wants to see what Blow can do.

[thesheedera]

Except that Joe Blow isn't realistically challenging Chipper for a position. Smith has GO to have a distinct advantage on both Marvin and Shelden, but there's no doubt that his job is in jeopardy if he doesn't play well.

Exhibition performances could have a very real impact on who the team's starters will be.

We're not talking about Salim starting in place of Johnson, these are 3 candidates for 2 jobs, and all of them have distinct qualities that could win them the job if they perform at a high level.

Still, I'm certainly not gonna read too much into who starts each individual game, but if a trend appears, I might start looking more closely at it.

Another thing to remember is that some guys might get limited minutes in exhibition games due to unpublished and minor bumps, tweaks and bruises suffered in training camp.

[Lascar78]

We don't know who has earned what in summer league, practice at summer league, training camp, practice last year...

So let's see what they go with and how it works. The coaches have one goal, and that's to make us a better team. That should be our goal too. They have a lot more info than us and make their decisions for a reason.

This can only work if the players are reasonable and unselfish and accept that coming off the bench is not an insult, everyone can get minutes. How do you guys expect the players to accept it when some of you can't even do it?

I do think that it will be interesting to see who starts tonight though, because it is fair to assume that whoever starts tonight are the current projected starters in the coaching staff's mind. Even if it does not end up being our starters, whoever is out will have to show something to earn his way back into the lineup.

I wonder if we will have a permanent starting 5 in the regular season or if we will change it from game to game depending on matchups. I think that's how I might do it.

Marvin/Smith to go offensive or to abuse a slow PF

Smith/Shelden to go defensive or to stop a big boy

Marvin/Shelden for some balance and a more traditional lineup

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Quote:

---

We don't know who has earned what in summer league, practice at summer league, training camp, practice last year...

So let's see what they go with and how it works. The coaches have one goal, and that's to make us a better team. That should be our goal too. They have a lot more info than us and make their decisions for a reason.

This can only work if the players are reasonable and unselfish and accept that coming off the bench is not an insult, everyone can get minutes. How do you guys expect the players to accept it when some of you can't even do it?

I do think that it will be interesting to see who starts tonight though, because it is fair to assume that whoever starts tonight are the current projected starters in the coaching staff's mind. Even if it does not end up being our starters, whoever is out will have to show something to earn his way back into the lineup.

I wonder if we will have a permanent starting 5 in the regular season or if we will change it from game to game depending on matchups. I think that's how I might do it.

Marvin/Smith to go offensive or to abuse a slow PF

Smith/Shelden to go defensive or to stop a big boy

Marvin/Shelden for some balance and a more traditional lineup

---

But it's PRESEASON. You said it right in your opening sentence Lascar. The only thing I disagree with you, is the importance of who is starting tonight.

Woodson has 8 games to see which combination works at the forward spots to start off a game. He can keep rotating these guys all preseason, before making a decision on who starts and who doesn't.

I just want the lineup out there that gives us the best chance at victory. I could care less who comes off the bench between Smoove, Marvin, or Shelden.

And if someone's ego gets hurt, well, maybe that'll motivate them to play harder and get that place in the starting lineup.

It may very well be that even Lorenzen is better suited to start for this team, instead of ZaZa. The only guy who should have a secure starting spot on this team, is JJ. Everybody else should be treating this preseason as an audition for a starting job.

[Lascar78]

I know it's preseason, but at the same time, preseason isn't summer league. Most teams will have the same starting lineup for every preseason game. I think it makes sense to try the three combinations, but I do think that who he chose for tonight (Marvin/Smith as the 3/4) indicates that if the season started today, that would be his lineup.