Looking forward to the new season

[Sothron]

I know this team has no chance of winning a title. I feel like I must preface the rest of what I am about to write because this has to be said.

So why am I excited about this season and by default this team? I will tell you why.

Basketball IQ.

To be more specific: This is the highest basketball IQ team we have had since the Mookie-Smittie-Deke-Laettner-Corbin days. THAT team had five starters with good to outstanding basketball IQs. THAT team has quietly been in the back of my mind as the "vision" for every Hawks yearly roster since then.

Why? Because you can't coach intangibles. You can't coach (to an extent) basketball IQ. You can't coach hustle and drive. You can't coach selfishness and putting the team first.

We finally got rid of a seeping cancer in the heart of our franchise. You know exactly who I am talking about. Chuck McChuckerston and his absolute selfish need to waste possession after possession after possession is finally gone. That fraud of a "star" player is now someone else's problem.

Instead we get a bruising smart power forward that plays smart. We have an entire roster that plays smart. I literally can not wait to see a team that embraces TEAM and does not shoot itself in the foot with wasted possessions, complaining to the ref instead of getting back on defense and doesn't think it needs to hog the ball for an entire shot clock.

So count me as one fan that is looking forward to THIS Hawks team.

[Guest]

I agree...unfortunately we won't win the championship and we won't get a lottery pick but we will be fundamentally sound.

[LamarHampton]

Right there with you buddy.

[kerrypack]

I like all the players on this team. my concern is that missing that insanity element will result in korver getting fewer easy shots.

[thecampster]

I know this team has no chance of winning a title. I feel like I must preface the rest of what I am about to write because this has to be said.

So why am I excited about this season and by default this team? I will tell you why.

Basketball IQ.

To be more specific: This is the highest basketball IQ team we have had since the Mookie-Smittie-Deke-Laettner-Corbin days. THAT team had five starters with good to outstanding basketball IQs. THAT team has quietly been in the back of my mind as the "vision" for every Hawks yearly roster since then.

Why? Because you can't coach intangibles. You can't coach (to an extent) basketball IQ. You can't coach hustle and drive. You can't coach selfishness and putting the team first.

We finally got rid of a seeping cancer in the heart of our franchise. You know exactly who I am talking about. Chuck McChuckerston and his absolute selfish need to waste possession after possession after possession is finally gone. That fraud of a "star" player is now someone else's problem.

Instead we get a bruising smart power forward that plays smart. We have an entire roster that plays smart. I literally can not wait to see a team that embraces TEAM and does not shoot itself in the foot with wasted possessions, complaining to the ref instead of getting back on defense and doesn't think it needs to hog the ball for an entire shot clock.

So count me as one fan that is looking forward to THIS Hawks team.

I ever so miss what Deke/Laettner brought on the court as a tandem. If you ever get a chance, go back and watch games from this team. You will never see two players so willing to make up for each other's flaws. I can still visual Deke in no man's land under the basket and Laettner running through players to get in Deke's line of sight for a pass out. At the same time I vividly remember Laettner knowing he was unable to guard a big and having the smarts to funnel him toward Deke's right hand for the block. Deke would always leave his center and find him with Laettner repeatedly leaving to box out the opposing center. Those two very 1 way players played fantastically off each other's strengths.

Go back and watch that team again. I believe that team in its prime could be a 2 seed today.

[BrazilianHawk]

I'm excited as well, but I feel it will take some time (or a lot of it!) until the offense start clicking. I think looking for the three every time just won't cut it. Too many threes were taken in the first two preseason games, Hopefully this trend will change soon enough.

[Guest]

I agree campster...awesome chemistry in the 90's with deke, laettner, mookie n co. I agree that they would be a #2 seed as well. Better than Indy and Chicago but under the Heat. Miss those days.

[Alex]

Hard to get excited about this season. Going to be a very boring brand of basketball we see this season. Once again we aren't so bad, but we aren't going to win a playoff series either. Same middling franchise with nothing to be really excited about.