Hawks get back to defense in preseason win

ATLANTA – In his pregame chat with the media on Thursday, Hawks coach Larry Drew seemed to emphasize defense in about every other sentence.

After their preseason-opening victory over defending NBA champion Miami – a game in which effort would no doubt be assured against such an exalted Southeast Division foe – the Hawks went on the road and yielded 101, 110 and 102 points in their three ensuing games.

Perhaps, then, it was reassuring that on Thursday at Philips Arena the Hawks buckled down after allowing 26 points in the first quarter to New Orleans and downed the Hornets 97-68, holding them to 32.9 percent shooting for the game.

Afterwards, Drew noted how at one point in the game the Hawks made 10 straight stops.
"So our defense was our staple tonight, particularly at the start of that second half," Drew said. "That's the type of energy we have to bring every night from a defensive standpoint."

With only two preseason games remaining before the regular season starts on Nov. 2 against Houston, Drew has a few issues to settle, among them defense and who the team's starting small forward will be. Drew used his fifth different starting lineup in five games on Thursday and one of the leading candidates to earn the starting spot at the small forward, Kyle Korver, was given a night off for rest.

Also of concern was that with 3:57 left in the third quarter, starting point guard Jeff Teague sprained his left ankle as he got fouled driving to the basket. Drew said he did not have an update after the game, as Teague will need to be evaluated.

As the Hawks look to negotiate the numerous issues that have presented themselves as part of new general manager Danny Ferry's overhaul of the team, Drew increasingly is leaning on Al Horford and Josh Smith – neither of whom have reached their 26th birthday, yet both of whom have risen to the status of salty veteran.

Drew said that during training camp he has seen a "new energy" out of Smith in particular.

"They have to be prepared to take that (leadership) challenge every night," Drew said. "Thus far they've done a good job with that. We are a team that we're, again, have a lot of new faces. Sometimes it takes a little time to get everything together. So they're has to be a level of patience and they're going to be two guys who are going to have really bring this whole thing together.

"Both guys have done a great job… with kind of a leadership role. They're being very vocal in our meetings and out on the floor. They're going to be two guys who have to set the tone for us every night. We can't come out and outscore people. We have to be a solid defensive team and I've had conversations with both guys and they are aware that I'm expecting them to set the tone defensively when we go out and play."

Smith sounded ready to assume the role.

"I'm in a different position right now," he said. "I understand that the position I'm in, I have to be more vocal, more energetic. I have to lead by example and I also have to be verbal."

On Thursday, Smith made 7-of-13 shots for 16 points and had seven rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot in 23 minutes. On one play late in the second quarter, he grabbed a defensive rebound, led the break and dished on the wing to Anthony Morrow, who was fouled while making a three-pointer. Alas, Morrow missed the free throw to pull off the rare four-point play, but it was the kind of effort that Drew wants to see more of.
 
"Both guys were really fast, both guys were bringing the ball out off the glass and starting our fast break," Drew said of Smith and Horford. "It puts the opposition at a disadvantage because they get that rebound and they go right past their guys. We try to look at the numbers and both guys did a really good job of passing the ball and pushing it out. We tried to make a conscious effort. Any time you get that basketball -- any one of the five -- we look to push it out."

Horford, in 25 minutes, made 4-of-7 shots for 10 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.
While Drew praised the Hawks' sharing of the basketball – they finished with 25 assists – it was the defense that drew the biggest praise and which will need to carry over into the regular season.

After the first quarter, the Hawks held the Hornets to 15-of-56 shooting (26.8 percent). Yet the Hawks themselves said they noticed their defense improve more to start the second half than after the first quarter.

"We turned it up defensively," Smith said. "We picked up full-court. We didn't gamble. Was able to get some deflections and get out and get some fast breaks and I think even when we got the rebounds, I think me and Al did a good job of pushing it and finding the open man for the threes and transition points."

Practice, as they say, makes perfect.