Hawks 360 Magazine Volume 2, Issue 1 by Atlanta Hawks

FCA

A COMPLETE LOOK INSIDE THE TH LIFESTYLE OF THE ATLANTA HA WKS

15 Photo by Greg Miller.

A-Town Dancer Profile: Kadija

Randolph at the Movies Marvin’s MP3

Pachulia and Bibby Return Marvin Inked

Fashionista takes on the Hawks Coaching Staff

Jamal Crawford Summer Transactions

Summer School Wally’s World

The Travel Life of Dave Pendergraft

Hawks Season Recap By the Numbers

Mario Plays Baseball

Hawks Community

Off Season Training Garlic Bread

Meet the New Recruit Inside the Draft Room

© 2007 United Parcel Service of America, Inc. UPS, the UPS brandmark, and the color brown are registered trademarks of United Parcel Service of America, Inc. All rights reserved. Avery, Marks-A-Lot, the Crown Cap Design, and all other Avery brands are trademarks of, and used here under license from, Avery Dennison Corporation. THE ATLANTA HAWKS NAME AND LOGO ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF ATLANTA HAWKS, L.P. ©2007-08 ATLANTA HAWKS, L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

MORE THAN

MEETS THE EYE A COMPLETE LOOK INSIDE THE TH LIFESTYLE OF THE ATLANTA HA WKS

SUMMER 2009, VOL. 2, ISSUE 1 Creative Director: Peter Sorckoff Art & Design: Matty Ryan Senior Editor: Arthur Triche Editor: Jon Steinberg Editorial Assistant: Jason Roose Staff Writer: Micah Hart Produced by: Atlanta Spirit, LLC 101 Marietta St., NW, Ste. 1900 Atlanta, GA 30303 Printed by: Tucker-Castleberry, Atlanta, GA Contributors: Erin Attaway, Wally Blase, Andrea Carter, John Cooper, Chattin Hill, Micah Hart, Brandon Leak, Jen Lehren, Greg Miller, Kyle Payne, Chef Bradley Rouse, Courtney Schweers and Jon Steinberg

PHOTO CREDITS: Cover: A. Horford by Chris Stanford Pg. 1: Kadija by Greg Miller Pg. 3: R. Morris & M. Williams by Greg Miller Pg. 5: Press Conference by Matty Ryan M. Williams by Greg Miller Pg. 7: Hawks Coaching Staff by Scott Cunningham Pg. 9: J. Crawford, A. Law IV, S. Claxton and J. Teague by Scott Cunningham Pg. 11: Z. Pachulia by Scott Cunningham Motorcycles by Wally Blase Pg. 15: Kadija by Greg Miller Pg. 17: A. Horford by Scott Cunningham Pg. 19: M. West by Greg Miller Pg. 21: A. Horford by Scott Cunningham Kayla’s Reading Garden by Andrea Carter Pg. 23: A. Horford by Greg Millier Pg. 24: J. Teague by Scott Cunningham R. Sund by Greg Miller All Atlanta Hawks game photography by Scott Cunningham

Randolph Morris reviews Transformers 2. I am a huge fan of the first two Transformers cartoons. So when I heard that there was going to be a string of screen-adapted movies I was excited to relive the memories of my younger years.

Transformers image courtesy of Dreamworks Pictures. Randolph Morris and Marvin Williams photos by Greg Miller.

I went to see Revenge of the Fallen on its opening weekend, and was pretty skeptical that it would top its prequel, which was terrific. After all, sequels rarely live up to the hype. But after taking it in, I have to say this film exceeded my expectations. It was action-packed and added a lot more autonomous robots than the first one. The story line ran pretty smoothly without dragging on at all. It sounds like a cliche’, but it has something for everyone. The action and transforming robots were perfect for the guys, and there had to be a little romance for the ladies.

OVERALL REVIEW “Overall, I have to give

it two thumbs up.”

WHAT’S ON YOUR

MP3 PLAYER? Marvin Williams says, “ My music taste is really diverse and eclectic. But when I get hooked on something, I will listen to it non-stop. The only thing I’ve added to my MP3 player recently is a mix tape by Gucci Mane (an Atlanta guy) called “Mr. Perfect.” I’m a big fan of it, and it’s been all I’ve listened to recently. Gucci is joined on the mixes by a guy named OJ Da Juiceman. They make a good team.”

Email us your idea, feedback, thoughts and suggestions at hawks360@atlantaspirit.com. © 2009 Atlanta Spirit, LLC. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced without written consent of the Atlanta Hawks.

HAWKS.COM 3

Photo by Matty Ryan.

PRESSING ON Mike Bibby and Zaza Pachulia Return by Micah Hart The rumors have been out there for a little while, but the Hawks made it official, inking free agents Mike Bibby and Zaza Pachulia to deals that will keep them in Atlanta threads for the foreseeable future. These moves are incredibly important for the franchise and help keep momentum going this offseason (along with the trade for Jamal Crawford and the drafting of Jeff Teague) after reaching the second round of the playoffs in 2008-09.

Bibby came to the Hawks with a chance to serve potentially two purposes — one, to make them better on the court, and two, if it didn’t work out, to provide the team with an incredibly valuable expiring contract. As it turned out, Bibby did play well for Atlanta, making it very unlikely that the team would think about trading him before his contract expired. And while it is fortunate that he excelled, it also meant that the Hawks would risk losing him in free agency for nothing. Taking that risk was well worth it — as two playoff appearances would attest — but re-signing him afterwards makes the original deal all that much sweeter.

HAWKS.COM EXCLUSIVE! Check out Micah Hart’s blog at HAWKS.COM for more news, updates and information about the Hawks.

With the market for available frontcourt players dwindling, it was pretty important that the Hawks bring back a guy who is not only a legit center but one of the best offensive rebounders in the league in Zaza Pachulia. After the injuries to the frontcourt during the playoffs, we all saw how valuable post-depth can be, and losing Pachulia would have stung. Fortunately that didn’t happen, and Pachulia now returns to be not only a valuable contributor but also a fan favorite at Philips Arena. One of the biggest contributing factors to success in the NBA is continuity, and by keeping two players who’ve been a part of the team’s nucleus for a combined 5 1/2 years, the Hawks have saved themselves a lot of time and effort that might have been spent trying to acclimate new players into the departed roles.

Marvin Williams “I have 3 best friends--Josh, Ian, and Phil. Josh came up the idea and drew it up. We all got the same tattoo when we were in high school (outside Seattle), just before we all left for college. We were in the place ALL day! It was Phil’s first tattoo and he wasn’t happy about how long it lasted. But we were all pretty pleased with how they turned out.”

Photo by Greg Miller.

Mike Bibby is the perfect fit for the offense Mike Woodson runs — he is a terrific outside shooter, and makes opponents think twice about doubling Joe Johnson. One of the biggest reasons for the Hawks’ success last year was an improvement in 3-point marksmanship, and with Bibby back in the fold, there is no reason to think that will drop off. He will also be a great mentor for Teague to learn under, since neither is your prototypical pass-first point guard.

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Fashion

ISTA

As the Hawks’ resident fashion expert, Zaza Pachulia puts in his two cents worth in each issue of 360. This month he critiques the Hawks’ coaching staff. The Hawks coaching staff are old school. They are old school in the way they coach, and in the way they dress. You don’t see a lot of modern fashion in their wardrobes, but that’s okay. They keep it simple and professional, and to me that’s all it needs to be.

with Zaza Pachulia

Like Larry, he prefers dark suits – just a little bit longer because he’s a lot taller. You’d be hard-pressed to find anything controversial in his wardrobe.

Woody likes his suits baggy. Some people think he gets them off the rack, but he had a tailor make them for him. His tailor is always trying to get me to buy a suit from him, but based on Woody’s style I’m not sure I want one.

MIKE WOODSON

Courtesy of Getty Images. Photos by Scott Cunningham.

JIM TODD

LARRY DREW He wears mostly traditional suits. He mostly likes dark colors, but they look good.

Much like he was as a player, Mark isn’t flashy, but always consistent. While he prefers dark suits, he’ll throw in some color with his red ties.

MARK PRICE

Like Jim, he prefers his suits dark and a little bit longer because he’s a lot taller.

TYRONE HILL

BOB BENDER His suits are also normal, but what sets him apart is what he wears when he’s off the court. Bobby loves to wear jeans, and he loves his cowboy boots. But for games he is strictly business.

Overall, I think the coaching staff looks very professional, but if they want to step it up a notch, they need to take a visit to Phipps Plaza to see what some of the new styles look like — you never know, they might like them. 7

INTRODUCING JAMAL

Hawks

CRAWFORD

Summer Transactions

by Brandon Leak

irst impressions say a lot, and Jamal Crawford is saying all the right things. Upon meeting him the first time, Crawford comes across as poised, confident and mature — characteristics that not only make for a good leader, they are also the ingredients for an impressive basketball player and an ideal teammate. Crawford is ready — ready to ball, ready to play his position and ready to make a lasting impression on the court, in the locker room, and in the 2010 NBA postseason. Crawford has seen many things in his nine-year NBA career, including three box scores with 50 points next to his name along with blistery winters in Chicago and New York. With all he’s seen, in nine seasons he’s never seen the NBA postseason from center court. Crawford and the Hawks are ready for his scenery to change. So what is the team getting? Simply stated — Crawford can and will light it up. With a quick first step and a sniper’s mentality, Crawford will create many opportunities to pull the trigger. He can shoot, drive, kick, beat his man off of the dribble, make three-pointers, and finish at

by Micah Hart the rim. He doesn’t just finish plays, he finishes games. Get ready to hit your feet because Crawford is going to score in the clutch and show no mercy in taking and hitting big shots. Did I mention that Crawford is an 84 percent freethrow shooter and along with Joe Johnson, is one of the NBA’s most efficient scorers in the fourth quarter? Yes, ATL — we’re in for some exciting finishes this year. The bench will also benefit. Flip Murray showed us all what instant offense can do for a squad from the second unit; expect more of the same from Crawford. With another veteran who can score it should allow the first unit to get ample rest throughout the year. Crawford is level-headed, confident and a consummate professional. He delivers at crunch time, he makes the most of every opportunity, and he’s an impressive addition to the Atlanta Hawks. The third trip to the playoffs could be the charm to make another lasting impression in town and Crawford certainly will make a great impact along the way.

JAMAL CRAWFORD… • Played one season of college ball at Michigan before being drafted 8th overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls for the rights to Chris Mihm. • Played four seasons in Chicago, averaging 17.3 ppg in his final year with the team before getting traded to the New York Knicks before the 2004-05 season.

June 25 The Hawks trade LAW Speedy Claxton and Acie Law to Golden State for Jamal Crawford. Crawford is expected to immediately become one of the team’s top perimeter scoring threats, as he averaged 19.7 ppg last season with the Knicks and Warriors. CLAXTON

July 13 Courtesy of Getty Images. Photos by Scott Cunningham.

• Has 3 career 50+ scoring games; something only 7 other active NBA players have accomplished (Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Tracy McGrady, Gilbert Arenas, Shaquille O’Neal, and Dwyane Wade).

Here is a brief rundown of what you might have missed so far:

In the 2009 NBA Draft, TEAGUE the Hawks selected PG Jeff Teague out of Wake Forest with the #19 pick in the first round, then added SG Sergiy Gladyr from Ukraine with the #49 selection in the second. With Acie Law departing, Teague should step in as the understudy to Mike Bibby GLADYR in the Hawks’ backcourt, while Gladyr may be in more of the team’s long-term plans.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Became one of the NBA’s most explosive scorers while in New York, notching a career-high 52 points in a game against Miami on January 26, 2007 and scoring a career-best 20.6 a game in 2007-08.

It’s been a busy offseason for the Hawks, with several roster changes taking place since the team reached the 2nd round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

In an effort to keep the core of a Hawks team that made two straight playoff appearances together, the Hawks re-signed PG Mike Bibby and C Zaza Pachulia to deals that will keep the pair in a Hawks uni for the foreseeable future.

July 14 The Hawks traded the rights to C David Andersen (a second round pick in 2002) to the Houston Rockets for a future 2nd and cash considerations.

Courtesy of Getty Images. Photos by Scott Cunningham.

WALLY’S

by Micah Hart

WORLD M

ost of the times you see Hawks head athletic trainer Wally Blase, it’s when he’s dealing with various player maladies on the sidelines at games; a cramping leg here, a twisted ankle there. But if you’re looking to find him outside the lines, your best bet is to check the open road.

Blase is a motorcycle enthusiast, turned onto the activity by former Bulls big-man Bill Wennington when the two were working together in Chicago. “ Bill had a nice Harley. He took me to look at some one day at a dealership and I bought one that day,” remembered Blase. “We were in downtown Chicago, and I had to get home to the suburbs on the North side. I made [Bill] ride with me on the back streets all the way home. “ It’s a great way to deal with stress. The motorcycle is a simple vehicle, there’s no MP3 player or other technologies you see in cars — it’s just you and the road. I find that after a good ride, almost all the stress I deal with is gone.” A native of Illinois, Blase spent several years working with the Bulls training staff before coming over to Atlanta in 2000. Blase currently owns several bikes, most of which were custom-made for him by noted bike-designer Carl Brouhard, who has built bikes for several other NBA figures including Wennington and former Hawks players Toni Kukoc and Lorenzen Wright. Brouhard currently has one of Blase’s bikes out on tour as part of a charity drive to raise money for Juvenile Justice programs that help troubled teens. People buy raffle tickets for $10, and one lucky person can end up with a chopper valued at as much as $60,000.

Zaza gets schooled by Micah Hart Last summer, Hawks center Zaza Pachulia participated in a groundbreaking business seminar at Northwestern’s prestigious Kellogg School of Business. The four-day program served as sort of a crash course about the world of business for several NBA players, and Pachulia took a lot of important lessons away from the experience.

“ It’s a great way to give back,” said Blase. “The kids in these programs get to see the bikes we’ve built, and hopefully it gives them a positive message to help get their lives back on track.” With many athletes making headlines with motorcycles in the last several years, Blase was quick to note that owning a bike comes with great responsibility. “ I don’t think anyone should be able to buy a bike until they’re at least 30 years old,” he cautioned. “I didn’t get my first one until I was 29, and I was able to handle it better because I was a little older and a better decision-maker. “ What got some of those guys in trouble was they were riding smaller foreign bikes. With a Harley, you’re dealing with something much bigger and easiser to handle.” For more information about Wally Blase’s charity efforts, go to: http://brouharddesigns.com/giving-back/

Based on that experience, Pachulia will be furthering his business training this summer as he enrolls in two summer school classes at Georgia State University. Starting in July, Pachulia will be taking classes in business and management.

“The Northwestern program showed me that there is a lot I can still learn about how to compete in the business world. I know I won’t play basketball forever, and I want to be as successful off the court when I finish playing as I am on it now.” Pachulia is no stranger to Georgia State, as he spoke there this past November during International Week to a group of students from his native Georgia as well as a handful of other countries.

Photo by Wally Blase

“Education is very important,” says Pachulia. “People think you don’t need it if you are a professional basketball player or you make a lot of money, but there is a lot going on out there that people want to involve you in.

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Portland Minneapolis

Storrs

Chicago Columbus Cincinnati

Salt Lake City Columbia

Pittsburgh New York City

Lexington

Approximately 100,000 miles traveled from November 1st to the NBA Draft.

Louisville

Oakland Tulsa Norman Little Rock

Anaheim Los Angeles

Richmond Chapel Hill Winston-Salem Nashville Raleigh Memphis Spartanburg Clemson Birmingham Atlanta Columbia Auburn

College Station Austin

Baton Rouge

Tallahassee Orlando Tampa Miami

THE TRAVEL LIFE OF DAVE

Portsmouth

Anaheim, CA Atlanta, GA Auburn, AL Austin, TX Baton Rouge, LA Birmingham, AL Chapel Hill, NC Cincinnati, OH Chicago, IL Clemson, SC College Station, TX Columbia, MO Columbia, SC Columbus, OH Lexington, KY Little Rock, AR Los Angeles, CA Louisville, KY Memphis, TN Miami, FL

PENDERGRAFT With 30 years under his belt working in basketball, Hawks’ Assistant General Manager/Director of Player Personnel Dave Pendergraft’s best friends have often been his suitcase and his passport. As one of the primary people responsible for helping to identify the players the Hawks selected in the June 25 draft, his travels over the last year have taken him virtually around the map. From Anaheim to St. Thomas and everywhere in-between, Pendergraft logged roughly 100,000 miles over the last 8 months, in his mission to add quality players to the team’s roster (see graphic above). But what is sometimes seen as a one-shot deal (June 25) is just a small piece of the equation. Pendergraft explains: Needless to say, my job involves a great deal of travel, domestic and international. And if I didn’t enjoy that element, I couldn’t do the job. But the endgame of the process remains the same – to help the team get better in any way possible. I can understand why fans and media tend to focus on the draft, as it’s one of the league’s marquee events and one of the more exciting nights of the year. But in the big picture, the draft is not the end of the road, it’s just another part in the process. For instance, I might go to scout a player on a Tuesday night in January in Winston-Salem, and that player gets hurt 10 minutes into the game. So maybe a player from the other team catches my eye, and that becomes a player we discuss at our next scouting meetings. But maybe it’s not a guy that fits into that particular year’s draft. So he goes to Europe or the NBA Development League, and two years later we bring him in as a training camp invitee, and he’s a guy that ends up making our team because of an injury to another player, and becomes a contributor and helps us win. That’s just an example of how the scouting process becomes an important element in continuing to identify and

Minneapolis, MN Nashville, TN New York City Norman, OK Oakland, CA Orlando, FL Pittsburgh, PA Portland, OR Portsmouth, VA Raleigh, NC Richmond, VA Salt Lake City, UT St. Thomas, USVI San Juan, PR Spartanburg, SC Storrs, CT Tallahassee, FL Tampa, FL Tulsa, OK Winston-Salem, NC St. Thomas, USVI

San Juan, PR

TRIPS OVERSEAS: Greece Israel

Italy Spain

evaluate talent, whether it’s for the draft or not. And that process is truly endless. When I worked in Seattle with Rick (Sund), both Damien Wilkins and Reggie Evans were perfect illustrations of that type philosophy and approach. Both of those guys were undrafted, but came in and played big roles on winning teams in Seattle. The reality is that, outside of the very top of the draft, generally speaking, it is unrealistic to expect to find an immediate impact player from day one in the NBA. The adjustment takes time for the vast majority of players. At pick numbers 19 and 49, we were simply looking to utilize those assets to add depth in any way we can for now and the future, whether it be at a position of need or not. Our group is charged with conducting our due diligence so at the end of the day, we are presenting the most informed opinion possible to Rick, so he can make the decisions that need to be made on draft night. All of our scouting staff that focuses on the draft (Director of Pro Personnel Steve Rosenberry, Director of Basketball Operations Mike McNeive, and Scouts Mark Crow, Ron Meikle and Lojze Milosavljevic) logs thousands of miles, as we still feel it’s important to utilize that discipline, to add to the wide array of background research and video work we do. And again, it’s not only about draft night. You hope all of the scouting you do has a cumulative effect, and gives you a body of work to form your evaluation of that player. Draft scouting is really a case study, and it includes location (finding the players wherever they may be), evaluation (watching them play) and investigation (doing all of the background). 13

Birthday: June 8th College: Spelman College Current Profession: High School Teacher, Actor & Dancer Professional Dance Experience: Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Modern, Tap, 4 seasons with the A-Town Dancers, Dance Teacher/ Choreographer, Jr. A-Town Dancers Coach. Hobbies/Recreation: Acting, going on vacation, spending time with family and friends, going to concerts, the theater, movies, sporting events.

A-TOWN DANCER PROFILE:

Hometown: Richmond, VA

Favorite type of music: R&B, Hip-Hop, Gospel, Pop, and some Country Favorite vacation destination: Bermuda Favorite Food: Anything Italian and Sushi. Biggest Pet Peeve: People who criticize without providing a solution. Best Quality: My smile and outgoing positive personality. Three words that describe you: Happy, sarcastic, blessed. Favorite quote: “You don’t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing”

Photo by Greg Miller.

For Georgia, today really is the day.

Building a stronger economy through better education.

A great economy is built on a strong foundation of educated workers. The more there are, the stronger the foundation. And since 1993, over 1 million students have had the opportunity to attend colleges and technical schools through Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HOPE Scholarship Program. Just imagine how much stronger Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy has become.

Today could be the day.

BUILDING MOMENTUM By the The 2008-09 Hawks took another step toward joining the NBA’s elite.

Numbers

by Jon Cooper

The Hawks started 6-0, finished 48-37 (the best start and most wins in 11 years), then won a Playoff series for the first time in a decade and won the first seventh and deciding game at home in franchise history, before finally losing in the second round to Cleveland, team with the NBA’s best regular-season record. Nobody saw this coming. “We went over the expectations of what everybody thought,” said point guard Mike Bibby. “I think somebody had us picked 14th in the East. It was always a knock against us. We won’t make the Playoffs, then we won’t get home court advantage. Then we won’t beat Miami. We lost to a good team in Cleveland, but I think this team has come a long way, just in the past year-and-a-half that I’ve been here.” It’s come even further since Mike Woodson took over as head coach prior to the 2004-05 season as this year’s Hawks improved their record for the fourth straight season. Getting to .500 would have been the goal for some teams after a 2007-08 season that saw them finish 37-45. But earning the eighth playoff spot then pushing Boston to seven games in that first round, forced them to set the bar higher. Reaching .500 and making the Playoffs were no longer good enough. “Our goal coming into this year was to try to get one of those top four spots to try to host the first round here at Philips Arena,” said Woodson prior to the start of the Playoffs. I like the direction we’re headed as a team because guys know what’s at stake and they’re pushing it. Individually we’ve grown and from a defensive standpoint we’ve gotten better from last year’s team.”

Numbers don’t lie and the numbers surrounding the Atlanta Hawks’ 2008-09 season can not dispute that they had a superb season. Here’s just a sampling.

It was an experience this year, hopefully we learned something from it.” Center Al Horford did. “[Losing] still [stinks],” said the second-year center with a laugh. “But it was a good season overall. We got better from last year and that’s all you can really ask for. Now we’ve got to look ahead to next season.”

The number of rebounds pulled down by Zaza Pachulia in Game Four of Atlanta’s first-round series against Miami. The most boards by a Hawk in a Playoff game since Dikembe Mutombo grabbed 18 on May 16, 1999.

Horford averaged nearly a double-double (11.5 points, 9.3 rebounds) for the second straight season and led the team in rebounding for the second straight year as well. Horford was a key performer for a tougher, more defensive-minded team that held opponents to .454 shooting from the field (11th in the league) and 96.5 points per game (10th). Those numbers were down from the .463 shooting and 100.0 points per game opponents averaged last year and was better than this year’s Western Conference Finalists, Denver and the Lakers. “You look at the stats. When we hold teams under 100 points we have a great record,” said forward Marvin Williams, of the Hawks’ 38-13 record (4-4 in the Playoffs) when keeping teams under the century mark. “So obviously our identity is definitely defense. There are a lot of guys that can score the ball but when we play great defense we’re a tough team to beat.” The ’08-09 Hawks showed they were unafraid of the League’s toughest teams, going a respectcontinued on the page 19.

The number of points the Hawks allowed the Heat in Game One of their first-round series tying a Hawks postseason single-game record for fewest points by an opponent.

The number of field goals Miami scored in Game Four, a Hawks’ 81-71 victory, setting an Atlanta opponent playoff record low. Mike Bibby’s three-point shooting percentage during the 2009 Playoffs.

23 .542 6

The number of double-figure scoring efforts by Flip Murray in the postseason. The team’s fourth-leading scorer (11.8 ppg), Flip also led the Hawks in scoring once, and led the team in assists once.

The number of three-point field goals Marvin Williams made during the 2008-09 season. He began the season with a three-year total of 25.

The number of fans the Hawks averaged per home game in 2008-09, setting a new Philips Arena single-season record, and matching the second-highest all-time season total.

16,748

The number of fans that watched the Hawks down the Lakers, 86-76, on March 29, setting a Philips Arena regular season single-game attendance record.

20,148

Better, but still not among the East’s elite. This year’s Hawks finished second in the Southeast Division to one Eastern Conference Finalist (Orlando), and was eliminated in the second round by the other (Cleveland). “We know we could have played better,” said guard Flip Murray, an important pre-season acquisition, after the Cleveland series. “I think if everybody was 100 percent it would have been a better outcome, would have been a better performance. But we played with everybody that we had. So we can’t use that as an excuse because everybody has injuries. HORFORD CHALLENGES VAREJAO

Courtesy of Getty images Photo by Scott Cunningham.

Winning is fun. Winning when no one expects you to is even more fun. Imagine what a blast the 2008-09 Atlanta Hawks had.

The combined number of winstreak games the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets and Utah Jazz brought into Philips Arena before seeing their streaks snapped by the Hawks. Atlanta was one of two teams to snap three separate streaks of seven-or-more wins.

The number of games the 2008-09 Hawks needed to surpass the total number of wins earned by the 2004-05 Hawks, Mike Woodson’s first season as head coach.

23 17

continued from page 17.

able 18-23 against teams over .500, recording wins over four of the six division winners and 13 of the other 15 Playoff participants. “We’ve proven that we are able to beat the best of the best teams and we’re able to compete with the elite teams in this league,” said explosive power forward Josh Smith, who led the team in scoring (17.1 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg) during the Playoffs and was in his usual place among NBA leaders in blocks per game (1.6, 13th). “Our identity is to not back down. Not to back down from any team. I think every team realizes when they play the Atlanta Hawks that we’re going to play hard every night.”

Williams feels keeping the team together is vital. “We’ve all grown together, myself, Josh [Smith] and Joe and Al,” said Williams. ppg, 13th), assists per game (5.8, 17th), field goals made (620, eighth), and three-point field goals made (149, 17th), while earning his third straight berth on the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. “We’ll all get together at some point in time over the summer and we’ll set our goals again, what we want to do as a group and we’ll go from there.”

as we get older, if we can stay together we’re all going to mature together and continue to get better. Hopefully bring a championship back to this city.”

“When I first signed here the team had 13 wins. Look where we are now,” added Pachulia, who provided energy and muscle off the bench (he led the team in rebounding They may have played hard every night, but 15 times during the season and three more Perhaps the biggest question facing the the Hawks were still plagued by problems times in the Playoffs) and has become a 2009-10 Hawks is who will be in that group shooting with greater consistency — they fan favorite at Philips Arena. “We’re young when training camp opens. Several pieces to were 11th in the League, fourth in the East, in and we’re still willing to get better and go last season’s puzzle are without contracts, field goal percentage (.458) and 15th, eighth get the title. Next year we’re going to come including Williams, Murray, Bibby, center in the East, in three-point shooting (.366) — in with the mindset that we won’t be satisZaza Pachulia (all of whom have expressed and playing with any kind of consistently on fied with making the playoffs or passing the a desire to stay in Atlanta), key role players the road, where they were especially fallible, first round. No. We want to play in the Finals. Mario West and Solomon Jones, as well as winning only 16 games and allowing an avI already feel the excitement.” the rights to Josh Childress, who played last erage of 100.3 points per game, seven more season in Greece. With the foundation in place, a solid veterthan they did at Philips Arena. an contributor in Mo Evans and developing Williams feels keeping the team together is vital. According to All-Star guard Joe Johnson, youngsters Jones and Acie Law, the Hawks building on 2008-09 and improving in ‘09-10 “We’ve all grown together, myself, Josh believe “the next level” is on their radar. [Smith] and Joe and Al,” said Williams, who starts with a look in the mirror. had a superb season (13.9 ppg, 6.3 rebounds, “We’ve tried to get better each year and we’ve “For us right now it’s for everybody to get betdone that,” said Johnson. “We’ve gotten 55 three-point field goals, .355 shooting from ter individually, coming back with a chip on better individually, we’ve gotten better collecthree), until a lower back injury on March 9, their shoulder for next season,” said Johntively as a team, so I look forward to us comthen a wrist injury in Game Two against Mison, who led the NBA in minutes per game ing back next year with a vengeance.” ami pulled the rug out from under him. “It’s (39.5) and was in the top 20 in scoring (21.4 easier to get better when we stay together. So

VIDEO GAME REVIEW Mario West looks at MLB 2K9 Now that the hectic pace of the NBA schedule is over for a few months Mario West has had a little more free time to devote to video games. What game does a pro athlete play in the summer? Baseball of course. This issue Mario offers us his review on the 2KSports franchise MLB2K9.

POSITIVE

• Its very cool that LIVING ROSTERS are easily updated to reflect any changes or trades that happen in real world MLB. Welcome to Atlanta Nate McLouth! • The advance swing stick allows you (with good timing) to get a greater variety of hits like line drives and little bloops. You can even pull the ball to different corners.

NEGATIVE

–

• I ran into some fielding glitches which can get a little aggravating. Players drop balls that should have been caught. The first few times I thought it was me ... but I am pretty sure they are glitches! • While the graphics are spectacular, I would be willing to sacrifice some of that quality for stronger game play to get rid of those A.I. glitches.

MARIO’S TIP To unlock the “Hard Knocks” Achievement — hit three batters in a row.

OVERALL ERALL REVIEW MLB B 2K9 is Mario Westt approved.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

“It’s hard to believe that video game makers continue to find ways to make sports games more challenging and in-depth each year. MLB 2K9 fits that description with their latest offering. The first thing that grabbed my attention with this game was the graphics. The players seem really life-like. The crowd and crowd noise are well done and the designers have put some real attention to detail into the stadiums.”

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ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. Bacardi.com

Out &

About

MARIO’S PIZZA PARTY

Photo by Scott Cunningham

Atlanta Hawks guard Mario West hosted a pizza party for patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston on Wednesday, June 17. He spent the afternoon eating and visiting with patients, passing out Hawks goodies and books, and playing games. A native of Douglasville, GA and a graduate of Georgia Tech, West has a longstanding relationship with the hospital and has visited with patients since his college days. This was the fourth pizza party he’s hosted at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta this season.

HORFORD NAMED COLLIER AWARD RECIPIENT Prior to one of the final games of the season, the Hawks’ Al Horford was awarded the Jason Collier Memorial Trophy by the organization for his dedication to community service. The Collier Trophy, named after the late Hawks center who passed away October 15, 2005, is presented annually to the player who best exemplifies the characteristics Collier displayed off the court as a community ambassador.

Responding to a request from a special fan, Zaza Pachulia visited students at Doris and Alex Weber Jewish Community High School on Thursday, March 26. The Hawks center spoke to more than 200 kids about growing up in the Republic of Georgia, his travels abroad as a professional basketball player and answered questions for the students. Approximately 20 students at the school are members of the Zaza Pachulia Fan Club and it was fan club president, Jeremy Spielman, who led the charge to get his favorite player to the school. Zaza received a thunderous ovation as he entered the auditorium, complete with strobe lights, music and a video presentation. The afternoon was capped off when the students surprised Zaza with a donation of school supplies for the school the center supports in his home country.

Photo by Andrea Carter

ZAZA PACHULIA VISTS WEBER JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL

KAYLA’S READING GARDEN The Atlanta Hawks and Thrashers helped bring some afternoon cheer to Stonewall Tell Elementary School, which was devastated by the loss of one of their own. Kayla Lemons was a smart and funny student at Stonewall Tell who lost her life in a horrific Easter car crash that also claimed three members of her family. Students at the school teamed up with the community to develop a campus memorial to

the third-grader. Named “Kayla’s Reading Garden” because of the fifth grader’s love of books, the area includes benches, flower beds, trees and a plaque about Kayla. After learning the school library was developing a special collection dedicated to Kayla, the Hawks and Thrashers donated books to start the collection and distributed Read to Achieve t-shirts, bookmarks, pencils and much more. 21

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HORFORD’S OFF SEASON WORKOUTS

Al is such a dedicated, professional and mature person, and his offseason training regimen is no exception. Since our team chef Bradley Rouse doesn’t cook for the players in the off season, Al has been working with a sports nutritionist, Marie Spano.They met and talked about things that could help Al in terms of his nutrition in the off season. When the season ended, we gave Al some time to rest and let his body recover, especially after his right ankle sprain during the playoff series with Miami. After the initial rest period, we started on some maintenance and rehabilitation to get his body working again, and getting his ankle strength back. He recovered surprisingly quickly once he was able to get that rest. If the injury had occurred during the regular season, he would have missed quite a few games as he worked his way back. But he didn’t have that luxury in the playoffs. He wanted to play through the pain to be there for his team in the playoffs.

He’s also starting to work with (Strength & Conditioning Coach) Chattin Hill. Each player has a customized preseason, in-season and postseason plan when it comes to strength training and conditioning.

PRESENTED BY

A bit later in the summer, (Assistant Coach/Player Performance) Pete Radulovic will work with him on a core strength training plan to help his overall body strength and balance.

Hawks Strength & Conditioning Coach Chattin Hill says...

While that describes some of the things we’ll have Al working on this summer, it’s also a basic overview of what most of our players will do. For our guys that had injuries during the season, we bring them into the shop, fix the dents and get them tuned up for the season. Each guy has a unique plan based on their needs.

Once he got that strength and stability back, we started formulating a plan to put him into a standard postseason recovery mode and really focus on getting ready for the rigors of training camp, and preseason.

GARLIC BREAD Garlic bread … some like it soft and some like it toasty. In the Hawks locker room it has to be both! On game days the garlic bread is just as important as the pasta. Coach Woodson and Mike Bibby have ve been known to take a loaf home with pasta to go. Here is the garlic bread recipe I usee for the team.

Al’s strength and conditioning is still in the early phases of the summer, but it’s been pretty intense. We’ve started going to the boxing gym. While we don’t do any sparring, Al will hit the focus mitts, along with the speed and heavy bags. Al’s really been enjoying this. At this stage, it’s really good to change up the workouts to avoid any overuse injuries. With lifting, we can push a little harder right now than we would during the season, since we have ample recovery time. We’re really in General Physical Preparedness (GPP) phase right now. To keep it fresh, we may hike one day. With the injuries Al had during the season (knee, ankle), there are some muscles in his hips that we can work on to help out. I keep in mind what those injuries were, and design programs that help out with rehab and restrengthening. As we get closer to the season, we’ll work more on quickness and explosiveness. But before we build the house, we have to build the foundation. We really want him to peak around the time the season starts.

Photo by Greg Miller.

In Ingredients

Once the offseason rolls around, Head Athletic Trainer Wally Blase and his staff work on individual training plans for each player tailored to their specific strengths, weaknesses, injuries and other factors. In the case of Al Horford’s summer plan, Blase and his staff had to be methodical and patient, as Horford had battled a sprained right ankle through a part of the Hawks’ playoff run, on top of the regular bumps and bruises of an eight-game preseason, an 82-game regular season, and in Atlanta’s case, an 11-game postseason stretch. Blase explains:

1 Loaf of Italian bread 1 Stick of unsalted butter 2 Cloves of garlic, minced 1 Tablespoon of fresh parsley chopped Pinch of salt and pepper Paprika tiny, tiny pinch

Soften butter but and combine with garlic, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper Preheat oven ov to 350°F. Make the butter, garlic, parsley mixture as above. Make 1-inch thick thic slices into the bread, but do not go all the way through, just to the cr bottom crust. Put a teaspoon or two of the butter mixture between each slice. Wrap the bread in aluminum foil and heat for 15 minutes in the oven. To make toa unwrap and cook about 5 minutes. it a bit toasty

Chef Bradley Rouse keeps the Hawks well fed while monitoring their nutrition. In this edition of Hawks 360 he shares another one of Mike Bibby’s favorites … Garlic Bread! 23

MEET THE NEW

“ He is a great player. He is quick, can get to the rim and finish, and is maybe the best athlete at the PG position in this draft.”

RECRUIT hen you draft at #19 in the NBA Draft, the conventional wisdom is you draft the best talent available, not for need. In the 2009 NBA Draft, the Hawks were able to get accomplish both by selecting PG Jeff Teague, a sophomore out of Wake Forest.

— Hawks GM Rick Sund

Teague rated very highly on the Hawks draft board, and the front office was very pleased to see his name still on the board when it became their turn to pick. And with Acie Law traded to Golden State in the deal for Jamal Crawford, the Hawks were in need of a young player to groom for the future of the position. Teague impressed the front office and coaching staff with his lightning quickness and scoring ability in college. As Hawks GM Rick Sund said, “He is a great player. He is quick, can get to the rim and finish, and is maybe the best athlete at the PG position in this draft.” Predictably excited about coming to Atlanta, Teague was quick to set goals for himself.

STATS

Height: 6’-2” Weight: 180 lbs. College: Wake Forest

Photo by Scott Cunningham

“I want to show people that I can be the best point guard in this draft class,” said Teague. “I want people to look back on this draft someday and wonder why teams took other guys in front of me.” Although his only previous trips to Atlanta have come when playing Georgia Tech in ACC competition, Teague is very familiar with the Hawks’ roster thanks to an unlikely source – his Xbox. “I always play with the Hawks on NBA Live,” said Teague. “Joe Johnson is my guy – every time I get him the ball he scores for me.” Hopefully Teague can turn that into reality come the start of the 2009-10 season.

A NIGHT IN THE DRAFT ROOM with Micah Hart

This year, in an effort to give Hawks fans a closer look at the process of selecting players in the NBA Draft, Hawks GM Rick Sund allowed Hawks.com exclusive access to Draft Central on the night of the draft. It was an amazing experience to see how the sausage gets made, so to speak. The thing that impressed me most about Sund’s board room was the organization.The Hawks front office played the draft like a chess board – they were always looking several moves ahead so as to be prepared for anything. Playing through every scenario is important, especially when you draft at #19 and face the prospect of having some of the players you like get taken before your turn. 24

Sund is the Hawks’ decision-maker, but he is by no means a dictator. He actively sought out the opinions of the coaches and scouts in the room, and there was healthy debate and discussion the entire night. Sund’s staff is by no means a group of yes men – people gave their honest assessments and the group worked together to agree on every decision. In the end, the choices were easy – both Jeff Teague at #19 and Sergiy Gladyr at #49 were consensus picks in the draft room, and very little time was taken to call in the selections to the NBA. If only it were that easy every year! Photo by Greg Miller.