Nobody told Jeff Teague he had to stick to the script.

Before last summer’s Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Hawks and top-seeded Bulls tipped off, Teague was cast as a bit player. The 6-2 point guard, Atlanta’s first-round draft pick in 2009 who was on the verge of being labeled a bust, had averaged just 4.5 minutes of action in just two appearances during the Hawks’ first-round series. But when injuries forced Teague into a starting role – and a nightly matchup with league MVP Derrick Rose – he responded like a man ready to steal the show. Read More »

Some surprising news hit campus this morning: North Carolina junior point guard Larry Drew II will transfer from the university, Coach Roy Williams announced Friday.

“This morning, around 9 o’clock, I got a message to call big Larry,” said Williams at his Friday press conference in reference to Drew’s father, the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks. “At that point he informed me Larry was leaving, and we had a long discussion, most of which should be kept private.” Read More »

The Hawks had the Celtics where they should have wanted them: Rajon Rondo was out, the C’s were on a two-game losing streak, and the Hawks were at home. Nate Robinson, who’s not really a point guard, was starting at point guard for Boston. And although Joe Johnson had shot just 8-for-26 the last two games, he was facing a team that the Hawks swept last regular season.

So what happened? The Hawks fell behind by 26 in the first quarter, and the Rondo-less Celtics bruised and cruised to a 23-point win that was never close. Read More »

The Atlanta Hawks are off to an 8-4 start, with five players averaging double-figuring scoring and a sixth, Marvin Williams, putting up 9.9 points per game. Aiming for their fourth straight playoff appearance with most of the same core, the Hawks are maturing as a unit, and much of the credit goes to improved ball movement and the diversity of the sets they are running under new coach Larry Drew. Read More »

As NBA training camps get underway, we preview the upcoming season with the “Highs and Lows” system — predicting the respective ceiling and basement for each team.

Added: Jordan Crawford, Josh Powell, Etan Thomas

Lost: Joe Smith, Randolph Morris, Mario West Read More »

During the past week we’ve looked at the projected top 10 fantasy point guards, shooting guards, small forwards and power forwards. Now it’s time to complete the puzzle by examining the projected top 10 fantasy centers for the 2010-11 season. Solid centers are the rarest of breeds for fantasy basketball, but that doesn’t make it any easier to rank them. Share your reactions below, and remember that this is based on a nine-category perspective. Read More »

No college basketball rivalry can touch Duke vs. North Carolina, but with the defending national champion Blue Devils a notch above the ACC right now, there is a less talked-about Tobacco Road rivalry that should be wildly entertaining, fiercely competitive, and could grow to approach that Duke/UNC bitterness in due time:

That would be North Carolina vs. NC State. Read More »

When Joe Johnson was averaging 12 points per game on 29 percent shooting in Atlanta’s second-round playoff sweep at the hands of Orlando, it was the worst possible time to have a slump during a contract year. For a player whose talent has never been doubted — rather, critics question his ability to be a leader and perform like a franchise superstar on the big stage — coming up so short in the playoffs wasn’t the lasting impression J.J. wanted to leave with potential suitors. Read More »

By hiring former Mike Woodson assistant Larry Drew as its next head coach, the Hawks sent a message: Things need to change around here … but not that much.

The Hawks have improved each year for the last five, including a 53-win campaign this season where they earned the No. 3 seed in the East. And even if All-Star Joe Johnson leaves in free agency, Atlanta still has a solid young core in Josh Smith, Al Horford, Marvin Williams and Jeff Teague, plus a couple of solid vets in leadership positions, Jamal Crawford and Mike Bibby. Read More »

It’s easier when your team sucks. At least it’s easier for the GM/executive/owner in charge of hiring a new head coach. When an NBA team sucks (Clippers, 76ers, Nets) just about anybody who’s different from the previous coach is a good hire. If he’s got a solid resume and some name recognition? Gravy.

But when a team is replacing a coach who was relatively successful, the process becomes tougher. Read More »