I'm one of the few who still like David Aldridge..

[Guest]

But I can't like this post and wonder how "astute" his comments and insight actually are....

"6) I expect the Hawks to dole out those rebates

Atlanta's going in the right direction, getting Big Dog at bargain basement prices to play next to Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Nobody in the East may have two better forwards.

Theo Ratliff really is healthy, from all accounts, and the team has rallied behind DerMarr Johnson, out for the season with a broken neck. But even with Ratliff in the back, the Hawks still won't make anybody forget the Bad Boys, if you know what I'm saying. Ira Newble, Emanuel Davis and Dion Glover are battling for the two spot beside Jason Terry, and that's pretty much the same group I saw Jordan torch last season in the ATL."

I'm not saying someone's got to believe that this is the best team ever assembled, but you've gotta respect the product we're putting on the floor and the potential, barring any key injuries, but we're definitely worthy of any conversation regarding the EIGHT playoffs spots in the East...

Say what you will about speculating as much last season, but if healthy, we've truly got a really good team.

[jaywalker72]

Listen to his statement:

"...pretty much the same group I saw Jordan torch last year"

THAT WAS THE SECOND GAME OF THE YEAR!

lol, it's amazing to think that he is making assumptions on a young team, without Newble when we played the Wiz, based on that one game.

As Alan told me, does any team in basketball have the frontcourt we have? 2 former, and 1 current all-star?

Maybe Sac-town with Divac, Webber, and Peja, but I could not think of another.

I get the feeling that DA is going to see a lot of teams he wouldn't normally see, thanks to ESPN becoming the leader in NBA coverage, and his opinion will change quickly.

[Guest]

I think Lon wants a Sac Kings type of team.It

seems to me Lon wants to create a up and down

type of game and this is why he wants Dan Dickau.

JT can play the PG but I feel he is more of a halfcourt

type of PG and I figure Dickau is good at running

the fast break.

What would you say about that Jay Walker?Would

you get this impression also?This is just a observation

I have made.I before thought Lon didn't have a game

plan but he appears to want a uptempo game but I

wonder if we have the right pieces for that type of

game.Can SAR/Dion/Hendu/Nazr run up and down

the court all the time?But you got to admit teams

like the Dallas Mavericks brought the best out of

the Hawks last year.

The way the east is I don't know if it is going to

work...But if it does and we are sucessful,we might

start putting a change in the eastern conference.

[jaywalker72]

In regards to ARR's comment, I quote Emanual Davis:

"This team is more athletic than last year's team. This game is played in transition and above the rim, and we have the horses to play that game."

I think that Dickau is going to be good, and so does Dominique and Billy Knight, but Terry is even better in transition than in the half court, although he has had to improve his decision making on the break over time.

The Hawks, from Babcock to Knight, Kruger to Stotts all praise the versatility and flexibility of this roster, enabling them to do many things.

Yes, JT and Dickau will be the backcourt at times.

Yes, Theo, Nazr, and Reef will be in the game together at times.

Yes, Ham will play a variety of positions, sometimes even playing with Big Dog and Reef, with Ham playing the 2.

So, you are right, ARR....The Hawks do want to a very uptempo, multifacted team that is hard to gameplan for.

[Guest]

The only real question I have about Jt is on the

fast break.I think he will be fine in halfcourt sets.

"I think that Dickau is going to be good, and so

does Dominique and Billy Knight,"

I brought this up before,but just how much impact

did Billy Knight have in the drafting of Dickau?I

think he probably had the biggest impact in this

deal.

Darvin Ham at the two?I think he's quick enough,but

he has no offense at all.