Gut check arrives for club, Bibby

[DrReality]

Gut check arrives for club, Bibby

By Jeff Schultz

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, January 12, 2009

Even before Sunday’s 15-point home loss to a sub-.500 team that ended in boos and suddenly left some wondering, “Is this when the trap door opens?” Rick Sund made it clear that he hadn’t been sucked in by those previous weeks of bliss.

“This is really the year for us to see how this team comes together,” the Hawks general manager said. “We’ll evaluate it at the end of the year.”

Success is a fragile thing in sports. The Hawks are finding that out. They’ve gone from winning 10 of 12 to losing three straight, the last two bathed in ugliness: 102-87 in Orlando and 109-94 to Philadelphia at Philips Arena on Sunday.

“We just gave up too many points,” guard Mike Bibby said. “Unless we get back to playing better defensively, and we stop letting people make plays to beat us, we’ll have problems.”

It’s appropriate that Bibby should make the statement. How this season goes —- and where this roster goes —- starts and ends with him.

Bibby is the point guard, the floor leader, the piece the Hawks were missing until a trade 11 months ago. The deal with Sacramento started to pull the Hawks together, even if it couldn’t save Billy Knight’s job and, for that matter, came with no guarantees for Mike Woodson’s.

Recent results notwithstanding, things have clicked for most of this season. Even with the current “rut” (Woodson’s word), the Hawks are 22-14. The team has chemistry —- at least, when players don’t defend like they’re in REM state.

The Hawks are viewed as one of the league’s up-and-coming teams. The problem with such labels is it assumes too much about the point guard position and Bibby’s future.

Bibby is playing without a contract beyond this season. That’s not going to change.

Sund has a history of letting guys play with expiring contracts. One year in Seattle, his team played with nine impending free agents. The Sonics won the division. Do you think he’s going to change now?

Bibby can compartmentalize. The contract status hasn’t affected him.

“My mom always told me, ‘Don’t worry about things you can’t control,’ ” he said. “So I’m not.”

Bibby won’t be traded. There is no reason to mess with a team that, for the most part, has blended well. Bibby and Joe Johnson are one of the league’s best backcourts. If the Hawks did start to fall apart this season, it’s far more likely there would be a coaching change than a roster change.

Never mind the up-and-coming tag. The Hawks have to win now. Sund knows. They must assume the window for success is small. Next year Bibby might be gone. Joe Johnson will be entering the final year of his contract. See how quickly things can change?

“For me, it’s always been that way,” Woodson said. “I can’t look toward the future. When I took over, even though they gave me a four-year deal, I wasn’t guaranteed I would last each year. I’ve always tried to coach year to year. You have to try to get something accomplished now.”

He alluded to Bibby’s uncertain future adding, “Mike understands the situation. He’s been around long enough to understand the dynamics of what’s going on and what he’s going through right now. He’s handling it very well, knowing that he’s a free agent and anything can happen.”

Going through training camp with the Hawks has helped Bibby. So has staying healthy. His attitude? He told Sund in offseason meetings that the Hawks could be a legitimate playoff threat if everybody accepted their roles.

“That really resonated with me,” Sund said.

Said Bibby, “I’m not worried about how many points I score or how many assists I have. I’m just trying to bring us as many wins as possible. Everybody looks good if we win.”

The Hawks’ best player Sunday was the one without a contract next season. Bibby finished with 22 points, eight assists, two steals and four rebounds. It might be a good time for everybody to follow their leader.

jschultz@ajc.com

[AHF]

If the Hawks did start to fall apart this season, it’s far more likely there would be a coaching change than a roster change.

I wonder if this is Schultz speculating or if this came from Sund.

[NineOhTheRino]

Mike Bibby is the main raeson this team is struggling. It's all about mindset. His horrible defense and and pretty-boy shot selection is a cancer.

[tonegully]

If everyone plays their role. Make them play it Woody!!!

[Georgiaboi87]

Mike Bibby is the main raeson this team is struggling. It's all about mindset. His horrible defense and and pretty-boy shot selection is a cancer.

Stop it :beat:

[GameTime]

Mike Bibby is the main raeson this team is struggling. It's all about mindset. His horrible defense and and pretty-boy shot selection is a cancer.

Like I said with Mike Bibby we will never be a good defensive team.

[bonethugz]

“For me, it’s always been that way,” Woodson said. “I can’t look toward the future. When I took over, even though they gave me a four-year deal, I wasn’t guaranteed I would last each year. I’ve always tried to coach year to year. You have to try to get something accomplished now.”

ok now he said it.

[Dsinner]

ok now he said it.

Yup. That explains why he will never be a successful NBA coach. You can't play an 8 man rotation EVERY year just because you're afraid you'll loose your job. It's called a self-fulfilling prophecy.