Sportingnews: Atlanta Hawks 2008-09 preview

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2007-08 record: 37-45.
Predicted finish for 2008-09: Second in Southeast.

3 questions

1. Will Josh Smith toughen up? Smith is only 22, so he still has some developing to do. Defensively, his shot-blocking is among the best in the league, and he has improved his fundamentals. Offensively, he needs to figure out that he is a power forward and, as a power forward, he needs to get into the paint and use his athleticism to zip around bigger, slower defenders. Coach Mike Woodson started to get that point across last year, as Smith cut his 3-point attempts from 152 to 99, but Smith is just not an outside shooter, and he needs to slash that number down to about 25. Or zero. Behind the need to improve, though is the five-year, $58 million deal Smith just signed. He can't let all that guaranteed money stunt his motivation to get better.

2. Is it time to play Acie? Mike Bibby will be a free agent after this year, and it's hard to imagine the Hawks bringing him back. In fact, if the Hawks struggle, it's likely that Bibby will be shopped to contenders before the trading deadline. That will leave the Hawks, at some point, counting on second-year point guard Acie Law IV, the lottery pick who fizzled in his rookie showing. Coming out of Texas A&M, Law was supposed to be a leader and a clutch shooter, but he admitted that he was a bit intimidated last year, and an early season injury threw him off. He needs to regain confidence in his shot and in his passing this season, and get his feet wet as a floor leader. It's only a matter of time before he assumes that role.

3. Can Josh Childress be replaced? The Hawks are hoping the answer is yes, and that Maurice Evans will be the man to do so. Heck, Evans even took over Childress' jersey number, 1. Evans is a good defender who can make 3s and does not make many mistakes. That will make him a decent sixth man, and the addition of combo guard Flip Murray will also help ease the loss of Childress. But neither Evans nor Murray has Childress's versatility -- he could pass, he could shoot, he could handle the ball. Evans and Murray are much more limited players.

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