With Bibby slowed, Hawks should hand offense to rookie (really!)

By Bud L. Ellis

Mike Bibby’s sprained ankle could turn out to be a good thing.

No, I’m not advocating the Atlanta Hawks are better off without their veteran point guard. Far from it.

But when the Hawks drafted Jeff Teague out of Wake Forest in the first round of this summer’s NBA draft, the thought was Teague would be molded to wear that label which sank Acie Law IV:

“Point guard of the future.”

Teague showed in preseason he could play – and play well – at the NBA level. But playing in October games before 5,000 people and playing on Thanksgiving in a showdown of two teams at the top of the Eastern Conference standings are two different things.

And yet, Teague very well could be in the starting lineup Thursday at Philips Arena when the Hawks play host to Orlando, in a meeting of two teams with 11 wins already this season.

The double-edge sword with any young player designed to become a key cog in a team’s rotation is the kid needs experience, but the only way to get said experience is to play. To play a young kid means dealing with the inevitable mistakes inexperience causes, mistakes that can cost you a game or two along the way.

No matter. No worry. The Hawks’ future is bright. So too is Teague’s. If Bibby can’t go, leave Jamal Crawford in his role as super-scorer off the bench. Put the kid into the starting lineup and start the experience-gaining process.

–30–

Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 8:11 pm by bud

Tags: Acie Law IV, Atlanta Hawks, Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, Mike Bibby, Orlando Magic, Philips Arena, Wake Forest