08-08-2006, 11:38 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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All-Star
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Gretna, LA
Age: 17
Posts: 5,968
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Speedy Claxton Article
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1. Speedy Claxton, Atlanta: My odds-on favorite to get his shine on is Claxton, a strong, lightning-quick point guard who is finally being handed the reigns of a team. At 28, he's sufficiently seasoned to handle it.
There's a reason Joe Johnson and coach Mike Woodson were so ecstatic at Claxton's introductory press conference. They know what he can bring. Claxton is a scorer, penetrator and defender yet to reach his full potential. He has battled injury woes, and there's no telling how far along he'd be had he not torn an ACL in his rookie season with Philadelphia.
He has bounced around since, winning a ring with San Antonio in 2003 and then toiling for Golden State and New Orleans over the past three seasons. Claxton became a valuable part of the rotation in both stops, occasionally starting and receiving significant minutes as a pace-changing reserve, but he has never been handed the keys. Although Johnson is undeniably the man in Atlanta, Claxton will be running the show.
"Now I can spend my time playing off the ball, and I think I'm going to be more effective," Johnson said of how Claxton makes the Hawks better. "Now I think we can have one of those big improvements."
The Hawks have unsuccessfully tried to plug the hole at the point before with unheralded acquisitions like Brevin Knight and Tyronn Lue, but this signing is going to pay dividends. Claxton's quick hands and philosophy of constantly pushing the ball fits right in with what Atlanta likes to do, applying pressure and playing at a fast tempo. At $25 million over four years, Claxton didn't exactly come cheap, but I like the gamble. The organization's foresight should be rewarded with another increase in wins as Speedy finally cements his rep as a legitimate NBA-caliber starting point guard.
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http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/9590054/1
Finally a good article on the hawks
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Speedy Claxton Article
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