Johnson delivering in clutch as Hawks' new star

<p>Those who complain Joe Johnson isn't playing the position promised before the season by Hawks management are missing the point.</p><p>No, Joe Johnson isn't playing point guard for the Atlanta Hawks, at least not as his primary position. But as the team's new do-it-all leader in scoring, assists and clutch baskets, he is delivering the value expected of a player who cost Atlanta two conditional first-round picks and Boris Diaw.</p><p>Hawks general manager Billy Knight and coach Mike Woodson at first billed Johnson as a 6-foot-7 point guard as Knight made the much-debated trade with Phoenix. The trade ultimately led to the ouster of Steve Belkin as part of the Hawks' ownership group.</p><p>Belkin argued the Hawks were giving up too much for Johnson, and the ex-owner's argument has been bolstered by the emergence of Diaw as a productive starter for the Suns.</p><p>But Johnson has done his part to make the trade look good for the Hawks.</p><p>As the Hawks begin a four-game road trip at Seattle Friday night, Johnson is averaging 20 points, 5.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds. He has emerged as the team's go-to player, delivering game-winning shots in two of the Hawks' last three games, including a running layup for an upset win over Detroit Tuesday night.</p><p>"The best thing about it is he's getting the shots he wants," said Hawks guard Josh Childress. "That's a credit to him."</p><p>The game-winner against Detroit came with 7.5 seconds left. On Friday night, Johnson sank a jumper with less than a second left to give the Hawks a 96-94 win over Orlando.</p><p>Johnson was moved from point guard to shooting guard after only two games. The recent loss of point guard Tyronn Lue for four to six weeks with a knee injury will return more ball-handling duty to Johnson.</p><p>The Hawks need Royal Ivey, Salim Stoudamire and others to log minutes at point guard so Johnson can continue to emerge as a top scorer.</p><p>"It puts more on everybody, but Joe is versatile enough that he'll handle the situation," Woodson said.</p><p>Johnson scored 29 points against Detroit and is averaging 25.1 points in the last nine games. He posted his first career triple-double with 15 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds at Charlotte on Feb. 1.</p><p>It's no easy task being the player traded for two first-round picks, much less the man whose arrival caused an owner to sell his stake in the team.</p><p>Johnson says he probably tried too hard to prove himself to his new teammates and fans early in the season.</p><p>"I think playing point guard, I probably did try to take on too much of a load," Johnson said. "It was a new situation for me."</p><p>Since settling in, Johnson has surprised even Woodson.</p><p>"I didn't realize how versatile he really is," Woodson said. "Everybody was shocked by the triple-double. I wasn't shocked because I think the fact he can rebound, score, defend, have assists, he does everything a person can do in terms of getting triple-doubles. You can't say that about a lot of players in the league."</p><p>Johnson, in his fifth NBA season, is a veteran on a young Hawks team. Among Hawks players who have appeared in games, only Al Harrington and Lue have more experience.</p><p>Still, Johnson is only 24 and so he is the lead player on a youth movement that also includes rookies Marvin Williams and Stoudamire and second-year players Josh Smith and Childress. Center Zaza Pachulia is a third-year player.</p><p>"The scary part is he's going to get better, I think," said Woodson of Johnson. "We've got to continue to build and add more people around him."</p><p>But already Johnson is gaining attention across the league.</p><p>"They make a commitment and go out and get a guy like Joe Johnson, who's just one hell of a basketball player, and now they're going to let Joe lead a lot of these young guys," said Memphis coach Mike Fratello.</p><p>The Hawks (15-32) have won four of their last five games and have moved out of last place in the Southeast. They already have two more wins than all of last season.</p><p>"Our confidence level is up," Johnson said, adding the Hawks can be a surprise in the second half of the season.</p><p>"We have to earn it," he said. "We have to go out every night and earn it."</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/2/130319