Hawks Can See Bright Horizon

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Tyronn Lue has to catch himself sometimes when he's watching teammates Josh Smith and Marvin Williams. He has to remind himself that they're still "just kids."

Neither of the Hawks' precocious young forwards is old enough to buy a beer, but they've given Hawks fans hope for the future as the season has wound down. Tonight's home finale against Miami will be followed by Wednesday's season finale in Cleveland.

Smith, a second-year forward, has been on a tear since All-Star weekend, his personal awakening coinciding with the Hawks' run that pushed them out of the league cellar. Smith has averaged 18.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.7 blocks in his past 10 games, showing off an all-around game that few expected from a player who's still in the formative stages of his career.

Williams, meanwhile, has shed his rookie skin the past month and shown glimpses of the versatility and inside-out arsenal that made him a popular choice as the player with the most upside in last June's NBA draft. Williams is averaging 17 points in his past three games, all starting assignments in place of injured co-captain Al Harrington, and 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks this month, continuing the steady statistical climb he began in November.

"The sky really is the limit for both these guys," Lue said. "I'm not sure they even realize how good they can be. And it's like I told Josh at the beginning of the year, if he continues to develop a strong work ethic, he has a chance to be a real monster because of the way he can change a game defensively with his blocks. Marvin already had that kind of work ethic, so for him it's just been a matter of getting his NBA legs. And he's finally found his way."

Lue, Smith and Williams were the catalysts Saturday night when the Hawks snapped an 11-game road losing streak with a 120-114 win in Milwaukee.

Smith led the way with a career-high 28 points along with seven rebounds, seven assists and three blocks. Williams jump-started the Hawks early and finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, his fourth double-double of the season.

"I think that showed more than anything that we're going to be able to play well off of each other," Smith said. "We complement each other well. I think we're very different players, but we can do a lot of the same things. Marvin can stroke it and spot up just about anywhere on the floor. But he can take people off the dribble, too. We're both capable of that, we both try and penetrate and kick and rebound and play good defense, too. I think we work pretty well together."

They're also both staunch supporters of the way Hawks coach Mike Woodson has allowed their respective games to grow, having survived the early stages of Woodson's tough love approach.

"The way I'm playing now is directly related to the conversation [he had with Woodson after returning from his grandfather's funeral] before the Minnesota game [April 5]," Williams said.

"Coach just told me to be aggressive, to play loose and be aggressive, and that's what I'm trying to do. It was frustrating at times early in the season, but at the same time I have to thank Coach for the opportunity to play because there are a lot of rookies who haven't seen the floor." </div>

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