By Michael Cunningham
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
July 16, 2010
LAS VEGAS
Some things are pretty evident about Hawks rookie guard Jordan Crawford, regardless of who he plays against or with.
Crawford can shoot. He's aggressive going to the basket. He's a good passer who might be able to play some point guard.
There's a reason not to grade Crawford on the usual summer-league curve. Crawford made his debut this week against Memphis, which started five NBA roster players, and looked as if he belonged.
"That was a good first one," Crawford said. "It was cool. I played [against] a lot of strong guys, and I kind of held my own, so it was good."
After a shaky start against Memphis, Crawford finished with 16 points. He made 4 of 9 3-point attempts with five assists and no turnovers. His production compared favorably with O.J. Mayo, a starting guard for the Grizzlies' NBA team, and Sam Young, who played in 80 games for Memphis as a rookie last season.
Crawford followed that effort with a 20-point game against the Spurs on Wednesday. In both games, Crawford was on the floor when the Hawks staged late rallies.
After two games, Crawford's average of 18 points per game ranked 11th among players in both the Las Vegas and Orlando leagues. He ranked 16th in assists, despite spending most of his minutes at shooting guard.
Success in the summer doesn't always translate to success in the regular season, but struggling as a first-round draft pick can cause concern. Crawford clearly was having a good week.
"It's fun," Crawford said. "It's still early, though. I have a lot more to know. I can probably tell you at the end of this week a little bit more."
The Hawks played Milwaukee late Thursday and will finish with games against the D-League Select team Saturday and Minnesota on Sunday. Crawford already has bolstered his reputation as a scorer while showing versatility.
Before the draft, there were concerns about Crawford's ability to adjust to playing off the ball as a complementary player after he starred at Xavier. He didn't have a problem doing it against Memphis and San Antonio, when he smoothly floated to open space to receive passes for jump shots.
Crawford didn't just settle for jumpers, but picked his spots to go to the basket. He got into the lane to make a soft floater over taller Memphis players and used a crafty crossover dribble to score and draw a foul against the Spurs.
"This kid has speed, he has quickness, he can make shots," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "He does a great job reading the defense. I see him being a real good plus to us because the kid can score.
"He has that uncanny ability with scoring, whether out on the perimeter or getting to the basket. He finds ways to score. He seems to be a pretty clever basketball player. I am excited about him."
Crawford said he played point guard some at Indiana before transferring to Xavier, and those skills showed when the Hawks played him at that position. His court vision and passing ability stood out.
Crawford drove to the baseline on Memphis and whipped a pass under the basket to Richard Hendrix, who scored on a dunk. When the Spurs had to respect his ability to get to the basket, Crawford feigned a shot to draw in two defenders and then dropped a pass to James Augustine.
"He just plays," Hawks guard Jeff Teague said. "He can make shots, and he's a good passer as well. I guess people underestimated his ability to pass the ball. I like playing with him a lot."
Not everything has gone well. After Crawford committed no turnovers against Memphis, he had four against San Antonio's team of D-League players.
Hawks assistant coach Lester Conner said Crawford's shot selection also needs to improve.
"Those are things he has to learn," Conner said. "This [summer league] is for him."
Like many rookies, Crawford's defense needs work. He has shown a willingness to do it, but his awareness hasn't always been great.
Crawford already realizes he will have to work harder on defense.
"Every player on the other team is good," he said. "There is not one player on the defensive end you don't have to worry about. You saw [Monday], all of them were making every shot they took really.
"The biggest difference is the talent level. It's a lot stronger here."
