Will the "Spurs Way" translate in the Highlight Factory?

By J. Terrell Price (@dirtywordshow)

New Coach Mike Budenholzer (left) and his mentor Gregg Poppovich

Atlanta, Georgia is a city unlike most in the United States. Its makeup consists of mostly transplants who have chosen comfortable southern living over the bitterly cold winters and hectic pace of the north. Truly an International City, the ATL is a melting pot for all races and nationalities. Dubbed "The Hollywood of the South", it is customary in this town to arrive fashionably late for events, dressed to the nines, with the intent on being seen and entertained.

So when the Hawks organization decided to call its home, Philips Arena, The Highlight Factory a few years ago, they planned to provide entertaining basketball that would cater to the sometimes superficial fanbase. And at times, they did not disappoint.

Josh Smith could be electrifying by dunking, blocking shots, and throwing an occasional (well-executed) behind-the-back pass. Joe Johnson, at times, looked like a top ten player with his silky-smooth game and dribbling expertise. And the team actually had moderate playoff success, though never advancing past the semifinals.

However, General Manager Danny Ferry is not in the business of "look good first, win second". He has been groomed and molded by a San Antonio Spurs organization, whose mandate is championships. So there should have been little surprise when he replaced head coach Larry Drew with a man who is cut from the same cloth.

Newly hired Mike Budenholzer, the long time Spurs assistant, finally has  his chance to showcase his head coaching credentials. He brings an impressive resume' and an encyclopedic knowledge of the game. Instead of waiting to become the heir to Gregg Poppovich, he was convinced by Ferry to come to Atlanta and change the culture of a franchise who, quite frankly, has lost its identity.

Budenholzer has the tremendous task of getting the most out of a team who has lost what little box office appeal it had with the departure of the aforementioned Smith to Detroit. He will employ a new offensive and defensive scheme, that takes pages from the Spurs' modus operandi. 

San Antonio has traditionally been an effective offensive team, who centered it's attack around future Hall of Famer, Tim Duncan. Point guard, Tony Parker was developed (thanks in much part to Budenholzer) to be the type of floor general who would feed Duncan in the low post and also break down the opposing defense with dribble drive penetration. Not the most exhilarating type of basketball, but successful nonetheless.

The question is, can the remaining pieces Atlanta has left over from the recent regime simulate what the Spurs have been able to do?

To answer that, one must look squarely at the Hawks' new centerpiece Al Horford and guard, Jeff Teague. Horford, since entering the league in 2007 has been a consummate professional and a model of consistency. While not being blessed with the height of Tim Duncan, he does possess some off the same skills. Most notably, a dangerous mid-range jumper that is about as efficient as they come in the NBA. He is most effective at the elbow with most of his looks coming via the pick and roll. That being the bread and butter of the proposed Budenholzer offense, Horford will be sure to get plenty of looks as the roll man or the pick and pop man. If he can raise his scoring and rebounding numbers remains to be seen.

Jeff Teague will be responsible for orchestrating the offense to a tee. His numbers have improved each of the last three seasons and his skill-set can be compared to that of Tony Parker. Parker was given tough love by Pop in San Antonio, even after establishing himself as a bona-fide star. It is believed that Budenholzer will have the same expectations for the incumbent starting guard, who is returning after a flirtation with Milwaukee and his former coach, Larry Drew, that resulted in him signing a 4 year $32 million offer sheet with the team. Atlanta matched and, after some damage control, Teague is on board with the program.

Should Teague struggle to grasp the system, the Hawks have a young German phenomenon by the name of Dennis Schroeder waiting in the wings. Schroeder, while only 19 years of age, held his own at the Nike Hoops Summit in Portland. His fantastic play elevated his draft status, allowing Atlanta to select him at #17.

Between the two point guards, Schroeder is more of a natural point, due to his ability to create space and opportunity for his teammates. However, Teague is more seasoned and brings a scoring element at the position that his younger contemporary does not.

The remaining pieces of the roster are impressive to the basketball connoisseur, but to the average fan who is drawn to the sexier aspects of the game, there is much left to be desired. After being turned down by Dwight Howard in free agency, Atlanta went on a transaction rampage by filling the roster with a combination of bigs, glue guys, and shooters.

Possibly the most notable signing was Paul Millsap from Utah. No one will mistake the power forward for Josh Smith, but he is essentially his replacement. Millsap's game is more comparable to that of Horford. This is further proof that the "Spurs South" system is in full effect. Other signings DeMarre Carroll, Elton Brand, Pero Antic, Gustavo Ayon and returning Kyle Korver are nothing to call ESPN about, but they fit into the plans of Ferry and Budenholzer. They want a cohesive roster that is coachable and willing to buy into what is being sold.

The days of erratic play that fans in Atlanta were accustomed to in recent memory may be coming to an end. Argue about the entertainment value of the currently constructed roster if you please, but what cannot be disputed is the fact that the Atlanta Hawks are creating an identity. The results may not be immediately seen at the turnstiles, but if there can be an immediate point of reference, look no further than across the street.

The Atlanta Falcons had the ultimate box office draw in Michael Vick. The Georgia Dome sold out each and every Sunday and jersey sales were at an all time high. After Vick was indicted and later convicted of masterminding a dog fighting ring, Falcon fans were stripped of the one player who would reel in even the most casual fan. Years after the fact, the Falcons have modeled themselves after another championship organization, the New England Patriots, and have been the most successful regular season team over the past five years. And the ticket sales have not missed a beat, despite the fact that no Falcon is among the league's leaders in jersey sales or endorsements. Winning and winning alone has contributed to the team's popularity in the A.

If the Hawks stay the course, this could be their story and beyond. At that point, we can officially change the name of Philips to the "Title Factory". Sounds a lot better, doesn't it?