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Thanks to an infusion of frontline talent, the playoffs no longer seem to be such a tall order

By Chris Ballard

Obtaining Georgia native Abdur-Rahim was a coup for the Hawks, who are desperate to put fans in the seats.  John Bazemore/AP Enemy Lines An opposing team's scout sizes up the Hawks "This is probably the most improved team in the league. The Hawks have the best front line in the East, and they go eight or nine deep. ... It's a long way for them to climb, from 25 wins to the playoffs, but it won't surprise me if they make it. ... Shareef Abdur-Rahim is going to shine. In the West he had to play against all of those great power forwards -- Rasheed Wallace , Antonio McDyess , Chris Webber , Kevin Garnett , Tim Duncan -- and he still dropped big numbers. He's not going to have to deal with that caliber of talent in the East. ... I've got to think that somewhere in Theo Ratliff's heart there is a burning desire to prove himself after Philadelphia traded him away last year. That's a good thing for Atlanta. ... You could tell the Hawks liked playing for Lon Kruger last season: They lost, but they didn't play like losers. ... The only question is about the point guard. Emanual Davis is big, and if they go with him, he can flip-flop on defense and guard the two and let Jason Terry guard the one. ... But the point guard might not matter so much if Toni Kukoc is running the offense as a point forward. Kukoc hit 48% of his three-pointers after he came to Atlanta last year. He can shoot, he has scorers he can distribute to, and if he gets beat defensively, he's got Theo back there protecting the rim. I think this situation might bring out the best in Kukoc. ... The Hawks play 11 of their first 17 on the road, so they're going to find out fast how good they are. If they can hold the ship there, it will give them a lot of confidence."

On the eve of the NBA draft last June, Shareef Abdur-Rahim received a midnight phone call that sounded like one of those too-good-to-be-true TV offers: Act now and you get not only the 18-in-one Blendermatic but also a handsome set of carving knives and a plastic carrying case absolutely free. In Abdur-Rahim's case, though, the news from Vancouver general manager Billy Knight was that the 6'9" forward was receiving not only his freedom from the hoops purgatory that is Grizzlies basketball but also a fresh start on an up-and-coming playoff contender. And wait, there's more: a one-way ticket to play for the franchise he'd always dreamed of suiting up for! "Everybody in my family was excited about it," says the 24-year-old Abdur-Rahim, who grew up in Marietta, Ga. "You can't overstate the importance of just being comfortable, in a city you don't mind living in and don't want to pack up and leave at the end of the season."

Abdur-Rahim wasted little time in spreading his good vibes to the rest of his new team. At the July press conference to announce his acquisition, Abdur-Rahim met Hawks guard Jason Terry, who had come out to show his enthusiasm for the trade (in which Atlanta gave up Lorenzen Wright, Brevin Knight and the third pick in the draft). The two exchanged numbers and soon after began meeting for intense 9 a.m. workouts at the indoor court Abdur-Rahim has in his home in Smyrna, a suburb of Atlanta. Shortly thereafter Abdur-Rahim set to work coaxing other Hawks out of their summer daze and into the team's practice facility. "His work ethic this summer was so important," says coach Lon Kruger. "The way he went at it in August and September was incredible, and it rubbed off on all the other guys."

Management is hoping that Abdur-Rahim can have a similar effect on the droves of hoops fans in Hotlanta who failed to show up at Philips Arena on game nights last season, when the Hawks finished with the worst record in franchise history and averaged a paltry 15,035 fans (26th in the NBA). G.M. Pete Babcock has given his new star plenty of help, retooling the team completely since last spring. Gone are Dikembe Mutombo and the bland squad of half-court role players who began last season. In their place is an up-tempo unit led by one of the best offensive front lines in the East: Abdur-Rahim; Toni Kukoc, who posted All-Star numbers after arriving from the 76ers in the Mutombo trade last February; and Theo Ratliff, who came over in the same trade and has recovered from a wrist injury that sidelined him for the season's final two months. Though the trio won't be leading any all-defensive squads, the new zone rules should minimize Kukoc's defensive liabilities while playing to Ratliff's formidable shot-swatting skills.

In the backcourt, budding star Terry had a breakout season last year, with a team-high 21.9 points per game despite spending much of his time getting hip-checked by the conga line of defenders that opposing teams sent at him. The addition of Abdur-Rahim, however, will draw double teams in the post, freeing Terry to roam the wing and slash to the bucket on the weak side. "When I heard about the trade, I was so excited," Terry says with a big smile. "The first thing I did was call Mike [Bibby, Terry's college teammate at Arizona, who played with Abdur-Rahim in Vancouver]. He said, 'You're going to love playing with him.' Let me tell you, I believe him."

Unlike last season, the Hawks look not only like a playoff contender but also like a team that could do some damage once they get there. The arrival of their new star forward appears to signal the dawn of a new era in Atlanta and might force even the most disenchanted fans to fall under the spell of Shareefer Madness.

Issue date: October 29, 2001

Click here to look back at CNNSI.com's preseason Hawks preview.