[外電] Q and A: Hawks' Joe Johnson
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/hawks/stories/0730nbainsider.html
Q: Your season has been done for a while. Have you had a chance to think
about what happened? Any regrets, mistakes?
A: Me coming in here last season, basically taking on a role I'd never been
in before, was a bit of shock. It was for me, just like I know it was for
Zaza [Pachulia] and just about everybody else. We got off to a rough start
because we really didn't know our roles. And then we lost Jason [Collier]
days into training camp and the whole thing just flew off the track. We were
scrambling after that, emotionally and every way else.
It could have happened to any group of guys in the same position. It just
so happened to be us. And it was obvious that we all struggled at the start.
I have to give Coach [Mike] Woodson a lot of credit for keeping this thing
together the way he did, because last season could have been a total disaster.
But he refused to let us slip away.
Q: Are you confident the roller coaster that was your 26-56 season has
cured whatever early-season ills plagued this team?
A: This year, I've got a whole new approach and there's no way we start 2-16
or 2-21 or whatever. Last year, we had some stretches where we looked good.
And some stretches where we looked [bad]. But we were a young team, with guys
playing in roles for the first time in their careers. But you've got to take
the bitter with the sweet. And guys have to come back ready to go, hungry.
And I mean from the first day of practice.
Q: You're a returning captain, the only one if Al Harrington's sign-and-trade
deal ever gets done. Have you communicated with the rest of your guys what
you just told us?
A: I've talked to just about every single guy on the team at one point or
another this summer. I talk to Josh [Smith] all the time. He's been working
hard. He's ready. I think he's going to take a giant step this season. And
Marvin [Williams], he's like a little brother to me. He's working hard.
All these guys, we know what we need to do. We know we have to be ready to
go. There's no more time to waste. Not being in the playoffs this year and
watching other teams play made me realize that. None of this is guaranteed.
One year you're in the Western Conference finals thinking this could go on
forever, and the next year you're at the house watching. I hate watching.
Q: Speedy Claxton, Shelden Williams and Solomon Jones have been added so far.
Is that enough to push this team into contention for a playoff spot?
A: I think those guys are definitely going to help us. But I wouldn't say
that alone is going to turn it around, although it could and hopefully it
does. But I still think we need another big body down there. We're a "big"
away from where we should be. We need another big guy to keep Zaza and
Shelden and Solomon, and really Josh and Marvin as well, from having to
shoulder more of a responsibility down there than is necessary.
We've all got to keep working. And management has to keep looking around at
what's out there to see if there's someone that fits the needs we have and
can come in here and make an impact.
Q: It sounds like you think the Hawks are a bit closer to returning to the
playoffs than many critics. Is it as simple as another player or two or is
there a cultural change that has to take place for an organization that
hasn't been to the postseason in seven years?
A: The main thing this season, us being the Atlanta Hawks, we've got to work
harder than everybody else. Last year, we had a tendency to be too cool.
We'd go out there and let people jump out on us and then we wanted to pick
it up. Sometimes we'd come back and sometimes we wouldn't. But we've got to
change that about ourselves.
We've got to be more aggressive. We've got to be one of most aggressive
teams in the league. Coach Woodson talked about it all the time and I don't
think some of these guys understood where he was coming from when he said
that. And that was our fault. Because what he's saying is exactly right.
It's not good enough to be here. You've got to want to work to be one of
the best once you reach this point in your career.
Q: Speaking of being here, this U.S. national team experience is a new one
for you. You've spoken at length about how excited you are to be here but
are you worried at all about the toll the competition could take on your
body?
A: Man, I'm not worried at all. This is what I do. I'm always playing ball,
whether I was doing it for the national team or doing in my mama's driveway
or doing it in my sleep. This is what I love to do. And I've worked hard to
get in the best shape possible, so my body will be fine. I've taken care of
myself and it's not like any of us are going to be playing 40 minutes a
night in the tournament.
Nobody needs to worry about me. I'll be ready to go when training camp
starts.
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