ATLANTA -- The Hawks did not originate the method of drafting wisely and then sticking with their young players through thick and thin, but they did become experts at it, so much that others know a bright idea when they see it.
Or steal it?
If you didn't know any better, it sure appears Oklahoma City is trying to out-Hawk the Hawks. Good, young players are sprouting at nearly every position on the Oklahoma City roster and starting to mesh well together, and what's scary is they're growing at a faster pace than Atlanta. As proof, the Hawks received an up-close inspection of their Western Conference twin when the Thunder rolled into Philips Arena on the Martin Luther King holiday and delivered a progress report.
The best player on the floor belonged to the Thunder. The pace belonged to the Thunder. The contest of wills belonged to the Thunder. The final few minutes belonged to the Thunder -- along with the final score. It was interesting to behold, one philosophy being beaten by a similar one, although nobody really lost a game that confirmed the obvious: Both Atlanta and Oklahoma City are doing it the right way.
The Thunder improved to five games over .500 with the victory in Atlanta. They've already matched last season's 23 wins before reaching the mid-way point of this season. They're in playoff contention in the rugged West. They play defense, a credit to coach Scott Brooks, who has command of his locker room. Kevin Durant hears MVP talk. And they haven't drafted a bust yet. A building project that started with Durant just three summers ago is already paying off.
"We're going in a good direction with the people we have," said point guard Russell Westbrook.
The Hawks are in a fight for the Southeast Division lead with Orlando, a team that reached the NBA Finals last season. Josh Smith and Al Horford are borderline All-Stars, and Mike Woodson could be a finalist for Coach of the Year. They've beaten the Celtics three times this season and rarely make turnovers or mistakes.
"We're still trying to win at a high level, and the teams that do that eventually win 50 games and compete for a championship," said Woodson. "But I believe we'll get there."
There is no fool-proof blueprint for success. Not with veterans. Not even with youth. Just ask the Bulls, who stuck with Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler until it became clear it wasn't working. Back in 1990, the Kings drafted four players in the first round: Lionel Simmons, Travis Mays, Duane Causwell and Anthony Bonner. They missed the playoffs the next five straight years and none of those first-rounders became stars. There have been other variations of youth movements to varying degrees of success. Right now, the Hawks stand as the best example of an experiment gone right, and even the Hawks had to pay their dues. Woodson won 13 games his first season and last season was the Hawks' first winning one in the process.
"I knew what I was walking into when I took this job," Woodson said. "I knew I wasn't going to win with young guys right away. A lot of it wasn't fun because I took some shots. It wasn't easy. But guys got better."
When the Thunder drafted Durant, the franchise was still in Seattle and in total transition. They gave up Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis and basically started from scratch. The Allen trade to Boston returned Jeff Green. The drafts landed Westbrook and rookie James Harden. And last month they received rookie point guard Eric Maynor in a salary dump from Utah. If they competed in a 22-and-under league, the Thunder would be the 1985-86 Celtics.
"Three years ago we were still searching for a point guard," said Woodson. "They already got a point guard."
Crystal ball-gazing can always be a risky game, because so much can happen over the course of time. Still, the Hawks-Thunder game had these players on the floor: Horford, Smith, Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Green. You figure they'll still be around in 10 years?
The trick for the Hawks and Thunder is to continue building without the luxury of high draft picks, for a change. That's the price of winning; suddenly, the building process must change out of necessity. Free agency or trades must enter the picture. The Hawks must either re-sign Joe Johnson or find his replacement next summer. The Thunder eventually must pay Durant and company in the coming years and manage their salary cap accordingly, while adding role players on the cheap. Unless they get lucky with a late first-rounder, the Hawks and Thunder won't be adding impact players from the draft anytime soon.
"We're pleased with what we're doing, and now we just have to take it up a level," said Durant. "Our goals are the same as any team's goals. We're trying to win a championship."
There wasn't a title on the line in their game at Philips Arena, where twin philosophies collided, just two teams doing their best to move forward. The future looks promising for the Hawks and Thunder and you only need to look at the present to understand why.
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