Last season, when Josh Childress took the court for the Atlanta Hawks, the joke could have been made that the main reason he wore number one was that it was the only digit that could fit across his back.
Childress beefed up some as much as he could during the off-season. And while he is listed as the same 6-8, 210 pounds that he was as a rookie, he has noticeably fattened up his stat line.
The second-year forward, drafted with the Hawks' first pick in the 2004 NBA Draft (No. 6 overall), has picked up where he left off last season, when he led the team in field goal percentage (.470). Heading into action March 11, Childress is hitting .557 from the field to rank second in the entire NBA in shooting percentage sandwiched between Miami's behemoth Shaquille O'Neal and San Antonio's mighty-mite Tony Parker, unlikely company for a guy with one of the most unorthodox jump shots in the game.
"I'm not taking that many shots," he said with a laugh. "I shoot a lot of layups, too.
Modesty aside, Childress turned serious.
"The biggest thing is that I'm getting the shots that I want," he explained. "I'm getting layups in transition and in the half-court set and I'm getting jump shots in the flow of the offense. When you're getting good passes and getting into your rhythm it's easier to knock those shots down. Guys are finding me in spots and I'm just hitting my shots. I want to keep that going and obviously get better with it."
Hawks Head Coach Mike Woodson believes he's on the right track and isn't surprised by what he's seeing from Childress.
"A lot of it is because he's what we call a slasher,'" said Woodson. "He's able to create things around the basket. He's a good offensive rebounder. He finishes well around the board and he gets out and he runs the floor. He's an old-school throwback without a real adequate jump shot yet. But his shot has gotten better. The shots that he takes, he feels good about them and he makes them. So I think as he grows in this league, when he's open for 15-to-20-foot jump shots and he starts making them consistently he's going to be an unbelievable player."
Childress has been making spectacular things happen on a nightly basis, especially on the offensive end, where his scoring has increased every month (his stats are skewed so far in the month of March, as he missed three games while resting an ankle injury). Prior to the Hawks' March 3 loss to Sacramento, when he was held to three points his lowest output since Nov. 29 Childress had shot at least 50 percent in 11 straight games, averaging 15.2 ppg during that stretch, and had set season highs for points (21), field goals made (nine) and attempted (14), three-pointers made (three) and attempted (three), free throws made (six) and attempted (eight), and steals (six). He also recorded two double-doubles one less than he had all season previously.
As important has been Childress' versatility, which has made him a perfect fit coming off the bench and providing the remedy to what may be lacking on the floor.
"I just do what I have to do," said Childress, who is fourth on the team, averaging just under 30 minutes per game (only Joe Johnson, Al Harrington and Zaza Pachulia see more court time). "When I see that there's a problem with energy or a problem with rebounding or a problem with somebody not making the extra pass or whatever, I come in and try to do that. That's kind of what myself and [rookie Marvin Williams] have tried to do coming off the bench is be what we're lacking in that first six or seven minutes."
"He can play the two and the three and he handles the ball well enough that he can bring it down and start your offense as well," said Woodson. "He knows his role. He's done a great job of earning his minutes and he knows he's going to play positive minutes that will affect the game. Normally when he's in there good things happen on the floor."
Those good things are happening at both ends of the floor. While his instant offense has gotten people's attention, Woodson is most pleased by Childress' improved defense, proof positive that he is coming of age.
"He's learning to defend better on the ball, and he's always rebounded well for his position," said Woodson. "Being able to defend that two and that three and possibly a one because we switch a lot, has been a learning curve but I think Childress is starting to figure it out. He's a smart player."
"A lot of it is confidence," he continued. "Young guys in this league, if you're not sure of players that you play against, it's kind of a threat to you. You're scared. You're scared to get up and force the issue or the action defensively because every night you're going against a guy that can put up big numbers, that's a player. When you get confidence in your movement, your slides, being able to get over screens, around screens, through screens, that's how you become a better defensive player in this league and he's starting to figure some of that out."
Woodson believes big things are ahead for Childress as he continues to grow and that there is potential to follow in the mold of Tayshaun Prince, who he coached in Detroit.
"As his body gets stronger in this league and he develops more confidence in his outside shot, he's going to be a much, much better player," said Woodson. "[Josh] will never be a big, physical specimen but he can be lean and still strong, to be able to withstand the rigor, the pushing and shoving that goes on in the league game by game. Tayshaun was probably like that his first year, too, but Tayshaun has physically gotten stronger and 'Chills' will, too."
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