Hawks Need Teague To Take Over At Point Guard

ATLANTA – The Hawks are counting on Jeff Teague to prove he can play in the 2011-12 season like he did in last season’s playoffs.

Teague, the 2009 first-round pick from Wake Forest, had only career 10 starts before Kirk Hinrich strained his right hamstring in the Hawks’ clinching win over Orlando in the first round of the 2011 playoffs. Teague had to step in against MVP-bound Derrick Rose and the Bulls in the second round.

The results were unexpected. Teague had three 21-point games and finished the series with 25 assists and seven turnovers The Hawks lost to the Bulls in six games but hope they found their point guard of the future.

Hinrich is recovering from shoulder surgery, so Teague is a lock to open this season as the starter.