The Start of Something Big Point guard Royal Ivey has made the most of his starting role. By Jon Cooper As the 2005-06 season winds down, it’s safe to say that Royal Ivey will lead Atlanta Hawks point guards in starts — he had 65 heading into Tuesday night’s home finale against Miami. While it sounds like a perfect example of bending statistics to make a point, especially since Ivey averages only 13.5 minutes per game, Hawks Head Coach Mike Woodson disagrees. “He is getting about 13, 14 minutes, so it’s got to be his best 13 or 14 minutes and you build on that from that point on,” said Woodson. “Those 13 or 14 minutes might help you win a game. For the minutes that he’s played he’s been very, very solid for our team.” “There’s a reason why even before [Tyronn] Lue went down, we changed the lineup to put him in,” he continued. “It’s because he works hard. I need guards at that position to be able to move up the floor and apply pressure defensively early. He’s been able to make a shot when he’s open and he doesn’t turn the ball over.” Anyone that thinks the first 12 minutes don’t matter as much as the final 12 should consider that the Hawks have won more than half of their games when winning or tied after the first quarter (their record is 13-19 in those games). “At the start of a game it’s important for us to get off to a good start defensively,” said Assistant Coach Larry Drew. “The point of attack is on the basketball and that’s what Royal does really well. He has welcomed all challenges, from Jason Kidd to Chris Paul to Steve Nash. Any time you can play on this level and you can keep those type guys in front of you, you have got a special talent.” While Ivey wouldn’t mind logging Joe Johnson-like minutes — what player would? — he has found a way to make the most of his time off the floor, becoming an attentive observer. One key observation he has made is that while you can never stop learning, you must know when to stop thinking. “The tempo of the game is a lot faster than what I was used to,” he said. “You just have to play. This is not a thinking man’s game. You have to go out there and play with your instincts. Just play off your teammates. “By me playing against [other starting point guards] I feel I get better and better just seeing how they attack the game,” he continued. “I watch them when I’m on the bench — what they do and what they don’t do. That’s the beauty of this game. You can learn from the best just by watching.” Drew believes that much of the second-year pro’s success is tied to his dedication and work ethic. “Whether it’s the start of the season, here we are at the tail end of the season, every time Roy has stepped onto the floor he’s given us a tremendous effort,” Drew said. "He has not let up. He’s still picking the basketball up full court, he’s still looking to take charges. He’s still doing the things we need him to do as the point guard of this team. He’ll do it until the final horn.” In many respects, Ivey has been found money for the Hawks. Selected in the second round of the 2004 NBA Draft (37th overall), Ivey had tremendous credentials, first at Cardozo High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., which he guided to its first Public Schools Athletic League crown. Then, after one year at Blair Academy, he started four years at the University of Texas, helping the team earn four NCAA berths, including a Final Four appearance in 2003. While he didn’t run the show at UT until his senior season — Milwaukee’s T.J. Ford was the Longhorns’ point for his sophomore and junior seasons — Ivey earned the reputation as a solid defender, twice being named consensus All-Big 12 Conference All-Defensive Team. He’s still committed to defense, something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by his teammates. “He’s a defensive presence,” said Lue, who has served as a mentor to Ivey. “He can guard guys at the one and the two. He’s won three or four games for us this year just off his defensive presence on the floor. He’s a hard-worker, a hard-nosed guy, he takes charges.” Even bigger than what Ivey does on defense is what he doesn’t do on offense — turn the ball over. Beginning play April 14, Ivey had committed just 16 turnovers in his previous 63 games — covering 890 minutes of playing time — and he led the NBA in fewest turnovers per 48 minutes (1.2). “I don’t get that many assists (1.0 apg) but I sure don’t want to turn the ball over,” said the 23-year-old Ivey. “I just stay within myself and don’t try to do anything extra. If somebody’s open I get him the ball but if not, I’m not going to force the issue.” Woodson is a firm believer in that better safe than sorry approach and has become a firm believer in Ivey. “Royal’s going to be a player in our league one day,” Woodson said. “He’s not mistake-prone. He’s a guy that doesn’t take chances and that’s probably why he’s been successful in not turning it over. “You don’t have to take chances,” he continued. “I coached Chauncey Billups. He doesn’t take chances. He just makes the basic play. Once in a while he’ll make the home run play, but to me, it’s the basic play that wins basketball games at this level. When you can get one to five thinking that way then you start to win.” Starting to win. It’s what Royal Ivey is all about. Jon Cooper is a freelance writer based in Atlanta --

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