HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Perhaps no team in the NBA has improved its roster more from a year ago than the Atlanta Hawks, who open their season against the Houston Rockets at the Compaq Center on Tuesday. The Hawks have made huge strides in improving their talent level following last season's trade with the Philadelphia 76ers and key offseason acquisitions. Toni Kukoc, Theo Ratliff and Nazr Mohammed came over from the 76ers and made the Hawks better at the end of last season. Talented forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim was acquired in a trade with Memphis over the summer and Jacque Vaughn was signed as a free agent. Guard Jason Terry is an emerging star and forwards Chris Crawford and Alan Henderson are valuable contributors, giving Atlanta a surprisingly talented roster that will turn some heads this season. Unfortunatly, Henderson will miss the first six games of the season with a swollen right knee and Ratliff has been hampered by a hip injury that may keep him out on Tuesday. Kukoc had his 2001 season cut short after a bone spur in his right heel knocked him out of action. After enduring two rounds of shock therapy on the foot, the veteran forward says he is 100 percent for the first time since his early days with the Chicago Bulls. Houston's roster has been turning heads for a few seasons led by the dynamic duo of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley, who make up the best young backcourt in the league. The Rockets added veteran Glen Rice but lost future Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon, who spent 14 seasons in Houston. The hole Olajuwon left in the middle is hard to fill, but there is no longer a question that Francis is the leader of the team. Houston has a talented supporting cast, which includes Kelvin Cato, Moochie Norris, Walt Williams and Kenny Thomas. However, forward Maurice Taylor is out again after tearing his right Achilles on September 4 and will miss the entire season. The Rockets averaged 107 points in winning both meetings with Atlanta last season led by Francis, who averaged 29.5 points in the two games. Houston has won the last three meetings overall and the last two here.
Maybe they took total games played divided by 82.... What do they <I>really</I> mean when they say "crack" reporter?
