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SI.com's Rob Mahoney and Ben Golliver are counting down the Top 100 NBA players of 2013-14 season. The countdown will roll out in parts throughout the week and the initial release includes players ranked from 100-51 where the Atlanta Hawks have three players featured.
No. 98 Kyle Korver
It's easy to write off Korver as merely a shooter, but he moves so well off the ball and is so exceptionally accurate with his shot that he bends defenses with his every cut and curl. Korver also doesn't overstep his role; he passes out of unfavorable situations and understands his own limitations. What he does well legitimately makes his team better and what he does poorly (one-on-one defense, lack of shot creation) can be managed. That makes Korver a catch in the role-player set. - RM
No. 80 Lou Williams
Williams is one of the league's most idiosyncratic scorers: Given how little he gets into the paint, he does a surprising amount of damage. Last season, a mere 26.5 percent of Williams' points came from shots in the lane*, though such a strong perimeter orientation didn't stop him from averaging 17.7 points per 36 minutes on decent shooting percentages. The trick? Williams does remarkable work off the ball, particularly in the Kevin Martin-like craft of using hand-offs and cuts to draw fouls. He does an impeccable job of baiting overeager defenders by changing speeds, and as a result, Williams has averaged an impressive 6.1 free-throw attempts per 36 minutes over his last three seasons. That ability, along with above-average shooting from beyond the arc, helps buoy his efficiency, while Williams' fairly underrated passing helps prevent his style from becoming too erratic or intrusive. - RM
No. 78 Jeff Teague
It doesn't look like Teague will ever achieve greatness, but his steady improvement in four seasons more than warranted his new four-year, $32 million contract. His game is predicated on his quickness and his lack of glaring weaknesses, and while he's no standout when it comes to plus-minus, he deserves credit for keeping the Hawks in the playoffs despite a major roster dismantling in 2012. That Milwaukee chose to pursue Teague in restricted free agency rather than retain Brandon Jennings was telling, and it speaks well of his chances to assume a larger leadership role as he progresses through his 20s. With Josh Smith now gone, Teague will likely need to surpass the career-high 14.6 points he put up last season. Finding a way to get to the free-throw line more regularly would help. - BG
Such lists are subjective but are a fun endeavor and for that reason I won't argue any of the rankings. Worth noting Williams is coming off of an injury so there is a chance he would have ranked higher on the list if not for the knee injury. Teague's ranking seems low at first but he is ahead of the likes of Eric Bledsoe, Ricky Rubio, Brandon Jennings and George Hill. Also the absence of Paul Millsap suggests that he will join Al Horford in the Top 50 which will be released later this week.