ATLANTA -- Here are five observations of the Atlanta Hawks from training camp:

	Shareef Abdur-Rahim, right, hopes his work ethic rubs off on the rest of the Hawks.

1. The offensive stench that enveloped lower Philips Arena was overwhelming. ("Is the rodeo in town or something?" the visitor asked. Replied the security guard: "I think it's the broken-down garbage disposal.") The fact the odor was permeating the air while the Hawks were practicing Wednesday morning is pure coincidence. In years past, you could've entered your own joke here. But the first thing you noticed about the Hawks' workout was the intensity. They're going all out. They mean business around here. The tone was set way back in the summer when Shareef Abdur-Rahim got the fellas together for regular workouts. "The competitiveness and the attitude of the guys has been terrific," coach Lon Kruger said. "With 'Reef, JT (Jason Terry) and Theo Ratliff, by committee, we're getting very good leadership." In his second season in Atlanta, Abdur-Rahim, routinely the last one off the court in practice, wants his teammates to follow his example. "I look at myself as a leader," said Abdur-Rahim, who enters his seventh season at only 25 years old. "I try to carry myself that way. I think the No. 1 thing is that I have to assert myself by the doing not so much the saying. I think at times we have to step up and address things and speak, but I think, right now with this team, we have to consistently do all the little things, consistently defend and consistently share the ball. That's where I have to show my leadership."

2. One five-minute sequence summed up the progress of first-round pick Dan Dickau. One moment, Dickau is blowing by Terry with a cross-over dribble at midcourt, then whipping a perfect no-look pass to Nazr Mohammed for a layup. Another moment, he's committing a turnover by telegraphing a pass and throwing the ball straight into the hands of a leaping Terry. It'll take some time before the Hawks hand over the keys to Dickau, who admits he must get used to shooting against the NBA's quicker defensive rotations, too. So far, Dickau gives himself a grade "in the B range." Added Dickau: "You've got to be aggressive when you're out there (on the court), but you can't be making any mistakes. I'm just trying to even the plusses and minuses because you don't get any better if you don't take any risks at the same time." Said general manager Pete Babcock: "It's a roller coaster ride and his rookie year will be that way. He'll have some really good nights and nights where he struggles."

3. Glenn Robinson, Abdur-Rahim and Terry comprise Atlanta's new "Big Three," but the key to making good on the team's playoff guarantee is a healthy Ratliff. The 6-foot-10 center, who's played a combined 58 games the last two years due to injuries, isn't quite all the way back from a surgically repaired hip and wrist injury that limited him to 82 minutes of action in 2001-02. It'll take the entire preseason for Ratliff to shake off the rust. "I'm pretty much still trying to get my feel as far as on the floor," said Ratliff, who broke out with 18 points, six rebounds and three blocks at Indiana last Saturday. "It's getting better and better with each game … I'm feeling pretty good now. Hopefully, things will continue to get better. I'm 100 percent to a certain extent. I'll always have a residual effect from my injuries, but I'll deal with it."

4. Expect Ira Newble to start ahead of Dion Glover at shooting guard when the Hawks open the season in New Jersey on Oct. 30. The last thing the Hawks need is another scorer in their starting five. Hence, Newble, a defensive stopper, gets the nod over Glover. "Right now, we would start Ira because of his ability to complement JT, Glenn and 'Reef," Kruger said. Newble, who was signed to a 10-day contract last February, ended up starting 35 games for the Hawks last season and averaged eight points and 5.3 rebounds. DerMarr Johnson, who broke his neck in a car crash last month, would've been the team's starting two guard.

5. Even without Johnson, the Hawks appear deep. They have Dickau and Glover in the backcourt, Darvin Ham to provide a boost defensively and a healthy Alan Henderson to give them another capable frontcourt body with Mohammed. The Hawks could use someone off the bench to hit an occasional 3-pointer, though. "Maybe Emanual Davis can provide a little bit of that," Kruger said. "On the perimeter, he can be a little streaky out there. " Kruger also thinks his exceptionally lean squad needs to play mean. Only the 6-10, 250-pound Mohammed qualifies as muscle. "We're not a real big physical group, so we've got to mentally be more aggressive and try to keep from getting pounded in the low post especially," Kruger said.

Joe Lago is the NBA editor for ESPN.com.