Well, no one said this was going to be easy. The Hawks have burst out of the gate 4-0, beating four playoff teams in the process, but if we thought that strong start meant the team would cruise to 60 wins, we can put that to rest.

Josh Smith's high-ankle sprain is going to keep him on the sidelines for the next 2-4 weeks, which means we're going to find out pretty early just how much depth this year's team actually has.

So far, the results have been positive; Solomon Jones had 6 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 25 minutes, while Randolph Morris chipped in with 6 points in his first action of the season. Both of those guys are going to have to step up while Smoove is out, no doubt.

To me though, the two guys most capable of stepping up in Josh's absence are two guys already in the lineup - namely, Marvin Williams and Al Horford.

Marvin has been relatively quiet so far this season, but that's been more a function of everyone's play than a lack of effort on his part. And already he has begun to show an extended arsenal that was missing in the past, hitting three 3's in the win at New Orleans and scoring 14 against the Raptors. Generally speaking, I think Hawks fans would rather see him firing from the perimeter than Smith in the first place.

As for replacing Josh's handiwork down low, I am hoping this will finally be a chance for Horford to show what he is capable of on the interior. I have long thought Al is capable of a lot more than he's given a chance to showcase, but with proven scorers like Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and Mike Bibby sharing the court the touches have been relatively few and far between. Now with Smoove out, it will be up to him and Zaza Pachulia (who I assume moves into the starting lineup for the time being) to give the Hawks an inside scoring threat to complement the team's newfound three-point shooting prowess.

We'll know pretty quickly how much the Hawks will miss Smith, as the team begins a four-game road trip tonight in Oklahoma City and goes through Chicago, Boston, and New Jersey. It won't be easy, but I am hoping that by giving Horford and Williams more responsibility that not only will the team continue to thrive but also build confidence for each of those players in the meantime.

 Tune in at 7:00 on SportSouth to see if the Hawks train can keep on rollin'...