The Atlanta Hawks have won their past four games and Lou Williams has been a big reason for that, dropping a combined 71 points, 26 assists and 20 rebounds in that span.

Williams is confident that he has grasped Larry Drew's system and wants to remain in the starting lineup alongside Jeff Teague in the backcourt.

“I feel good about our offense,” Williams said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to start. Anything I can do to keep that position.”

The NBA announced on Monday that Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith and Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin are the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 3, through Sunday, Dec. 9.

In helping the Hawks go 3-0 on the week, Smith ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference in scoring (21.0 ppg) and rebounding (12.0 rpg), and tied for sixth in steals (2.00 spg). Smith grabbed a season-high 15 boards in a 104-95 win vs. Washington on Dec. 7, and followed that up the following night with a season-high three steals in a 93-83 triumph at Memphis.

Griffin averaged a point/rebound double-double in leading the Clippers to four wins in as many games. Among Western Conference players, Griffin ranked ninth in scoring (23.0 ppg), seventh in rebounding (10.0 rpg), and second in steals (2.50 spg). Additionally, Griffin's .639 field goal percentage ranked sixth in the conference. In a 117-99 win over Phoenix Dec. 8, Griffin recorded a career-best four steals to go along with 24 points and eight rebounds.

Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver missed his fourth straight game on Saturday with back spasms, but coach Larry Drew believes there is a "chance" Korver could practice with the team Tuesday and play Wednesday against the Orlando Magic.

Korver is averaging 10.8 points on 42 percent three-point shooting this season. He said on Friday that his back was feeling "much better."

“The back is feeling better but he has to get in basketball shape,” Drew said on Saturday.

Korver has already been ruled out of Monday's game against the Miami Heat.

The Atlanta Hawks have recalled guard John Jenkins from the Bakersfield Jam, their NBA Development League affiliate.

Jenkins was assigned on Dec. 1 and played in two games with the Jam, averaging 25.5 points on .529 shooting, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 33.0 minutes per game. In last night’s 109-95 victory over the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the 6-foot-4 guard from Vanderbilt scored a game-high 29 points on 10-21 shooting (.476) and added four rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes.

The Atlanta Hawks have started the 12-13 season strong despite having nine new players on the roster and 12 expiring contracts.

Danny Ferry traded Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams shortly after becoming general manager of the Hawks, leaving a core of Al Horford, Josh Smith and Jeff Teague.

The Hawks could have as much as $40 million in cap space in the 2013 offseason.

"I'm a little surprised how fast we've been able to come together," said Horford. "I was taken aback by the trades, I think we all were. But when we got a chance to meet Danny, we understood he was trying to do some things in a different way."

"I asked guys like Josh, Jeff and Al to take stronger roles because we were going in a different direction," Larry Drew said. "The most important thing for us was not to dwell on what had happened. Sometimes change can be a positive thing and we had to look at it that way."

"This is as close of a group as I've ever been around," Horford said. "I think because we really have a veteran team and we have a lot of guys who have been on a lot of playoff teams there was a respect for one another. It's a positive sign."

The Atlanta Hawks have assigned guard John Jenkins and forward Mike Scott to the Bakersfield Jam, their NBA Development League affiliate.

Jenkins, the 6-foot-4 guard from Vanderbilt, has appeared in four games this season, scoring six points in 13 minutes.

Scott, a 6-foot-8 forward from Virginia, has played 16 minutes in five games and totaled two points and four rebounds.