Woody’s words of wisdom
Jamal Crawford and Hawks coach Mike Woodson are on the same page now after a brief meeting of the minds after Crawford played just 12 minutes in the season opener.
HAWKSVILLE – Jamal Crawford was understandably a bit confused about his role as the Hawks’ sixth man after playing just 12 minutes in the season opener.
A prolific scorer sitting on the bench for most of a track meet that ended in a 120-109 win for the Hawks didn’t make much sense to anyone else either, including Hawks coach Mike Woodson.
So he did what any reasonable people manager would do, he called Crawford into his office Thursday (well before tonight’s game against Gilbert Arenas and the Wizards of Washington at Philips Arena) and dispensed a few words of wisdom.
“I had to let him know that he is a big part of what we’re doing here,” Woodson said. “I can’t sit here and say, ‘Jamal I’m going to give you 35 minutes a game.’ But I have to make him more a part of what we’re doing, without a doubt. Because he has a position on this team where he can score the ball for us and be a big threat and take some of the pressure off of Joe [Johnson] and Mike [Bibby], Marvin [Williams], Josh [Smith] and Al [Horford]. He is coming off the bench and you need guys coming off the bench to score the ball. I’ve got to help him and put him in positions where he can be successful and help us win games.”
I asked someone to translate that from coach speak for me and apparently it means Woodson reminded Crawford that he’s a scorer first and foremost and not to lose that mentality, even when he comes off the bench. Crawford has shown off spectacular passing skills throughout the preseason and even in the opener. But the Hawks need him to do what comes naturally, and that’s score at will.
That sounds like a reasonable plan to me, especially with Arenas and the high-scoring Wizards in town.
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334 comments Add your comment
D.Carter
October 30th, 2009
10:07 pm
Big Dave,
In woodys offense of 1000 dribbles JCraw is much better player than joe in terms of off the dribble iso’s… Joe is a much better all around player…. In the offense that we run JCraw would make us a much better team starting at point because he would allow joe to take advantage of his size in the post and not have to handle the ball so much
JeJe
October 30th, 2009
10:08 pm
Good game, and here are a few more observations:
1) I really want J.Craw in the 4th quarter, rather than Marvin. Marvin had 1 or 2 plays, but the guy is just an average basketball player. He appears bigger each year, but he is way too frail and awkward to make any major contributions to this team. By having Jamal in in the 4th, we have a potent scorer who can help spread the floor
2) We did a poor job on Mcghee and Blatche
3) We didn’t need Bibby in so many minutes. REST PLAYERS WHO DON’T NEED TO PLAY. MARVIN DOESNT NEED MINUTES. HE SUCKS
BONE
October 30th, 2009
10:08 pm
Only bad part of the game: HORFORD PLAYED 39 MINS.
JeJe
October 30th, 2009
10:10 pm
WE NEED TO RUN MORE OFFENSIVE PLAYS TOO
EVERYTHING IS 1 ON 1
Sautee
October 30th, 2009
10:12 pm
Horford avg. after 2 games: 17 pts. 14 reb. 3.5 blocks 2.0 ast.
Keep it up big guy!
Josh Smith this season – .714% from the field. WOW
JeJe
October 30th, 2009
10:12 pm
Man, ZaZa cannot convert a layup at all. His layup attempts fall about 3 feet short in height each time
Also, Joe Smith has some putrid defense. He leaves his man open every time. Thank God they are still contributing in other ways though
bigdave
October 30th, 2009
10:13 pm
i agree with Crawford starting at pg with Joe on the floor… but sir, in no way is he adequate replacement for Joe Johnson. point blank period. Crawford is an addition piece needed to build a quality contender here…
Blast
October 30th, 2009
10:13 pm
For all those pundits who chose Wizards over Hawks this season, the pox on you!
Hawks have what it takes to go out West and make some noise. They are not a good road team, but they’ve beaten most of the West teams they will be facing this trip. It’s all in the mind, Atlanta.
Go Hawks, Go!
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
October 30th, 2009
10:16 pm
Hawks’ Josh Smith becomes youngest to reach 900 blocks
ATLANTA (AP) — Josh Smith is the youngest player in NBA history to block 900 shots.
The 23-year-old Smith, in his sixth season with the Atlanta Hawks, passed Shaquille O’Neal as the youngest to reach the milestone when he rejected a shot by Washington’s Gilbert Arenas with about 4:30 remaining in Friday night’s game.
The block set up a fast break, capped by Smith’s left-handed dunk.
O’Neal was 24 years old when he reached 900 blocks. Smith’s 24th birthday is Dec. 5.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
October 30th, 2009
10:18 pm
Congrats J Smoove!!! On this
A great milestone – a bright future ahead for you and The Hawks.
kwooden1
October 30th, 2009
10:21 pm
Great WIN for the HAWKS!! I missed most of the 4th, but what I saw was a total different bench. We all saw the Crawford that we know. He definitely picked-up his defense and was blowing by his man. JeJe, I know what your saying about Joe Smith, but I think they there double teaming too hard, leaving people open. I think that will be taking care of as they play more together. JJ only had to play 30mins!!! and we won by double digits!!! I really like the make-up of this team! Bibby looked a lot better on defense and so did Teague. (not great but servicable I didn’t realize Teague only played 8+mins, I thought he played more than that. Great win!!
GO HAWKS!!!
Sautee
October 30th, 2009
10:22 pm
One play that Josh made stood out in particular. With only a couple of minutes left, Joe tried to feed Josh on an ally-oop but the pass was too high and Josh had to just catch it and gather. But instead of throwing up a shot, he WISELY threw it out to Bibby to run some clock.
This from a player who reputedly is selfish and has no basketball IQ.
Heh heh. Riiiight!
Big Ray
October 30th, 2009
10:23 pm
I love what Jamal Crawford brought tonight on offense. We needed his quick 16 points, especially on a night where Joe was shooting around 30%. I don’t know which was better, the fact that Jamal shot over 40% from the field and provided a great offensive spark, or the fact that this meant Joe only had to play 30 minutes?
Marvin looked like the invisible man for much of the game, but you turn around and see that he nearly finished with a double double, and very quietly kept his man from scoring much. The 9 rebounds he had really jumps out at you. Normally he’s a 5 or 6 rebound guy. Some of that was due to Al and Josh tipping rebounds away from opponents, but guess what? Marvin kept possession.
Josh Smith looked much more mature. He played quite well, and was a serious hustler on the boards, keeping a lot of balls alive (that won’t show up in the stat book), and challenging many more shots (there’s not almost-blocks in the stat column either). It was also another good shooting night for Smith, leading the team with 20 points. Clutch plays on both ends of the court towards the end of the game, he was the biggest difference.
Horford had a rough game offensively, but he finishes with a double-double again, and that’s what you know you get from him minimally.
Bibby was another bright spot in the backcourt. Savvy as all get out with his passing.
Joe Johnson did not shoot well, but he still managed 17 points, the mark of a truly good player. I didn’t like some of his offensive attempts (there was no double team, but he drove into the teeth of a defense that was waiting on him and gave him nothing but an impossible shot), but some of that was play-calling. He more than made up for that by turning the bulk of the ISO plays into post-ups, which forced better personnel and ball movement, and resulted in a positive net gain nearly every time he did it. And who can get mad at a man who gets you 5 boards and 6 assists along with the rest of it?
Gotta give Woody props. The bench got serious minutes and guys like Joe Smith and Mo Evans had nice contributions.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 30th, 2009
10:26 pm
Josh Smith’s accomplishment is even more impressive considering that Dwight Howard entered the league at the same time, is only three days younger than Josh, and is still 85 blocks away from 900. Props to Josh on that accomplishment.
About the game… I don’t want to nitpick, but the Hawks were shooting near 50% halfway through the 3rd quarter and ended up shooting 41% for the game. If they had sustained their earlier level of offensive efficiency throughout the second half, there’s a good chance this would have been even more of a blowout than it already was.
But that said, seeing that the team shot 91% for the game and outrebounded a team that’s longer and taller inside is fantastic.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 30th, 2009
10:27 pm
I meant to say 91% from the free throw line, sorry. 31/34 from the line. That is a huge step in the right direction.
Blast
October 30th, 2009
10:29 pm
At this rate, RandMo ain’t getting no burn this season.
Big Ray
October 30th, 2009
10:30 pm
I meant to say 91% from the free throw line, sorry. 31/34 from the line. That is a huge step in the right direction.
Yeah, as long as we keep it up. We don’t need any relapses.
JeJe
October 30th, 2009
10:30 pm
“nd very quietly kept his man from scoring much”
Who was Marvin guarding again?
“Joe Johnson did not shoot well, but he still managed 17 points”
Wow! A player who calls himself elite scored 17 against the notoriously impossible Wizard defense! Way to go Joe!
vava74
October 30th, 2009
10:36 pm
Let us not forget that WAS is a vastly inferior team and was missing Jamison and then Caron…
We should have killed the game on the third quarter and the fact that the starters had to finish the game is disappointing.
There were the same old spells in which we forget to drive and start shooting jumpers with no one in the paint to rebound…
I hope that our deficiencies are more the mark of excessive relaxation than anything else.
Well, I am off! It’s 2.35 around here!
Blast
October 30th, 2009
10:38 pm
The Wizs beat the heck out of Dallas while Hawks trashed Wizards here and there. Hawks play Dallas and it can go either way. Crazy league, NBA, huh?
Big Ray
October 30th, 2009
10:39 pm
JeJe ,
You’re somebody who is purposely bashing my comments on both guys, in an effort to get me to defend them harder.
Either way, I’m not going for it.
richbrave
October 30th, 2009
10:39 pm
Najeh Davenpoop
October 30th, 2009
8:20 pm
Dang, I don’t know how Flip Saunders tells apart Mike Miller and Fabricio Oberto.
Why? Because they’re both white and all whites look alike. Seems like I used to hear that alot in my youth, only in the opposite direction.
Big Ray
October 30th, 2009
10:40 pm
Vava ,
A quick look at the stat box will tell you where our offense was coming from in the third quarter, when we should have been stepping all over the Wiz. I can tell you this much, the errant jumpers weren’t coming from our frontcourt members…..ahem….
Big Ray
October 30th, 2009
10:42 pm
RichBrave ,
Najeh Davenpoop
October 30th, 2009
8:20 pm
Dang, I don’t know how Flip Saunders tells apart Mike Miller and Fabricio Oberto.
Why? Because they’re both white and all whites look alike. Seems like I used to hear that alot in my youth, only in the opposite direction.
I think he meant the part about the long hair. Come on, dude…..
richbrave
October 30th, 2009
10:48 pm
doc:
HAWKS took care of business where it counted, in the paint, and one on one against MILLER on the outside. Defense solid. Worked great.
WIZ tried to put a horsecollar on SMITH, but only partly effective.
McGEE made it interesting for awhile. But he’s a youngun’ and once he lost focus, they reinserted HAYWOOD, and that was the old ball game. ARENAS tried to offset the lack of shotblocking down low that J-Mac brought, but not his old self yet. Pretty clear he’s recovered well. Ultimately, in 2010 he may approach his old self, but not right now. WIZ are still rusty and missing BUTLER(now) and JAMISON. Still, they’re much better with OBERTO, FOYE and MILLER than last year.
TrainWreck
October 30th, 2009
10:50 pm
10 points, 12 boards, 4 blocks for Al Horford, against the 7-foot Heywood. This is after a 24 point, 16 rebound performance against the 7′2″ Hibbert and 6′11″ Murhpy. Gosh, I hate it when a guy gets 24 garbage points (is this even possible?).
Now, let’s see what a REAL center does against another “real” center in Dwight Howard:
Ummm…Brook Lopez had 3-8 shooting, 11 points, 5 boards, and 5 fouls .
Heh. Somehow I think our “fake” center will do better than that when next we meet….
richbrave
October 30th, 2009
10:53 pm
BIG RAY:
Couldn’t he tell that OBERTO cut his locks so he wouldn’t look like MILLER? I can’t understand why those guys won’t get a haircut. Would you want to be eating your excess protein constantly while playing, or fighting with hair in your face all the time?
Najeh Davenpoop
October 30th, 2009
10:54 pm
If I had said Mike Miller and Zaza Pachulia looked alike, you may have a case. Two players wearing the same uniform with the same hair do look similar, whether or not you want to unnecessarily inject racism into it.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
October 30th, 2009
11:03 pm
Najeh Davenpoop:
<>
Wow, out-blocking Dwight is really impressive! Maybe this will be the year he joins Dwight in the ranks of all-stars.
hawksbabby23
October 30th, 2009
11:07 pm
come on guys were 2 games into the season no way will he average near 3.5 blocks a game and i dont see how he can make the all star team either
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
October 30th, 2009
11:11 pm
hawksbabby23
Are you talking about Horford?
richbrave
October 30th, 2009
11:15 pm
Big Ray
October 30th, 2009
10:30 pm
I meant to say 91% from the free throw line, sorry. 31/34 from the line. That is a huge step in the right direction.
Yeah, as long as we keep it up. We don’t need any relapses
WIZ announcers were crying over all the ‘homer” calls, and saying it was the difference in the game. Well, probably since the ‘ZARDS were shooting……….what from the charity stripe. It sure wasn’t 91%. I remember BUCKHANTZ saying it was 64% sometime early in the fourth.
richbrave
October 30th, 2009
11:16 pm
Ease up ND, I was just testing ya’.
niremetal
October 30th, 2009
11:16 pm
Promising sign: 12 of JJ’s 16 shots tonight were in the paint (check out the Courtside Live chart on NBA.com’s Game Info page). He got 7 free throws and should have gotten at least 4-5 more. He also got on the officials for not calling those fouls – which he hasn’t done in the past. If he keeps that up, refs will eventually start giving him those whistles.
Grandad
October 30th, 2009
11:18 pm
I’m not Sautee…however, he must be a very intelligent person. I can’t stay around long (past my bedtime),I just wanted to comment on JaVale McGee; if there was one [young] player in the league that I wish we could steal, it would be that young fella. He’s just what we need – a seven footer {7-6 wingspan) that can provide a intimidating presence around the basket.
hawksbabby23
October 30th, 2009
11:20 pm
yes im talking bout al…
RLP
October 30th, 2009
11:42 pm
After playing only two games there are only 4 of 15 teams in the East who are undefeated. Amazing. Lakers await.
Only one person has mentioned that JJ only had 30 minutes tonight.
Why have people complained about Josh Smith’s passing. He made another beauty tonight.
O'Brien
October 31st, 2009
12:19 am
Good job by Woody handling JJ’s minutes tongight. Al did play 39 minutes, but I’m okay with that, because I dont know it wont be the norm.
Marvin didnt do much (offensively) in the game tonight, but Caron Butler didnt do anything either, but Marvin did have 9 rebounds, so I call it a wash. No wonder the Hawks didnt sign a reserve swing man. Crawford and JJ will take some of Marvin’s minutes.
In 2 games, ZaZa is averaging 4 points and 1 rebound. I hope he gets it in going, because Jason Collins hasnt played yet, and Al will need the help.
Congrats to Josh on the blocks record. And I like how he has played the first 2 games.
If we can beat the Lakers in LA, that would be a great way to get some national recognition and start the road trip off with a bang.
cp
October 31st, 2009
12:29 am
Good win. Much better defensive effort. I would have liked to see more of Teague but I think the kid will get the minutes down the road. Its hard to be negative after a win but as we have in the past , once we get a lead we sometimes go into the NFL’s version of prevent defense on the offensive end. We pretty much dribbled the ball and settled for jump shots at one point instead of attacking like we were doing earlier. Marvin was solid but I want to see more from him. At one point during the game I was asking for Mo Evans to come in for Marvin because I just wasn’t seeing anything. We have to bring our A game if we want to compete with the Lakers this weekend.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
October 31st, 2009
12:42 am
Its early so let’s give Al Horford time to get the ball rolling and this could be a great year for him statistically. Love seeing the Lakers getting it handed to them. They will be looking to stomp us if they lose tonight.
Mz. Hawkdafied
October 31st, 2009
1:12 am
Jamal Crawford doing what he does best sounds like a plan to me too. And Jamal did an excellent job putting that plan in motion tonight with help from his team mates and of course the wise Coach Woodson. Also the team 2-0 start at home shows that they are sticking to making winning at home a priority. This goes along with his theory of sticking with what you do best. 31-10 at home and 16-25 on the road. Certainly the team is at their best at home. I won’t argue with that. In fact that’s great. They are really defending the Highlight Factory. As a fan I appreciate that. BUT………..nevermind, forget it.
GO HAWKS! GREAT WIN! 2-0 OFF TO A GREAT START! RIDE OR DIE HAWKS FAN FOR LIFE!
Clyde
October 31st, 2009
4:04 am
We will see if yall are this optimistic after we play the Lakers on Sunday.
Roll Tide!!!!!! Even on a bye week.
hawks_4_life
October 31st, 2009
5:51 am
Judging from some of these comments, you would think the hawks are 0-2.
wordsmithtom
October 31st, 2009
6:11 am
Solid win. Take care of biz at home.
Big Ray’s 9:35 note on Teague going to the bench and sitting next to Woody. Sounds like a hungry young guy buying into the coach’s plan, wanting to hear what the coach has to say. This strikes a stark difference from a kid going to the other end of the bench and scowling because he’s taken out of the game. Law was a college star…a big shot…who came to the next level and never accepted the new role. Looks like Teague understands he’s the new guy and still has something to learn. He’ll get a lot better if he keeps listening to coach.
Great insight Big Ray…..
dap01
October 31st, 2009
7:17 am
Reduce Bibbys minutes, give them to Crawford. Practice what you preach! We have 3 centers, no need to play one 39 minutes!
We have the makings of a great team. Use all of the pieces!
JeJe
October 31st, 2009
8:25 am
I will say it again:
Marvin Williams should not be in the game down the stretch. If we are to having any chance of keeping it close tomorrow at LAL, Jamal Crawford needs to play over 30 minutes. Marvin does not scare anybody — he is the true epitome of an average small forward — he’s frail, awkward, and only knows how to have a good looking jumpshot. Are we really paying someone nearly 8 mill a year for that?
Tbird
October 31st, 2009
9:16 am
JeJE: He had 8 pts in fourth quarter…when everyone else had gone cold. Don’t play him down the stretch?? Did you watch the game? He will end up around 15-6 for the year…which on a team with this many options is vry good…thank God you aren’t advising Woody
truly1
October 31st, 2009
9:55 am
get off the players marvin is fine he is needed. so keep him envolved he will have big games this year. everyone needs to get adjusted to each other. some players are going to be hot and cold thats just the way it works. it is the coachs job to manage minutes and know his players in gametime situations. I hope it continues but woody did a good job yesterday
Shelt99
October 31st, 2009
10:00 am
Woody have to make sure that Crawford receives his minutes. A scorer must play and be on the floor. I would also like to see Coach Woody play more of a up tempo game. The Hawks are to young to play slow.
Peter
October 31st, 2009
10:20 am
We are winning yes, we are improved Yes..BUT I don’t see movement on the offensive side of the ball.
Watching the Hawks, as compared to the Celtics, or other great teams, is like watching two different games. All one on one with the Hawks, and other great teams are constantly moving, picking, passing and setting teammates up for easy scores.
I like our D big time……….. but hope for more movement and passing on O !