You’re right that Smoove’s improved play and Crawford’s arrival are not the ONLY reasons we are running more but they both have a LOT to do with it.

Since last year, Smoove is making FAR better decisions with the ball, he is rebounding FAR better, his assists are WAY up, his TOs are WAY down, he’s getting more blocks, he’s getting more steals and he’s taking as many shots as he took last year but he is making FAR more of them. All of those things contribute SIGNIFICANTLY to our ability to run.

We all used to cringe when Smoove got the rebound and started dribbling up the court rather than giving the ball to the PG. We all used to wonder why Woody wouldn’t make him pass it to the PG. Now I see why. Both Smoove and Al create nightmares for the opposition when they grab the rebound and take off up court – when they make good decisions. Both guys are doing a terrfic job with their decision-making so far this season and our fastbreak is awesome right now. Woody wants Marvin to do the same thing with regard to pushing the ball and he is starting to do it more as well. Once he gets it like Smoove and Al have, we will be even faster on the break.

If Smoove keeps playing the way he is playing, we keep winning and he can get back to being the 70% FT shooter he was before last year (he needs those extra PPG), I think he makes his first All Star game this year.

As for Jamaal, his job is to come off the bench and ignite the offense and that is EXACTLY what he does. Even if we get into our halfcourt set, Jamaal is liable to pull a J early in the shotclock or take it to the hole and that helps to quicken the pace. NOTHING about that guy’s game says slow it down and it is showing on the scoreboard.

I agree with you that Al benefits from the running a lot and his ability to go coast to coast with or without the ball as fast as any 5 in the league is yet another reason that our fastbreak has been so good. But like Smoove, we can’t run if he doesn’t rebound and he is doing a great job on the boards despite usually being smaller than the man he is guarding.

Actually, Marvin does a REALLY good job of running the floor on the break as evidenced by the highlight reel alley oop dunk he received from JJ during the last game. He also usually makes the right decision with the ball, we just need for him to get out of his current funk and play like he can.

JJ, Bibby and the rest of the guys contribute by making good decisions with the ball but Josh, Al, Crawford and to a lesser extent Marvin are the ones who REALLY make our uptempo game go.

LOL, I like the way you slid Teague’s name in there with Crawford’s and Joe Smith’s with regard to the “tremendous impact on the teams overall production, versatility, depth and confidence.” I’m sure Teague WILL have an impact on those things at some point, but you can’t put him in the same sentence with Crawford in that respect.

I can’t wait to see Jax in CHA. Jax and Larry Brown? This should be classic. It might be fine as Jax is always on his best behavior at first. But at some point, he will be in the middle of some nonsense. He can’t help it. It’s who he is.

I don’t know whether you are giving us too much credit or under estimating the competition by suggesting that you will be disappointed with a 13-5 start (assuming we go 5-3 over the next 8). All 5 of our home games are going to be VERY tough (POR, MIA, HOU, ORL & TOR are all likely playoff teams) and we could certainly lose to ANY team on the road (as can ANY NBA team – ask BOS about IND).

I would LOVE to see us go 8-0 but I won’t be “disappointed” if we go 5-3. I think going 6-2 over the next 8 would be an INCREDIBLE achievement – one that would merit giving SERIOUS consideration to giving Woody an extension NOW rather than later. The Hawks start the season 14-4? Are you serious? WOW!

That said, I agree with the vast majority of your post, particularly the part about Crawford not being as good as JJ as a starter. Crawford may very well be every bit as good as JJ as a scorer but there is more to the game than scoring. Al Harrington and Corey Magette may be as good as JJ as scorers but they can’t hold a candle to him as all around players. Crawford is in the PERFECT role as a 6th man and that is EXACTLY where he needs to stay. Considering him as a possible replacement for JJ would be a HUGE mistake.

November 16th, 2009
11:38 am

GRANDAD-join with me in not responding to this extremely sick blog stalker. Like BIG RAY said, there’s nothing to be gained by adding fuel to the fire. Since we’re the ones this sick puppy likes to stalk

He doesnt talk to my son. Apparently its got something to do with the fact that your breath smells like Azzse.

Are you going to organically transform to Grand B!tch after the game? I was Hoping this time you could save your B!tching for after the season, Ho.

Maybe we will get an update from our new beat writer soon.

Except for Marvin, they are all playing great. Marvin will turn it aroud. Wow #1 in the rankings. In 5 games we will start running into the teams under 500. Hope we can hang onto this hot streak. Maybe after that there will be some blow outs and end the arguements over minutes. That could be asking for to much.

While you may not succeed at least you tried. Thanks for trying to moderate this battle.

I agree with some of you who are voicing restraint on this year’s season. While it is nice to be selected at the top of the chart by both Marc Stein and NBA.COM you are only as good as your next game. Don’t get too high over one victory (Boston) or too low over one defeat (Carolina) but stay on course. The season is too long to get too excited in November.

Anthony- blind fold urself and walk out into rush our traffic, fall on a sword or sumthing…..in other words “kill yoself” I’ll bet u are a cleveland fan huh?

JTO- this is the reason i wanted to hold off on giving that yung’n a nickname and what not….Teague looks like a rookie as of late,he will be okay he just needs time to work out the kinks and improve his shot- Preseason is preseason -you cant determine how a guy will respond until the lights come on -so far i would say his grade is a C.

Don’t forget, JJ has obviously made a conscience effort to attack the basket and score more in the paint, which he’s done. AHorford is also attacking the basket more, shooting his jumper less, and as a result, he’s scoring more in the paint. Pushing the ball and running more fastbreaks has probably benefitted him more than any other Hawk player.

Utilizing our bench more and playing our starters less is likely a contributing factor. Our improvement on OFF, and overall improvement as a team, can be contributed to multiple factors.

(1)Individual player improvement, particularly Horford, JSmith and Bibby, and Yes, I said Bibby. He’s made a conscience effort to be more of a facilitator than a scorer, and both Horford and Smoove have benefitted from his improvement in that area.

(2)The additions of Crawford, Teague and Joe Smith have had a tremendous impact on the teams overall production, versatility, depth and confidence. Our starters no longer have to manage their energy output due to having to play heavy mins, nor does the team have to play, as Woodson put it, a perfect gm, to defeat an elite opponent.

(3)Coaching decisions have also played an important part in our improvement. The decision to switch our style of play, which now gives us an actual identity, and expanding the rotation were major decisions.

(4)The improved confidence, decision making, maturity and adjustments in the way JJ, Bibby, Smoove, MEvans, RMorris and Horford are now approaching the gm are individual decisions and improvements that were made by the players during the off season. We’ve not only noticed their improvements and adjustments, we’ve seen the results, and that’s what I call ORGANIC GROWTH/IMPROVEMENT.

The same guy who said Marvin has the upside of Danny Granger? LOL