Greetings-
Hope all are well and enjoying another win. A few thoughts.
1) Randolph Morris looked pretty solid again. Mike Woodson always talks about how bench guys have to perform when they’re on the floor and take advantage of their minutes, and he’s done that. I don’t know how he fits into the scheme of things, but it would seem like he’s making a strong case for more time.
2) Same thing with Mo Evans. It seems like he’s trying to prove something out there. He was 4-for-4 from 3-point range Sunday. “Mo’s playing great,” Jamal Crawford said. “I told him, wherever he’s at in his head, mentally, just stay there. He’s locked in right now and he’s doing a heck of a job.”
3) I started looking last night for the last time the Hawks won three games in a row by more than 20 points. I got to the early 90’s and couldn’t find an example. I’ll keep looking, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s never happened. Even though the competition isn’t much, this is a pretty remarkable stretch of basketball we’re watching. Crawford: “We don’t care about who scores. We have so many offensive weapons. It just feels good to get a win and everybody be a part of it.”
Josh Smith: “We have a lot of players that can score the ball. I knew (before the season) that if we did it the right way, that we could do special things this season.”
4) Jeff Teague is coming into his own. He said before the game that he’s playing his game, not being deferential, not worrying about mistakes, and that’s exactly what it looks like. He said he’s shooting the floater more, which he hadn’t used since the preseason. I’m not sure why he wouldn’t – it seemed like he was choosing layups instead and was either missing or getting blocked – but it probably again goes back to being comfortable.
5) I read an interesting column on si.com from an interview with David Stern. He acknowledged the possibility down the road of legalized NBA gambling and talked about possible rules changes, such as permitting teams to play whatever defense they want, allowing offensive players to interfere with balls in the cylinder and other things.
I’m curious what rules changes you would make to make the NBA game better. I’ve long thought that going to the international trapezoidal 3-second lane and calling offensive 3 seconds would improve the game. I’ve never been a big fan of post-up basketball. Expanding the lane, I’d think, would increase movement and more face-to-the-basket play.
Some links: game story from the Star-Ledger.
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109 comments Add your comment
Rod from College Park
December 16th, 2009
3:03 pm
Rufus1,
Josh and Marvin can not be compared. Even when Josh was making dumb decisions, he always played with maximum energy and effort. From the day Josh walked on the floor for the Hawks, the Hawks fate in most games was dependent on whether he or Joe Johnson had good games or not. Marvin has never really figured much into the overall outcome of games for us. Marvin was drafted to be the superstar, not Josh. Josh has always been the first or second option on this team based on production, hard work and defensive ability besides his rookie year. This myth about how much better his is this year is just that, a myth. He is shooting a higher percentage from the field, due mostly to not taking three pointers, but he had a better year in 07-08 in almost every category except FG% and 3 point%. Josh came right out of high school and Marvin played a year of college at the most prestigious basketball college in the nation. There is no comparison, and I made this same point two years ago when Josh was trying to get a new contract. I wonder where all those Marvin is and will be a better overall pro than Josh people are now?
Rod from College Park
December 16th, 2009
3:11 pm
Rufus1,
Another thing. Josh has stepped his game up in the playoffs every year that we have been in the playoffs. What has Marvin done? You can keep waiting, if that is what you want to do. That ship has long sailed for me. With an above average 3 who can handle the rock defend 2 positions (2,and 3 Marvin can’t) and be a offensive threat, we could compete for a title this year. Who knows what the future holds. Plug Danny Granger, Ron Artest, Trevor Ariza, Rudy Gay, or Stephen Jackson in our lineup instead of Marvin, and tell me we would not be a much better team.
Big Ray
December 16th, 2009
3:46 pm
Wow. Some of the stuff I just read on here about Woody is just mind-blowing. I read this in Ken’s article:
“It’s been a good situation for Woody as ownership and the organization stood by him and supported him in the rebuilding years,” Sund said. “When I suggested a new contract for Woody, the owners embraced the recommendation and I told Woody’s camp that after two years, we’ll evaluate it at that time and it seems to be working well.”
Uh-huh. Sounds to me like Woody “his camp” KNEW when he signed the contract that it was a 2 YEAR CONTRACT, and that they had been TOLD that an evaluation would take place AFTER 2 YEARS. Unless of course you’re going to call Sund a liar and say that he never told them that. Right…so moving along, what’s the big deal?
I find it highly ironic that Woody has survived the turmoil of a young team on the rebuild, where others have not, and all you hear from his true blue supporters is how badly he’s been treated. I wonder if Woody (or perhaps his ragtag myopic bandwagon) feels as bad as Eric Musselman, Marc Iavaroni, Reggie Theus, Mo Cheeks, and others? They didn’t make it. Woody has.
How about guys like Lawrence Frank, who one day had two or three all-star caliber players, then the next day…had NONE (sorry, brook Lopez will be an all-star some day, but neither he nor Devin Harris is there THIS year).
Unlike Woody, Frank didn’t survive the mistakes of his boss.
Like Sund said, the ASG stuck with this guy. And when Sund came in as the new boss, he even thought Woody should stick around for a couple of years at least.
But in the midst of all of this, one teensy weensy fact is forgotten: Woody was a free agent when he signed that 2 year contract.
Why didn’t he walk THEN? I mean, why not decline the “insulting offer to stay on another 2 years.” Never knew a job offer to stay was an insult. I guess all the 4 and 5 year offers he was getting from all those other NBA teams just weren’t as attractive….
Maybe, just maybe Woody wants a chance to finish what he started. Maybe he has more honor and sense than those who would put him on a pedestal above the rest of the organization. Maybe he sees how it is for coaches around the league, and realizes that he is now the one with the most tenure in the eastern conference (after Lawrence Frank got fired), and doesn’t want to mess that up. Maybe he knows he has work to do and games to win. Maybe “you’re doing a good job, but let’s wait until the end of the season to talk about an extension LIKE WE DISCUSSED EARLIER” sounds better than “you’re fired.”
Most of us cannot forsee Woody NOT getting an extension at the end of the season unless a total meltdown that doesn’t involve injuries occurs. And I doubt any of us see that one coming. He’ll be fine. He’ll get his contract. Most likely at the time that was previously agreed upon. And make no mistake. It WAS an agreement. Sund offered, Woody signed. It’s really that simple.
Big Ray
December 16th, 2009
4:00 pm
Woodson, in his sixth season and the most tenured coach in the Eastern Conference, is not alone in his situation. Denver coach George Karl and Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson are also in the final years of their contracts, though Karl and the Nuggets have had discussions of an extension and Jackson would surely have far more security than Woodson.
Ok, in some ways, Woody doesn’t even belong in the same conversation as Jackson and Karl. Now before the Woody-ites have a complete conniption fit, let me explain.
1) Those two guys have been head coaches a lot longer than Woody has. He hasn’t yet had the chance to even BE a head coach that long. Which means, he is not as proven a commodity as they are.
2) Woody has not had veteran or veteran-laden teams as a head coach. This year is the first year he’s had the most veterans (useful ones, that is), so in a way, this also contributes to him being a bit of an unknown. Can he repeat what he did last year, or can he do better? If he can repeat it, then you know he can be consistent. If he and the team can do better, then you know he’s somebody to hold onto.
3) Much noise is made about this team getting better every year he’s been coaching here. It’s true. But you don’t hang onto a guy for an extended period of time just because his team has gone from losing less and less each year, but losing all the same. If that’s the case, then a guy who gets you one or two more wins each year should always keep his job….even if his team is so bad that they win only 13 games the first year, and improve on that by 2 wins each year after that. 10 years later, and your team has gone from winning 13 games to winning 33 games. Improvement? Sure. Of course, if that’s the best you can do in 10 years, then chances are, your GM sucks…but who bombs out on lottery picks year after year? Nevermind.
4) Karl and Jackson have had teams in the playoffs consistently…for years. Woody has not. Again, this is not fair to say Woody’s situation is comparable to theirs. Jackson has won multiple championship rings with two different teams, and is better at managing player egos than perhaps anybody in the League. Karl is not as highly regarded, but is very successful in his own right, and again…he’s an established product.
Woody hasn’t had the chance to get there yet. But he’s working on that right now. At least he was given a chance to prove that he can win consistently (remember, he’s only got one winning season under his belt as a head coach). Others never got that chance, despite what their GMs (and/or owners) were doing to screw the team up.
Ken Strickland
December 16th, 2009
4:02 pm
OBRIEN-you had to be reading my mind because that’s precisely what I had in mind. Both players would also know the value of judging a player(PG)based on his strengths, rather than judging and penalizing him based on alledged shortcomings. Both former players overcame things they didn’t do well to have successful careers.
MJackson wasn’t the prototypically quick, fast, jumpshooting PG. However, he was allowed to use his size, strength, passing ability and high BB IQ to take advantage of smaller PG’s by backing them down in the post and forcing double teams or scoring over them. In fact, the NBA actually changed/modified the rules for backing a player down because of him.
AJohnson never was a strong outside scorer, but he was quick, fast, DEF minded, and like MJackson, he was an excellent passer and QB that had a very high BB IQ. It was admitted by both TDuncan and HC POP that Avery was the reason they won the NBA title that yr. With the Hawks problematic PG situation at the time, there’s absolutely no way either of them would’ve passed on the opportunity of drafting either CPaul or DWilliams, and certainly wouldn’t have publically made an issue of CPauls lack of size or DWilliams bulkiness, as Woodson did.
I also think both would have done a much better job of incorporating the talents of SStaudemire into the OFF as well, and maybe even BDiaw. But that’s water over the bridge. We have to deal with what we have, and what we have is far too much talent for our key players to be overutilized, and our bench players to be underutilized or ignored.
This yrs Atlanta Hawks team is only a few adjustments and a committment away from ruling the Eastern conference and becoming one of the NBA’s truely elite teams, and that’s with Woodson as the HC.
SAMUEL-Marvin was definitely a DEF liability his first few yrs, much like Bibby is now. However, you’re too blinded by your personal issues with him to realize that he’s remained a starter, despite his OFF woes, because of his DEF. He has the ability to effectively guard perimeter players out front and inside players in the paint, which makes him a perfect defender for Woody’s switching DEF.
You, and certain others, keep making an issue of his lack of scoring on a team that’s scoring at a near franchise record pace, and whos biggest problem is DEF inconsistency. Woodson knows that, which is why he values Marvin’s DEF consistency and rebounding. His scoring potential will always be there if needed. As long as Bibby is our starting PG and playing significant mins, his DEF will always be highly valued by Woodson, and rightfully so.
When it comes to someone you like, you seem to be blinded to anything but the positive things you want to focus on. If it’s someone you don’t like, you become blinded to anything but the negative things you want to focus on. YOU SEEM TO LACK OBJECTIVITY.
terrell barron
December 16th, 2009
5:06 pm
“Marvin was drafted to be the superstar, not Josh”? Wtf does that supposed to mean? When it comes to NBA players, draft status means NOTHING. You cant blame Marvin for going #2 overall. Is Bogut a superstar? No! Is Bargnani a superstar? No! It’s a crapshoot man. Btw, last time I checked, the best player in the league went #13 to Charlotte and then got traded. So I guess he falls in Smoove’s category huh? Not drafted to be a superstar? Whatever. If you wanna blame somebody BLAME WOODSON, not Marvin! Remember, Paul was too short, and Deron was too fat.
terrell barron
December 16th, 2009
5:09 pm
Rod, let me ask you something: Was Sheldon drafted to be a superstar?
Rufus1
December 16th, 2009
5:44 pm
Terrell
I agree, if Josh wasn’t drafted to be a star..then what was he drafted to be?
Ken Strickland
December 16th, 2009
7:03 pm
BIG RAY-you made some excellent points, as always. It’s a credit to the ASG that they didn’t make Woodson the scapegoat for any of the teams issues. In fact, when he and former GM Billy Knight reached an impass on what this team needed and how it was to be handled, they sided with Woodson.
It was no secret BK wanted to play an uptempo, fastbreaking style of ball and wanted a young, quick, fast, penetrating PG to make it happen. Woodson on the other hand, wanted a much slower pace and a veteran PG that was more of a perimeter scorer than penetrator. That’s why he rode the backs of vet PG’s like AJohnson and TLue while all but ignoring young potential PG’s like SStaudemire, ALaw, DWilliams and CPaul. I honestly believe that BK’s acquisition of PG MBibby, and his overall impact on the team making the playoffs, tended to support Woodson’s position and caused the ASG to force BK out.