David Lee on All-Star team, Smoove (gladly) on the beach
Smoove will be chillaxing like this, except with no uniform and more sand. (dimemag.com)
Dallas– Ever since the All-Star reserves were announced and Smoove didn’t make it, it’s seemed everyone around him has been more outraged about it. Family, friends, fans, media–everyone seems to think Smoove got screwed, except for Smoove.
And it continued that way right up to the All-Star break. After the Hawks lost to the Heat last night, someone asked Smoove if he hoped to be picked as the replacement for A. I., who it turns out won’t play for personal reasons. Commish Stern picked Knicks center David Lee to replace him.
“My flight is booked,” Smoove said, laughing. “I’m really not even thinking about that. I am thinking about sticking my feet in the sand.”
He’s headed to the Turks and Caicos Islands in the West Indies (”First time”). Looking at the snow storm outside my hotel room here in Dallas, I’m thinking Smoove made out in that exchange.
But, for real, he probably did deserve to make the All-Star team. In the one month I’ve covered the team, one thing that has stood out is how Smoove can change a game in so many ways. He’s developed what seems like an instinctive ability to know what play the Hawks need at what time and that’s really a wild statement when you think about it.
The development hasn’t happened by accident.
“I looked a a lot of film of myself over the summer and critiqued myself,” Smoove said, and he discovered he needed to make better decisions within the flow of the game. So it’s interesting to note how Woody later summed up Smoove’s improvement: “He’s making better basketball decisions.”
That’s a hard thing to quantify sometimes. So maybe Smoove was hurt in All-Star voting by coaches because his traditional boxscore stats are nice but don’t really blow you away. But when you look at advanced statistics and Smoove usually comes out ahead in comparison to his teammates and he also looks good when stacked up against the league’s best (also note that Lee is no slouch with those metrics, either).
In considering alternatives to Iso-Joe (and I know you spend a lot of time doing that) two of the best I can think of involve Smoove.
One is the pick-and-roll with Bibby–when the timing is right on it and Smoove gets the pass close enough to the rim that he doesn’t have to dribble too much there aren’t many weakside defenders who can challenge him. (The Hawks tried the P-R early last night but Bibby messed up the spacing and it was a turnover).
The other Iso-Joe alternative is posting Smoove up on the left block for that duck-in, swooping hook move. It can be unstoppable because he’s so long and athletic and he’s gotten really good at gaining separation from his defender with a subtle bump.
Alas, a worldwide television audience and a crowd expected to be upwards of 90,000 won’t get to see Smoove do his thang. But Smoove said he won’t be wishing he was here and probably won’t even watch the game on Sunday.
“I will probably be too busy just chilling,” he said.
MC
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137 comments Add your comment
Astro Joe
February 11th, 2010
8:44 pm
Great attitude and maturity by Mr. Smith. It’s been interesting (and sometimes frustrating) to watch him develop. But he has been quite impressive this year, on and off the court.
Now, how about those free throws?
BONE
February 11th, 2010
8:45 pm
Good for smoove with all the injuries that All Star game is probably gonna suck
crabapplejoe
February 11th, 2010
9:04 pm
Please tell me I didn’t just read an entire article on a major newspapers website that referred to an athlete as “Smoove” throughout the article without using his real name…..geez. As to not being picked over David Lee its a no brainer…Lee leads “Smoove” in every statistical category and is having a knockout season for the Knicks.
Here*Not*There
February 11th, 2010
9:12 pm
We Love you Smoove Your an allstar!!
David Smith
February 11th, 2010
9:19 pm
Josh is one of my favorite players on the Hawks (Al Horford is the other) and, it’s a shame that he won’t be showcasing his aerial displays in Dallas this year. Josh just needs to continue working on his game (a consistent 15-18 foot jumper, continue improving his post game, and work on his ball handling)
while continuing to improve defensively to be considered for All Star consideration next year.
Hawk Str8Talk
February 11th, 2010
9:22 pm
Just had an interview with Rick Sund last night and he talked about Josh and Jamal and a few other things that might be of interest…
http://www.hawkstr8talk.com/2010/02/grizzlies-heat-chat-with-rick-sund.html
Michael Cunningham
February 11th, 2010
9:28 pm
Enter your comments here@crabapplejoe: man, you sure are crabby . . . oh, wait, nevermind. this isn’t the newspaper. this is a blog. we are informal around here. so chill. . .
as for Lee vs. Smoove stats, you have to look deeper. Lee: 768 FGA, Smoove: 591 FGA. Lee: 37 MPG, Smoove: 34 MPG. Lee gets more rebounds but his team has more rebounds to get (4.379 total vs. 4233 for Hawks). also, Lee plays at a relatively weak position in the East. and, of course, the Knicks suck and the Hawks don’t.
Lee is a good player and it’s no crime he made it but it’s certainly not a “no-brainer” for Lee to make the AS team over Smoove. just look at that link from the Knicks blogger, even he was surprised Smoove didn’t get a mention in the story. and, yes, i most certainly used “Smoove” repeatedly here because Smoove is a cool nickname but mostly just to mess with you because you don’t like me using Smoove.
Michael Cunningham
February 11th, 2010
9:35 pm
@Hawks Str8talk: good stuff re: Sund recap, but i don’t see a transcript am i missing something? me sometimes not think good.
Falcon Josh
February 11th, 2010
9:46 pm
I have been to the Turks & Caicos Islands. Josh Smith gets the better end of the deal!!!
Mike Jay
February 11th, 2010
9:50 pm
The third set of stats you linked to have Acie law ranked ahead of Smith. I’m pretty sure that means they are completely invalid
I will also say that I have really enjoyed watching him progress his game. We all cringed last year at all the bad jumpers beyond the arc. I certainly had doubts that he would be able to stop taking those. But damn if he didn’t and his overall game has taken a big step forward this season. I was talking the other day to my buddy about him and we both agree that he is the best passing big man in the game today. Now we are not NBA junkies, Just hawks fanatics but we were stumped to come up with a better one. he has made some jaw dropping, scratch your head passes this season.
crabapplejoe
February 11th, 2010
9:51 pm
Here’s reality:
David Lee: Games-51; MPG-37; FG%-.557; FT%-.798; PPG-20; Reb.-11.40
“Smoove”: Games-51; MPG-34; FG%-.511; FT%-.616; PPG-15.2; Reb.-8.50
I’m “looking deeper”….as deep as I can at these stats and I know who the All-Star reserve ought to be…and it ain’t “Smoove”. That’s OK because he’s going to the Turks and Caicos this weekend and I’m not….so its all good as they say.
Clyde
February 11th, 2010
10:12 pm
I talk bad about everyone in the Hawks organization except Jsmoove because I think he is the MVP of this team. Enjoy your vacation Smoove and continue to prove your haters wrong.
Astro Joe
February 11th, 2010
10:19 pm
Clyde, you forgot something.
Hateraide Anonymous
February 11th, 2010
10:42 pm
Hi, my name is Joe and I haven’t had a sip of Hateraide in 3 months. I owe it all to Smoove. I Appolonia for the things I’ve said in the past. He’s turned his game around. He might not be an all-star, but he make the Hawks tic and that’s all I care about.
Hateraide Anonymous
February 11th, 2010
10:42 pm
make that apologize…
Geemack
February 11th, 2010
10:51 pm
I love Smoove, but Lee should have made it before Al. So this is just David Stern doing what should have been done all along.
Melvin
February 11th, 2010
10:55 pm
Just when you thought you had seen it all. Lebron hits a clutch jumpshot with 1min remaining and Mo Williams (who is injured) runs on the court and put his sports jacket around Lebron to impersonate James Brown, while the godfather of soul music playing in the background. You gotta dislike the sportsmanship of the Cavs… First their pregame clowning now this junk. What a bunch of clowns.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 11th, 2010
11:14 pm
Nice to see Smoove taking it in stride. It’s our job to get outraged, rightfully, over his exclusion from the roster.
Judging from crabapplejoe’s previous comments on ajc blogs, he probably thinks anyone who didn’t vote for David Lee hates white people.
Geemack
February 11th, 2010
11:14 pm
Melvin
They having fun, and can’t nobody beat em.
duker
February 11th, 2010
11:16 pm
Hey crabapplejoe look at overall with steals blocks and ast also . do not cherry pick stats use them all Lee is a good player but smooth is a better alround player on a playoff team. but he still has a whinner rep but will get his in the long run
Najeh Davenpoop
February 11th, 2010
11:17 pm
I do agree, though, that Lee deserved to make it over Horford, even with his nonexistent defense and his team’s lack of success. In a way, Horford’s inclusion led to Smoove being excluded.
bigstack19
February 11th, 2010
11:17 pm
If he played for the Cavs, Celtics, or Magic he would be there.
Melvin
February 11th, 2010
11:18 pm
GeeMack,
If someone luckily beat them, I hope they will shake hands at the end of the game this year…
Najeh Davenpoop
February 11th, 2010
11:27 pm
Melvin, if they are going to knock Orlando down in the standings, they can clown all they want as far as I’m concerned. We can use all the Orlando losses we can get.
crabapplejoe
February 11th, 2010
11:30 pm
Davenpoop wrote: “I do agree, though, that Lee deserved to make it over Horford”
Dude, you are sincerely cracking me up tonight…so you agree with me that David Lee should have been on the All-Star team…but I am a racist for saying so and backing it up with statistics….I can skip Letterman tonight because my comedy quotient is full…LMAO.
crabapplejoe
February 11th, 2010
11:38 pm
@Ducker: The only stat category that “Smoove” have a distinct advantage is blocked shots (2.10 vs. .39)….so you would ignore all of the other stats and put “Smoove” on the All-Stars based on that stat?talk about “cherry picking”….LOL. P.S. does David Lee have a silly nickname we can call him by throughout the thread without mentioning his name?
Geemack
February 11th, 2010
11:38 pm
bigstack19
If he bumped his rebounds up to 11rpg he would make it
Najeh Davenpoop
February 11th, 2010
11:39 pm
crabapplejoe, do you go on David O’Brien’s blog and criticize him for referring to Larry Wayne Jones, Jr. as “Chipper”?
crabapplejoe
February 11th, 2010
11:47 pm
@davenpoop: Why on earth would I do that?…..makes no sense unless I was a Met fan like ten years ago.
Don!
February 12th, 2010
12:01 am
Smooth got the shaft. Now, David Lee’s having a fine season — FOR THE KNICKS! It’s easy to have great numbers when you’re playing in that system. Not to mention, about half of Lee’s stats come in garbage time.
Sigh. This is just David Stern sticking it to the Hawks again.
crabapplejoe
February 12th, 2010
12:20 am
@Don!….its “Smoove” not “Smooth”…stop using ebonics…btw if its easy to put up “great numbers” in a “system”….then why don’t the Hawks use the same ’system’?
Grandad
February 12th, 2010
12:24 am
1st things 1st:
MC, Call him Smoove all you want when you can use cool coach speak such as “duck in”. Sounds like you know your hoops.
Kudos to Josh for watching film and working to improve.
And to Woody: Uhh “he’s making better basketball decisions.”
6 yrs. – way to coach ‘im up Woody.
Note to Ken Strickland: Appears to be “Organic growth”.* *[Josh]
Gilley
February 12th, 2010
12:49 am
Its all good. J-Smoove.
TXDawg
February 12th, 2010
1:57 am
Yeah Michael, how about this snow!! It’s been coming down for 24 hours, non-stop. Anyway, I’m disappointed that Josh didn’t get the nod. I was holding out hope of wearing my old Hawk uni #5. Whatever the case, the streets should be manageable by Sat/Sun, so I’ll still be at the game supporting Joe and Al.
tjhook
February 12th, 2010
2:09 am
You mean Woody couldn’t get him to sit down and watch film before? Wow! . . . why are coaches getting paid again?
P.S. – And he couldn’t stop Josh from shooting the three-pointers? Woodson knows basketball but probrably does not know how to translate it – explaining why he can’t get ability out of young basketball players.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 12th, 2010
3:00 am
“Why on earth would I do that?…..makes no sense unless I was a Met fan like ten years ago.”
So then how exactly do you determine where to direct your righteous indignation at nicknames being used in newspaper columns?
“btw if its easy to put up “great numbers” in a “system”….then why don’t the Hawks use the same ’system’?”
Because it results in a sub-.500 record and a complete lack of defense.
Your overreliance on stats to determine who is a better basketball player indicates that you don’t know a whole lot about basketball, or team sports in general. Then again, this doesn’t surprise me, coming from someone who thinks anyone who criticizes Keith Brooking is a member of a vast anti-white conspiracy.
jtb
February 12th, 2010
3:10 am
I’m really proud of Smoove for how he has handled all of this and he seems to have been playing even better ball since his AS snubbing. Question though, why is it Smoove and not Smooth?
Clyde
February 12th, 2010
4:22 am
Fire Woody
The Grapes of RATHbun
February 12th, 2010
4:57 am
I agree with whoever said it, J Smoove needs to hit his FTs
Required Reading | Hard Knox Sports
February 12th, 2010
7:51 am
[...] Josh Smith got jobbed. [AJC] [...]
O'Brien
February 12th, 2010
7:51 am
If Josh was able to watch tape and critique his game, and make better basketball decisions, I can’t help but wonder what took him so long? I would imagine Woody has been telling him these things for 5 years (or has he?).
That being said, I’m glad he has taken another step forward in his development. If he takes another step forward this offseason (whether thats bring his FT% to 75%, or improve his jumper, or cut down his TO), he will be almost unstoppable next year.
The way Cleveland has been playing (especially LeBron), they are looking like the best team in the NBA. I know LbJ would like to get Jamison from the Wizards, but I dont think thats going to happen, so I wont be surprised if they stand pat.
Now if you’re the Hawks, and you can’t get the 2 seed, do you aim for the 3 seed, or the 4 seed? Either way, you wouldnt have homecourt advantage. As the 3 seed, you’d play Orlando, and if you’re the 4th seed, you play Cleveland. So far this year, we’ve played Cleveland tough, and struggled against Orlando.
Coach D
February 12th, 2010
7:57 am
AWESOME music video/song done by Joe Smith.
Check it out on you tube.
Enter Hawks anthem Joe Beast. It’s good.
My 2 cents re: free throws: Yes, Smoove needs to hit a lot more, BUT if Georgia Tech hit as many as Smoove then they’d have won 2 or 3 more games at least….
Astro Joe
February 12th, 2010
8:12 am
OB, maturity takes it’s time. I do find myself annoyed that he took over 250 3s over a 3-year period with virtually no chance of making them or actually helping the team. But hey, “he was trying to make something happen” and so you can get away with all kind of boneheaded decisions as long as you are “trying to make something happen”. But that is water under the bridge… it’s like we traded bad Josh for good Josh. Great trade.
GeeMack
February 12th, 2010
8:13 am
O’Brien
Don’t matter the seeding. The Hawks must get to a point where they believe they can beat anyone, at anytime, and anywhere. That’s what eliite teams do.
Cle, LA, Orl, Bos, & Den has that talent and mind set. Even with the Celtics stuggles that still don’t believe the other top teams in the east can beat them in a 7 game series.
Truth
February 12th, 2010
8:18 am
crabapplejoe
Look at the stats when they play. That tells the whole story. Sorry Dude, No case.
DDawgDavis
February 12th, 2010
8:20 am
Couple of things:
I wish, key word: wish, the Hawks had the pieces to make one more move. I would love to see a Marcus Camby type C/5 on the roster. I know, I know it’s a dream, hence I prefaced my comment with wish. We just don’t have the pieces to move.
Last thing, Josh is my favorite Hawk, but can we get rid of the retarded “J-Smoove.” No apologies to the mentally challenged and no apologies to the real tards that call him J-Smoove. I prefer Josh “Smiff” presented by one Jalen Rose.
phar71
February 12th, 2010
8:26 am
I bet he has a monster game when they get back from the break. In a way I wish Joe was not an all-star so he could do the same, get away from it all and just chill.
Mike Jay
February 12th, 2010
8:26 am
Why didn;t he watch film before?
—He was imature and didn;t thenk he needed to. Now he does work his ass off in the offsesaon. He goes to some big mans camp with Kareem coaching iirc. He’s never been accused of NOT working hard to improve. However now he realizes what it takes to elevate his game to the elite status and he is tryng to do that. You give a 18 year old that kind of money and sometimes they can be a little thick in the skull. remeber he’s still just a ‘kid’
. Hisgame still ahs room to grow, which is scary.
niremetal
February 12th, 2010
8:37 am
Najeh,
It’s a misconception that D’Antoni’s system ignores defense. That’s true of Nellie, but not D’Antoni. D’Antoni’s system emphasizes pushing the ball and taking shots early in the clock, but in order to maximize that, it uses a high-pressure defense that is admittedly risky, but also is decently effective. Back in Phoenix, his teams never finished below 17th in defensive efficiency, and actually got as high as 11th. No one will argue that the team was elite defensively, but you can’t expect a team to be defensively elite with Amare at center and Nash at PG. D’Antoni’s teams have always done well defensively considering the personnel they have. He’s the most successful coach since Riley at running a fast-paced offense in part because he, unlike the Westheads, Moe’s, and Nelsons of the NBA, actually does emphasize the importance of defense.
Daniel
February 12th, 2010
8:38 am
Another example of how Josh Smith is growing in both his game and maturity. Way to take the whole thing in stride. I think he is starting to see the big picture issues. The rest of the league should be scared.
To Melvin: I agree with you 100% on the Cavs. Gee, yeah they are on a winning streak now, but listen did the Bulls, Lakers, Celtics, Spurs or Rockets ever act that way? No. And you know the difference. Those teams won championships.
Gee- you still my man.
GeeMack
February 12th, 2010
9:08 am
Daniel
You’re right, and I’m sure other teams feel the way you and Melvin feel, but if they don’t like it shut em up. You notice they were not acting that way during the Magic series last year.
This type of steak comes along once a year, and they are enjoying the moment. I wish the Hawks had the mental toughness to shut em up.
Astro Joe
February 12th, 2010
9:10 am
At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old man, I’d prefer if the Cavs actually win something before acting like they are the featured act in Cirque de Le Hoops
doc
February 12th, 2010
9:15 am
why would i expect the commish stern to do anything approaching the right thing? next year josh smith makes it easy, maybe his fans can do a drive to get him there. i had faith …. told you so aj … told you. heh heh
glad you have been able to change your opinion about him. i kept saying his winning desire would win out in the end. his attitude was of a winner not a quitter unlike another big man he has been unfairly compared to that played a lot in portland that i loved and was so frustrated with who would quit. josh smith is no sheed.
Techster
February 12th, 2010
9:21 am
When writing stories like this, I think you should work in the word “Smoove” a few more times. The 20 or 30 times it was repeated in this short article just don’t seem quite redundant or annoying enough.
Mike is Back
February 12th, 2010
9:23 am
Crabapple, you got a lot of crabs in your apples bro. It not of question of whether Lee deserves the nod over Josh…he is a deserving player…we seen him play. It is the fact that Hawks fans feel Smoove has performed at All Star level this season, therefore amongst the name that was announce for the reserves…his name should have been call.
CAN DAVID LEE WIN THE SLAM DUNK CONTEST…nough said. Smoooooooooooooooooooove possess some skills David Lee simple do not have…get over it bro.
Astro Joe, nice analogy of Smoove transformation. Woody said he has been the MVP of the team this year…I agree. It will be interesting to see how he comes out in the second half.
GO SMOOVE…AND GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
O'Brien
February 12th, 2010
9:50 am
AJ,
The same way that Josh gave up taking them 3s, I hope he takes a look at his jumpers. They have looked much better the last few games, so hopefully it will continue to improve. If not, he needs to stop taking them.
But I have been very pleased with his performace this year. And I’m glad we have him under contract at a good price, because he will only get better.
Cleveland had MVP and COY last year. Where did that get them? They need to wait until they win a championship before they start showboating. And LbJ is the leader. No wonder Noah did not like when LbJ was showing out during the blowout win over the Bulls.
What I want to see next time we play the Cavs is somebody put a hard foul on LeBron. Because the Hawks play too soft sometimes.
GeeMack,
You’re right. If its Boston, we are okay, but ufortunately whenever we get smacked in the mouth by Orlando and Cleveland, we lose our mental focus, and can’t execute anymore.
As for D’Antoni, if the Hawks had a PG who could push the ball and force the tempo, would his system be effective here? Or are we better off with Woody’s system (whatever that is). One thing I like about Woody is he stresses defense and rebounding (although I wish he would stress offense some more).
John
February 12th, 2010
9:51 am
Joe deserves to start in AI’s place now. I have the feeling Van Gundy might let Rondo start. Joe has been there 4 times in a row now and deserves it.
Mike is Back
February 12th, 2010
10:05 am
Doc, ditto on Smoove…it was lean times…but we stuck by him…you can tell things are starting to click.
It will be interesting to see if things finally click for Marvin…maybe it just me…but the last couple games he has really been attacking the rack. That dunk on the fast break where he finished in a crowd of guys with the AND1…That was the first time I seen Marvin finished that play without drawing a offensive foul. Oh well, that is a discussion for another day.
MC, btw I did two tours in Korea back in the early 80s…Camp Irwin and Camp Humphrey. Your story is amazing.
Melvin
February 12th, 2010
10:15 am
This is the Hawks blog and I could careless if folks think David Lee was more deserving. Congrats to David but JSmoove is the man in these parts of the woods. So David Lee can take his all star selection, polish and shine it up then stick it up David Stern candy @$$ for making such a poor decision…
PMC
February 12th, 2010
10:17 am
Josh gets to go to Turks and Caicos and the playoffs…. much better end of the deal here.
crabapplejoe
February 12th, 2010
10:26 am
Davenpoop wrote: “So then how exactly do you determine where to direct your righteous indignation at nicknames being used in newspaper columns?”
There is a bit of a difference….Chipper’s parents call him that…Hopefully “Smoove’s” parents call him Josh. As for ruling out stats as an indicator or worth on the basketball court….I’ll just go with your system which is based upon skin color. Obviously with the selection of “A.I.” that is the system the fans are using…LOL at the hate.
Melvin
February 12th, 2010
10:36 am
crabapple,
Why are you so bother by a beatwriter referring to Josh as JSmoove on a team blog? Heck, his own personal blog page is JSMOOVE.NET. Did you ever thought that he may prefer to be call JSmoove or Smoove?
doc
February 12th, 2010
11:06 am
mikeis, marvin has always played scared, simple enough. his back injury only compounded that mindset. if he outgrows that then maybe he can make a significant contribution. wish we had done a psych profile on him rather than a billy knight butt scan
That guy
February 12th, 2010
11:11 am
Crabapple,
I’m not a big fan of Josh’s nickname either, but he should be in the AS game over Florida Lee. Forget the stats, Smith is a difference maker on a winning team. Stern chose Lee to make sure New York had a presence. Not to say he wasn’t desrving, but playing in New York is the only thing Lee has on Smith.
darrell starks
February 12th, 2010
11:13 am
JSMOOVE IS COOL THERE NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT NAME.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
doc
February 12th, 2010
11:13 am
MC smoove sucks as a power forward, SMASH is much better in what he has to transport only the court. take the smoove crap and wait until his career is over and go into the studio and record something. the smoove stuff got between his ears and held him back in my lowly opinion. not cool for a 18 yr old aspiring to the heights as he does to adopt it. i also believe it is one that led to his misbelief he was ready to shoot the three. look his numbers were not terrible there at about 26% last year but they were unchallenged as everyone wanted him to shoot it from the opposition. kudos for him adapting somewhat this year.also, i am sure the refs that have to listen to his banter laugh at how un-smoove he really is to them. the way they call his game suggests just that.
darrell starks
February 12th, 2010
11:14 am
JOSH SHOULD MADE THE ALLSTAR TEAM.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
Thekid2Kill
February 12th, 2010
11:17 am
Jeff Teague is a big BUST, he gets block everything he takes it to the basket.
Acie Law was better.
Can we trade Teague for Law?
Darren Collison from New Orleans got talent put him in the celtics starting line up and he becomes an all star, I think he might be better than rondo.
doc
February 12th, 2010
11:18 am
MC, in other words maybe he can be j smash on the boards instead of j smash mouth to the refs. get the smoove going when he talks to the refs and he will get his calls. you only have to look at the real smoove guy in lebron as how he smooves the refs. that is the guy he has to be like to get the calls.
Westurd
February 12th, 2010
11:22 am
** ALERT ALERT ** The Hawks are peaking…..the Hawks will not get any better without making a move on some other players. The Hawks are good, about 3rd/4th place good. Doe no one else see it? Championship talk is foolish at this time….dreamerz!
GeeMack
February 12th, 2010
11:24 am
Here’s something that bothers me about the Hawks fans that are all over Woody about the teams performance.
Those individuals never say who they would replace Woody with if they had the opportunity.
UGA
February 12th, 2010
11:27 am
So the Hawks are talking to the Bucks about a deal. Mo and maybe Morris for Kurt Thomas. Do it please? This guy can defend in the post, trust me. Then send something to get Mike Miller or Jarvis Hayes to fill the spot of Mo at SF. This is from the Milwaukee paper.
doc
February 12th, 2010
11:29 am
nire, i argued that one over and over when d’antoni was in phoenix. he was actually as high as 4 or 5 one year when comparing by number of possessions to points scored against is the way i think it went. no one quite got that he did emphasize and have good defenses and defenders along with a hugh powered offense.
in a way we have to do the same types of things in atlanta, rely on the defense to generate points on stops and breakaways rather than points in the lane. we dont really have such an effective set offense. where we dont do it is to generate pressure on defenses by either continuing to push every possession or get good ball movement or personnel movement in a pattern offense. our “offense” numbers look surprisingly good on avg but are a bit deceiving like the defense numbers in d’antoni’s days in phoenix.
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2010
11:30 am
UGA,
If they make that move they will surely have to get another player at the 3 or the 2 position also. Kurt Thomas?????? I don’t know if that’s enough to change anything.
Edgar Allen Podunk
February 12th, 2010
11:36 am
Wow. Michael Cunningham fella is one hip dude. Y’all know what I’m sayin’?
I mean, anybody who refers to the people he “covers” by their nicknames and their first names is obviously too cool for us mere mortals. Y’all know what I’m sayin’?
Anyway, MC appears to have graduated – Summa Cum LOUD – from the Screamin’ A-hole Smith “school” of journalism, where in-depth and objective analysis take a backseat to “style.”
We get it, MC. You’re “tight” with the Hawks. Heck, I bet “Smoove” even lets you wash his car and walk his dog. You probably sleep in one of his “official” game-worn jerseys.
Of course, it will be interesting to see what happens when it’s time for MC to “act” like a real reporter and write something “bad” about his heroes. Ah, but such are the perils of being a jock-sniffer who masquerades as a “reporter” for a “major” newspaper.
In the meantime, you keep it real, MC.
Y’all know what I’m sayin’?
P.S. Y’all know what I’m sayin’?
doc
February 12th, 2010
11:36 am
been wanting kurt here for four years.
Melvin
February 12th, 2010
11:39 am
Boston may get Butler&Jamison for Ray. Dang it must be nice to have owners willing to spend $$$ to win a championship…
Boneyard Randy
February 12th, 2010
11:41 am
SMOOVE! Enjoy the R&R. And all you haters need to take a deep breath and find something in your life that’ll make you happy. For me, it’s Hawks basketball! Looking forward to the second half.
darrell starks
February 12th, 2010
11:42 am
I never like teague when the hawks drafted him now since he is our guy lets develop him and see what he can do give him time.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!
darrell starks
February 12th, 2010
11:44 am
MELVIN if boston get butler and jamison its over nba champion boston celtics.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
jean
February 12th, 2010
11:48 am
crawford is mvp of hawks by far how he didnt make the all star team is beyond me how many games did he carry the hawks in so far in 4th quarter alot more then the so called franchise player joe johnson
Dominique
February 12th, 2010
11:49 am
Josh Smiff have had a good season. He still need to develop his shooting stroke. I called him “clunk” when Rathbun wasn’t looking. David Lee have good fundamentals and he study hard.
darrell starks
February 12th, 2010
11:49 am
BOSTON PAYROLL 90MILL HAWKS 55MILL.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!
ATL Hawks #1 Lady Fan/Mz. Hawkdafied
February 12th, 2010
12:06 pm
Dang that crabapplejoe guy really loves David Lee. Hey crabapplejoe why don’t you take all that David Lee love over to the NY Knicks blog. By the way you missed a stat. J Smoove leads D. Lee in assists too.
Drop doc off at the Cavs blog on your way. And take Thekid2Kill to the Hornets/Bobcats blog too. Geesh!
Ken Strickland
February 12th, 2010
12:20 pm
CRABAPPLEJOE-When MCUNNINGHAM said you have to look deeper than the stats, he was talking about the situation each player was in when accumulating their stats. DLee plays on a losing team that plays very little DEF, which doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. DLee gets a lot of extra rebounds because he doesn’t have a rebounder like JSmith next to him to get a lot of the rebounds he could be getting.
Bottomline, it’s like Scottie Pippin being selected to the Allstar gm and the top 50 alltime players over a number of SF’s who had better overall stats. It was the intangibles, as well as his all around skills, and the impact he had on his team and the league that made the difference.
That guy
February 12th, 2010
12:21 pm
Jeff Teague a bust? A little soon for that don’t you think?
I think Teague is going to be alright. He gets PT from a coach who is notorious for not playing rookies at all.
As far as the Hawks peaking, I do think they are pretty close to the best we can expect with the current line-up. We need another difference maker in the post to expect more than a second round showing. The Hawks compete well against Cleveland, but can’t win, and Orlando owns them. The difference is Dwight Howard and three 7-footers. Also, they may have swept the Celtics, but if they’re healthy in the playoffs, and/or pull off a trade for Butler and Jamison don’t count on beating them in the playoffs.
The Atlanta Spirit have put together as good a team as I think they are willing to put together. They aren’t in it for a championship. They are intersted in the tax write off, and their bottom line.
When the Hawks have a good owner who is interested in a championship, we Hawks fans will finally be able to wish for me than just an exciting team.
tipsnanny
February 12th, 2010
12:22 pm
I agree with everyone who says it should have been Josh and Crawford. But i’m a big fan of ALL the Hawks players, so i’m excited for Al and Joe also. Now for all the Haters, Josh is one of the best players in the league and most of the losers on the blog won’t even give him credit for his game. In your best dream you couldn’t phantom what it’s like to have his game. So you find fault with his, what a bunch of losers. And for the idiot that has a gripe with everyone calling him Smoove, we call him Smoove because——— we call it like it is.
Ramon
February 12th, 2010
12:27 pm
Darrell, the Hawks are 65 and the Celtics are 85. And 38 mil of Boston is tied up in Pierce and Allen (both making 19 mil a year). Besides the big three, no one else on their roster is making more than 5.8 mil a season. The reason they did so good the other year is because they had a lot of players (including Rondo and Perkins) still on rookie deals, and they also added PJ Brown, Cassell, and a few others for veterans minimum.
O'Brien
February 12th, 2010
12:33 pm
Melvin,
I enjoy reading all the trade rumors this time of year. Unfortunately, most of them dont materialize. But if Boston gets Butler and Jamison, that Hawks would have a tough time against them in the playoffs.
I have a trade question on here. Would you guys be open to the idea of trading Bibby and a couple pieces for Kirk Hinrich? (Hinrich makes $17 mil the next 2 seasons).
Bibby has been a weak link all year, especially when his shot isnt falling. Even though Hinrich is not the shooter Bibby is, his defense is so much better. Our man to man defense would improve dramatically, and our switching would be more effective too. Hinrich’s price tag is expensive though.
Come to think of it, trading Bibby to Chicago might not be a good idea, because he would try and recruit JJ in the offseason.
ATL Hawks #1 Lady Fan/Mz. Hawkdafied
February 12th, 2010
12:41 pm
SMH at these bloggers complaining about the ASG being cheap and yet he/she hasn’t even purchased a ticket to a Hawks game? Now who is being cheap? I don’t blame JJ for calling the Hawks Nation out, Hawks fans suck. You have no loyalty. You want this, you want that. Nothing is free! You want the ASG to spend money, well give them a reason to and bring your cheap butts down to the arena. Have you guys even thought that fan support monetary wise results in more money to spend on players? Obviously not!
ATL Hawks #1 Lady Fan/Mz. Hawkdafied
February 12th, 2010
12:42 pm
I am willing to bet that even if the Hawks were in first in the conference/nba/division you cheapskates still wouldn’t show up. Atlanta Hawks fans suck and I am calling it out. I mean “lets go heat.” in the Highlight Factory, you gotta be kidding me.
doc
February 12th, 2010
12:45 pm
#1 i have long been one of the defenders of josh all along and like him a lot. i also know where he needs to work on his game including the one with the refs. so do many others. i am just not into hero worship you can take that to cleveland as well. josh knows it too and will work on it just like he does the rest of his game. smash the boards, smoove the refs is all i was saying instead of the opposite. yes, he at times would become smoove on the court and it cost him and his teammates. it is just not his game. when he smooves, guarantee, we lose. when he smashes, we win simple equation.
Grandad
February 12th, 2010
12:51 pm
Mr. crabapplejoe:
This being a blog and all, Smoove seems most apropos considering that
you are referring to yourself as ‘crabapplejoe’ unless that is your proper name which if that be the case then I must retract this aforementioned yet lengthy rebuke.
Ramon
February 12th, 2010
12:52 pm
Doc here’s a question for you. Do you wonder why Josh doesn’t try to dunk on more defenders under the rim? Its many times when its clear that who ever is under the goal can’t jump with him, but he still tries to finger roll or another lay up. If Josh tried to dunk more do you think he would get more calls (not to mention more fans). I would venture to say for their height, Josh is probably about the only person in the league who can jump as high as Lebron. But how often do you see Lebron choose to lay it up compared to flushing it on someone.
Astro Joe
February 12th, 2010
1:09 pm
doc, how can I continue to be down on Josh when he has clearly addressed many of his areas that were previously legitimate concerns. To hold a grudge against a guy who has continued to improve would be like holding a grudge against a coach who lost 50+ games previously with a junior high school roster of players.
I’d like to think that my opinion can change as the facts change. Novel, I know.
KevinA
February 12th, 2010
1:10 pm
http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2010/2/12/1307040/the-rick-sund-encounter#storyjump
Sund says.
Goals for the season:
Last year, Sund told me he had two goals for the team. I retold him those goals in my question and was complety off. Good thing that was not embarrassing….
Well, last year they were make the playoffs and have a winning record in that order. Those were the two goals.This year it was “keep the other eleven teams behind us and gain ground on the top three.” I agree, but I want more specifics. I label this part of the interview, “my total wuss out.”
Sund did say both seasons he has been here, the team has gone beyond his expectations. Sounds like if the season continues, Mr. Woodson should expect a contract extension.
So there it is folks. The man has spoken. Expect no trades and closing the gap to the top 3 is good enough. Expect Woody to be resigned. Another reason for no trades is he does not to want to mess with cap flexibility to resign JJ.
D-League:
Sund pointed out that with only 13 men on the roster, he cannot afford the investment in a D-league. Yes, only twelve guys can dress for a game so someone like Teague could go down, but Sund said, with nights like when Jamal was hurt, they need Teague around. That security blanket along with “practicing every day, learning the system, and five to ten minutes of playing time” means Jeff is more valuable on the team than in the D-League.
Yep – it’s all about the money. So please – when talking trades they must be revenue neutral or better.
dashizz357
February 12th, 2010
1:13 pm
Josh should have made it, next season he’ll put his stamp all over all-star weekend…..He’s growing up! way to go….
doc
February 12th, 2010
1:33 pm
yeah aj agree.
wiley
February 12th, 2010
1:34 pm
Nice article…I hope Josh enjoys the time off. Its time for a strong second half. GO Hawks!
Thekid2Kill
February 12th, 2010
1:36 pm
prediction, JJ will embarrass the ATL at the All-Star game he’ll score 5 points.
Al Horford will do OK.
Anyone thinks Stan Van Gundy will put JJ in the starting lineup to replace Iverson?
doc
February 12th, 2010
1:40 pm
ramon good question, to be honest i havent noted it that often. i will look for it.
Thekid2Kill
February 12th, 2010
1:42 pm
Let it snow!
tipsnanny
February 12th, 2010
1:46 pm
Thekid2Kill
I have a feeling both Al and Joe will do their best at the All Star game. They are both hard-playing, and they give their all when they are on the court. Although Smoove is my favorite player, I all still a loyal fan to all the Hawks. Go Joe and Al, make us proud to be Hawks fans.
darrell starks
February 12th, 2010
1:48 pm
RAMON HOW IS HAWKS PAYROLL 65MILL?
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
tipsnanny
February 12th, 2010
1:48 pm
Oops, had a brain fart. I meant to say “I am still a loyal fan to all the Hawks”.
darrell starks
February 12th, 2010
1:49 pm
AND BOSTON PAYROLL IS 90MILL.
GO HAWKS!!!!
Thekid2Kill
February 12th, 2010
1:54 pm
I seen it happen before. do you remember the year JJ scored 0 points?
Embarrassing.
Josh smith and jamal crawford are my favorite players then JJ, but i really hate Marvin.
O'Brien
February 12th, 2010
2:00 pm
Lets not put too much into the players performace in the ASG. Didn’t JJ go scoreless last year or the year before? Its just a game. I just want him and Horford to come back healthy.
Is it too much to read into Sund’s comments? I wonder if the GM of the Lakers say their goal is to be the #1 seed? Does Cleveland say that? I would like to hear Sund say his goal for this year is to win a championship.
We all know its very unlikely, but I would like to hear the GM say that. Because when you say your goal is to be one of the top 4 seeds, that can lead to complacency.
I fully expect the Hawks to be a top 4 seed, but how will they do in the playoffs? Thats the question. Or maybe I’m just being overly critical, because whatever Sund says, players still have to go out and play the games.
rusty
February 12th, 2010
2:05 pm
i see many times under the basket js should be dunking & he doesnt. he would be so much
better if he went with the dunk. kurt thomas is way better than anyone on our bench if his game hasnt faltered in the last few years. the hawks would be so much better if we established a better offensive & defensive systems.
darrell starks
February 12th, 2010
2:07 pm
RAMON MY BAD BOSTON PAYROLL IS 85MILL.
GO HAWKS!!!!
Traceman
February 12th, 2010
2:10 pm
Thekid2kill,
The only reason I care about whether or not JJ does well in the All Star game is because him doing well could possibly lead to the refs giving him the respect he deserves when the real games start again. If he goes for 20, maybe they will give him a few of the superstar calls that LeBron, D Wade, Durant, Pierce and company get on a routine basis. Other than that, I could care less. JJ’s game is not really built to shine in a glorifed pickup game setting and neither is Al’s. Smoove and Jamal’s talents are far more suited to make them look great in an All Star game setting.
Astro Joe
February 12th, 2010
2:19 pm
OB, would you rather under-promise and over deliver to your bosses and customers and go all out and possibly over-promise and under-deliver? And the players know (especially those with short-term contracts) that a deep playoff run enhances their next contract. They all see guys like James Posey turn a Finals appearance into a fat deal, even when you’re a middling player with one trick. If the hawks win a title in the next 2 seasons, is there any doubt that Crawford likely signs a $12M+ contract?
Daniel
February 12th, 2010
2:19 pm
Traceman- interesting comments about JJ getting more ref respect if he plays well in the ASG. I had not really thought about that, and my first response is NAAAH that won’t change anything. But, I have no idea what it takes for Joe to get more calls. I am thinking he needs a bigger shoe contract with Nike to kick it back to the NBA. Seriously, I think that is what it is about.
Astro Joe
February 12th, 2010
2:33 pm
Traceman, good thoughs.
GeeMack
February 12th, 2010
2:47 pm
Daniel & Astro Traceman
You all JJ’s game is to smooth for the refs to give him more calls. Iff JJ didn’t settle for the j so much I’m certain he would get more calls.
Dan
February 12th, 2010
2:49 pm
The fact of the matter is that Josh will not be an all-star until he 1- stops shooting the long two point jump shot(just inside the 3 point line), 2- he stops whinning to the refs on every call and 3- improves his free-throw shooting.
Dan
February 12th, 2010
2:53 pm
It’s pathetic!!! Grow up already!!
He has the talent but not the maturity or the work ethic that goes along with being an all-star. If he had gone to college for at least two years, we would have been comparing him to LJ right now.
bobby ray allen
February 12th, 2010
2:58 pm
i am 62 yrs. old seen Elgin Baylor, Dr. J(in person) and so many more…..Josh Smith should have been on this team……Sometimes things happen for other reasons that casual observer or fan have no knowledge of………
Dan
February 12th, 2010
3:15 pm
Am I wrong?
Dan
February 12th, 2010
3:16 pm
Are these not three things that affect our team constantly?
Mike is Back
February 12th, 2010
3:18 pm
I did a tour in the earl 70’s with the 2nd Infantry Division I was in Camp Custer and Camp Dodge with the 1st & 38 Infantry. Did you enjoy your tour except for the cold weather?
Big Ump
February 12th, 2010
3:38 pm
Mike is Back
Sorry Mike I forgot to add my name. I added yours instead. Sorry about that. Looking to hear from you.
Grandad
February 12th, 2010
3:39 pm
bobby ray allen:
Surely you jest.
I saw Elgin and Doc as well.
Plus,I’m proud of Josh. He’s progressed more than I ever thought.
But Elgin and Doc? C’mon!
Dan:
LJ did not go to college either.
I am not a fan of Lebron @ all, but Josh is not LbJ, nor is he gonna be.
However,(who would’a thunk), I much prefer Josh’s ‘maturity’ and demeanor plus his overall competitive spirit to that clown in Cleve.
Ken Strickland
February 12th, 2010
3:51 pm
DARRELL STARKS-Even with our $55M payroll, all we need to do in order to become a serious challenger in the East is:
(1) address our PG issues
(2) expand our joke of a halfcourt OFF
(3) get Woodson to start thinking outside his narrowly constructed box and start allowing his assistants to have input in helping him make decisions, employ strategies and adjustments, as well as improve his sorry idea of a halfcourt OFF.
(4) get Woodson to stop dealing with certain players based on what he thinks they can’t do and start taking advantage of what they can do. He certainly doesn’t focus on what Bibby can’t do, or isn’t doing, otherwise he’d be firmly anchored to the bench.
(5) expand the utilization of his bench.
What’s amazing to me is how much talent, versatility, experience and depth we’ve been able to accumulate for only $55M. It’s always an advantage when a team can be upgraded by bringing in additional talent. However, it would be nothing more than an effort in futility and a waste of money if the HC either misuses, or simply refuses to use that talent.
O'Brien
February 12th, 2010
4:09 pm
Ken,
I thought our payroll was $65 mil? As far as our offense goes, I have no idea what Larry Drew’s offensive philosophy is, but I would not be surprised if Woody does not accept much input from his assistants.
And as bad as Bibby has been this year, imagine how bad (another year older and slower) he will be next season (unless he finds the fountain of youth, which the Celtics are looking for). I dont even want to think about 2 seasons from now.
AJ,
You raise a good point with the promise and delivery. And I must say that Woody came out and said the Hawks need to step it up and win the division, so maybe Sund just did not want to put too much pressure on Woody.
But if the guy who signs the checks comes out and says their goal is basically to get closer to the top 3 teams, the players might be happy doing just that. I just hope the players are thinking division champions and NBA champions.
As far as JJ getting calls, if he was playing for the Cavs, Celtics or Magic right now, I think he would get more calls. I think part of the problem is the Hawks as a team dont get the respect they deserve (from the refs and from David Stern) when compared to those 3 teams. And what I think will change that is a trip to the ECF or NBA finals. Or if we beat one of the East’s big 3 in the playoffs.
nash
February 12th, 2010
4:15 pm
the hawks have some real good players and might be able to beat everyone except cleveland if Teague started playing like a first round draft pick and get a big man to come off the bench and score some point and play a little d
KevinA
February 12th, 2010
4:17 pm
Rounding off Hawks 66 million – Lakers 93 million.
I am sure with an extra 20 million we would have a better bench and Woody would play them.
Geemack
February 12th, 2010
4:52 pm
Ken Strickland
Eventhough I probably will never see your point on Woody. I gotta say I got a lot of respect for your basketball knowledge, and the research you do to make your points.
Astro Joe
February 12th, 2010
4:53 pm
OB, Sund has bosses too. That’s who I was talking about. If Sund yells from the highest mountain that we are on our way to a Red Auerbach type run, Woody won’t be the only one looking for a job. And Sund has tasted the sting of a pink slip more recently than Woody. It just isn’t in the best interest of anyone to pound your shest… especially when you didn’t add a starter from a 47-win team. I kind of doubt that teams make ‘Nique type jumps without changing their starters.
Speaking of GMs making poor decisions, anyone see that Hollinger finally called out Joe Dumars as one of the most overrated figures in the NBA?
Ken Strickland
February 12th, 2010
4:55 pm
GRANDAD-I agree with you. If we had a halfcourt OFF, like the one the Pistons used when Woodson was an assistant coach, where they ran RHamilton off a series of back picks, we’d eliminate those scoring draughts and be hard to stop. We know Bibby, Marvin, JJ and Crawford are good shooters when coming off picks.
It would also make it very hard on anyone to try and stay with Smoove coming off those picks as well, except I’d use the picks to get him posted in the lane. The old SHOWTIME Lakers did that routinely. There’s no way JWorthy or JWilks could have gotten the excellent postup positioning they got consistently without those picks. Both Smoove and Horford would be almost unstoppable posting up in the lane.
Woodson needs to stop with his obcession with trying to establish his own identity as a HC and start borrowing some ideas from his mentor, LBrown. It would elevate his sorry excuse of a halfcourt OFF, create more ball movement and take full advantage of the individual talents of his key players.
The next time Teague is in the gm, watch how he fights over picks and eliminates the need for the C or PF to switch. Then watch as players blow by Bibby as he stumbles and often falls the few times he actually tries to fight over a pick.
TRACEMAN-YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING. How can you, or anyone with a clue, claim JTeague is a DEF liability, or even make an issue of his DEF, without making an issue of MBibby’s ALLPRO matador DEF? Exactly what do you focus on when you’re watching a gm if you haven’t noticed Bibby’s poor DEF? If you think Bibby’s DEF is so much better than Teagues that he doesn’t merit mentioning, you need to schedule an immediate appointment with an optometrist or psychiatrist, or both.
Rod from College Park
February 12th, 2010
5:05 pm
Ken Strickland,
“We know Bibby, Marvin, JJ and Crawford are good shooters when coming off picks.”
We actually don’t know that about Marvin.
Astro Joe
February 12th, 2010
5:29 pm
Strickland, fighting over picks is not always the right defensive approach. Watch Billups play… he alters his defense based on the opponent. He is able to do that because of his experience and film study. (Or is Billups not a good defender in your opinion). When you have undersized bigs, a switching defense allows you to take advantage of their lateral quickness. A team that can exploit fast breaks at virtually every position should likewise be able to utilize their quickness on defense. And in a pick and roll/pop style of basketball, switching can be a good thing. If Horford and Smith play straight up on opposing Cs and PFs every night, they will surely be beat down after 60 games. Woody has some things to improve on the edges on his strategy, but the basic principles can’t be debated… not when we’re 1-2 games out of 2nd place in the conference.
gardnersville pekin
February 12th, 2010
5:52 pm
Josh is not an all star yet, his time will come when it’s right.
Astro Joe
February 12th, 2010
6:03 pm
New blog up. JJ is starting in ASG!
bigfoot video
February 12th, 2010
6:33 pm
Is skunk ape Real?
http://www.is-bigfoot-real.com/
bobby ray allen
February 12th, 2010
10:57 pm
if josh had gone to florida, georgia or north carolina ga tech he would be in de game……..right or wrong……
bob
February 14th, 2010
12:50 am
the knicks beat the hawks twice this year and should have won the other game but blew the 10+ lead we had, so i dunno how you guys can say the knicks suck wen we beat you over and over every year