Atlanta Hawks: On Magic Tricks and Josh’s Jumpers
Nice write-up by Ken S. today on the Hawks’ issues stopping Dwight Howard and the Magic. Also a compelling counterpoint at Hoopinion (thanks to commenter GMAN013 for pointing it out) stating that the Hawks’ problems against the Magic have “less to do with defensive game plans than Atlanta’s complete and utter inability to score against the Magic.”
Josh Smith shooting from where he's most effective. (Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com)
But instead of adding my two cents to those takes, I’m going back to something I wrote about on Monday and have been trying to get my head around since. Why does Smoove continue to take jump shots when he’s only making them at a 37 percent clip at 28.3 effective field-goal percentage? Emailer Aaron, citing Hoopdata.com, broke it down even further: “Josh Smith is shooting 28.5% (28% after the Bucks game) on jumpshots in the 16-23 feet range. His career 3 pt% is 26.6%, meaning the decision to take long 2pt jumpshots over 3pt shots has cost the Hawks 21 points this season.”
Clearly Josh is just not good at shooting jumpers. Apparently everyone but Josh can see that he should stop taking them. How can he say he doesn’t notice when fans groan as soon as he catches the ball on the perimeter and looks at the basket. Heck, they dang near yell at him when he starts his windup. Why would he think “it will get better” when it’s not? How can he say he takes jumpers because they are available when the reason they are available is because opponents want him to shoot them? They get a double bonus because he’s very likely to miss and he’s nowhere near the rim for the rebound.
Then again, how can I be asking all these questions about a guy who’s been the most consistent Hawks performer all season? (Though I noticed Al lately has overtaken Josh to lead the Hawks in both on-court, off-court influence and adjusted plus-minus.) Honestly, I felt kind of jerky asking Josh why he takes jumpers. It felt like nitpicking at what might be the only consistent, glaring negative in his game this season. But because it’s so glaring and consistent I had to find out his thinking on the subject but instead of clearing things up it only confused me more.
Woody doesn’t really harp on the issue when I ask him about it. At first Smoove said Woody tells him to drive to the basket “all the time” but then added he doesn’t get on him too much “because he knows I play hard at both ends.” And I understand that but it’s got to be hard watching plays like that 20-footer he missed when the Hawks trailed San Antonio 101-97 the other night. Are decisions like that going to cost the Hawks in close playoff games?
I don’t understand why Josh keeps shooting jumpers but maybe it’s as simple as the more everyone thinks he can’t the more he thinks he can.
“I’m a confident player,” he said. “I believe in myself, not what somebody else believes in me.”
At this point, the Hawks might just need to hope Josh watches film again this summer and decides on his own he needs to quit taking those long jump shots.
– Ken S. has the game tonight.
MC
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559 comments Add your comment
VenomSpitter
March 24th, 2010
8:29 pm
good shot Al
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
March 24th, 2010
8:30 pm
Marvin’s confidence/self-esteem..smh….why did he hand it to Josh on that board?? like he was a guard or somethin lmao
Wes
March 24th, 2010
8:30 pm
MC—I disagree, although I can’t argue that Josh is making them at a decent enough clip, because below 30% is bad (and it could hurt us in games—but there are so many other things that hurt the Hawks more, that yeah i think it’s nitpicking).
Besides, I WANT JSmoove to be that all @ player like KG, or Tim Duncan. Those guys play defense & can shoot facing the hoop. I think in the day & age of all this specialization, why try to put unique talents like JSmoove into a box and tell him what he can’t do.
VenomSpitter
March 24th, 2010
8:31 pm
Al is doin what he’s supposed to do
Taylor
March 24th, 2010
8:31 pm
there goes the switch
Sam'l
March 24th, 2010
8:32 pm
” think this team really could win it all…… I really do……..we’ll see when they play Orlando whether this is just another fantasy….I predict a win…primarily because we lost to the Bucks, and the Hawks are scared to lose too many games……bad motivation, I know”
My thoughts from yesterday. Why doesn’t everyone see my genius?
Go Hawks!
VenomSpitter
March 24th, 2010
8:34 pm
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Taylor
March 24th, 2010
8:34 pm
Bibby having a good night
Hawk n the Ham
March 24th, 2010
8:34 pm
Bibbster kissed that one just for you Ray :^*
cp
March 24th, 2010
8:34 pm
The starters started out sluggish again but the second unit played well. I hope the Hawks keep up the intensity in the second half. I remember the one game where we were pretty much even at halftime then the second half came and they blew the Hawks out the building. We don’t need any 3rd or 4th quarter meltdowns.
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
8:35 pm
Did Jameer really think he was going to get that shot off?
Meanwhile, Joe’s assists picking up, even as his shooting dips. Love that he’s still contributing without hitting shots.
Hawk n the Ham
March 24th, 2010
8:35 pm
VenomSpitter
March 24th, 2010
8:35 pm
Bibby is feeling FROGGYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
northcyde
March 24th, 2010
8:36 pm
As much as I’ve ragged on this bench all year, I have to give them props for the job they did in the 2nd quarter. Mo Evans saved us when we were drowning, and the 2nd unit held the fort.
And Bibby knocked down some huge shots at the end of the half.
Woody will have to make a quick decision on Marvin this half. If he’s passive and/or continues to miss his jumpers, don’t even wast time with him tonight. Get Evans back in there.
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
8:36 pm
LOL @ Hawk n the Ham .
Hey, keep talkin’. Maybe as long as you do, Bibby will keep hitting them, in which case, I’ll eat all the crow you can serve!
VenomSpitter
March 24th, 2010
8:36 pm
That guy shoulda DDT’d that girl in the Magic Jersey
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
8:37 pm
@ Hawk n the Ham:
Love it, man, love it!
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
8:37 pm
3rd foul on Howard. This is getting better.
VenomSpitter
March 24th, 2010
8:38 pm
Al is Bossin Up
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
8:38 pm
Would you believe it? Al Horford is turning into something that neutralizes Dwight Howard’s defensive domination. I like this.
VenomSpitter
March 24th, 2010
8:39 pm
Bibby musta ate some frog legs b4 the game
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
8:40 pm
Ha! Stan Van Gundy is looking like a constipated bullfrog over there!!
terrell
March 24th, 2010
8:40 pm
Uh oh, they’re setting us up for another 4th qtr. collapse.
Hawk n the Ham
March 24th, 2010
8:40 pm
Steve Holman just said, “Well I guess the Hawks had too much momentum, they had to call an offensive foul on them….” LOL
VenomSpitter
March 24th, 2010
8:41 pm
Joe shouldn’t hold the ball that long
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
8:42 pm
It’s like this, Dwight. They ain’t scared of you anymore. You will be going to the free throw line, and it won’t be an And-1.
drmaryb
March 24th, 2010
8:44 pm
Great Game!
Hawks came to play tonight.
VenomSpitter
March 24th, 2010
8:44 pm
Dwight Howard sent that sh*t flyin. But that was a goaltend
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
8:44 pm
That was a damn GOALTENDING violation!!
terrell
March 24th, 2010
8:45 pm
Dominique, that was a 2, not a 3.
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
8:45 pm
Stupid freakin’ refs!
Hawk n the Ham
March 24th, 2010
8:46 pm
(Goaltending) *not when your name is Howard.
Tim Donaghy (however you spell his name) was right!
drmaryb
March 24th, 2010
8:47 pm
Great Game!
Hawks look hungry. These boys came to PLAY tonight!
Taylor
March 24th, 2010
8:51 pm
smh @ joe
terrell
March 24th, 2010
8:52 pm
Marvin playing ghost again.
Dont Do IT!
March 24th, 2010
8:53 pm
The clear key for victory tonight is not feeding Horford in the paint as much as its turn horford loose on the defensive end to stop the Magic and force them off the block and onto the perimeter turning them in to a jump shooting team.
If Horford can block about 4 shots, alter others and put some people on the seat of their pants we will blow out the magic. We need Horford to step up and handle the center spot more than we need his few points. DEFENSE WINS GAMES.!
Blast
March 24th, 2010
8:53 pm
Nique said it all. Hawks are unstoppable when they move the ball. Glad to see Joe out.
J.J.M.
March 24th, 2010
8:54 pm
lol radio killer at the game
drmaryb
March 24th, 2010
8:55 pm
Great Game. Great Hawks Defense!
Hawks look – Hungry as a hostage! These Hawks came to PLAY tonight!
Magic look satisfied and a step slower than my boys. Where is Vin-sanity?
Taylor
March 24th, 2010
8:56 pm
Still feel like we’ll lose
O'Brien
March 24th, 2010
8:58 pm
All Hawks have to do is play even with the Magic this quarter. And no fourth quarter collapse please.
And once again, Marvin has disappeared.
Taylor
March 24th, 2010
8:59 pm
lol stop fouling
J.J.M.
March 24th, 2010
9:00 pm
lol refs love howard
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
9:00 pm
This is BS. Zaza is committing the foul, but it’s happening AFTER Howard pushes him off with his forearm and elbow.
And it’s happening every single time.
Ree Roe
March 24th, 2010
9:01 pm
WTF at those fouls on Howard. Nice job tho ZaZa
-REEap for Roe
Big Ray
March 24th, 2010
9:01 pm
Howard is a true superstar. The non-calls confirm it.
O'Brien
March 24th, 2010
9:01 pm
Oh oh. FT the rest of the way for the Magic.
Do we have Collins dressed? Can he give us a few fouls on Howard? Either way, just keep fouling Howard.
VenomSpitter
March 24th, 2010
9:01 pm
Did ya’ll hear the crowd groan when Osh Smith took that shot lol
J.J.M.
March 24th, 2010
9:01 pm
lmao@the fans sayin no to josh
Hawks Fan In Jax
March 24th, 2010
9:01 pm
Dang are we allowed to gaurd Howard?