Atlanta Hawks: Woody sticks up for Smoove
Smoove says he wasn't sulking during Game 2. (AP)
Woody said he typically doesn’t listen to broadcasters when reviewing video of games. But he said he heard about Hubie Brown’s critical comments of Josh Smith during Game 2 vs. Orlando on Thursday. Brown, the ex-Hawks coach and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, criticized Smith for failing to hustle back downcourt when he got frustrated by officials’ calls and bad plays.
It’s happened at times this season with Smith, whom Woody said is “still growing as player.” But Woody defended Smith from the outside criticism.
“We see that on tape and we point that out,” he said. “I don’t need Hubie or them guys like that [to do it]. I heard comments today that Hubie was blistering Josh Smith. Well, he can get away with it because he’s coached. But I don’t know if I can let you guys get away with it.
“That is my job as coach to point that out to Smoove and guys like that when they are doing that. And trust me, it don’t go unnoticed. He knows about it at the end of the day. Our tapes are thoroughly broken down and mistakes are pointed out.”
As it turns out, Smoove also watched a replay of the ESPN broadcast. He said he couldn’t sleep when the Hawks returned from Orlando early this morning so he caught the repeat broadcast of the game.
He said he heard some of Brown’s criticisms but shrugged them off.
“I was definitely into it mentally,” he said. “I always speak my peace with the referees. That doesn’t get me out of my game at all. That just makes me play harder to make them call calls.”
Was he sulking when things didn’t go his way?
“Maybe my body language looked different than my [mentality],” he said. “My [mentality] was strong. It was there. I don’t know, maybe I’ve got to lift my shoulders or something?”
Did he allow his frustrations to affect his effort level?
“I don’t think so,” he said. “I am too ahead of the game in my career now where I [would] let little minor things affect me. I think I played a good game yesterday.”
Smith finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists. But he also had five turnovers and took six jump shots from beyond 10 feet with two makes.
Smith’s failure to get back on defense also contributed to Orlando’s success in transition.
“You just teach from the tapes and you hope like hell that they learn from it and when they get in that situation again they get their [butts] back on defense,” Woody said. “Because we were terrible in transition defense. We gave up at least 12, 14 points because we didn’t get back and get matched.”
MC
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219 comments Add your comment
Samuel
May 8th, 2010
2:54 pm
Hubbie Brown NBA winning percentage- Regular Season .461 Playoffs- .368
What’s so great about that
VenomSpitter
May 8th, 2010
2:57 pm
LMAO @ samuel still trying to convince people that Woody is a better coach than Hubie.
What a clown lol
niremetal
May 8th, 2010
3:07 pm
The Truth,
Do the same thing with Marvin and Larry Hughes, Bobby Simmons, Peja, Tayshaun, Josh Howard, Kirilenko, Jefferson, etc. It’s disingenuous to talk about players who do about the same for less without also looking at the people who do about the same for more.
And of course, box score stats are hardly a reliable measure of a player’s impact anyway.
Josh
May 8th, 2010
3:36 pm
WE DON’T HAVE THE MONEY TO SIGN A MAX PLAYER, other than JJ b/c we have his bird rights. Acquiring Jamal during the off-season took us out of the free agency bonanza. Learn the business side and stop calling for a superstar b/c it isn’t going to happen. What you see is what you get. Remember Horford is going to get paid soon…….i.e. our ownership is the worst in sports so they are going to penny snatch to keep Horford.
Sell the team, fire Woody and let JJ walk. <<<<<——This is the only way they will compete with the Big 2 in the east.
Josh
May 8th, 2010
3:38 pm
The Truth,
please don’t compare Marvin with Matt Barnes. Don’t give Marvin so much credit….we all know Barnes is a better player overall.
Derek
May 8th, 2010
3:39 pm
If Woody has pointed out Josh’s lack of hustle, why is he still doing it? Just more proof that this teams needs another coach. Woody has done all that he can do with this team. The two best things that can happen for the Hawks this offseason is: 1) Replace Mike Woodson and 2) Get a true center to plug the middle.
The Truth
May 8th, 2010
3:40 pm
niremetal
You make an interesting point that Orlando just might have gotten a “unique” deal in Barnes therefore it is unfair to compare him with Marvin. But I disagree that my comments are disingenuous. I use Barnes on this occasion because Orlando is about to play the Hawks and Barnes and Marvin are both SF on their respective teams. There is no hidden agenda here. You must know from my past comments regarding Marvin, that I am no hater, so please don’t frame it that way. I eventually asked the question; “you be the judge?” So, I take it, you would buy his stock? Of course, there is no shame in saying that you would.
Time
May 8th, 2010
3:42 pm
Another day, another column full of ignorant responses. I love my Atlanta teams, but most of the time, I hate my Atlanta fans. 3/4 of the negative responses here towards Josh show no basketball intelligence, and just about as many show a grade school insult mentality.
I understand people get emotional, but get real people. The Hawks are not in the playoffs, or at the least not in the 3 seed, without Josh. And for the plays he was slow getting up the court. You try getting elbows (uncalled) by Dwight Howard upside your heads. Fact is, he shouldn’t have had to be running up the court in those instances. Simply because there should have been fouls called as he stands there trying to shake the cobwebs out from getting drilled.
Joe Johnson is the problem. Has been all year. The team is 5-10 wins better with a starting backcourt of Crawford and Teague.
Grandad
May 8th, 2010
3:45 pm
‘Mad Hatter’ (AKA – TS or Sybil)
Did I really hear/read you say:
“Might need to change coaching staff or coaching philophsy.” ?
Welcome to the club!
Clyde—->look @ this…………………..^
Truth Serum has jumped on the bandwagon! Oh Happy Days!
*[don't be mad about the Sybil ref., I don't use it anymore]
Grandad
May 8th, 2010
3:50 pm
‘Mad Hatter’: under the guise [Bubba Crew Hate Committee].(AKA/TS)
JeJe
May 8th, 2010
3:53 pm
THE HAWKS HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN WIN A ROAD PLAYOFF GAME UNLESS IT’S A MUST WIN.
HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO WIN THESE NEXT 2 AT HOME IF WE LOST 2 GAMES TO A [WORSE] CLEVELAND TEAM LAST YEAR?
WOODSON IS A SH!TTY COACH AND HOPEFULLY IF WE LOSE GAME 4 AND THE SERIES IS OVER, WE LOSE BY 4. WE NEED TO LOSE THE ELIMINATION GAME BY 40 SO THAT WOODY IS DEFINITELY GONE
Typical Moronic Hawks fan
May 8th, 2010
3:55 pm
Let JJ walk and sign LeBron and Wade! Sign Jermaine to come off the bench and then offer Bosh a max contract too!
Bibby/Teague
Wade/Jamal
LeBron/Marvin
Bosh/Josh
Horford/Jermaine/ZaZa
Time
May 8th, 2010
4:16 pm
LOL, while we’re add it. We should trade Mo Evans for Kobe and Zaza for Dwight Howard…as long as we’re living in dream world might as well go all out.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 8th, 2010
4:40 pm
No new blog for this game?
bigdave
May 8th, 2010
4:41 pm
i keep refreshing for one as well.. eager to see what the approach is this evening..
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
May 8th, 2010
4:45 pm
Hopefully John Salmons will have a good game today
Simpdawg
May 8th, 2010
4:57 pm
The first thing the Hawks need to do this summer is to decide whether Mike Woodson fits into their future plans or not. Second they need to establish an identity as a team. Third they need to find the players to make their identity applicable, and if they replace Mike Woodson they’re probably going to lose Joe Johnson as well. If that happens, the Hawks will need to resign Josh Childress and try to sign John Salmons or make a trade for Devin Harris if the Nets win the draft lottery. The Hawks will have to improve their bench as well. To sum it up the Hawks need players with a high basketball IQ and heart.
jean
May 8th, 2010
6:09 pm
mike bibby is the worst player i ever seen…joe is a mental midget and josh smith is borderline retarted
Nasser W. Smith
May 8th, 2010
7:23 pm
If Hubie were being completely honest, he would tell us the truth which is that the Orlando Magic is the superior team in this series and even he couldn’t coach this Hawks team to a win.