Atlanta Hawks: Larry Drew ditching switches
L.D. probably wouldn't consider this a 'switchable switch.'
(Checking in from a Miami holiday weekend filled with beaches, BBQ and . . . beverages)
We’ve heard about L.D.’s offensive philosophies but what about D? The short answer to what I know is the No. 1 question: Atlanta’s base defense under Drew will not feature switching on all (or most) screens.
But what he hopes to accomplish goes beyond Xs and Os and lineups. L.D. said he wants to develop a true defensive disposition for a team known more for finesse.
“Playing defense, it can be ugly sometimes,” Drew said. “Sometimes guys don’t like to do the ugly stuff, the dirty work stuff. Good defensive teams, their mindset is to go into games and outwork you. They don’t care how they do it. They do whatever it takes to shut you down. They have that aggressive mentality, where each game they go into it thinking ‘I am going lock in on my guy.’ and that works its way to the rest of the guys. You have to have that team concept and that aggressive mentality.”
A fanatical devotion to shutting down opponents is a trait of all true contenders. Atlanta’s lack of that quality has to rank at least alongside strategy and personnel as a major reason the Hawks have been a middling defensive team.
The Hawks ranked 13th in defensive efficiency last season, 11th in 2008-09 and 13th in ‘07-08. They were 24th in defensive rebounding rate in ‘09-10, 24th in ‘08-09 and 26th in ‘07-08. Atlanta’s rank in opponent true shooting percentage was 19th last season, eighth in ‘08-09 and 18th in ‘07-08. You can keep going down the list of ways to measure defensive performance and lately the Hawks rarely ranked in the top 10, never mind the top 5.
Defense is another area where L.D. is going to have to find a way to get more out of the guys he’s got. Changing their mentality is the obvious place to start. Drew has to galvanize a group that wilted so badly against the Magic. He has to help his players reach the “uncomfortable” effort levels that Al said they didn’t reach last spring.
There are familiar questions about Drew’s roster, too. It’s the same group of defenders (with an asterisk next to Jamal’s name) that couldn’t contain the perimeter. It’s still a power rotation that lacks a menacing 7-footer in the middle. It’s the same group that too often looked to Al and Smoove to go to work on the boards.
Does L.D. think he has the horses to play good, tough, straight-up D?
“I think we have the personnel to do it,” he said. “That’s why I use the term ‘accountability.’”
One way to annoy NBA players is to talk to them about defensive “stoppers.” So many times I’ve heard guys, especially guards and wings, scoff at the notion. There is no such thing, they say, because there are too many good offensive players and the hand-check rules make it nearly impossible to stop those kind of guys straight up.
Point taken, and L.D. said it’s one he recognizes. That’s why he said he there will be times when switching and other help-type schemes will be necessary.
“I think you have to make a decision on how you want to guard certain people,” he said. “Certainly game-by-game, adjustments will be made defensively. But you go into the game with the mindset of guarding your own people. I think we are deep enough we can get that kind of defense out of our guys.”
Drew said he doesn’t want that to go so far with tricking up the D that players use it as a crutch. You could see that happen with the Hawks last season. Players became so reliant on the switches that they tended to relax in anticipation of screens. Why fight through picks to stay with your man when he can be always be passed off to a teammate?
“I know exactly what you mean,” L.D. said. “You are not the first person I’ve heard say that. Different coaches have different philosophies on how they do things.”
The switching defense has its advantages. It can be effective against pick-and-rolls. It helped the Hawks cover up some of their limitations (even if it also could create other problems). But I think there is no question that using switches so liberally blunted Atlanta’s defensive aggressiveness.
Getting away from the switches is a matter of strategy for Drew, whose goal is for the Hawks to make only what he calls the “switchable switches” that don’t leave them in clearly bad matchups But ditching switches also is a matter of mindset.
“We need guys locking in and focusing on what the defense calls for,” Drew said. “We have the tools for it. We have some areas where got to get better at, but I think overall we have the tools to be a good defensive team. That is the challenge I am going to put to the guys.”
– Nothing new on the Jamal front. He still wants either a satisfactory contract extension or a trade but the Hawks still haven’t indicated if he will get either.
– French club Le Havre announced on its Web site that it has completed a buyout of Pape Sy’s contract. The Hawks haven’t received the paperwork and so don’t consider the deal to be official but they are optimistic there will be no snags.
MC
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666 comments Add your comment
Hmmm
September 7th, 2010
8:15 pm
“L.D. probably wouldn’t consider this a ’switchable switch’.” – MC
smh -_-
Thank Goodness it’s over.
Hmmm
September 7th, 2010
8:24 pm
All this Hate for Marvin and Al Horford yet Mike Bibby and Mo Evans are still on the roster? We need to get our priorties stright PPL.
northcyde
September 7th, 2010
8:33 pm
Good post Grandad.
But I hate to break this to you . . . but the entire team is soft. But of you want to focus on JJ, that’s cool.
Ever since he broke his face in Phoenix during the playoffs, JJ has been a passive-aggressive player that would rather use finesse to beat you, than by being physical and throwing his body at you.
And although he shoots the floater in the lane as well as any player in the league, when that shot isn’t falling, or when this team needs points to stop a run, that’s when JJ needs to go hard to the hole and draw a foul to get to the FT line.
But have JJ do more of the “dirty work” on defense? OK cool.
But you better hope that Drew’s offensive system makes it significantly easier for JJ to score on offense. Because if it doesn’t, the only thing you’re going to have come playoff time, is an even more tired JJ, and possibly more nagging injuries.
So JJ will have to:
- guard SGs
- guard PGs and SFs when our other guys can’t
- guard athletic/shooter PFs when Smoove is in foul trouble
- create his own shot 60% of the time
- be one of the top 2 primary three point threats
- hit wide open jumpshots
- be the primary facilitator in the motion offense
- get to the FT line more
- give up his body more on defense ( dive for balls, take charges, etc )
- play more physical overall
- be more of a vocal leader
- be the primary lockdown perimeter defender at the end of games
- be the primary go-to-guy on offense at the end of games
Cool.
Just understand Grandad, that these are SUPERSTAR RESPONSIBILITIES that will be ( or already have been ) bestowed upon JJ.
And superstars in this league don’t get treated like the 8th man on the team. You sure in the heck don’t get on JJ the same way you’d get on Mo Evans, just so Mo’s feelings won’t get hurt.
Nah Grandad. If you want Drew to “crack the whip” on our star players, just to make the bench players feel equal to them, then that’s not even reality.
Cause the facts are that the Hawks starting unit was a top 5 efficiency unit for most of the year, while our bench was a bottom 10 efficiency unit for most of the year.
The effort from JJ, Smoove, and Al doesn’t concern me. It’s the effort from the non-core guys that I’m worried about. They’re the ones who played like crap last year, while . .
- JJ was 3rd team All-NBA
- Smoove was 2nd in Defensive Player of the Year voting
- Horford made the All-Star team
- and Crawford was the 6th Man of the Year.
Hmmm
September 7th, 2010
8:44 pm
“And superstars in this league don’t get treated like the 8th man on the team. You sure in the heck don’t get on JJ the same way you’d get on Mo Evans, just so Mo’s feelings won’t get hurt.”
^Let the Church Say Amen
“The effort from JJ, Smoove, and Al doesn’t concern me. It’s the effort from the non-core guys that I’m worried about. They’re the ones who played like crap last year, while . .”
^Like Hambuger Bibby & Mo Crybaby-poopypants Evans
northcyde
September 7th, 2010
9:12 pm
That’s why I used to laugh at the whole “Woody’s Doghouse” comments back in the day. What were the players on Woody’s Doghouse? The players who played poorly and/or inconsistent. Poor Zaza . . Poor Shelden . . Poor Salim . . Poor Acie . . Poor Jason Collins . . they were all in the “doghouse”
Nah . . what the Hawks need, is for someone outside of JJ, Smoove, Horford, and Crawford to step up and fill a SPECIFIC NEED.
That’s what I want Drew to do, SPECIFICALLY define roles for our role players. A “caste system”? Definitely. Shooters should shoot. Slashers should slash. Bangers should bang.
If you don’t do your job, and you’re a role player, then you sit the bench. That’s why they call them “role players”. They play supporting roles to supplement the team.
Yeah, implement that “Caste System” . . or better yet . . . a “Cast System”, and put all non-productive players in a cast and let them ride the pine.
If Etan outplays Zaza, then I want Etan playing. If Jordan outplays Mo, then I want Jordan playing. And if Teague isn’t ready, well he just isn’t ready.
Non-productive role players shouldn’t expect equal treatment to star or productive players.
doc
September 7th, 2010
9:22 pm
northcyde at 8:33 ….. big co-sign. i just get to shut up and watch, nice.
also very balanced assessment of jj especially the part where ge needs to attcak when the game is on the line or a run needs to be stopped. very point on there sir. if he could get to the foul line like a superstar about 4 to 6 times more a game he would have huge numbers that would compare favorably to any player in the league. his status as a superstar would not be in doubt ever.
northcyde
September 7th, 2010
9:28 pm
LOL @ Mo crybaby poopypants Evans
Exactly.
I mean, how dare him expect more playing time, with the way he played last year.
I will never forget that brick lay-up on a fast break that he shot in ( I think Game 1 ) in Orlando, when we were getting the hell beat out of us.
That lay-up went . . . . (( CLUNK ))
I was mad that we were losing, but I burst out laughing when I saw that.
doc
September 7th, 2010
9:30 pm
jj avg 5.5 attempts per game in his shortened second year here. last year he attempted a full 100 less down over 25% form the previous year. he really has to do better than that and get back to challenging the way he was in his second year here for this team to continue to grow in respect and wins.
Melvin
September 7th, 2010
10:24 pm
No mention of the Hawks bench…
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=17266
KevinM
September 7th, 2010
10:39 pm
vava74,
“KevinM,
You were specifically saying that Marvin was soft and didn’t get to the line.
You were wrong on that one. For the number of touches he gets his FTA is pretty high.”
For a guy who was 5th on his team in FT attempts and 4th in minutes, this tells me Marvin is not aggressive enough. This should be an area he should improve upon.
Marvin – 176-215 , played the same amount of minutes JC1 plays, and JC1 had 100 more FT attempts.
That doesn’t sound like a guy who gets to the line frequently.
This should be an area he should improve upon.
Same for Joe; 220-269, this is 4th on the team. Look at other team leaders and see how many FT attempts they had:
Kobe: 541
Pierce: 433
Nowitski: 586
Howard: 816 (wow!)
Wade-702
James – 773
I won’t knock that Marvin gets the same amount of touches, but I feel since his FT% is so good, he should take more advantage of that and draw more fouls….. we can disagree all day, but Marvin’s numbers speak loud enough.
To track it further, Bibby never goes to the line, hence the limitations in his game.
Rufus1
September 7th, 2010
10:51 pm
Rod
If I am a clown I hoped your watched your boy Josh QUIT in the Bucks series and the Magic series…
The Bucks series he opened his MOUTH but didn’t have the BALLS to back it up..
The Magic series he was getting his lunch handed to his by Lewis and Quit again when somebody slapped him in his LITTLE EYE.
If Marvin is overpaid making 7.5mil, the Josh the Quitter is overpaid making 12mil.
7.5mil Softy or a 12mil Quitter…..You choose!!!
I AM SORRY THE WHOLE TEAM IS SOFT, SO THAT WOULD MAKE JOSH A SOFT QUITTER….
PS blocking shots doesn’t make you tough, neither does spectacular DUNKS.
Grandad
September 7th, 2010
11:06 pm
nc and or doc:
Once again you’re missing the overall point.
LD must get this team to do as he wishes.
The one way to ensure that the whole team is ‘on board” is for your
‘leader’ or in Joe’s case pseudo leader; due to status, has to [must]
carry his share of the load. You are itemizeing situations where you wish to give Joe a pass. 1st of all, I think everyone on this board will agree that Joe is a 2nd tier SuperStar @ best. He is simply our leading scorer, one who shoots more than anyone else.
You say if we get Joe tired he cannot carry us offensively.
I think LD has that in mind anyway, no one single person being a volume shooter/scorer. But more on that in a moment.
I never said Ld should “crack the whip” on our star players.
I said exert his will then earn their respect.
I never said “have JJ do more of the “dirty work” on defense”.
My intent was he should do “equal” dirty work,
In order to earn his teammates respect.
“But I hate to break this to you . . . but the entire team is soft. But if you want to focus on JJ, that’s cool.”
I agree the entire team is soft – that’s @ least a portion of my entire point.
If you’re a rookie coach, you darn sure better make sure your best player is hard nosed if you want the whole team to follow.
The “Bad Boy” Pistons were led by Isiah.
Not a favorite.
But Isiah was hard nosed & tough. He had to be a bad-ass to keep that
group heading in the right direction.
“just to make the bench players feel equal to them”
You have it backwards – so the rest of the team will respect & follow.
You want a SuperStar system, thats not what a team is all about.
& -Yes-
you hold *ALL* players to the same degree of accountability.
Not doing so, cost Woodson.
He lost his team.
Therefore the Orlando debacle.
I tried to address all your points.
However, my overall central point was LD & how he must “grasp”
this team by their collective testacles & not turn loose until
they do his bidding. “Evertime”, & without question!
Grandad
September 7th, 2010
11:14 pm
*itemizing*…..not…..itemiz[e]ing
I should have dropped the ‘e’.
I’m gonna blame Mrs. Grandad.
The Back of Truthspitter's Mind
September 7th, 2010
11:18 pm
I’m smarter than all these chumps. They don’t know squat about basketball. Why do I even try to talk to them?
Oh yeah, it’s so I can talk DOWN to them.
jerrywest
September 7th, 2010
11:23 pm
MC
How tall is Pape Sy for real?
Clyde
September 7th, 2010
11:52 pm
Falcons – Sorry as hell
Braves – Sorry as hell
Hawks – Sorry as hell
LETS GO DREAM!!!!!!!!!
Clyde
September 7th, 2010
11:57 pm
The Dream advance to the Eastern Conference Finals and what’s on the front page of the sports section on ajc.com. BRAVES SLIP INTO SECOND PLACE.
Where is the respect?
Hmmm
September 7th, 2010
11:59 pm
Ummm can we rent Angel McCoughtry from the dream for a season and dump Mike Bibby?
Hmmm
September 8th, 2010
12:01 am
She was a beast tonight. New WNBA post-season record with 42pts = beastmode. Pondexter wasn’t far behined though. I thought the Mercury trading her this past off-season was a bad idea. especially after coming off of a WNBA title.
Jae Evolution
September 8th, 2010
12:15 am
Mo Evans to the Pacers for rookie Paul George. The kid was killing in SL, and if someone teaches him defense he could be a solid backup or start over Marvin.
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine
Clyde
September 8th, 2010
12:16 am
I hope Joe Johnson was watching tonight WNBA game in which Angel McCoughtry scored 42 to lead her team to the Finals. Naw he was probably at Magic City trickin’ off his new contract money.
Real Leaders Step Up To Lead Their Team To Victory In The Playoffs Joe.
Grandad
September 8th, 2010
12:27 am
“Most of all, defense is about effort. In San Antonio, one blown defensive assignment can land you on the bench. Multiple blown assignments will cause you to go deaf after the game – courtesy of Gregg Popovich – and you might not see the court again for weeks. For the Hawks to be an elite team they’re going to have to play elite defense, and that’s where Drew’s challenge comes in.”
-HoopsWorld-
Hmmm
September 8th, 2010
12:31 am
“Naw he was probably at Magic City trickin’ off his new contract money.”
^This is more than likely true…
Mystikal
September 8th, 2010
12:34 am
Ha ha, who would’ve thought the dream would have better bigs than the hawks! Now look they are in the finals, while hawks trying to hold together a mediocre team. Horford is the only player on the team with a winner’s mentality, which is why he doen’t complain about playing out of position. Josh Smith is never as good as he seems to think he is. Joe Johnson just got a ‘Richard Lewis’ deal but we have no Dwight Howard. Jamal Crawford is bout ready to jump ship already because management won’t come out of the fetal position. Jason Collins, Etan Thomas, and the 16th guy off the Lakers bench, that will get us over the hump.
Hmmm
September 8th, 2010
12:36 am
Isn’t Joe’s career high 42? lol Step ur game up Joe. Hahahaha!
Angel > Joe
The Truth
September 8th, 2010
12:44 am
In the movie “The Fan” (starring Robert Deniro and Wesley Snipes) shows you what could happen when a fanatic fan take his discontent to the final level. This psychological thriller profiles a delusional fan and his obsessions towards a baseball player. I know this was just a movie but when I read some of these venomous post on MC blog, I can’t help but wonder…..
Ken Strickland
September 8th, 2010
12:49 am
We seem to have a lot of FAKE FANS who have all of these personal agendas against the HC, owners, GM, and certain Hawk players. They spend the entire yr whining and crying about shear stupidity in most cases. They question the OFF/DEF of Hawk players they dislike, while ignoring the almost total lack of OFF/DEF of ones they like. They question the aggressiveness and toughness of the team and certain players, as if the 2 time consecutive NBA champion Lakers are known for being some kind of physical team with so much doggone physical toughness.
All of these narrow minded, one dimensional approaches, seeming to have the total inability to see more than one approach to playing, coaching and managing basketball. They can have so many questions about the ability of JJ, Smoove, Marvin, Teague, Jordan Crawford, JCollins, but seldom Bibby for some strange reason.
Yet, they have no doubt or questions whatsoever about any potential adjustment, chemistry issues or ability of new players acquired by the Celtics, Bucks, Bulls, Heat and Magic, to fit right in and perform at or above their previous levels from day one. We have those who are still making an issue of LDrew saying all of the right things, like it’s somehow much more reassuring to have a HC say something wrong, stupid, and totally inappropriate like, “I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE OFF.”
These same individuals question LDrews potential effectiveness, and/or his ability to motivate the players into to buying into his OFF/DEF philosophy and systems. Yet, not one of these negative minded individuals has made an issue of the Bulls new first time HC, or his ability to motivate his players, and/or get them to buy into his new OFF/DEF systems and philosophy. Before training camp has even started, these individuals have already indicated they think the Bulls have already made up the 12 gms they finished behind the Hawks last season, and will suffer no injuries, nor have any adjustment or chemistry problems whatsoever.
ACCORDING TO THESE NEGATIVE MINDED, GLASS HALF EMPTY INDIVIDUALS, THE ATLANTA HAWKS ARE THE ONLY EASTERN CONFERENCE TEAM THAT WILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS PLAYERS, POTENTIAL CHEMISTRY AND ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS, INJURIES, PLAYER AND HEAD COACHING ISSUES, AS WELL AS OFF/DEF ISSUES. WITH FANS LIKE THESE, WHO NEEDS ADVERSARIES?
Clyde
September 8th, 2010
1:02 am
Ken Strickland here is the bottom line.
We got swept last year in the second round of the playoffs and none of the game were close.
This year we will be coming back with basically the same squad plus a new coach.
Do you really expect me to be excited?
Clyde
September 8th, 2010
1:14 am
The Dream are in the WNBA Finals and they still don’t have a fan blog on ajc.com. SMGDH. Maybe “LiL Ray” needs to change his blog from a Hawks blog to a Dream blog.
Clyde
September 8th, 2010
1:15 am
Angel McCoughtry for Governor of Georgia
Fresh
September 8th, 2010
1:23 am
Ken Strickland,
That was hands down the best post I’ve seen all year!!!! I cannot for the life of me understand why some of these “supposedly” Hawks fans waste so much time out of there precious little lives to come on here and spew such GARBAGE. I MEAN IF THE HAWKS ARE SO BAD AND THEY ARE ALREADY DESTINED TO FINISH WORST THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR…THEN WHY ARE YOU EVEN WASTING YOUR TIME ON THE BLOG, ON THIS TEAM???…GO JOIN THE HEAT BANDWAGON!!!!
ITS ABOUT TIME SOMEONE CALLED THESE “FAKE” FANS OUT!!!!!!
Rod from College Park
September 8th, 2010
1:28 am
vava74,
“Finally, Granger playing D? Defending the opponents’ best wing player?
If you really watch the Hawks, and have seen any of the recent Pacer/Hawks matchups, in crunchtime, Joe guards Granger because Marvin can’t, and Indiana always puts Granger on Joe (our best player).
“…If any of you Marvin supporters actually have any of the playoff games recorded, Cleveland actually did leave Marvin wide open, when he was on the floor, and he did not hit one jump shot…”
Marvin was severely injured during the 2008-09 playoffs. SEVERELY INJURED IN ONE OF HIS HANDS (wrist)”
Please tell me what I said that was not true. Do you remember why he was injured? It was because he went to the hole weak as usual fell and landed on his wrist and back. Also, I don’t believe in making excuses. If he suited up, and played, the injury is not an excuse. Kobe played almost a whole year with a dislocated finger. No excused from him.
Rufus1,
Yes you are a clown. Join Ringling Brothers. What is your argument? That Josh quit in the playoffs and Marvin did not?
Marvin Williams 2010 playoff Stats
8.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 31.4 mpg, 39%FG
Josh Smith 2010 playoff Stats
14.1 ppg, 9 rpg, 35.6 mpg, 48%FG
MsDee
September 8th, 2010
1:29 am
Clyde,
Not really speaking for Ken S, but I want to believe he is saying that give the Hawks another year with LD and his GREAT idea of an OFF/DEF system. Ken also have told everyone here time and time again that the ASG/Sund still have up til the trade deadline to make changes if ness. So Clyde, yes, you should be at least a little excited that we no longer have Woodson to mess things up with all but 1 OFF play in ISO JOE and with his constant switching DEF. The “little excitement” should be there cause we still have an opportunity to get some really great players mid season b4 trade deadline. Now does that make ya happy??
MsDee
September 8th, 2010
1:31 am
Oh and my girl Angel PLAYED HER TAZZ OFF 2NITE!!! She is our “Kevin Durant” on the Dream Team!!
Clyde
September 8th, 2010
1:39 am
MsDee do you know how many times I’ve heard give it another year?
MsDee
September 8th, 2010
1:44 am
Clyde, was Woodson still the coach??
northcyde
September 8th, 2010
1:44 am
Grandad, I see what you’re saying. I just disagree with it somewhat
Drew is going to have very little problem getting JJ, Smoove, and Horford to buy into whatever philosophy he imposes on the team. Those are probably the 3 main guys wanting Drew to coach them anyway.
JJ has always been “all in” with the Hawks, contrary to popular belief. The only thing he needs to prove next season, is that he can consistently play at a high level in the playoffs. In the regular season, that guy was on point, especially out on the road. He had 7 or 8 MONSTER games out on the road, in which we still lost the game. I guess leading by example didn’t matter in those games.
JJ is not the one to worry about. He’ll buy ( or has already bought into ) Drew’s systems and lead by the example that Drew wants him to lead by. So will Smoove and Horford.
*******
The REAL problem is the rest of the team. And most of the people on this blog knows it. That’s why people have been pizzed by the underwhelming moves the front office made all summer. They will determine if we’re simply a good playoff level team, or a potential championship contender.
I hope he does, but I don’t expect Drew to come in here and perform miracles, especially not with the bench. Some of these players simply can’t ball ( anymore ), or have always been inconsistent ballplayers, ot may be just too young to contribute on a playoff level team. So it’s going to be up to OUR Big 3 + Crawford ( if he’s here ) to get it done on most nights.
Bibby has lost the trust of the fan base. Marvin is very close to losing that trust as well. But they’ll be forgiven somewhat, if they start making shots again.
All I know, is that if Jordan Crawford, Pape Sy ( if he comes over ), and Jeff Teague prove to be solid options off the bench, Drew better not hesitate to play those young guys. Because the older guys that we have rounding out the bench are HIGHLY suspect as players, and have proven that for years.
Everybody isn’t going to play ( or flat out can’t play ), so Drew will need to find at least 4 people off that bench that he can trust.
Jamal is one . . who will be the other 3?
Rod from College Park
September 8th, 2010
1:45 am
Fresh,
Because we all have our own opinions. We all don’t agree with Ken Strickland. Some of us think that he is living in a fantasy world. Some of us think that he is related to Larry Drew. This is not a Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking Blog. This is a Atlanta Hawks Blog. Those of us who are REAL fans know the history of this franchise, have seen them make mistake after mistake, and have been given no reason to think that anything will change. We don’t believe that a new coach, with a magic offense, and a team who did not upgrade their talent at all in the off season, will be any better against other teams in the east who have upgraded their talent. Please forgive us for being so dumb.
MsDee
September 8th, 2010
1:45 am
In all 6 years he was here, I can ONLY recall 1 OFF and 1 DEF.
northcyde
September 8th, 2010
2:37 am
As for A-Mac, she proved to me that she was a baller, when she led Louisville to the Final Four when she was a senior. I’ve always been a fan of the women’s game. Good for the Dream. I hope some on this blog make a concerted effort to see that team next week, when they’ll play Game 3 in ATL.
Wouldn’t that be something . . . to go to opening night vs Washington for the Hawks, and see an Atlanta Dream WNBA Championship banner in the arena. Might as well put up a Jordanesque statue of Angel outside Philips Arena at that point.
Grandad
September 8th, 2010
3:04 am
northcyde
We’re in accordance.
I was never knocking Joe.
I’m really pullin’ for LD.
I know, for him to succeed,
Joe must do everything which he expects of the others.
Just sayin’, they all gotta pull the same direction;
and one doesn’t get to sit on the wagon.
If it were me, [and it's not] I would have no role for Bibby.
I also fear that he will become a distraction.
Once again, LD “MUST” impose his will on the team.
vava74
September 8th, 2010
4:23 am
Rod,
You lose all credibility when you say something like that.
Marvin had a major wrist injury and played with a cast. Kobe had a sprained finger.
Worlds apart in seriousness.
Also, you dismiss his injury saying that he was only injured because he goes soft to the basket… When a wrist injury usually only happens on precisely the opposite circumstances: a fall when driving strong.
I know you will say that he only injured his wrist because he stumbles. Ok. I get it.
However, you still cannot use the Cleveland series as an example. You simply can’t. It’s intellectually disonest and I don’t think you need to go down that road to make a strong case against Marvin.
Keep within the boudaries of reason if you don’t want to be called “hater”.
wordsmithtom
September 8th, 2010
4:26 am
The Truth,
Saw that Snipes/Denero movie. Great post. Very interesting movie.
vava74
September 8th, 2010
4:31 am
Northcyde,
Look at Mo’s numbers when he got to play more minutes.
When given starter minutes he produced and when given more minutes as sub his numbers were also better.
Same story for Zaza. When he played more minutes his numbers go up dramatically.
Woody never structured a rotation where subs played width starters.
Woody just placed in many occasions 4 or even 5 subs at the same time cold out of the bench.
That is not the way. You must have structured substitution patterns.
Just to give you an example, how many minutes did you see Baby Davis playing with the starters? And Nate?
Or fo you think Doc when with marquis, findlay, baby, shelden, Tony Allen and scalabrine all at the same time off the bench?
Most competitive teams rely on 8/9 players max with others playing spot minutes.
With the 3/4 bench players seeing more daylight always playing with some starters. Always.
vava74
September 8th, 2010
4:33 am
KevinM,
Look at Marvin’s FTA in 2008/09 when he played more minutes and got more touches.
It’s one thing he did ok. Get to the line and convert.
vava74
September 8th, 2010
4:35 am
“Doc went with”
TheAntiMe
September 8th, 2010
6:10 am
Good defensive teams not only play well straight up but are not hesitant to help out their mates when the situation calls for it. I kind of wonder if it may have been a case in the past for the Hawks where guys were saying, “If nobody’s going to give me help then I ain’t giving nobody help on their guy either.” I actually do recall seeing games where that definitely appeared to be the case. Thus, the obligatory switching defense was put into effect. Just a theory, mind you because surely other factors were involved not the least of which being that it was Woody’s strategic proclivity to switch.
The other part of the defensive equation is mindset. You can’t have 5 Ilya Kovalchuks out there on the floor at any given time and expect to get the stops you need on defense. I love Ilya (I do realize he’s gone to those Devils) and I love offense but you have to be willing to play the tight D even if you are a scorer, if your team is to have the best chance of winning the most games.
I know this is nothing earth shattering to anyone reading this but just a harmless observation about the D, which I hope that Coach L.D. can improve on. You never know.
truthspitter
September 8th, 2010
6:32 am
You guys can keep waiting on your basketball Messiah to show up, what a joke Marvin is. All I see is a bunch of people claiming to be optimistic about this coward of a basketball player. He is know type of Messiah so I have long been done feeling optimistic about the garbage mans upside.
MsDee
September 8th, 2010
6:48 am
Dang truthspitter,
Did Marvin not share his ‘goodies’ with you?? cause u are riding his joc!!
O'Brien
September 8th, 2010
7:26 am
In Mo’s defense last year, he was asked to play against other SFs, despite the fact that he is a 6′5″ SG, so he was usually overmatched.
Thats no excuse for missing open shots (and layups), but when he played more minutes at SG, his numbers were better. Plus his minutes were inconsistent.
As for Marvin, I think Rick made the wrong move when he offered Marvin the contract he did (5 years, $37.5 mil). I dont know why he didnt let Marvin go out and find an offer, like he did with Josh Smith.
Although Marvin was coming off a 14 and 6 year, I dont think there were other teams with salary cap space available that would have wanted Marvin to be a starter. So Rick bid against himself.
Fast forward to this season, and LD said one of the problems with Marvin was he didnt know his role last year, and didnt know when touches would be coming.
Therefore, I am willing to give Marvin one season under Drew to see if he has improved (mentally and physically). If he struggles again this season, then get him out of here.
Although that would mean breaking up the sacred core…