Atlanta Hawks: Jamal Crawford’s ‘instant offense’ on slow drip
Jamal is finding it tougher to attack this season. (AP Photo)
First, Jamal wanted me to pass along a message to my blog people: He reads all of your comments and he still loves you all. Killin’ em with kindness, I guess.
With that out of the way, it’s been clear that the instant offensive jolt Jamal regularly provided under Woody has gone missing at times as L.D. moves to a more structured approach. Jamal is an instinctive scorer, adept at having the ball in his hands and attacking off the dribble, and now he’s being asked to play off the ball and set the table more often.
The Hawks have found more offensive balance than they’ve had in the past with L.D.’s approach. But for Jamal it’s meant a move away from the comfort zone he enjoyed last season.
“I think it’s some adjusting for him,” L.D. said. “Because he is such a good one-on-one players, I am trying to put him in more situations where he is running a lot more pick-and-rolls. I sat him down and told him he is playing very unselfishly, and he is making plays and getting the ball to his teammates. And he is showing to be a willing passer.
“When he and Joe play like that, I think that makes us a better ball club. Now teams can’t key in on individual guys to play one-on-one and they’ve got their defense set.”
After a spike in Jamal’s shooting percentage last season, it’s slipped back down to his career mark (though he was quick to note that with such a small sample size, a few good shooting games would pull it back up). His true shooting percentage hasn’t dipped as much because he’s taking and making more free throws. Jamal is taking about four less shots per game so far (though his attempts per minutes played are actually up from 2.2 to 2.9), his assist percentage is up slightly and his turnovers rate is up significantly.
I’d argue that, based on observation, Jamal also has shown more willingness to defend; he said L.D. told him the same thing. It’s not reflected by the on-court/off-court numbers (or by his lackluster effort against Dallas Saturday, though he was hardly alone among the guards) and I’m not saying he’s suddenly locking anyone down. But I’ve seen him more often aggressively fight through screens, keep his energy up throughout possessions and make up ground to challenge shooters.
What I haven’t seen much is the 2009-10, instant offense version of Jamal, and that’s something the Hawks could use as their bench continues to sag against better competition.
“I have got to put him in more opportunities where he gets more shots because he is a shotmaker,” L.D. said. “I’ve already sat him down and told him that. But he’s adjusting well. As I told him, he’s a guy coming off the bench that I need the instant offense, but I also need good decision-making. He has shown that he is committed to that.”
MC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
376 comments Add your comment
tony
November 22nd, 2010
4:56 pm
There are alot of blind fans in the ATL. This is not a very good basketball team folks. Like it or not but Mike Woodson is a better coach than Larry Drew. The only thing I didn’t like about Woodson is that he was too stern and he showed favortism toward certain players. I can assure you that if they(owner/gm) had gotten Woodson a true pg(facilitator) and a center they would have gone further in the playoffs.
The only reason LD install a motion offense is because they don’t a facilitator(pg) who has the ability to create scoring opportunities for the team. We need a pg who can get you10 to 12 assists a game. We do not have a Michael Jordan, Larry Bird or a Kobe Bryant who can create scoring opportunities for themselves and score when they need to.
This team is not built and coach well enough to compete against quality teams. I’m looking forward to the 2011 nba draft. I know it’s too early to evaluate players but I see 2 high IQ basketball players who could help the hawks next season.
1) Nolan Smith(pg) This young man is very intelligent. He’s a little raw but he is an excellant passer and defender. He has good size(6′3)
2) Jimmer Fredette(pg) This young man is a playmaker. He is a terrific passer and he knows how to get to the foul line. Outstanding free throw shooter.
Grandad
November 22nd, 2010
4:57 pm
Jamal; if you really do read this minutiae,
then just know two things:
(1) G-dad wants you to re-sign & remain a Hawk,
-&-
(2) Let ‘er Rip tonite!
MannyT
November 22nd, 2010
4:57 pm
@O’Brien
Unless I read the rule wrong in that NBA link, the best record of a non division winner can move up, but that is the only one. If we have a good record, but fall behind the Magic & the Heat — no seeding adjustment.
To get poetic
Sloppy seconds may get extra love
Finish 3rd, the (proctologist’s) glove
MannyT
November 22nd, 2010
5:00 pm
@O’Brien
Strike that fancy poem. I get your point. Yes, we can be 5th seed w/home court if our record is better.
Astro Joe
November 22nd, 2010
5:01 pm
Rev., the intangibles have yet to change (IMO). LD came in recognizing the need to work those intangibles. He talked about accountability in many of his early interviews. It’s much, much too early to declare a verdict, maybe even too early to notice a change… but this team needs to feel good about itself against quality competition before doubt sets in. Casual fans don’t take notice of the NBA until after the Super Bowl… let’s hope that the Hawks are on a helluva roll when they discover the ‘10-11 version of the Hawks. The diehard fans on the blog will suffer through these uncertain times.
Rev in Tampa
November 22nd, 2010
5:10 pm
Astro Joe, if you mean by the ‘intangibles’ – not playing with intensity, not hanging head when down, no mental toughness – then I agree. These are the hurdles that the Hawks must overcome. And these are supremely significant issues.
You are right about this team needing a quality win or win streak against good competition before they start hanging their head. It makes tonight’s game a must win.
Rev in Tampa
November 22nd, 2010
5:15 pm
What is that website where those of us outside the Atl market can watch the game?
Michael Cunningham
November 22nd, 2010
5:16 pm
@Rev in Tampa: issues noted and passed along.
LEA
November 22nd, 2010
5:22 pm
Larry Drew is an idiot, Crawford playing unselfishly? Put him in the position to take more shots? huh he already takes more than he should..
Michael Cunningham
November 22nd, 2010
5:22 pm
@ Sautee: “MC, Lost a post to the blog monster. Can you release it please?”
don’t see it in the filter. sorry.
the complaints about the new format have been passed on to the tech folks. i will let you know what they have to say.
Rev in Tampa
November 22nd, 2010
5:23 pm
MC, thanks!!
lewis
November 22nd, 2010
5:24 pm
channelsurfing.net
atdhe.net
myp2p.eu
or pay $130 to get league pass broadband
Rev in Tampa
November 22nd, 2010
5:36 pm
Lewis, thanks!!
JeJe
November 22nd, 2010
5:41 pm
1) This whole team is a mess. LD has a new offense which doesn’t match Jamal’s style. if Jamal is instant offense, why go away from what he is good at? Rather than having him in the game with the rest of the scrubs on the bench (yes – Mo and ZaZa either have career nights 1 out of every 20 games or are absolute trash) and incorporating this offense, let him do his thing. Same with Jo-Craw – let them get theirs.
2) This team does not rebound. How does LD keep saying he will have the team ready to play with energy and mention his focus on defense, if these two things NEVER happen. Smoove is one of only like 3 players on the team who can score, so he gets a free pass on the defensive boards since we all know he still cries every time he deals with a drop of adversity. LD is too scared to call him out consistently.
2a) This team has turned into J.Smoove’s playground. If he wants to shoot 3s on an iso-play, he can do that. If he wants to do a 720 fadeaway vs. Dwight Howard, he is allowed to do that. No accountability. Even if he has been putting up numbers, he still is immature
3) SOFT defense. I will say this for the 239832589th time: Boston, Orlando, the Clevelands, they NEVER play this soft. It’s like our perimeter defenders just let players like Jet Terry get by, assuming Smoove can block shots. But when Smoove contests, there’s ALWAYS someone open
4) This team has 3 captains. LOL!!!!!! Do they go on picnics together too? Boston has 1 captain.
5) Marvin is terrified of having the ball in his hands – no homo. He is also terrified of being on the spot. It takes people yelling at him to get him to actually try during the game. I can’t believe he had enough desire to negotiate for a contract – he seems more content wearing his spongebob pajamas and watching Hey Arnold! reruns than actually improving as a basketball player. As my man Rod from CP said, Marvin has NEVER stated his desire to be a great player, an All-Star, or to win an award. He is content with mediocrity
6) Joe got outscored by Deshawn Stevenson the other night. LOL! Leader my @$$.
cp
November 22nd, 2010
6:06 pm
I like Jamal and he seems like a good dude but I don’t think he finishes this year as a Hawk…….Teague needs to step it up tonight because Bibby cant guard Robinson. LD has to start giving guys the hook faster. If the Hawks have a lead and he inserts the bench, he cant let them stay in if they are stinking it up. He has done this a few times this year and they lost the lead and momentum…. The invisible man needs to rebound better if he isn’t going to score or do much else for that matter. They need to show they can beat a good team. They usually get fired up for the Celtics so hopefully we don’t have to worry about them coming out tonight with no energy.
Jordan
November 22nd, 2010
6:16 pm
Sometimes L.D.’s coaching decisions really confuse me. Jamal has been struggling and L.D. wants to get him “more shots”? I like Jamal as a player and he has a very unique skill-set on the offensive end, but this team is no longer a 1 or 2-man show. When one player is struggling, there’s always someone else to look to. Instead of rewarding Jamal with more shots when he doesn’t have it going, why not let someone else have a bigger offensive role? Obviously, the name that comes roaring to mind is Al Horford. He’s the most efficient offensive player in the league right now, and as good as he’s been playing, it seems kind of silly not to make him a bigger part of the offense. Just about everyone who watches the Hawks seems to agree that Horford should be given a larger opportunity on the offensive end. I don’t know why L.D. doesn’t seem to get that.
It seems that L.D. just has some “jumpshot” infatuation. He’d rather the guards handle the bulk of the offense and hope that their jumpshots start falling, rather than gets some better, high percentage shots from his bigs. It’s mind-boggling. Maybe, one day, L.D. will have an epiphany. You don’t win championships by doing nothing but taking jumpshots, and you certainly don’t win by under-utilizing your best players.
Shyne G
November 22nd, 2010
6:25 pm
Man I got off early tonight just so I could make it home in time for the game. I agree with some of you bloggers that plays should be specifically designed for our above average one on one scorers. But not to the point to where our offense becomes predictable as it did in years past. Larry Drew, in my opinion, is pretty much an X and O kind of coach with brains enough to adapt and adjust as the game progresses.
So here is where I challenge our coaching staff…
The motion offense has put a major wrinkle in our offensive scheme but what can you guys come up with to cater to players like Jordan Crawford, Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, and Maurice Evans coming off the bench. Because I strongly believe that with Teague at the helm for the second unit he could speed up the attack and absolutely have a devastating effect on the players mentioned above with slip screens, pick and pops, or dribble drives. There is a lot more potential in our second unit that needs to be exploited.
On defense, I challenge our coaches to hold players ACCOUNTABLE! Commitment to defending should either be rewarded with more minutes as well as touches on offense. Not defending (and I’m not referring to getting beat on an assignment) should come with dire consequences. Like during practice, going through the fundamentals all over again. Maybe guys have been conducting themselves on the displaying mediocre defense for so long that, in their minds, they’re right. We should have intense practices for abnormal hours going over these fundamentals until guys “get it.” I mean the scoring has never been an issue. It is the lack of attention to detail on the other end of the court that is really hurting our win column. Think about it.
What do you bloggers think?
terrell
November 22nd, 2010
6:49 pm
Starting lineup tonight:
Mookie Blalock
Joe Johnson
Dominique Wilkins
Josh Smith
Dikembe Mutumbo
Bench:
Spud Webb
Steve Smith
John Drew
Dan Roundfield
Al Horford
Tree Rollins
Antoine Carr
I can dream cant I
Bench
Clint Newhouse
November 22nd, 2010
7:00 pm
Terrell, you left out Doc Rivers
Najeh Davenpoop
November 22nd, 2010
7:02 pm
Nice headline BTW.
Rod from College Park
November 22nd, 2010
7:04 pm
Jamal,
Keep shooting. There is nobody on this team I would rather take the shot than you.
JeJe,
Totally agree with you on Marvin. It amazes me that we continue trotting this guy out there as a starter. No other team but the Hawks would continue to do that.
lukas
November 22nd, 2010
7:16 pm
Nice to see Marvin Watching Shaq get the put back after Horford altered Allen’s shot.
Melvin
November 22nd, 2010
7:18 pm
And some said that Shaq would not have been able to help the Hawks…
Rod from College Park
November 22nd, 2010
7:20 pm
Some clowns here actually said they would not have traded Marvin for Shaq. LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
Najeh Davenpoop
November 22nd, 2010
7:24 pm
LMAO @ this game. Time to switch over to Monday Night Countdown. Go Randy McMichael, help my fantasy team win.
lukas
November 22nd, 2010
7:24 pm
I would glue Marvin’s behind to the bottom of the bench until i find a trading partner. Watching this guy is frustrating!!
Wabe
November 22nd, 2010
7:25 pm
The Hawks are a F’n headache to watch right now…
~~MAC-ToWN~~ (Area Code 478 Westside Macon)
November 22nd, 2010
7:25 pm
isnt this one of the best cores in the league??? according to several bloggers.
~~MAC-ToWN~~ (Area Code 478 Westside Macon)
November 22nd, 2010
7:26 pm
nice to see Joe Johnson put his stamp on this game like the top 5 hoopstar he is, or atleast paid to be.
Clyde
November 22nd, 2010
7:27 pm
*yawns*
Wabe
November 22nd, 2010
7:29 pm
Dude, where the hell is the defense?
Najeh Davenpoop
November 22nd, 2010
7:29 pm
The Hawks’ core is Smoove and Al. Trade everyone else.
Wabe
November 22nd, 2010
7:29 pm
Get every single one of them off the damn court simultaneously…
It’s pathetic.
Seriously, this is a biga$$ joke.
Sautee
November 22nd, 2010
7:30 pm
Wabe,
My thoughts exactly.
Samuel
November 22nd, 2010
7:30 pm
Woody>LD
Clyde
November 22nd, 2010
7:31 pm
24-8 Celtics without Rondo. SHAKING MY GOT DAM HEAD
bigdave
November 22nd, 2010
7:31 pm
Dwight come save us..
cp
November 22nd, 2010
7:31 pm
its a wrap. no energy no intensity no nothing. break it up . team doesn’t look like they care.
jean
November 22nd, 2010
7:31 pm
we have a retart as a coach the Hawks last year killed the celtics because we have 2 great one on one players. So he takes away our strength this organization is a joke to cheap to get a real coach might as well have kept woodson. He makes crawford play like he is kyle Korver Rean mal n Joe are struggling is they cant go one on one 6-0 start was a joke this team cant beat any1 legit pathetic
lukas
November 22nd, 2010
7:31 pm
Could somebody please explain to me how in the world can a team with an “improved” bench regress that much in one year? This same core kicked Boston behind last year; now they cannot even play a closed game, AT HOME!!!!
J.J.M.
November 22nd, 2010
7:32 pm
atlanta spirits should just sell the hawks and thrashers
Clyde
November 22nd, 2010
7:32 pm
Yea where is the defense? Horford you gotta do more than just score.
bigdave
November 22nd, 2010
7:32 pm
nice shot Jamal.
Sautee
November 22nd, 2010
7:32 pm
Games like this make me want to give up being a Hawks fan. Seriously.
bigdave
November 22nd, 2010
7:33 pm
just watch Jeff.
smh
bigdave
November 22nd, 2010
7:33 pm
dude just out there.
Dept. of Unintended Irony
November 22nd, 2010
7:34 pm
“we have a retart as a coach the Hawks last year killed the celtics because we have 2 great one on one players.”
enough said, I guess.
lukas
November 22nd, 2010
7:34 pm
I want to see the rookie!!!
Wabe
November 22nd, 2010
7:34 pm
p
a
t
h
e
t
i
c
Samuel
November 22nd, 2010
7:35 pm
LOL!!Shaq thinking…….”i’m sure glad I didn’t sign with these clowns.