Atlanta Hawks: About last night
- A look at the plus-minus shows the Hawks dominated even more than the score suggested. Only a couple turnover-plagued, scoring-challenged stints by Atlanta’s subs prevented this from being a total beat down instead of a blowout (understandable since Chicago’s second unit is better defensively than the starters).
- The Hawks showed they meant business on the very first play of the game. Joakim Noah won the tip, but Al Horford stepped in front of a sleepy Derrick Rose to corral the ball. Horford powered over Rose before help could arrive to start Atlanta’s 12-1 run.
- “It seemed like that was a momentum booster,” Joe Johnson said. “I thought that was a game-changing moment in itself.”
- Chicago really only had one competitive stretch after that. Atlanta’s subs tried to pressure the Bulls early in the second quarter and it backfired. The Bulls scored six points off three turnovers as Taj Gibson, Omer Asik and Kyle Korver got them back in the game.
- The Hawks buried the Bulls in the last four minutes of the first half with an electric display of defensive energy and shot-making. Vladimir Radmanovic, playing in place of injured Marvin Williams, made two of his five 3-pointers (on five attempts) during that 18-2 burst.
- Atlanta didn’t let up after halftime. Joe scored on Js and drives, Jeff Teague set up Horford for an open jumper, Josh Smith scored at the rim on a sharp pass from Joe, Vlad Rad made another 3 and Smith scored on an oop from Teague. The Bulls, meanwhile, couldn’t score at the rim (Al had key blocks against Noah and Luol Deng) and couldn’t hold onto the ball against Atlanta’s swarming D.
- Zaza Pachulia finally got an extended stint and delivered with five rebounds, 3 for 5 shooting (including a couple nice finishes at the rim!) and a steal. Zaza works well together with Tracy McGrady, who is always calling for Zaza for pick-and-rolls. You can see that McGrady has learned that he can’t put as much mustard on his passes to Zaza.
- The Hawks never let Rose (3 for 10 shooting, five turnovers) find his rhythm. Teague rediscovered his defensive mojo. Atlanta blitzed Rose to make him give up the ball and surrounded him with their long bodies to cut off his space.
- “Get up on the pick and roll,” Teague said of the plan vs. Rose. “We sat back the first game and he picked us apart and made threes. So we brung it up and tried to get up on him more and let him see bodies.”
- “It’s not an individual effort with that guy,” Smith said. “You have to build walls in transition. We did a good team job on him defensively: crowding him, trapping him and giving him different looks.”
- When the Hawks move the ball like they did in this game, even an elite defensive team like Chicago looks a step slow. Those 32 assists on 47 field goals don’t even fully capture how crisp the Hawks looked.
- Once the Hawks started making shots, they started hawking the ball, getting steals, running the floor and everything came together.
- “That’s what it’s all about, playing together as a team,” Josh said. “Whenever we are that unselfish on the offensive end, guys are more willing to make that extra push on the defensive end.”
- “We were on a string,” Teague said. “We really got out in transition. That’s something we haven’t been doing lately. We’ve been halfcourt team the last couple games.”
- “On defense, we were right there,” Al said. “I think that’s what triggers our team, when we help each other.”
- Vlad Rad is officially out of his slump and eventually should approach his career norms. “Guys like him that get on a roll, they can just make shots in bunches,” Larry Drew said. “Every shot he takes, it looks like it was going in. He hit a couple early and you could see he was kind of feeling it.”
- Zaza took the credit: “He had Georgian food for first time today.” Vlad Rad: “Now I will eat at Zaza’s place for every pregame meal.”
- Even with the hot shooting night, Vlad passed up a couple open 3s. He’s such a clever player that sometimes it looks as if he over-thinks things instead of just letting it fly. And there are times when that cleverness leads to his teammates not being ready for his passes.
- This was the first game in which both Joe and Vlad Rad were making shots. It made a big difference.
- A night after attacking the rim with abandon, Josh was back to taking (and making) jump shots. But I’m wondering if fatigue didn’t play a factor in that. He used plenty of his juice for defense and finished with six blocked shots and four steals.
- In addition to his good work on D, Teague (6 of 8 shooting, 8 assists, no turnovers) finished strong at the basket while finding the perfect balance between attacking to score and looking to set guys up. “When Teague is aggressive like that, we are a different club,” Drew said. “When he is in attack mode, he gives us another weapon. He can turn the corner and finish on big guys. More importantly, it breaks their defense down.”
- About the only negatives for the Hawks were the six free-throw attempts (which hardly mattered with the way they were shooting 3s) and the 43-31 rebounding deficit (which mostly was due to their troubles dealing with Asik’s size ).
- By the way, the Hawks made all six of those free-throw attempts. Go figure.
- Marvin suffered that the team said is a Grade 1 ankle sprain in the first half and didn’t return. “It will probably be a situation where we are playing Vladi more at the three until we see Marvin’s status,” Drew said.
- The Hawks had the toughest schedule in the league to start the season. They came out of it with a 6-3 record and splits with Chicago and Miami.
- “Decent,” Joe said. “It wasn’t what we wanted it to be. Realistically we could have been 8-1. We let a couple get away. We have just got to try to validate this by stringing some more wins together.”
- “I think we did good,” Josh said. “It was still a little disappointing because we let a couple games get away from us. All in all I think we did a good job. We showed resilience and we played together.”
- “I think we did pretty good,” Al said. “There’s definitely a ceiling to do better. But 6-3, I will take it. It’s nine games in a short stretch of time, I will definitely take that.”
- “I think we did pretty good,” Teague said. “We let two slide. We wish we could get back. But it’s a long season. That many games in that short span, your body gets tired. I think we did a great job playing three in a row.”
- Atlanta’s schedule eases over the next week in terms of quality of opponent but the Hawks have to avoid slip-ups. “It’s not over with,” Josh said. “We have got to keep playing together. We’ve got to keep doing whatever it takes to win. We’ve got to stay focused and stay together.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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273 comments Add your comment
Strick
January 8th, 2012
7:50 pm
Very good points just Joe, but I think around 5-8 is where the falcons are in the NFC. I think hawks are top 4 in the east
Rufus1
January 8th, 2012
7:50 pm
LD and Sund may be the best combination in this city.
David Stern
January 8th, 2012
7:54 pm
Hahaha my last post was 7:21. Looks like I hurt someone’s wittle feelings. No racist in me, just calling it like I see it with this racially divided city.
Blacks love Vick, white love Ryan. Neither side cares about a title, they just want THEIR GUY to prove everyone wrong. And the result is no championships for either one. LOL
David Stern
January 8th, 2012
7:58 pm
How many of you would beter everything you own on any of these teams reaching the semifinals of their sport?
Hawks – ECF
Falcons – NFC Champ game
Braves – NLCS
UGA or Tech – Any BCS game
Doubt it. lol
Just Joe
January 8th, 2012
8:00 pm
I will say that’s it’s nice, as an Atlanta sports fan, when everyone agrees that making the playoffs is not good enough. Before Mike Smith, never back to back winning seasons. What we’re wanting this Hawks team to do (make conference finals) has never been done while in Atlanta. There’s been some bad sports teams in this city.
David Stern
January 8th, 2012
8:02 pm
Hahaha 7:55 is angry isn’t he? Whites look stupid defending Ryan just like Blacks defending Vick. I dont care about either side. But still got nothing in that trophy case. As long as you are divided, expect to get embarrassed like this every season.
Strick
January 8th, 2012
8:05 pm
Under where did u hear that
David Stern
January 8th, 2012
8:05 pm
If that fight story is true, I’ll take Al and Teague’s side. The other faction is full of overpaid underachievers lol.
d.carter
January 8th, 2012
8:05 pm
@David Stern-dusky leave the little boys alone!
d.carter
January 8th, 2012
8:12 pm
I’ll take a dumb guy who can win playoff games, instead of a smart choke artist, May you and your meth lab go up in smoke!
David Stern
January 8th, 2012
8:18 pm
Nope, impersonator at 8:09pm. I will break it down for you slowly:
Ryan = Garbage. Vick = Garbage. Atlanta = garbage teams and garbage fans.
Anyone who disagrees with that = loser. LOL
David Stern
January 8th, 2012
8:21 pm
Another impersonator at 8:17 LOL
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 8th, 2012
8:24 pm
David Stern,
I loved Charles Barkley’s criticism.
The people on The Rude Awakening were trashing TNT for Barkley’s commentary.
SMH. He was 100% Accurate. Watch the video Smith.Leuer.Bogut posted earlier. Our offense is iso BS, no easy baskets, a bunch of nice guys, no leadership.
——
Hey I got a kudos from a respected fan? Should I post the other quarters, because Smith was making smart plays all day. Not 2 bad plays to 1 good play.
—–
Schultz to Fat Smith
I spoke to him the day following one bad shooting performance in the playoffs and he said, “I know sometimes I take shots I shouldn’t. But I’m not the only one in here who takes bad shots. I just get talked about more than anybody else.”
There is some truth to that. There’s also some truth to the fact that some of coach Larry Drew’s offensive sets leave Smith out in the corner, away from the basket, although that doesn’t mean he has to shoot from out there.
—–
marvin is garbage, we’ve tried to replace him with smaller players like Mo Evans, Jamal Crawford, Flip Murray. Now we’ve found Vlad who gives us a bit more size and shooting on the break and opens up our fast break.
But if Marvin is in when Smith is in… and then Smith shoots jumpers I dont complain. Marvin = no confidence, no balance, no competence in his shooting.
What are Smith’s other options on offense when he’s playing against bigger longer 4s like Bosh?
Iso jeff
Iso Joe
Iso Marvin / Marvin for 3 (psych) -_-
Iso Horford
Smith’s making the passes he’s getting stops but at some point, Marvin has got to be benched for someone who makes up for Smith’s weaknesses and capitalizes on WIDE open shots.
Hawks Fan Down Under
January 8th, 2012
8:25 pm
The problem for the Hawks is when all players are at their best Josh is their best player. He is a lighting rod for this team. But he is the most inconsistent player on the team. Its not a question of if but when he starts jacking up long j’s, throwing no look passes out of bounds and generally stinking up the joint.
Long term it’d be better to trade Josh because if he hasnt changed over 7 years (and he hasnt) then what makes you think he’ll change now?
But of course all of this doesnt matter while LD is still coach. He’s the first who needs to go.
David Stern
January 8th, 2012
8:26 pm
Hey angry people, I’m not white. Just calling it how I see it. Don’t get mad, get better teams and fans. LOL
KevinM
January 8th, 2012
8:30 pm
You know which guys I don’t complain about? Those guys that are making the minimum on this roster. They are part of the solution so far, and really haven’t been part of the problem.
The problem, if you can call a 6-3 team who just beat last year’s #1 seed a team with problems, you see our guys who have been together a while not playing well. I know the schedule is tight, but those are the guys you aren’t expecting bad perfomrances from.
I have seen Zaza looked like he never touched the ball on the offensive end before. I have seen Marvin as the Marvin that we know.
Joe, Josh and Al are supposed to be our constants, and they aren’t.
Zaza and Marvin should be doing more, and they aren’t, which means you can’t depend on them in big games.
I’m okay with the 6-3 to start the season, and we are a 5 seed right now. I just see what we have seen so often and that is inconsistent play from basically everyone on this team and no explanation for their inconsistent play.
To ‘almost’ be 8-1 is as good as saying we ‘almost’ had interest in CP3.
It didn’t happen.
Cedric
January 8th, 2012
8:31 pm
Go Hawks…
Just Joe
January 8th, 2012
8:36 pm
Howard wants no part of the ASG.
KevinM
January 8th, 2012
8:50 pm
It will be nice if KH can add to this roster. Then you might see more of the salary cap being spent on contributors.
Dept. Of Unintended Irony
January 8th, 2012
8:51 pm
“So If thats who Orlando wants to sign and trade Howard. I say”
“DO IT KNOW!”
I say “Do It Know” what? No? Hey, what do I no?
Now you know. ROFLMAO
Just Joe
January 8th, 2012
8:52 pm
Yes, it’s very clear that Howard is listening when he’s never once mentioned Atlanta as a place he’d like to play.
Otis would be run out of town if he accepted Al Horford and a 2013 first round pick for Dwight.
KevinM
January 8th, 2012
8:52 pm
Billy Preston, where are you hearing this about a concrete offer for D12?
I can’t believe Otis would call back if you suggested Al and a 1st only.
Our 1st round slots lately are not a lot of value where we are drafting.
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 8th, 2012
9:02 pm
KevinM
Problem with Marvin vs Zaza, Zaza is a backup. Marvin is a starter and what complementary thing does he provide? He’s just there because we paid him too much and couldn’t afford another starter.
Just Joe
January 8th, 2012
9:04 pm
Smith.leuer.Bogut…..I found myself checking Leuer’s stats today. You call him a stretch 4, but I see where he’s only attempted 2 three pointers all year, and missed both. Is he just hesitant to shoot? Do you still stand by your assessment of Mr. Leuer?
KevinM
January 8th, 2012
9:04 pm
I know nothing; I just ‘think’ that D12 will cost a lot more than 2 pieces if one of the pieces aren’t Bynum.
I had not caught MC’s comments on it, so your post caught my eye as I am obviously getting in late on that talk.
As for the 1st rounder, you are lucky if you get a starter in our range as of the last few years.
Billy Pilgrim
January 8th, 2012
9:06 pm
Orlando TURNED DOWN 3 #1’s plus B. Lopez before he got hurt.
But now you say Al + a #1? I say BS.
Grandmaster JeJe
January 8th, 2012
9:13 pm
I wonder if Gearon is laughing at the Falcons now.
What a snake and a loser
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 8th, 2012
9:18 pm
Smith.leuer.Bogut…..I found myself checking Leuer’s stats today. You call him a stretch 4, but I see where he’s only attempted 2 three pointers all year, and missed both. Is he just hesitant to shoot? Do you still stand by your assessment of Mr. Leuer?
====
I’m watching him play against PHO right now. He’s playing center! He’s setting middle pick and rolls and pick and pops.
He can’t trail and stop for 3s.
Can you imagine if he would start spotting up from 3s from center? Skiles would kill him. You got Delfino, Jennings etc doing that. They’d call him a soft white guy.
His job right now is posting up centers and rebounding etc… Surprising physicality.
But yes I stand by my assessment. If you replace tweener Marvin with a “competent” shooter like Leuer and let him trail and space the floor…he’d capitalize. Similar to Vlad.
But yes standing in a corner and shooting 3s is a different role from what he’s doing. Like that he’s trying to post up Lopez. Looks like Bogut was right Leuer is showing he can hang with centers.
Ken Strickland
January 8th, 2012
9:30 pm
It appears that my earlier comments have angered some of the more ANAL MINDED of the HATERS and BASHERS that frequent our blogs. It only goes to prove how much the truth hurts. I just LOVE IT when they respond by posting under my name, and make those childish comments and insults. It lets me know that I’ve hit them where it hurts the most, and that’s so doggone satisfying. Here’s another bit of intelligent commentary for you to get upset over.
If you look at the records of the teams that contain all of the centers most of you HATERS and BASHERS want us to trade Horford, what do you come up with. According to you ANAL MINDED HATERS, who insists on claiming Horford isn’t big, tall, strong, tough, or smooth enough, shoots too much from the outside, even though he’s the NBAs best at doing it, he should be traded immediately. But what have the so called true centers you what to trade him for done?
Has TChandler done for the Knicks, or Howard for the Magic, or Bogat for the Bucks, or Gortat for the Suns, than Horford has done for the Hawks? HELL NO! STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES!!!!!!!!!!!!
FreshFromATL
January 8th, 2012
9:33 pm
Smith.Leuer.Bogut,
Shut up.
Grandad
January 8th, 2012
9:42 pm
Now Hatter; you don’t really want to trade me ?
kwooden
January 8th, 2012
9:42 pm
A Grade 1 sprain sounds like it can be tough from what I’ve read, but it’s also the least severe. I hope Marvin’s back for tomorrow’s game because he’s been playing great on the boards. I watched part of yesterday’s game (NBA League pass last day) and the HAWKS were getting great shots from their offensive set. Vlad was on fire, but he was hitting open 3s. Hopefully these guys really think they can be competitive when the real games come during the Playoffs, because they definitely have the tools. You don’t get a tougher C/PF combination then the guys the Bulls bring and the HAWKS really held their own in the rebounding department. The starters really looked dialed in last night, if they can keep that focus they will be able to overcome nights that they’re not shooting the ball well.
GO HAWKS!!
Ken Strickland
January 8th, 2012
9:43 pm
The Hawks have 12 remaining gms in Jan, with only 4 against winning teams, and 2 back to backs. This is going to be a very interesting stretch of gms where the team can take control of its own destiny. GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
David Stern
January 8th, 2012
9:44 pm
8:36 LOL another one.
KevinM
January 8th, 2012
10:07 pm
Otis still says D12 has not backed down on his trade request, and none other teams have been granted to speak with D12’s agent, so not much has changed from the original statements.
I still say if you bring in Arenas, perhaps Otis at least listens to an Al offer, because it will start with Al.
Ken S, you make this month sound very promising for the Hawks.
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 8th, 2012
10:08 pm
Wow Larry Sanders…
keepinitreal
January 8th, 2012
10:14 pm
I looked at our early schedule, with four games against Miami and Chicago, and thought we might start 4-5. So to be 6-3 with a split against both those teams feels pretty good. That was the toughest stretch we’ll have all year and now hopefully we can pad our record against some easier clubs.
What’s frustrating is we would be 8-1 with a 4-0 record against the Big Two if not for some terrible free throw shooting. Those games haunt you, because the battle for the 3-7 spots in the East is going to be fierce. The Pacers and Sixers are for real. The Celtics will get it together and make a run. The Magic, if they hang on to Dwight, are still very dangerous. The Knicks have star power that few teams can match. Throw the Hawks into that group, and you have five teams that I could see being within two or three games of each other at the end of the year.
It’s going to be a wild season at the Highlight Factory.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 8th, 2012
10:17 pm
I am going to start calling people “anal minded morons”. That is a great insult Ken Strickland.
Smith.Leuer.Bogut
January 8th, 2012
10:29 pm
If you look at the records of the teams that contain all of the centers most of you HATERS and BASHERS want us to trade Horford, what do you come up with.
Michael Jordan’s first season how many games did his team come up with a W? 38 wins.
What does team record have to do with how good they’d be on this team.
If Miami is ahead of us then According to team record, Pachulia is better than every center not named Joel Anthony.
What kind of logic is that? The kind that makes you type in all caps.
Here’s my stance KenS.
- Marvin off the bench. Lacks size on the boards, lacks shooting on the fast break, lacks slashing on fast break, lacks shooting, slashing in the halfcourt.
– He simply cannot finish plays his teammates create for him.
This comes down to Marvin Williams not being a complementary piece at all.
And “shoots too much from the outside, even though he’s the NBAs best at doing it,”
Not sure if serious. A) He doesn’t shoot enough inside. He was not as dominant as was advertised inside. Many (not me) expected 20 and 10 ie Tim Duncan. I was the 1st to say he’s peaked as a scorer. Was I wrong?
B) Best in the NBA at doing what? Avoiding inside play and adjusting for his lack of size. Well we saw what happened in playoffs.
A traditional center would dunk it or lay it in. Hell, Collins drop stepped and dunked it off of a JJ double team once.
I have no problem with AL scoring inside. I am not gonna sit here and argue whether he can become Tim Duncan in the post. He’s like a stockier shorter Bosh he’s not that guy.
DREABABY
January 8th, 2012
11:10 pm
David Stern are u a racist Zionist Jew,u r sounding very ignorant.No one here voted for Marion Berry,and Ronald Regan is not a hero,he was a evil racist prick,just like u.And fyi,i am black and i agree Matt Ryan is a better qb than Vick,but i doubt if he will ever lead the Falcons to a super bowl because,he cant handle pressure.Who the hell are u calling racist,who the hell were the slave masters.U think just like your leaders,racist,evil,and sick in the head.
Grandad
January 8th, 2012
11:21 pm
For Ken S.
My *asseveration concerning the [5] Center position.
*[anal minded] I couldn’t help myself.
(1) D.howard ain’t comin’ – confirmed by *Lang Greene.
*(source)
(2) Al is for the 3rd time in two days;
our most effecient player [this year so far] and last.
Why all the contempt ? … I’m befuddled ?
(3) Having said …………… We still need a Big !
a. one who rebounds
b. or one who can score in the post
c. or a long rim defender
** It would be nice to get all three, but;
getting all three in one pkg would come with a price we cannot afford.
*** two starters for one via trade;
does not add up and even I can do that arithmatic.
DREABABY
January 8th, 2012
11:27 pm
David STERN NEEDS TO BE BANNED FROM THIS BLOG.TALKING BOUT ANGRY BLACK MEN,HE IS AN ANGRY WHITE MAN,THATS HATING ON BLACK MEN BECAUSE THEY DOMINATE THE NBA,AND ALL THE SKILL POSITIONS IN THE NFL,EXCEPT QB.AND,TO RESPOND TO UR COMMENT ABOUT WHY WE DONT VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS,CAUSE THEY DONT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US.THE WHOLE FREAKING GOVERMENT AND ALL YOUR SECRET SOCIETIES,ARE RACIST PRICKS LIKE YOURSELF.DONT BELIEVE ME ASK TUPAC A ND MICHAEL JACKSON.OH WAIT THEY ARE DEAD,I WONDER WHO KILLED THEM AND BLAME IT ON SOMEONE ELSE,YELP THE SAME RACIST EVIL PRICKS WHO BLEW UP THE TOWERS AND BLAME IT ON THE MUSLIMS.GET THE PICTURE.U NEED TO EDUCATE YOURSELF BEFORE U OPEN UP THAT TRAP OF YOURS,STUPID PRICK.
SteveW
January 8th, 2012
11:32 pm
Jeff Teague is 3rd in the NBA in Steals per game. 1st in the NBA in the total number of steals.
Jeff is currently averaging more assists per game at 5.8 than Darren Collison, Brandon Jennings, Russell Westbrook, Ramon Sessions, Jameer Nelson, Kyrie Irving, Jrue Holiday, Jason Kidd, and Devin Harris.
Jeff has the 4th fewest TO’s per game among top 20 PG’s in assists, at 1.9 Turnovers per game
To put this in perspective, Rajon Rondo averages 4.1 turnovers per game, DeRon Williams 4.4, DRose 3.7, Steve Nash 3.6, and Kyle Lowery 3.2. And Jeff has 1.9 per game.
Not bad for Jeff. I’m glad for him.
W. R. Terrell
January 8th, 2012
11:33 pm
One of the best in the NBA (Josh Smith)? Lets see what the next 53 games look like. Eight years and what has been shown is nothing more then flashes of “POTENTIAL”, hence, the last two games and you’re gonna make him an allstar. I hope he does not continue with the outside shots but play bigman ball on the inside, rebound, do the dirty work and defend. I hope he gives the ball up to the point guard and run the floor, I hope he grows into a legitimate professional instead of a wannabe. The HAWKS are 6 and 3 after one helluva schedule but if you think all is well then I got some beach front property on 3 mile island I wanna talk with you about, I can offer you one damn good deal.
JaeEvolution
January 8th, 2012
11:46 pm
Grandad, I remember you would go on blog tears for Amir Johnson last year, whatever happened to your love for him? I would’ve liked to get him, but with his contract now he is no longer worth the price, seeing as we would have to give up someone like Zaza and take on more years.
W. R. Terrell
January 8th, 2012
11:47 pm
You really want two bad foul shooters as starters? Why, because they played highschool ball together? Al Horford gets better every year, his upside continues. Everyone is drooling over Dwight, when Orlando had talent Dwight only took them so far and he will not take Atlanta as far as Orlando. Stop wishing for a miracle because there are none available, just wish for the group that is there to play hard and earn their salary with style and dignity.
Wink
January 8th, 2012
11:54 pm
Josh has played well the last two games. He has helped get the team back on track. If Josh continues to play within his skill set he can trully help his team.
However, that is the RUB with Josh…will he play within his skill set? When he sticks to be a good help side defender, block shots, contribute offensively in the flow of the game, rebound and make the occassional jumpshot & assist he is an asset across the board.
When he takes a rebound and burst up the court and tosses up that little flip floater layup or jacks a 3…that’s what drives fans crazy!!! His after game interviews reveal a high basketball IQ in analyzing a game, but during the game he sometimes has brain freezes, which causes him to lose sight of time & score situations, as far as his agressiveness.
My belief is that he feels he has to take over in difficult spots in the game or during scoring droughts he has to make a play. One JJ does not step up to relieve this pressure from Josh and take on the burden of stagnant play.
Now I understand the true value of Jamal Crawford to this fragile team. His value was definitely not on the defensive end, but he was the only player on the team that had a SCORER MENTALITY!!!! This team does not currently have such a player in it’s Starting Five, until Josh takes it upon himself to do that, which is not a core skill he possesses, but he will TRY. Maybe unknown to us FANS Josh has ascended to the position of the player with the SCORER MENTALITY, Alpha dog with JJ dropping to 2nd in the pecking order, with Willie Green assuming the role on the 2nd unit.
So the question with Josh is whether he has taken on the role of Primary Scorer, looking to make his teammates better or is he Forcing the game, causing him to look out of control at the wrong time?
Big Crimson 75
January 9th, 2012
12:12 am
Show up Atlanta !!
This is the only Pro team in the city that’s gonna win a playoff series / game.
Go Hawks !! 8-1 would be nice, 7-2 also, they really blew the first CHI game more than the Heat game.
I like this Team.
Go Hawks
real talk
January 9th, 2012
2:18 am
If David Stern comes back on here while I’m on here, he gone hate me. Waitin to hear from u commissioner….
Grandad
January 9th, 2012
2:34 am
JaeEvolution
I still like Amir Johnson;
like him alot as a matter of fact.
He got that contract last year and good for him;
but he’s now *overpaid.
*[after the lockout & with the new NBA ecomomy]
He’s making way too many $$$ to bring him in.
Our Hawks must be frugal due to one huge share going to Joe.
**Besides – a player like Ivan Johnson can bring many of the same qualities.
Though not built the same they [Johnson & Johnson] are both fearless competitors.
Now; I think the Hawks need a player who can provide at least two
of the following three assets; which I mentioned earlier today.
*defensive rebounding / *low post scoring / *interior defense
As a spoof – sort of – to get our bloggers talkin’ hoops;
I mentioned a Josh for Bargnani trade.
In all seriousness, Bargnani has gotten off to an exceptional start this season.
He would provide “scoring” both inside and out plus he has the length
to protect the rim to a degree. [his blocks are up this year] back near his
career numbers.
The intriguing thing about AB is his B-ball IQ . (considered very very high) !
Although his rebounding is deplorable.
If we could obtain Bargnani w/o giving up Joe, Josh, Al, or Jeff …
Toronto is looking for a pg … Kirk + Marv + Zaza … ?
I doubt Toronto would go for that ?