Atlanta Hawks: Return of Harris gives Hawks flexibility at guard
Vivlamore reporting. Here is my story on Devin Harris that will appear in Wednesday’s print edition of the AJC. The Hawks play at the Pacers tonight (I am not there) and Harris is expected to make his exhibition debut.
The Hawks are just now getting an up-close look at the assets of Devin Harris. However, coach Larry Drew has known for months how he intends to use the versatile guard this season.
Harris, acquired from the Jazz in a trade for Marvin Williams on July 11, reported to the team’s facility by the end of that month to begin workouts. He began having trouble with his knee and eventually required a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) shot. Harris was cleared for full-contact practice last week. He had not appeared in any of the Hawks’ previous three exhibition games prior to Tuesday’s game at the Pacers, where he is expected to debut.
Hawks guard Devin Harris, at a recent workout, has been cleared for full-contact practice and could make his exhibition debut Tuesday at the Pacers. BOB ANDRES BANDRES@AJC.COM
The PRP shot, of Harris’ own blood, was injected to stimulate the healing of bone and soft tissue. Harris said he was limited while the injection could have its full effect.
Harris will be counted on this season, as part of a multiple-guard rotation, to replace Joe Johnson at the shooting guard position.
“At times he’s going to play (point guard),” Drew said. “At times he’s going to play (shooting guard). At times he’s going to be a combination of both.”
Harris said he does not have a preference where he plays. He has been in a similar position with the Mavericks when he played alongside Jason Terry. With the Hawks he will be sharing the court with Jeff Teague and Lou Williams, all capable of bringing the ball up court or playing the wing.
“I’ve seen the way it can work and how it can work so I have a little bit of experience,” Harris said. “It doesn’t matter who brings the ball up as long as you push the ball. A lot of the three guards can do similar things. We all can space the floor. We all can get in the paint and score. We all can get to the free-throw line. If we have two guys out there at the same time who can do that, it’s going to be tough to guard.”
Originally drafted by the Wizards out of Wisconsin in 2004 (fifth overall), Harris was a draft-night trade to the Mavericks, where he played the first three-plus seasons of his career. He was traded to the Nets, where he was named an All-Star in 2008-09. After two-plus seasons he was sent to the Jazz, where he spent the past two seasons before being acquired by the Hawks. Last season Harris played in 63 games, all starts, and averaged 11.3 points, 5.0 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 27.4 minutes. He had a career-best .362 3-point field goal percentage.
“I was excited,” Harris said of the latest trade that caught him by surprise. “Atlanta has always been a good team. They made the playoffs the last five years. I like their style of play and their approach to the game. It is a good fit for me.”
Harris admits to being “a little rusty” as he gets back into full-contact action. He has spent part of his team on the bench working with Teague, showing the younger player the ins and outs of playing on and off the basketball. It’s a role both Harris and Drew want for the veteran.
“I try to give examples of things I’ve done in the past,” Harris said. “I’m constantly talking to Jeff during games about things I see. I encourage guys to do the same because I all have to hold each other accountable.”
Drew said he expects Harris help Teague get comfortable playing without the ball, something he hasn’t done since college.
The coach has been waiting to get Harris back to full health so he can start to see his original plans come to life.
“I know enough about him,” Drew said. “When we first made the acquisition, I knew exactly how I wanted to use him. He’s been on the sideline watching a lot prior to him coming back so I knew exactly how I wanted to use him once he was cleared to go full tilt. It’s just a matter of inserting him in there and utilizing him the way I envisioned.”
- Chris Vivlamore
THE LATEST NEWS
* Harris could make debut Tuesday
* Hawks report: More defense, tweets
* Williams kept eye and ear on Hawks
* Three players vying for two roster spots
* Hawks serve it up at The Varisty
* Practice report: Defense, cuts and tweets
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147 comments Add your comment
vava74
October 16th, 2012
11:34 am
Translation:
I will coax Teague into playing off the ball so I can get the starting PG position for me…
MsDee
October 16th, 2012
11:34 am
Looking forward to seeing Harris in there feeding Horford exactly where he will be effective!
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
11:35 am
doc, tell us about this PRP injection and what it means for the remainder of the season. Does he have to sit out a few games if he requires another injection during the long, long season? (Like how baseball players usually have to sit out a few games and wait for that pain-killing injection they sometimes take to set it).
jgsbirds
October 16th, 2012
11:36 am
can’t wait to see him on the court tonight!
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
11:39 am
Coritisone shot… that’s what I was referring to… I often hear about baseball players (like McCann) getting a cortisone shot and taking 2-3 days off while it kicks in.
Slimjr
October 16th, 2012
11:58 am
Now this dude can finish! Show em how its done Mr Allstar!!!!
Slimjr
October 16th, 2012
12:00 pm
The Dynamic duo of [Lou] + [Devin]!! Get your popcorn ready!
Just Joe
October 16th, 2012
12:03 pm
He can finish (65% close to basket), but like a lot of other Hawks, he prefers to shoot jumpers (77% of his shot attempts).
Slimjr
October 16th, 2012
12:15 pm
Larry must be [drooling], to get Teague off the ball and eventually off the court…lol…
Big Ray
October 16th, 2012
12:29 pm
I honestly don’t have a “dog” in this proverbial fight.
I hope Harris can positively influence Teague, and I’ll leave it at that.
In the end, you have to want the best guy on the floor at a given position at the right time. It’s good that Harris says he’s not worried about his specific role, but any veteran player who has been there and done that is going to say this. What is really needed out of him besides this “mentoring” is a strong sense of competitiveness, because that brings the best out in guys…or at least out of the guys who are willing to maintain that attitude. Who knows if it will bring the best out in Teague or not. We shall see.
What is known is that this is the most talented and versatile group of point guard types that we’ve had in who knows how many years.
Notice I didn’t say the most talented backcourt we’ve ever had.
Just the most versatile at one particular position – PG. There is no slow guy in this group. There is no guy incapable of getting to the basket if he really wants to. Teague’s greatest strength in this group would be defensive capability, I think…though Harris might teach him a thing or two in this department. Meanwhile, Teague’s greatest weakness among this group is his midrange/outside shooting. But that is where the other two come in…both can sling it from distance and do so consistently.
Where they hurt is in size/strength when playing the wing. Hopefully, the proper use of speed and aggression will help offset some of that, and when it can’t, we are going to have to count on Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson, and possibly Kyle Korver to make up the difference.
This could be interesting. I do find it interesting that LD says he already knows EXACTLY how and where he wants to use Devin. Huh….
Big Ray
October 16th, 2012
12:33 pm
Astro Joe makes a good point about Harris, his knee, and these PRP shots.
This is something LD is going to have to account for – Harris may be a guy who can only put in 40-50 games with significant minutes played. It’s worth noting that he played 63 games last season out of a possible 66. However, knee problems rarely go away quickly, and frequently….they stick around as a player gets older.
So on the one hand, we’re excited about Devin, as is LD. On the other hand, he has to consider that he may not always have Devin around to be used “exactly has he has envisioned” and he’ll need a plan B…and a plan C….and so forth.
Gotta keep it loose and flexible, LD. Can you do that?
Big Ray
October 16th, 2012
12:39 pm
Slimjr ,
I think LD is drooling at having more options with outside shooting capability (something he seems to like) for if/when Teague is not meeting his “needs” as it were.
I’ve always thought Teague needed to get a reliable outside shot going…more importantly finding a better way to get that shot off in the NBA…it’s different playing off the ball in college. Not all the guys you face are 6′4″ or bigger along with the quickness to stay with you. In the NBA, there are guys like Deshawn stevenson who at 6′5″ can stay with a lot of 6′2″ guys or guard guys at 6′7″, though Stevenson isn’t quite as quick as he once was…he’s still a tough customer.
But then you look at Lou Williams, who is Teague’s height or an inch shorter, and dude gets his shot off all the time. So Teague has a lot of example that can be provided for him…he’ll be a one-trick pony if he doesn’t get that ability to get himself enough space to shoot, and be able to hit that shot. Teams will close the lanes down and we know he’s not a great finisher in traffic sometimes. That’s another thing he can work on. And we know he can do it from some of the dunks he has thrown down.
We’ll see how it goes…
falCans
October 16th, 2012
12:42 pm
Trade Horford for a back up center and legitimate wing. Start ZaZa. Smoove fa president
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
1:03 pm
ANAL MINDED MORON alert at 12:42pm.
vava74
October 16th, 2012
1:09 pm
Ken is always lurking…
doc
October 16th, 2012
1:12 pm
prp is a an injection of special cells from one’s own body into an injured part. these are cells from the plasma that is rich in growth factors. it is used to theoretically stimulate growth of injured tissues primarily used for partial tears and cartilage injuries.
tiger and kobe are the biggest users to date, though some may be tainted with other substances like growth hormone that would be picked up in testing. kobe had his done in europe where it gained favor first, tiger brought in a steroid/gh doc to administer his in fl at his home is the word.
brandon roy seems to have resuscitated his career with it. time will tell. kobe could barely walk off the court after 2010 playoffs if i remember, then had a pretty good year following health wise.
aj without any other info, to me, it is a red flag. i tend to worry about harris’ durability which will be based on how much damage was really in there to be repaired. only time will tell. i wouldnt expect 30 minutes and up every night. it is a contract year so that works in our favor, as he will give it his all.
O'Brien
October 16th, 2012
1:13 pm
Aren’t we too rich at SG? Harris will see minutes at SG, I assume Lou Williams will see minutes at SG, and I assume Stevenson will see minutes at SG. Plus we still have Anthony Morrow and John Jenkins left over. I’m really surprised Danny did not find a trade already for Morrow.
tom
October 16th, 2012
1:15 pm
Jsmoove an allstar this year? I hope so!
vava74
October 16th, 2012
1:24 pm
OB,
Morrow is semi-local due to his GT connection and Smoove’s buddy.
Might not be the best internal PR move.
Just Joe
October 16th, 2012
1:29 pm
Not a fan of this system. Teague & Harris should never be on the floor together. One needs to claim the starting PG spot, and the other needs to be a traditional backup. Simple as that. Playing time should be based on performance. We have plenty of guys for the off-guard position.
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
1:31 pm
doc, thanks.
Big Ray, I think they are all cut from the same cloth. So maybe versatile but redundant?
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
1:31 pm
VALVA74-And you know that. The internet allows ANAL MINDED MORONS the annonimity they need to enter adult sites and submit their ANAL MINDED COMMENTS, and we see examples of that happening day in and day out all day long. It’s a lot like SLIMJR complaining about me using the Miami Heat multiple times as an example of a team that’s so called undersized overcoming that issue and winning it all.
That’s definitely an ANAL MINDED position to take for an individual who, over the past couple of seasons, has focused between 80-90% of his comments on bashing Al Horford. But then again, what else can one expect from an ANAL MINDED MORON, because STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES!! But to give credit where credit is due, SLIMJR isn’t nearly as ANAL MINDED as STEVEN A SMITH.
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
1:41 pm
This yrs Hawks will have a lot of speed, quickness, athleticism, talent, depth, versatility, shooting and penetrating ability, and a lot of question marks.
doc
October 16th, 2012
1:56 pm
aj it is much different than a cortisone shot that only reduces inflammation without fixing it and maybe allowing more injury to occur. this is because you dont give the body time to do its thing and heal. you got something hurt so mask it and then go all out to see if you can injure it more mentality. pretty dumb.
doc
October 16th, 2012
1:57 pm
prp requires one to sit out a natural cycle of healing which according to the books is anywhere from 30 to 45 days for inflammation that is bringing in cells to heal, scar tissue setting up then the body redefining the scar into more pliable and normal appearing tissue.
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
1:59 pm
vava, unless the Hawks decide to only offer Josh a 4-year deal, I wouldn’t expect him to make a decision about his next contract based on the presence of a friend. I think Josh would be walking away from around $20M, even if his salary started around $14M, if he opted for someone else’s 4 year deal over the Hawks 5 year contract. I think this new CBA will make it super challenging for UFAs who are young & productive enough to get a 5-year deal, to leave their team. IMO, the best move would be to sign a 2-3 year deal with another team and then sign an extension to lock in some stability over a total of 5-6 years. But even then, that player would be leaving some near-term money on the table.
doc
October 16th, 2012
2:00 pm
aj to reenact what is happening, all you have to do is remember a really bad road rash off a bike or a bad scrape. remember how it oozed, firmed up into a scab, peeled off, then got hard only to soften over time?
doc
October 16th, 2012
2:02 pm
we tend to get in the way of it however. it occurs essentially inside or outside the body by the same “plasma” mediated events. that ooze you saw as a kid, all yellow and draining is plasma. viola!
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
2:03 pm
doc, so not only does it sound like he could potentially miss some time, but also that he may not be tradeable.
doc
October 16th, 2012
2:04 pm
that is the body doing its miracle of healing.
f*ck the blog moster. if that isnt some sh!t.
it would allow me to post that in its entirety.
stupid.
doc
October 16th, 2012
2:07 pm
lets say deven fr the next contract will be a little more willing to push beyond the pain than your fave speedy
it is still experimental really and the different grades of injury are part of how well it does. it may be the next best thing and keep total knees down. if it comes to it or a total knee i’ll follow kobe, tiger and brandon for sure. so, i follow these things with interest for sure.
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
2:12 pm
We should have kept Jordan Farmar so that we could have had yet another speedy PG to add to the collection of Teague, Devin & LouWill.
Slimjr
October 16th, 2012
2:16 pm
BRay with a scoring mentality which comes very early in your basketball life you learn over the years how to get your [shot] off regardless of what level your playing at.
Teague need a reliable shot yesterday..
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
2:22 pm
96 backcourt minutes… probably 80+ minutes will be split across Teague, LouWill and Devin (assuming good health). That’s a lot of small-ball.
jlewis
October 16th, 2012
2:47 pm
Josh an all-star? Unless the fans vote him in, it’s probably not happening. The coaches vote for the reserves and unless the Hawks are seriously in the playoff hunt he can forget it. Let’s not forget what he said about it being a “butt-kissing” league to make all-star and David Stern snubbing him when the time came for a replacement.
We reap what we sow young man.
O'Brien
October 16th, 2012
2:56 pm
AJ,
Not only is it a lot of small ball, but that only leaves 16 minutes for Stevenson, Morrow, and John Jenkins. It’s hard to establish any kind of trade value for guys if they are not getting PT.
cp
October 16th, 2012
3:19 pm
If you have direct tv the game is on tv tonight. channel 755
i_am_soulstar
October 16th, 2012
3:33 pm
I need in a live stream in my life.
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
4:33 pm
DOC-Please, that’s enough. I’m very excited about having Devin on our team, and even though I didn’t expect him to start, I had no idea how potentially serious his injury might be. Now we know why Utah was so willing to trade him for Marvin. It wasn’t a matter of them wanting Marvin, but more a matter of wanting to get rid of Devin.
He can still be a valuable contributor to the team. Your description of his problem might also be why LDrew said he knows exactly how he intends to use him. I guess all of you who have been wanting Drew to start Devin and bench Teague will be sorely disappointed.
Grandad
October 16th, 2012
4:37 pm
I really wish you folks could grasp the concept of five man basketball.
The Miami Heat [due to LBJ] have popularized this concept.
LBJ is playing the [4] `(so to speak) ‘ this season;
but what does it matter.
LBJ plays virtually all five positions;
because, LeBron is a basketball player.
Or, as yawl would say – a ” baller ” !
* [the best baller in the world] – but still.
High school and small college teams
have embraced this concept for years, nay, for all time.
What our Hawks are doing is simply flowing with the times.
* [keeping up with the cutting edge within basketball]
Multiple guards that can play [1] or [2];
supplemented by a slew of [2`s] that can “fill it up” !
[3] by committee:
Korver, James, Morrow, Josh, DeSS, and maybe even Big Bad Ivan !
Ou front court has the same versatility:
combinations centered around the tandem of [Josh & Al].
Josh & Al [plus]:::: Zaza, Ivan, Damion, KKorv, or ?
Any slice you weigh it – five basketball players on the floor
at the same time !
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
4:38 pm
CP-Don’t you have to subscribe to NBA LEAGUE PASS to get any NBA gms in the 700 channels?
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
4:48 pm
GRANDAD-Never stop trying to get some of our fans to understand there is more than one way to play basketball, even at the NBA level. It looks like Drew has already decided on who his SF will be(DJames), so he’s looking to see who he wants at the teams final starting position that’s undecided(SG). All of the other starting positions have already been decided:
SF-DJames
C-AHorford
PF-JSmith
PG-JTeague
SG-? Probably Morrow or Jenkins
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
4:55 pm
OB, yeah. of course, that assume reasonable health from Devin.
If Devin’s knee is going to be gimpy (and we’ve seen some positive examples with Kobe and Amare for the most part that 24+ minutes isn’t out of the question), then I’m hoping that Devin does NOT start to avoid the disruption to that line-up when he needs to rest. I go back to what I said earlier, start one offensive minded player at one wing and a defender at the other wing. That could be (as an example) Morrow & James as a tandem or Stevenson and Korver as a tandem. And a gimpy Devin means more PG minutes for Lou.
Grandad
October 16th, 2012
5:00 pm
Ken S
Thanks for the encouragement.
doc
October 16th, 2012
5:26 pm
ken, just like us, grandad is too old to change. heh heh
Grandad
October 16th, 2012
5:29 pm
doc
I quit wearin` drawers just so I wouldn`t have to change `em.
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
5:30 pm
Grandad, I personally understand the concept. But there are still dynamics like size and the ability to play effective on both sides of the floor and the ability to play various styles of ball (fast, slow, grind-it-out, fast paced, etc.). I get that the positions are blurring… but there will still be times that you need a guy who can deliver the ball to the right person at the right time without turning it over. You still need someone with a great understanding of time and score and situation. Someone who knows when to push the ball and when to slow it down. There are still a slew of nuances that come in the form of basketball IQ (I guess) coupled with some floor leadership and ball handling skills. It’s an evolving, complex matrix… which is exactly what makes it a GREAT game.
doc
October 16th, 2012
5:47 pm
just avoid the pampers for seniors dude.
steven a smith
October 16th, 2012
5:59 pm
Coach Mike Fratello of NBA-TV suggested if he were head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, he would start Zsa Zsa Pachulia at the “5″ and Al Horford at the “4″. However, he does not think that Josh Smith is a natural “3″
Grandad
October 16th, 2012
6:01 pm
A J … agreed
Basketball IQ is the key !
More so than size differential or skill set.
However;
versatility of players make easier on the coach.
For exp:
Zaza is the one guy on our team who is a one pos player.
* (I don`t even count JPet)
But Zaza can play in conjunction with all sorts of combos.
exp – alongside Al & Josh.
* Same with JJenkins – exp – alongside Lou and Morrow.
Grandad
October 16th, 2012
6:02 pm
* [it]
steven a smith
October 16th, 2012
6:06 pm
falCans
October 16th, 2012
12:42 pm
Trade Horford for a back up center and legitimate wing. Start ZaZa. Smoove fa president
THIS GUY IS SMARTER THAN MOST OF THESE BLOG “IDIOTS” WHO SUGGEST THAT WE START AL SCRUB HORFORD AT THE 5. I LISTENED TO HORFORD SPEAK ON NBA-TV LAST NIGHT AND CONSEQUENTLY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT HE WOULD BE AN OUTSTANDING BROADCASTER. CENTER, NOT SO MUCH.
Grandad
October 16th, 2012
6:08 pm
s. a. s.
Zsa Zsa is a Gabor and an Hungarian Woman.
Zaza is a Pachulia and a Georgia Man !
cp
October 16th, 2012
6:12 pm
@Ken. Im not sure
Buddy Grizzard
October 16th, 2012
6:16 pm
Gothic Ginobli has a really positive capsule on Spot-up Joe
http://gothicginobili.com/?p=4556
AG
October 16th, 2012
6:29 pm
Yeah, watched that Hawk preview also. Shaq and Brevin also agreed that Al should stay at the 5, but Brevin said because Josh is better at the 4. At some point LD should establish the starting 5 and allow for continuity. I know I keep changing, I guess because I don’t watch the practices. Thus far, Morrow may have the edge at 2, James at 3. I think that is important because James cannot score.
Grandad
October 16th, 2012
7:00 pm
For `AG ‘ and those who say James cannot score:
Perhaps not;
but he can defend and more importantly he can Rebound !
He brings a ton of intangibles to the table,
as well as the mind-set to be a defensive stopper.
They keep the (+/-) stat for a reason;
for every two points he prevents, it becomes a (+2) in the above stat.
Also there is only one ball and four other guys to shoot it.
Besides;
James may not be a pure shooter buit can score in other ways:
off rebs, his strength / cuts & finishes, another strength,
getting out & running / etc.
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
7:00 pm
DOC-I’m not too old to change, just too doggone stubborn, heh, heh.
High-sider
October 16th, 2012
7:21 pm
Mike Fratello and Brevin Knight of NBA TV basically predicted that the Hawks would NOT make the playoffs this season. Mike Fratello also stated that if the Hawks DID MAKE the playoffs this season, LD should be named COY [Coach of the Year]. You bloggers are delusional if you think the Hawks are a “lock” for the 5th, 6th or 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. If you think that is the case, then I got a “Bridge-to-Nowhere” to sell ya that I just “picked up” from Gov. [Sarah] Palin. And y’all thought “Danny Boy” [Dan Ferry] was “doin’ his thing” during the offseason with all those player movements. [smh]
ECF or Bust!
October 16th, 2012
7:22 pm
trading a big for a small is risky business. now we find out the small has bad wheels. not looking good at this moment. hope for the best.
High-sider
October 16th, 2012
7:28 pm
Is the link for the Hawks-Pacers game on “FirstRow Sports” in audio only?
http://thefirstrow.eu/watch/147077/1/watch-indiana-pacers-vs-atlanta-hawks.html
AG
October 16th, 2012
7:29 pm
the game was on direct tv.. all of a sudden it is blacked out???
paian
October 16th, 2012
7:30 pm
@high-sider
Maybe because most aren’t close-minded like yourself. You should learn to be more optimistic.
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
7:30 pm
GRANDAD-I agree with you on James. While he might not be able to create his own shot, he could have the same ability to put himself in position to be the recipient of a lot of penetrate and dish opportunities from Teague, Harris and Williams. Besides, when we need serious scoring from the 3, all we have to do is put Korver or Morrow at the 3.
When it comes to DEF, IT APPEARS James could be as good if not better than JJ. When it comes to rebounding and finishing strong at the rim, he’s definitely an upgrade over JJ. He’s certainly shown enough passing skills to make JJs loss much less of an issue in that dept. Shooting, scoring and ball handling are the only areas he’s lacking in comparison to JJ, and we have Harris, Williams, Korver, Morrow, and Jenkins to compensate for that.
This is going to be an exciting team and an exciting season.
AG
October 16th, 2012
7:31 pm
HS – yes I was a little confused about that. The Hawks will make the playoffs. I hope you selling that bridge pretty cheap
ag
October 16th, 2012
7:37 pm
Grandad, if James is a good finisher, I am okay with that. I just don’t want teams to do James like they would do Marvin – put their worst defender on him – or just don’t check him at all. I have never seen him play, so all I am going off of is the box scores and bloggers. I will see him Thursday.
High-sider
October 16th, 2012
7:39 pm
LD should begin the regular season with the following starting lineup:
G – J. Teague
G – L. Williams
G – D. Harris
F – J. Smith
C – A. Horford
On defense, the Hawks should deploy [a] 1-2-2 zone with the above [proposed] lineup. [LOL]
cp
October 16th, 2012
7:39 pm
Im watching the game on direct tv. The first quarter just ended. I like Lou but its clear dude is not a pg. James and Tolliver look like they will get the last two spots. James is a very good rebounder and a lot better passer than I thought. Mike Scott is a solid rebounder but it looks like he will have trouble finishing around the rim against length. Teague had some nice passes in the first. Devin looks fast and was really pushing the rock. Devin and Lou will get to the line a lot this year. Ill be back after the second quarter
steven a smith
October 16th, 2012
7:40 pm
“Anyone who thinks that we currently have an “NBA READY SMALL FORWARD” on our roster is simply put IDIOTIC. Tolliver will be a suitable back-up at best!!!
steven a smith
October 16th, 2012
7:47 pm
Also, i can see Larry Drew starting Damion James at the “3″. Drew and anyone who projects such a line-up is absolutely “MORONIC”. Having said that, i do believe that this is Drews last season in “The ATL”
High-sider
October 16th, 2012
7:47 pm
I was trying to catch the “new-look” Brooklyn Nets on NBA TV but none of the projected [regular season] starters are starting.
cp
October 16th, 2012
7:47 pm
Teague’s defensive effort tonight looks much better. He is really getting after the ballhandler. I like what im seeing from Harris so far too. The Hawks are not shooting well at all but they are getting to the line and causing turnovers.
Jae Evolution
October 16th, 2012
7:47 pm
Jeff Teague is everywhere right now, forcing turnovers and hounding Ben as soon as he crosses halfcourt.
prison mike
October 16th, 2012
7:51 pm
I’m already prepared for 4-13 shooting nights for Lou as long as he gets to the free throw line it’s cool.
High-sider
October 16th, 2012
7:51 pm
Poll:
In the spirit of election season, who’s [the] better [scrub]? [Johan] Petro vs. [Kwame] Brown
Jae Evolution
October 16th, 2012
7:52 pm
Haha damn Jeff Teague playing crazy aggressive right now.
ntrigue
October 16th, 2012
7:56 pm
Anybody know where I can watch the game at?
cp
October 16th, 2012
7:59 pm
I like Zaza but man he always finds a way to blow a great pass. Petro is so bad that LD is going with Ivan against Hibbert. Petro hasnt seen the court.
paian
October 16th, 2012
8:03 pm
oh god someone tell the lunatic to stop with the brackets he over uses them
ag
October 16th, 2012
8:04 pm
cp .. what channel, 755 is not working
ag
October 16th, 2012
8:10 pm
Pick n roll, WIlliams to Pachulla, looks like he would score easily before his shot was blocked by Hibbert…. I certainly am not surprised!
cp
October 16th, 2012
8:21 pm
755 on direct tv. You might have to be a subscriber though, I have no idea
High-sider
October 16th, 2012
8:21 pm
@paian
paian
October 16th, 2012
8:03 pm
oh god someone tell the lunatic to stop with the brackets he over uses them
—————————————————————————————————-
Why you [paian] gettin’ funky [on me]?!?!?!?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJJUyr33HC8
prison mike
October 16th, 2012
8:22 pm
Don’t see ‘Ferry offering zsa zsa a contract this summer, we’ll see.
Big Ray
October 16th, 2012
8:32 pm
stephen a. smith ,
Coach Mike Fratello of NBA-TV suggested if he were head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, he would start Zsa Zsa Pachulia at the “5″ and Al Horford at the “4″. However, he does not think that Josh Smith is a natural “3″
Therein lies the dilemma. You absolutely have to have your best guys on the floor. Zaza is, as grandad asserted, undeniably a Center and nothing else.
Of course, the problem with starting him at Center is you then have who/what at backup Center? Ivan Johnson? Tough and mean, and certainly able to outplay his height, but he’s also our backup PF. So unless Tolliver or Mike Scott is a viable backup at the 4, we have Ivan pulling double duty, and unless he’s on the floor at all times with either Josh or Al, he’s in there by himself.
The other issue is foul trouble and the “2 foul rule” that LD likes to employ. But then, a lot of times have that issue (foul trouble, and/or the effects that it can have, depending on coaching and credible depth).
And of course, there is the issue of Josh Smith actually being a SF. It’s definitely an issue offensively because it causes him to hang around the perimeter a lot more than he really should and may also have him starting with the ball further away from the basket. Despite the fact that Smith’s handles have improved, it’s his matchup against bigger/slower PFs that gives him an advantage against some opponents when driving to the basket. Put him up against the quicker SF types and he’ll get stripped a lot, especially with other Guards nearby.
The trick to this sort of lineup with Josh at the 3 is to get him into position where he can either post up the smaller SFs he might face, or get him matched up against PFs. Of course, that requires convincing him to post up….and there I digress.
I’m not sure we will see Josh and Al on the same team after this season. And this sort of issue is exactly one reason why we may not. But we’ll see.
Big Ray
October 16th, 2012
8:38 pm
As for Larry Drew, I simply do NOT see how he stays beyond this season.
We need a real NBA head coach, and considering what we’ve heard and seen from Danny Ferry, I can’t see him not going out and getting one.
cp
October 16th, 2012
8:39 pm
Scott has absolutely no athleticism.
Melvin
October 16th, 2012
8:42 pm
Watching Celtics/Nets. Can’t help but think that Blatche and Childress would’ve been great min vet pickups for the Hawks.
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
8:43 pm
Big Ray, my guess is that Ferry will take a crack at prying Mike Budenholzer from Popovich’s side next year. And I’m sure that he has a few other guys on his wish list. Some of it could be based on the roster… some coaches would be better with one type of roster vs. another. But yeah, this will surely be LD’s last season with the Hawks. And I for one, have no issue with him staying for the full ‘12-13 season. Red Auerbach isn’t getting this team into the 2nd round of the playoffs.
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
8:46 pm
Melvin, Blatche looked good in the few minutes I watched.
Melvin
October 16th, 2012
8:51 pm
Astro,
He look to be revived and in great shape. I always knew he had the skills, just needed to get his mental capacity together….
cp
October 16th, 2012
8:53 pm
Jenkins might turn out to be a fine player but I think Perry Jones should have been the pick. He would have been a better fit
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
8:54 pm
I see that Hibbert has 6 blocks through 3 quarters. Pacers have 13 overall.
cp
October 16th, 2012
8:54 pm
@Melvin I was thinking the same thing after watching him play against the Wizards the other night.
paian
October 16th, 2012
9:00 pm
i noticed we have 10 off reb, alot of hustlers out there
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
9:03 pm
So Josh Childress is wearing #2 and Joe is #7? That’s different.
cp
October 16th, 2012
9:08 pm
I really like what I see from James. Dude gets to the glass
cp
October 16th, 2012
9:16 pm
Teague has set up his teammates well tonight. Tolliver has had a nice game too.
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
9:34 pm
Pacers have a lot of TOs due to a bunch of steals from the Hawks. That would suggest a good use of their speed on defense. We may see more games like this, other team swats our shots while we steal their passes.
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
9:35 pm
Final box score.
http://www.nba.com/games/20121016/ATLIND/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0011200053#nbaGIboxscore
paian
October 16th, 2012
9:35 pm
if damion james doesnt make the team i am gonna be peed off
cp
October 16th, 2012
9:40 pm
Harris missed a free throw that would have tied the game up..Tolliver then missed a 3 that would have given them a lead. They lost but it was a good game. Like I said earlier I think Tolliver and James have locked up the last two spots.
Astro Joe
October 16th, 2012
9:49 pm
cp, Hawks need another PG. Especially if Devin may not be able to play in back-to-back games. Maybe they can figure out a way to flip one of the 17 SGs for a 3rd string PG.
Duane Ferrell
October 16th, 2012
10:08 pm
The Hawks needs to sign another center. They have a decision to make about Johan Petro and maybe one of our shooting guards. I do like Anthony Tolliver and Damion James and I hope they both make the team. The Hawks need to sign one more big who can rebound and disrupt some shots.
Harpie
October 16th, 2012
10:14 pm
Tthe Hawks are going nowhere until they get a decent coach. Larry Drew hasn’t a clue!
Buddy Grizzard
October 16th, 2012
10:21 pm
Not much to say on this one since all I caught was radio:
http://repatl.blogspot.com/2012/10/would-you-invite-anthony-tolliver-over.html
Rod from College Park
October 16th, 2012
10:31 pm
Melvin,
” Can’t help but think that Blatche and Childress would’ve been great min vet pickups for the Hawks.”
We both agreed about Blatche earlier in the summer, unlike many on this blog. I would feel a lot better about this team with Blatche starting at the 3 or the 4.
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
10:32 pm
There aren’t many gms left for DStevenson, JAnderson, and CJohnson, and even JPetro, to show they deserve to make the team. I think it’s safe to assume that KKorver, AMorrow, ATolliver, LWilliams, DHarris, IJohnson, JSmith, AHorford, ZPachulia, JTeague, and DJames will be on the 12 man active roster.
It’s hard to say who’ll be the 12th man to make the active roster, with MScott, JJenkins, JAnderson, and JPetro as candidates. With Zaza as our primary backup, and the continued use of Ivan at C, Petro just might end up as one of our inactives. After completing a very difficult season with Ivan as our primary backup center, we can certainly make it with him as our 3rd string backup center.
paian
October 16th, 2012
10:33 pm
harpie coaching in the preseason doesnt really matter… the games dont count
doc
October 16th, 2012
10:37 pm
this guy nailed it on josh:
http://gothicginobili.com/?p=4549
steven a smith
October 16th, 2012
10:42 pm
Johan Petro is an NBA center. He can defend the post better than our current centers, SCRUBS!!!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
10:56 pm
Like i have always try to save LD Job, but he will continue to be ignorant and will be coach less at the end of the season.
When will he learn when you have no superstars on your team you must build them defensively, if he continue to starte this smallesh lineup Hawks will not win 35games this year.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Artman
October 16th, 2012
10:59 pm
Why is it that when I really a really ignorant comment, that steven a smith is often the name next to it?
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
10:59 pm
This Jeff Teague team hand him over the keys and let him become the floor general and run the show.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
11:03 pm
Danny Ferry are there any backup center left that can defend the paint.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
11:07 pm
STARTERS TEAGUE, LOU, JOSH, HORFORD, ZAZA
BENCH DEVIN, MORROW, KORVER, IVAN, ?
RESERVE JENKINS, ?, ?,
GET THIS TEAM A BACK UP CENTER WHO CAN DEFEND THE PAINT
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
steven a smith
October 16th, 2012
11:11 pm
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
11:03 pm
Danny Ferry are there any backup center left that can defend the paint.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get this team a real center!!!!
steven a smith
October 16th, 2012
11:15 pm
“Lord of the IDIOTS and his Band of Brothers will hopefully join Horford and Marvin in Utah, SOON!!!
Please Danny get us a center asap. ROY HIBBERT had 6 Blocks against uo 2-night…
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
11:15 pm
2013 steven a smith, wait the patients of the saints.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
11:17 pm
I got to watch the 2nd half of tonights gm and I noticed how easily Williams, Harris and Teague attacked their transition DEF and got into the lane. That was a direct result of us pushing the ball up the floor and attacking before they set their DEF up. We simply missed too many easy shots, but that will come with time.
The new aggressiveness of Teague, along with the addition of Harris and Williams, will definitely benefit the athleticism and excellent hands of Josh and Horford. Can you believe DJames got 8 rebounds in just over 11mins? If he continues his excellent rebounding and DEF into the regular season, which he should, we’ll be solid at SF.
I also noticed that Drew played a lot of combinations of Teague, Harris and Williams together. Their so called lack of size certainly didn’t seem to be an issue in this gm, as they used their speed and quickness to pressure the ball and cause a lot of steals and turnovers.
steven a smith
October 16th, 2012
11:18 pm
Lord of the Idiots aka Sen Ktrickland. This Klan of “Stat Geeks” know nothing about Basketball except that it is round!!!!
steven a smith
October 16th, 2012
11:20 pm
Once again “Geniuses, ROY HIBBERT had 6 Blocks, Hawks Lose, PEROID. End of conversation!!!
Big Ray
October 16th, 2012
11:21 pm
Funny to hear it and agree, but the Hawks DO need a backup PG. But maybe that’s also why LD put Lou at the point a few times to see how he did. He’ll likely be coming off the bench after all. Still, that’s not the best use of him, just as it wasn’t the best use of Jamal Crawford. Why duplicate the same mistake?
Of course, this season won’t have near the meaning as the following seasons after that, so maybe the Hawks organization is willing to live with what they have as far as pg options. One never knows.
As for another big to do the dirty work down low, I don’t really see that coming this season, either. I think Ferry handles that next offseason when he TRULY goes to work on the roster (not that he won’t consider any potentially very good/very solid moves that may or may not come his way during THIS season). Not looking for any splashes at the trade deadline, especially if they compromise next offseason’s salary cap abundance in any significant way.
Big Ray
October 16th, 2012
11:28 pm
Ken S. ,
Well, the “new” aggression of Teague isn’t all that new. We saw him be aggressive as all get out against the Bulls in the 2nd round of the playoffs two years ago.
I’m not arguing with you, but I’m more interested with “consistently aggressive” Teague. I think Jeff sometimes lets the defense dictate his aggression level to the point of where he looks absolutely listless in some games. He has to figure out a way to ALWAYS be on the attack. If he does, he’ll get better results, and so will the team.
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
11:32 pm
ANAL MINDED MORON alert at 10:42pm.
Ken Strickland
October 16th, 2012
11:42 pm
BIG RAY-Teague doesn’t appear to be naturally aggressive by nature. Having a ball and OFF dominating player like JJ, and a HC that allowed him to have his way, probably have a lot to do with how Teague reacted to playing the position. After all, Teague knew full well that Drew was more than ready to make Hinrich his new MBibby and send Teague to the bench if given a chance.
I think we’ll see a far more aggressive JTeague, due to JJs absence and the acquisition of Harris and Williams. I also think that playing a style of OFF that definitely suits his abilities and takes full advantage of his speed, quickness, athleticism and penetrating ability helps. And I wouldn’t overlook the influence that Ferry and his more hands on approach is having on Teague.
I’m also on board with you and ASTRO JOEafter the season
Big Ray
October 16th, 2012
11:48 pm
Yeah, Hibbert had six blocks. He’s lucky he didn’t have to deal with his nemesis Al horford, or with Josh Smith. Horford has literally eaten Hibbert’s lunch dang near every time the Hawks have played them. Hibbert is better than he was a year or two ago, but he’s still too slow to deal with Al, who beat him up on the glass (and scoring) each time. Then there’s Josh Smith, who is even quicker and presents other issues as well. Hibbert can’t help on Josh Smith, much less guard him. And Al’s jumper would pull Hibbert away from the basket if he’s hitting it.
I mean really, who did Hibbert have to contend with? Zaza got his shot blocked 3 times. He plays below the rim, so he’s ALWAYS getting his shot blocked. Mike Scott – twice…a weak rookie. Lou Williams and Jeff Teague…both guys are 6-foot-nothin’…..
Does Hibbert block 6 shots when Smith and Horford are in the game? No, because when one of those lightning quick little guards gets in the lane, he has to worry about leaving Smith (who WILL dunk on him) or Horford (who has ALSO dunked on him).
So in a way, I’m not impressed with Hibbert’s numbers in this game. He had midgets and guys who don’t play above the rim. Now if he does that against our starters…..it’s a different story.
Consider also that we only lost by 4 points.
Maybe I’m a stat geek, but a few things stood out to me in the box score :
1) Hawks shooting less than 39%. Pacers shooting nearly 45%. Not a huge difference, but later we’ll see why…
2) Hibbert dominating without any of our starting bigs. Big whoop…he also didn’t have to deal with Ivan Johnson all that much, because dude stayed in foul trouble (another reason to not have him as the only backup big).
3) Now we get into the meat of things….Pacers shooting 35 free throws and hitting 31 of them. Hawks shooting only 23 free throws, and hitting 17 of them. Paul George destroying us from the line by himself with 11 of 11 free throws on his own. Oddly enough, it was the type of fouls committed…because the Hawks were charged with 25 to the Pacers 24 fouls. Hmm….
4) Pacers shoot 38% from 3 point range, Hawks 37%…ahh, but there’s a huge difference here. Pacers wisely took 13 attempts from the arc…Hawks tried 24 of them.
5) Here’s another good one….Hawks with 10 steals and 9 turnovers. Pacers with only 3 steals and a whopping 18 turnovers. That tells me we weren’t converting for $h!t. So all that speed and defense for almost no reason.
6) The good news…in a way. Despite the Pacers playing all of their rotation guys (starters and what not), we still only lost the battle on the glass 47 to 43. I’d say that ain’t bad at all. Ivan was in foul trouble, so was Zaza, but we still had significant contributors…and not just one or two of them. Mike Scott, Harris, Teague, Tolliver, Damion James…all had 4 or more rebounds.
This isn’t going to happen in every game, especially against the tougher rebounding teams. But we’re going to need a lot of team rebounding just to stay in games…especially when, like tonight, those millions of jumpers just aren’t falling.
cp
October 16th, 2012
11:51 pm
Astro I agree with you. I don’t know who is available to be that 3rd pg. I like Lou Williams but its clear that dude is not a pg but im sure LD will probably have him playing a lot of point anyway. I actually thought they should have kept Farmar and gotten rid of Petro. Dude is hot garbage. Looks like Ivan will play more minutes at center than Petro. Petro didn’t see the floor tonight although the Pacers have Hibbert. Maybe LD has seen enough of Petro already to know dude isn’t a very good basketball player.
Big Ray
October 16th, 2012
11:59 pm
Ken ,
While some will disagree, I actually agree on the coaching influence as far as Teague is concerned, probably more than people think it can influence the situation.
My reasoning? Teague was uber-aggressive in college. He was destroying folks. Dunked a lot, pulled up for jumpers a lot…totally different player.
However, there is being coached by guys who don’t want to really develop rookie players. They want guys to come into the League knowing how to play the PG position in the NBA…and it’s simply different. I mean, either you come with the specific skill set already, or it’s going to be VERY tough.
Did Chauncey Billups come into the League with a specific pg skill set? Nope. He was a scoring guard, period…regardless of whether you called him a PG or a SG. And it took the right kind of coach to mold him…i.e., Larry Brown. Otherwise, where would Billups be now?
Teague didn’t come into the game with that specific pg skill set. He’s one of those guys you can teach to be the kind of pg you need him to be – but you also have to be the right teacher. Mike Woodson wasn’t it. Larry Drew ain’t it. And it’s entirely possible that Teague will never have the specific skill set in its entirety. But he also doesn’t have to. He’s not a “natural” pg, but he can be good enough to be a starter and a significant contributor for an NBA team, and he’s already shown that.
There are natural stars at the spot, there are guys who can do spot duty as PGs, and there are those who can be adequate and even somewhat dynamic. I think Teague falls into that last category. But can you really ever tell that without a credible NBA head coach on your sideline? I don’t think so, because there is another element to being a credible NBA head coach – those kinds of guys know how to pick their sideline specialists. You know – the guys on their staff who are good at working with big men, swingman types, or PGs. Shooting coaches. Things of that nature. LD doens’t know what he’s doing in that area anymore than Mike Woodson did at the time.
I’m inclined to think Woodson knows a lot more now than he did when he was with the Hawks, but that is another story altogether and I’m not a Knicks fan, so I could give a $h!t less.
We’ll see what Teague turns out to be. To me, he’s a solid NBA player who has a good bit of room for improvement. Mental toughness is going to be a major key for him. Especially when a new coach comes in. Sometimes getting yanked from a game is a lot easier to deal with than having somebody on your a$$ 24-7…but the latter will make you better if anything will, while the former is little more than a way of escape.
Big Ray
October 17th, 2012
12:11 am
cp ,
Heh…you know LD will do it. You have only to look at how he used Jamal to figure that one out, LOL.
Then again, part of what Jamal was doing on the floor so much had to do with Marvin, but we need no longer go there…
Still, LD loves a shooter/scorer at PG…problem is he has no safety blanket at SG anymore. Before, he could employ a defensively-challenged gunslinger at pg…because he had JJ to defend on the other end and also to be the other main scoring threat.
Morrow is a SG but won’t present the same passing/scoring dual threat that JJ was…let alone creating his own shot the way JJ could. Nobody on this roster can…period. So while LD might want to put Lou at PG a lot of times, can he realistically do so? I mean, you’re then hitching the wagon to Lou, and Lou alone. Not saying he can’t or won’t pass, but chances are that he’ll be the biggest offensive threat when he’s on the floor. He can create his own shot, but can he create enough for others? Who is on the floor with him when he’s at pg? Whoever plays the SG position will need to be a shooter first, and also be able to play very well without the ball, making it easier for Lou to find him if he draws more than one defender.
Here’s where there is an advantage….once in a half court set, the Hawks have bigs that can really pass the ball in Horford and Smith. Between the two of them, you can just about bank on 5-7 assists per game…and sometimes more.
So that takes some of the pressure off. But that also requires that Smith and Horford be in a position to be offensive threats themselves. Horford has to be a threat either down low or at the top of the key, and Josh has to be a threat to slash to the basket or score from the block. If his positioning keeps him on the far perimeter too much, it limits his effectiveness. Likewise, if Horford is matched up with a bigger/stronger defender down low, there will be no low post scoring from him unless he can take that bigger/slower guy from the short wing off the dribble. Otherwise, he has to step out and hit the jumper….which works if he can draw a bigger/slower defender rather than draw a guy who can get in his chest quickly and not allow him to take the shot OR drive to the basket (few teams can do that the way the Bulls did).
Should be interesting to watch on most nights. Or so I hope.
Grandad
October 17th, 2012
12:13 am
steven a smith
” Lord of the Idiots aka Sen Ktrickland.
This Klan of “Stat Geeks” know nothing about Basketball
…except that it is round…!!!! ”
Actually;
Mr `steven a ‘ a basketball is spherical; not round ! ! !
a sphere is an object, such as a ball,
where every point is equidistant from it`s center.
Therefore a basketball is spherical, not round.
Score one for this “idiot” within our Klan of Geeks ! ! !
____________________________________________
Ken S
The above, disbursed with pleasure.
Grandad
October 17th, 2012
12:21 am
I think it should be noted that DJames had 8 boards in 11 min.
Strong Rebounding from the [3] is something of a luxury.
Big Ray
October 17th, 2012
12:32 am
Grandad ,
Good to know you did that for Ken’s sake or I’d admonish you for casting pearls before swine….
Big Ray
October 17th, 2012
12:34 am
Damion James’ rebounding alone should be enough to get him more than a roster spot…I’d start him at the 3 many a night…
Now how well does he defend?
Whew
October 17th, 2012
12:34 am
who is that looooog winded writer. Get to the freaking point. Does any body read that sh !t?
On blog is a f-ck-in book and the dude keep on sch-itt-in out of his mouth. Man you hogging a whole page. Let some body else say something .Your farts are longer than C.V’s stories. Shut up. This is Chris V’s show.
Nobody wants to read that book of trash. Crawl back in your hole.
Whew
October 17th, 2012
12:36 am
One – blog is a f-ck-in book and this yahoo has 3 or 4 novels ….. Dude. shut up.
Najeh Davenpoop
October 17th, 2012
1:56 am
Damn, Zaza had a crazy over the head pass to start a fast break in that game.
vava74
October 17th, 2012
2:55 am
Big Ray
October 16th, 2012
11:59 pm
Violently co-signing!
Rusty
October 17th, 2012
4:34 am
Isn’t. It getting to the time that JS & AH start logging serious min so the new team can get used to playing together or are we going to waste this whole preseason jerking off.
Just Joe
October 17th, 2012
6:04 am
Out rebounded. Shot 38% from the field. 93 official FG attempts compared to the Pacers’ 74, and yet we still lost. Only 16 assists. We were without Josh, DeShawn, and Al. They were without Hill, Granger, and Mahinmi. Didn’t watch the game, but the stats suggest more reckless jump shooting. Can anyone comment on if we appeared to have a clue offensively (in half court sets)?
ntrigue
October 17th, 2012
8:08 am
Damin James should start at sf but I guarantee Drew will not hardly play him unless someone gets hurt just like he did Ivan last yr! Trust me drew will play Kyle Korver way more eventhough he’s a liability on defense.
Buddy Grizzard
October 17th, 2012
8:20 am
“Johan Petro is an NBA center. He can defend the post better than our current centers, SCRUBS!!!”
LOL once a troll, always a troll.
“ROY HIBBERT had 6 Blocks against uo 2-night”
No kidding? With our starting center and power forward sitting out the game, Hibbert had a big night? Wow… heads should roll… or at least eyes.
“Why duplicate the same mistake?”
It would be a mistake if Lou was as bad a point guard as JC1. As it so happens, Lou is the best point guard presently under contract by the Hawks.
Buddy Grizzard
October 17th, 2012
8:28 am
“let alone creating his own shot the way JJ could. Nobody on this roster can…period.”
Um… Lou nearly matched Joe’s offensive output, and he didn’t play starter’s minutes.
kwooden1
October 17th, 2012
8:51 am
This will be an interesting team to watch this year because of the speed of Al and Josh. Very few teams have guys at the C and PF positions that can keep-up with them and only one or two teams have the size to really take advantage. If Josh and Al can last the entire season and we shoot a fair % from 3, we should be able to make the Playoffs as a 7 or 8.
I’m actually disappointed in MIke Scott, I really thought he would attack down low a lot more. Hopefully they can put him in the D-League for a good portion of the season, to help him improve his appropriate to the game. Also, even though Jenkins had a good Summer League, this preseason is showing how difficult it will be for him to get his shot off consistently at this level. He would be more effective with teams like the Spurs or Jazz because of their motion offensives. With DeShawn and Morrow under contract, it doesn’t leave enough minutes for John to develop his game to be effective in the League this year. He might also benefit from some time in the D-League.
kwooden1
October 17th, 2012
8:53 am
“approach” not “appropriate”. slow morning in terms of typing
O'Brien
October 17th, 2012
9:12 am
High-sider,
And y’all thought “Danny Boy” [Dan Ferry] was “doin’ his thing” during the offseason with all those player movements. [smh].
Making the playoffs this season would be great, but I think Danny Ferry really has his eyes on next offseason, when the Hawks will have plenty of salary cap space, and a chance to hire a new HC.
O'Brien
October 17th, 2012
9:13 am
Big Ray,
I won’t be surprised if the Hawks are top 5 in the NBA in terms of 3-pt FGA per game. And I think we will die by the jumpers.