Atlanta Hawks: Williams the go-to guy down the stretch
Vivlamore back from Oklahoma and reporting from Hawks practice.
Right now, the fourth quarter belongs to Lou Williams.
That could change. Hawks coach Larry Drew insists playing time down the stretch of games, particularly among the depth of guards, will be determined by who has the hot hand that night.
Guard Lou Williams signed with the Hawks as a free agent in July after seven seasons with the 76ers. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM
Williams has been the team’s go-to guy late in the first two games for the Hawks (1-1). He has played every fourth-quarter minute and scored 27 of his 41 points (66 percent) in the final stanzas. In those two periods he is a combined 7-for-17 from the field and 11-for-11 from the free-throw line.
“I just want to be in the rotation,” Williams said. “That’s my main thing. As long as I’m on the court, I just try to maximize the minutes I get and make everything happen that I can.”
He may not start, but Williams has certainly been on the court when it mattered most.
Williams scored a team-high 22 points in the season opening loss the Rockets, with 13 points coming in the final quarter. His 22 points were the second-highest total for a player coming off the bench in his Hawks debut since the team moved to Atlanta in 1968, trailing only Tom Van Arsdale’s 23-point effort versus Portland in 1974.
In Sunday’s victory over the Thunder, Williams scored 19 points, scoring 14 of the Hawks’ final 23 points.
“We decided to ride Lou’s hot hand,” Drew said following Sunday’s game. “He made some really good baskets.”
In the win over the Thunder, Drew said he considered re-inserting starters Jeff Teague, who finished with 16 points, and Kyle Korver back in the game. Williams’ hot hand made Drew reconsider.
“From a coaching standpoint, you are going to ride the hot hand,” Drew said. “I don’t care who it is. In a situation where somebody is playing well, somebody is in a rhythm, somebody is having a good quarter you ride that. I don’t think there is any coach who would not do that. The last thing you want to do is disrupt flow.”
Williams, the runner-up for the NBA’s Sixth Man award last season, leads the Hawks is many statistical categories. He is first in scoring average (20.5), points (41), field goals attempted (31), free throws made (14), free throws attempted (16) and steals (five, tied with Teague). He is second in assists (nine). Despite coming off the bench, Williams is third in minutes played (58), behind Al Horford (71) and DeShawn Stevenson (63) and in field goals made (12).
“That is fine,” Teague said of Williams’ playing time late. “We are all here to win. Whatever we have to do to get a win, we are all with that. Lou had is going (Sunday) and we were all rooting for him. We were all excited to get a win. There are going to be nights like that. I might have it going. Lou. Devin (Harris). It doesn’t matter. We all want to win. We are all Hawks. It doesn’t matter who is playing.”
Practice report
*Josh Smith, who missed Sunday’s game with a sprained right ankle, did not practice Monday but worked on the side with the team’s training staff. Drew said Smith did some shooting. Drew did not know whether Smith could return for Wednesday’s home game against the Pacers, calling the forward day-to-day.
* Backup center Johan Petro (back) also did not practice.
* Drew said he did not feel that Korver, who is 1-for-8 from the field in his first two games, is pressing. “I just think he is trying to find his rhythm,” Drew said. “We are only two games into the season. … One thing about shooters, they know they can have two bad games but they know they can come back and have five good games in a row.”
* Stevenson, Teague and Williams finally allowed rookie John Jenkins to compete in their post-practice 3-point shooting competition. Stevenson won the first game but Jenkins was a clear winner in the second.
- Chris Vivlamore
LATEST NEWS
* Tolliver to start for Smith vs. OKC
* Smith not on trip to OKC with sprained ankle
* Smith on verge of statistical milestone
* Smith, Horford are interim captains
* Five things we learned from the preseason
* Teague, Pachulia return to full-contact practice, ready for opener
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207 comments Add your comment
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
10:39 am
Last but not least, Rod from CP
O'Brien
November 6th, 2012
10:47 am
Doc,
A lot of issues in Philly. Receivers not making plays, defenders missing tackles. Also, Vick is not good at reading defenses. When he was young, and fast, he could get away with it, and avoid some of the pressure. With a bad O-line, and aging legs? not anymore.
Sam
November 6th, 2012
10:50 am
I love that the blog STILL says the wrong time. I hate when the season changes and it starts getting darker earlier!
Ken Strickland
November 6th, 2012
10:51 am
DAVENPOOP-Talk about cherry picking examples to prove a point. What in the devil does TChandler leading the NBA in FG% or the NY Knicks have to do with a comparison between JSmith and AHorford? Chandler is the Knicks garbage man on OFF, which means they don’t run plays for him nor depend on him to provide any postup OFF or outside scoring.
Whatever OFF they get from him is pure gravy. That’s certainly not the case with Josh or Horford, and you know it. Here are Josh and Horford’s career stats: JOSH/HORFORD
MPG 34/33.7, FGA 12.5/9.9, FG%46.5/53.7, 3P% 27.8/25.0, FT% 67.0/76.1, RPG 7.9/9.4, APG 3.1/2.4, BPG 2.2/1.1, SPG 1.3/.8, TO 2.5/1.6, PPG 15.1/12.8
Josh’s career average 3PT FGA are 3-4 times the number Horford has taken in his entire career. That shows that despite Horford being one of the NBAs best midrange shooters, he has enough sense to play within himself and not try to do something other than what he does best. That’s called maturity, recognition, and doing what’s best for the team rather than some personal goal.
If you think Horford takes fewer shots than Josh in large part because he’s a supporting player, maybe you should take into consideration that in large part Josh’s limited OFF skills and lack of efficiency make him nothing more than a support player as well. If you compare their career stats, you’ll see that Josh is the better overall DEF player, while Horford is the more efficient OFF player.
Their career totals are very simular, so the difference maker as far as Horford getting multiple Allstar considerations, and an All NBA selection, has a lot to do with intangibles. The coaches making the selections obviously look for intangibles such as on court demeanor, maturity, attitude, getting along with both players and coaches etc.
No one can claim Josh hasn’t heard, been told, read, or is unaware of the complaints about him arguing with the refs, jacking up so many 3s and long range 2s, or his refusal to give the ball to his PG rather than creating the numerous turnovers when trying to lead the break. After 9yrs of this crap, and still nothing has changed, you actually wonder why coaches choose Horford over Josh?
Josh is hungup on individual honors and production, and was as much of a ball stopper as JJ. Horford is much more of a team player and knows what it takes to win a championship on the big stage, excluding high school.There’s a reason teams encourage Josh to shoot as many jumpers as he wants. You can bet they won’t do that with Horford. And he hasn’t figured that out yet.
And Josh continues to have difficulty getting into the lane to get his jump hook off against PFs that are usually shorter, smaller, and less physical than the centers Horford has to go up against. Yet, he continues to give up and go to his weakness by settling for the illadvised jumper. He’s not doing what he needs to do, or doing what’s best for the team. He’s doing what he wants to do and blaming everyone else when his selfishness isn’t rewarded, and/or ignored.
He could be one of the greatest PFs in NBA history if he only had or used the mental maturity needed to harness his vast physical tools.
vava74
November 6th, 2012
10:51 am
AJ,
When I mentioned “politics” I making reference to “League Offices”.
We all know why Josh does not get sufficient love from the HCs.
KevinM
November 6th, 2012
11:40 am
Slim, a simply Philly question:
Is it me or is MV7 playing behind the tallest line in the NFL? The guy never sees anything coming. They are imploding faster than the Braves collapse last year.
And LD ought to let Korver sit and start Stephenson.
And perhaps Teague won’t be spending much time with Lou on the court…that is one small backcourt.
I also thought it was funny to watch Durant defend Zaza and Morrow defend Durant. We truly could have lost it on that last matchup alone.
KevinM
November 6th, 2012
11:55 am
I hear that the NBA all-star ballot is removing the C category on its ballots to a ‘frontcourt’ category.
Now let’s see how Al fairs in all-star voting when the category is more broad.
“That would be good news for players like Boston’s Kevin Garnett and Miami’s Chris Bosh, nominal forwards who are now playing center for their respective teams. Under the old rules, Garnett and Bosh would have been in the center category with the likes of Philadelphia’s Andrew Bynum, Atlanta’s Al Horford and Indiana’s Roy Hibbert. Now, any of them can be selected as a “frontcourt” player.”
Horford will have a tougher time now.
Rod from College Park
November 6th, 2012
12:04 pm
Ken Strickland,
The longer your post are, the dumber you look.
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
12:09 pm
KenS,
I feel ya pain when it comes to stating the facts when it comes to both Horford & Josh but at the end of the day, those same people will continue to make excuses for Josh so I have now came to the conclusion to just LET IT GO! No matter what stats Josh can put up across the board, the Hawks will FOREVER look BETTER as a TEAM w/o HIM on the floor. Watching the Hawks play with Josh on the floor is the same as watching a horror movie, u will ALWAYS be on the edge of your seats just waiting til terror or tragic strikes! When the ball in Josh’s hands, I start to hear that horror music in the background of my head…ITS TERRIFYING!!
KevinM
November 6th, 2012
12:09 pm
“I still want to coach. Unfortunately we got let go in Orlando, I turned a job down in Atlanta and nothing else was offered.”
Its a shame because Ewing could have moved up to the top slot if LD wasn’t able to get this team moving forward. I have wanted him to come in here for awhile.
Astro Joe
November 6th, 2012
12:11 pm
Kevin, the coaches selected Horford previously. If the Hawks are a 7-9 ranked team in January, they will be lucky to land a single All-Star. Josh will be more likely to get the nod over Al but I could see them being shut out. I wouldn’t mind a designation in the future for 1 All-Star bench player… Lou would be a viable candidate for that role. If you honor a top bench player at the end of the year, why not in the ASG?
Rod from College Park
November 6th, 2012
12:13 pm
MsDee,
Nothing to respond to. The allstar game is irrelevant in any discussion concerning Al and Josh. Al has made the all start game twice at the center position because he was competing against the likes of Roy Hibbert, Andrew Bogut….. Josh has not because he is competing against Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce (All will be Hall of Famers)………. Luol Deng made it over Josh because his team was in first place, and Atlanta already had two players on the team. Philly had no representation thus Iggy was chosen. A 4th or 5th place team will almost never get 3 players selected for an all star team unless it Hall of fame type gusy like the Celtics had with Allen, Garnett, and Pierce. Al would never have been voted in at the forward position. That is a fact.
O'Brien
November 6th, 2012
12:18 pm
Speaking of no more centers (designated) for the ASG…from espn.com;
Dwight Howard; We work just as hard as anybody else. I don’t think it’s fair to take away a position which has been here for life. You need a center on the court. So I don’t think it’s right.
That’s like taking away a guard.
“I don’t like it at all,” emphatically stated the three-time defensive player of the year. “We work just as hard as anybody else. I don’t think it’s fair to take away a position which has been here for life. You need a center on the court. So I don’t think it’s right. That’s like taking away a guard. That’s how I feel.
“It’s been that way since they started All-Star Games, so why change it now? Because centers shoot 3’s now?”.
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
12:18 pm
“Philly had no representation thus Iggy was chosen.”????????? WHAT??? Oh, nevermind, Thx Rod for your view!
MaconBaby
November 6th, 2012
12:25 pm
Geeze guys come on!
After reading some of these comments i gotta say something.
Basketball IQ is how a player can adapt and adjust in unexpected situations that require a almost instinct response. It’s probably the hardest thing to teach a player. Josh does have a high basketball IQ, ESPECIALLY on Defense. It’s why he’s such an effective shot blocker and shot alterer. So many times josh comes off his man just at the right time to stop the pass and/or the shot.
Or even on a steal, when he comes down in transition and it’s him against 2 players and still able to read the players and their passes back in forth, THAT WASN”T A CALLED PLAY (Completely unexpected), and make a play in his favor to get the block or stop the shot.
That’s basketball IQ, Reading the player and being a step ahead on the play is something that has to come natural as you play the game. You don’t have time to look at the coach and set up on defense, you have to make a SPLIT SECOND DECISION!
He also has it on the Offensive end, with his ability to pass. So far in the season josh is the only player i think that has a ALLEY-OOP. which is something that has a small window for success and takes a great amount of basket ball IQ. I never saw saw many alley oop passes for blake until CP3 came. WHY? He can read defenses and his teammates well and adjust.
Last season just had some great games where he displayed his offensive abilities as far as reading the defense in transition(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-UbIJQtAp8), which he really capable of doing. Putting himself in the right position to receive the ball at the right moment catching the defense off guard for a split second. Passing off the ball in transition when defenders have doubled him. Coming off his defender down low to receive a pass with just enough space to get the dunk or layup. FOOTWORK especially, taking the right steps off the dribble in transition at the right moment to get past his defender.
What i’m trying to say Is josh does have a deep amount of Basketball IQ to pull from. He can make those plays. he did it well last year because he was with guys he had been with for the past 3 or 4 years. They CAN GEL. And Joe went down at a good time bc the guys had been playing together for over half a season already.
THE BAD, Which every player has,
Doesn’t do well In ISO Offense, I think he’s more of a transition player and up tempo guy(((which the offense did change when joe went down, to his favor))). Where he has alot of opportunity to drive and/or back down and score. Alot of the time last year the ball came to him late in the shot clock and caused him to shoot the ball last year in bad situations. Also, in these situations the lane looked crowded, and actually i’ll say it, he’d probably had a better chance shooting the open J.
NOT a JUMPSHOOTER. but that doesn’t mean he has a bad shot. When he shoots from about15ft and in he’s average or just ok, but the closer he gets to that 3pt line, ewwwff. Can get ugly at times.
SHOT SELECTION, MAYBE his greatest weakness. I don’t mind him taking the J if it’s late in the shotclock and he’s open, THATS A GIVEN (you gotta shoot it). What we all hate, is the shot early or half way in the shot clock when he’s not a STRONG jump shooter. But it’s questionable bc late last year he making alot of his jumpers.
AT TIMES, DOESN”T PLAY TO HIS STRENGTHS. QUESTIONABLE DECISION MAKING.
Ken, i agree with you on this alot. I just don’t know what’s going on though. Is it a ego? something on or off the court? Maturity?
Maybe he just needs to harness a mental maturity and learn how to be locked in nightly for each game.
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
12:28 pm
Just curious, Rod, vava74, and Nejah, if Horford plays bout the same or better tomorrow against Indiana, esp if Josh doesn’t play, would your feelings be the same towards him? or would the respond be, “well its only been 2 games he played decent, dont get carried away.” Ok then, lets say that Josh is out about 5 games cause we are playing really well w/o him and that Drew wants him back really healthy and Horford has stepped up GREATLY in his absent, how would your feelings THEN be towards Horford?
Just Joe
November 6th, 2012
12:55 pm
MsDee….I’m not on your list, but much like Matt Ryan, Horford will have to impact a playoff series before he changes my mind. He’s a complimentary player in my book (same as Teague). Best used as the 3rd best player on his team. Can Matt Ryan win a playoff game without a top-ranked defense? Can Al Horford win a playoff series as the 1st or 2nd best player on his team? It’s a skill thing with both players. Ryan’s questionable arm strength. Horford’s questionable low post skills (both sides of the court). Can their strengths outweigh their weaknesses?
doc
November 6th, 2012
12:56 pm
yup o’b exactly. lack of studious effort early in career to become a better qb by his own admission is showing without the young athletic body he has. still mercurial but his passing has deteriorate as well and his ball was always hard to catch. heavy.
it is not all on mv7 but he isnt the creator and miracle worker to put it on his shoulders and do it all now. unbelievable athlete in his prime. unfortunately, he has other limitations now. anyone expecting the young mv7 is going to get burned.
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
12:57 pm
Shams Charania: After a strong workout, the #Hawks have yet to indicate Kyrylo Fesenko if they’ll sign him, but the big man tells me ATL remain an option. Twitter @ShamsCharania
vava74
November 6th, 2012
12:57 pm
MsDee,
Rod presented the exact same argument that I did. He is 100% right and you are simply not abiding to your own words to support both players.
If Josh is an horror movie, I believe I must now start watching more horror movies (which is not my treat at all).
Specially when that horror movie ends up with us getting in the playoffs with a 40-26 record like we had last year.
Maybe a little bit of memory refreshing is in order:
2011/12
March G19 mpg 37:12 FG9.4 FGA20.7 FG%45.4 FT4.2 FTA5.8 FT%72.1 Oreb2.3 Dreb7.8 Rpg10.1 Apg4.5 Stl1.5 Blk1.4 PPG 23.9
April G12 mpg 31:36 FG7.9 FGA15.8 FG%50.3 FT2.7 FTA3.8 FT%69.6 Oreb2.1 Dreb6.7 Rpg8.8 Apg3.8 Stl1.0 Blk1.3 PPG 18.7
This is how Josh finished the year. April stats are mostly on account of fewer minutes.
I have omitted the 3Pts attempts and % because that is Josh’s Achilles’ eel.
Even though he is PF I have no problem with a guy shooting 45.4% from the floor on 20.7 FG. No problem at all, specially when he is attempting 5.8 FTs, collecting 10 rebounds per game, handing out 4.5 assists and providing quality D, both positional and from the point of view of retrieving or breaking opponents possessions with 2.9 steals and blocks.
PLEASE GIVE ME THIS HORROR MOVIE DAY IN DAY OUT!!!!!
KevinM
November 6th, 2012
1:01 pm
Rod you are right, and yet he still gets on an all-star team by the coaches. You know JSmoove is questioning why he hasn’t been there, and last year was his best shot at doing so.
This year, its Al, Smoove and Lou with chances to get there. No way Teague gets there even with DRose out.
Give Him the JJ Superstar Treatment
November 6th, 2012
1:06 pm
Vick has a cannon. Always has and always will. With that bieng said, outsoide of philly’s runniing back and vick. who do they have? #TheySuck
Give Him the JJ Superstar Treatment
November 6th, 2012
1:07 pm
Vick has a cannon. Always has and always will. With that bieng said, outside of philly’s runniing back and vick. who do they have? #TheySuck
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
1:20 pm
Just Joe,
Thx for your insights as well. I agree with ya but I never said Horford should be a #1 opt but IF I had to choose between the 2, I would choose Horford. If Horford can continue to get the ball in the post and score like he did against OKC, he WILL eventually demand a double-team, leaving scorers like Korver, Morrow, Harris, and HOPEFULLY Jenkins open for their shots. Josh shouldnt be a #1 opt cause he complains and cry too much. If things dont go his way, maybe a miss call from the refs or a block shot on him or a TO, or a low % shot attempt, we are SCREWED and will sure to end the game with a ‘L’ if a bucket was needed and we didnt get it.
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
1:25 pm
Ok vava74,
All those stats and what nots are EXCELLENT, just like I posted much earlier with all his accomplishments..But nothing will change the fact that the Hawks will FOREVER look BETTER as a TEAM w/o HIM on the floor. PLAIN AND SIMPLE..IM JUST SAYING…
vava74
November 6th, 2012
1:27 pm
40-26 record, with 55 games without Al
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
1:29 pm
What I see that u guys arent getting from me is that, I now Josh can ball, I REALLY DO, I just want us to LOOK GOOD while doing it and WE DONT!! If we can WIN w/o Josh while LOOKING GOOD doing it, then I dont mind trading him. That’s all IM SAYING. WE CAN WIN W/O HIM!! Now, im good right now on this…CV, any other news to report??? PLEASE!!
Rod from College Park
November 6th, 2012
1:29 pm
Just curious, Rod, vava74, and Nejah, if Horford plays bout the same or better tomorrow against Indiana, esp if Josh doesn’t play, would your feelings be the same towards him?
We have seen what this team could do for a full season without Horford. We have not seen what we can do for a full season without Josh. I would be willing to bet that our winning percentage would be much lower without Josh for a season. Mainly because we have a suitable backup for Horford, one that actually put up similar numbers to Horford in his time out (I am not saying that Zaza is better than Horford). We have no suitable replacement on this roster to replace what Josh does offensively and especially defensively. One or two games never tell a story. Marvin lookd like a great player for one or two games out of every season. There is a reason that they have season stats.
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
1:34 pm
vava74, but did we LOOK GOOD, winning those 40 games?? We even looked GR8 w/o Josh the one game he missed in the playoff game against Boston. But we can agree to disagree…im OK with that!
Rod from College Park
November 6th, 2012
1:34 pm
“I just want us to LOOK GOOD while doing it and WE DONT!!”
That explains everything MsDee. Just like a woman. Style over substance. LOL
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
1:38 pm
LOL, there u go, Rod
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
1:43 pm
LOL, Im fine with that, I just choose Horford OVER Josh who can make with difference in what this team can really do. With Drew OFF surrounding the outside shooters we have while having someone like Horford posting in the post like he did in OKC, and having Lou close us out our games in the 4th Q, I can TRULY see this team winning 40+ games w/o Josh on the team..THATS JUST MY WAY OF SEEING IT…that’s all!!
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
1:44 pm
CV…where are ya??? PLEASE!!!
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
1:49 pm
Can we be in the ECF w/o Josh…NO!! Can we be in the ECF with the Josh of old…NO!! Can we be in the ECF with the Josh who PLAYS WITHIN HIS STRENGTHS, POSTS OFTEN, REBOUNDS OFTEN, RUN THE FLOOR OFTEN AFTER GIVING THE BALL UP TO A PG, W/O COMPLAINING TO REFS, DREW, OR HIS TEAMMATES…………..ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
1:52 pm
I like Lou by the way. Did yall catch Lou getting in Josh’s face after he refused to throw the ball to Teague when he was taking the ball out of bounds in game 1? Actually, Lou was in Josh’s face several times that game. Finally someone who will get into Josh’s face and check this, JOSH WILL LISTEN TO!!
MaconBaby
November 6th, 2012
1:52 pm
I don’t like the idea of the team playing better without josh after one game. Zaza and Horford was a great matchup against Ibaka and Perkins. But, If the same lineup we used for okc was against a real big, like asik, it would have been game one all over again. With horford being silenced on the boards.
But something does have to change because Josh’s play sometimes is costing us a “W.” Either he improves the J, which he’s working on with new coach’s and Korver, or he gives up on it.
We need a Smoove intervention, Josh is addicted to the J.
MaconBaby
November 6th, 2012
1:57 pm
MsDee,
I caught that one too. I was LOVING IT. Never seen Josh respond that way. I’m hoping for a change. I read an article from Grantland. Josh has been seeking guidance from Rhondo and Garnett on how to lead a team. JOSH SMITH looking for help?
vava74
November 6th, 2012
1:59 pm
MsDee,
We won game 1 of the BOS series with Josh HEALTHY.
We were leading game 2 UNTIL Josh got INJURED and then the Hawks faded down the stretch.
We lost game 3 without Josh.
We then lost game 4, won game 5 and lost game 6 with Josh playing visibly diminished and even so HE LEAD THE HAWKS in rebounding and lead the Hawks in assists in games 4 and 5 (and cumulatively over the 3 games).
Astro Joe
November 6th, 2012
2:03 pm
We won game 5 (inspite of Josh).
What we learned is that other guys will step up when a key teammate is down. We learned that last season and got a glimpse of that the other night.
MaconBaby
November 6th, 2012
2:05 pm
vava74,
i’m with you on that, we wouldn’t have got as far without josh. He had the highest EFF rating on the team during the playoffs. guess who was below Al, josh, and even teague?
But MsDee is right about getting to the conference finals. Unless josh steps up, or even Al, to something close to a superstar, we have no chance.
vava74
November 6th, 2012
2:18 pm
Macon,
Sure, never said that Josh is perfect. Far from it.
But to claim that Horford is such a great thing after a dud like his performance against HOU enrages me.
Horford was SOFT against HOU and had an inexcusable performance, perfectly in line with the mind frame that he expressed in the interview to C-Viv.
Josh makes bad decisions frequently but he is never soft, far from it.
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
2:26 pm
vava74, so it is better to NOT be soft BUT make bad decisions?? What advantage would we have in THAT??
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
2:28 pm
Oops I forgot to add something u said…”so it is better to NOT be soft BUT make bad decisions ‘frequently’, as u put it?????
MsDee
November 6th, 2012
2:33 pm
Heck, from THAT statement RIGHT THERE is what I was trying to prove to Najeh, Rod from CP and u about why Josh will not be an AllStar, “Josh makes bad decisions frequently.”
In case u didnt know, Rod from CP, the reason I mention Josh not being an AllStar so much is b/c HE is the one who talks about it ALL THE TIME. HE is the one that has been trying to prove a point every since he has been in the league..and for him to STILL not see what he NEEDS to change and/or improve on to become one is MIND BOBBLING!!
MaconBaby
November 6th, 2012
3:06 pm
I would take josh over Al. HYPATHETICALLY
Al is too rigid and mechanical in the post (not quick off his first step to pass his defender). Good defenders like Noah and Bass, stop or force a turnover against him pretty well. His only consistent offensive game is his mid range. And has shown signs of softenss in the past.
Josh in the post has a mean hook and good footwork to get around his guy.
As for the mid range, i can live with with since josh has a consistent defense, strong presence in the paint, and leaping ability.
But would the team be better off with one gone over the other. NO. They play great together. The make plays together in transition. Its one of the funnest thing to watch is see a pf take a ball down court like a pg and alley oop it straight to your center. They just haven’t had a chance to show that.
Al needs to step up his defense, for sure. Josh needs to make better decisions and play the post. But when i think about it. they are the perfect duo. Josh has the post moves and Al has the Jumper. Josh post up, if he gets doubled by al’s defender and now al’s wide open for mid ranger or a dunk.
MaconBaby
November 6th, 2012
3:12 pm
I’ve yelled about so many times before though, but i finally got to see it in that OKC game. Give Al more touch’s for a mid range shot.
I was so sick of Joe hogging to ball for a contested DEEP midrange shot. I think Now al is finally gonna get those touches this year.
Ken Strickland
November 6th, 2012
3:14 pm
MSDEE-These JSMITH NUT HUGGERS are so out of touch with reality they can’t grasp the utter stupidity of their own position. They’re using the limited 2gm sample size as a way of dismissing or discounting the facts presented on the Horford/Josh comparison.
Yet, most of these same clowns had no problem bashing Horford for not scoring more pts and getting only 5 rebounds, and this was after only (1)ONE gm. WHAT ABOUT THAT SAMPLE SIZE?
MaconBaby
November 6th, 2012
3:18 pm
Al really needs to start putting him in that position to receive the ball like garnett does. I”m originally a c’s fan turn hawk. But i watch em when they’re on tnt. Garnet hangs off around the paint. Making it look like he’s trying to get the pass in the paint, but then backs right off when his defender comes to stop rondo.
But thats gonna require teague to be more consistent finisher in the lane so help def will come.
doc
November 6th, 2012
3:24 pm
too simple a concept and doesnt fit with the agenda aj but i hear ya.
MaconBaby
November 6th, 2012
3:29 pm
Ken,
That is an oxymoron statement. EVERYONE here is bashing players based on 2 games. INCLUDING you. If this is a new year and season and we’ve only played 2 games, when what SAMPLE SIZE ARE YOU PULLING FROM?