DavidSomerset

I know he is normally a clutch player, but it just has not been happening this year. Not to mention (didn't happen this time), but normally, the other team just double teams him KNOWING he's going to be the one to take the last shot, and he never gets a good shot off. How about taking the double team and PASSING IT to someone who is open.

Why wouldn't we in "anything of importance" with Shelden at PF? Lots of teams have won championships with offensively challenged PF's. Think of the lakers from 2000-2002. Also, the Bulls won 3 championships with Rodman just playing defense and rebounding from the PF position...Shelden certainly has more offense than Rodman...He CAN develop into that good of a defensive player. That's just in my recent memory

Got hooked up with 2 tickets 11 rows behind the bench!!!

Walter, will you at least eat some crow if the Hawks make the playoffs this year? Can't you just be happy we are 3-1, and accept the fact that you might be wrong?

Not sure where the tix are going to be, but probably somewhere on the lower level. Are a lot of people going to stay after for the TI concert?

Way too early to make that determination from the point of view of either player.

I can't believe that we are playing such good defense so far this year, especially since we normally play a small line-up compared to the other team. Zaza is playing better in the interior (still a bit of a liability), but we really look different on the defensive end. What are we doing differently??? Are we just a year better? Does Shelden and Lo make that much of a difference? Kudos to Woodson, I'm glad he focuses so much on defense.

TLue had a rainbow lay-up over LeBron to send it to OT after taking it the entire length of the court with 6.4 secs left. In OT, we dominated them, outscored them 14-5. MOST IMPORTANT STAT OF THE NIGHT: Lue, 11 assists, 1 TURNOVER! We came back from 10 down in the 4th, this is a different team this year!

The ball is actually boucing our way so far this year!!! GREAT WIN HAWKS!!!

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Wouldn't it be nice to see Chauncey Billups in a Hawks jersey next year?!!!?!? Plays such solid D, great veteran leader, so clutch... One can only dream....

JJ man up on Lebron...JJ always plays solid defense, but outside of Kobe, Lebron has got to the be hardest guy in the league to cover man to man.

Quote: no love for JJ? Anyway, i would go with Jsmith,Just because i like the number 5. more than 24 hmm.. this topic has me wondering how well Rudy Gay's jersey will sale.I don't know if alot of fans are man enough to walk around with that name on their back. I like JJ, but for some reason, I just have never really embraced him as my favorite player on this current Hawks team (even though he is undoubtedly our best player).

I'm thinking Smoove...

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Whether you've been to a pre-season game or a scrimmage, does Smoove look like he might be capable of being a legit 4 this year (really talking about defensively) I remember last year he got handled by quite a few 4's (Bogut, for one). Reports have said he put on some weight...It would be VERY nice if he could step up the inside presence a little bit more than just getting the blocks. He is very young, and I know he's got a lot of time to grow, but his man defense was lacking last year... What do yall think?

We HAVE to get Shelden on the court with the way he has been playing defense down low. My ideal situation though would be this line-up... Speedy JJ Marvin Smoove Shelden It would be so perfect if shelden could move down to the 5 eventually and be our version (albeit not as good, obviously) of Ben Wallace...I really feel like over the course of his career Shelden COULD turn into that good of a defender...Not to mention, he's not to shabby on offense either... I think that line-up gives us a lot of flexibility and athleticism...Hopefully the extra weight Smoove has put on will help him against PF's.

I say we miss it this year...I'm thinking we get about 33 wins +-5 depending on our luck. What do yall think?

When I post chat transcripts or when just about anyone else does on any message boards I've been on they bold the part that relates to the team...not saying you have to, but it would be nice to not scroll through 10 pages of chat transcripts to find something about the Hawks. Don't get so offended.

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Do you think from now on maybe when you post the chat transcripts you could put the Hawks part in bold or something? Thanks

The Sixers-Suns game was on tonight...

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To a certain extent (and I hope you are completely right!!)...but I don't think either of Josh or Marvin's offensive game is refined enough to strike that much fear into opposing teams. Our achilles heel was interior defense last year, and if we get too many minutes with these two on the court at the same time, I fear that will still be our biggest weakness. Hopefully BOTH of them will be much improved on the defensive end this year.