Dsinner

The problem is that we won't be playing Minny every game, and he was playing a guy who has played the 4 most of the previous two seasons and isn't noted for his D. We have already seen what happens when we play Smith at the 3. He simply doesn't have the footspeed to defend the position and his lack of shooting kills spacing. Not to mention taking him further from the basket makes it harder for him to block shots.

Smith's shot has to improve a lot to just be bad. His best ever EFG% on jumpers was 36% in his second season. That is 8% better than what he did last year but still sucks.

I agree he is better suited at PF BUT if he actually does improve into a decent outside shooter then we have a capable SF. While it may have been "just Minny" he was guarding a decent SF who has decent bigs. Although he was further away from the basket he was still getting his blocks. I'm not saying I want him at SF full time but if he improves his shot he CAN play SF when needed. This makes our roster even more flexible and gives our trades and FA signings more options as well. Nothing but good comes out of Josh being able to man the SF position and I think he's more capable than I used to.

you're only asking him to do something that probably has never been done, but okay.

Umm he played SF against Minny and did all of those things. It was only one game but it proves he is capable. He had his best all around game of the year at SF. Give the dude some credit on that one.

When he is a good perimeter shooter, a good perimeter defender and can bring the same interior help defense and rebounding from the SF position that he can at the PF position, then I will eat my crow...gladly.

Like he did against Minny?

Anybody else surprised with this guy? I knew he was a decent defender and average rebounder but had no idea he had a jumper and some post moves. I thought Etan would have played a bigger role with us.

i may end up eating crow on this one.

LOL, me too. If he shoots himself into a confident shooter than so be it. I'll gladly eat it. IF he becomes a decent shooter he will be a dominant PF who can apparently play decent at SF too (some left over crow for those anti-Smoove at SF).

I don't mind ZJosh shooting a 3 with the clock winding down. That shot did not bother me at all but anyone thinking Josh should be shooting long jumpers and 3's regularly is as dumb as Josh. I'm sorry but I thought Josh was finally getting it last year but he seems to have regressed. Josh shooting jumpers is basically a TO. We're basically giving the ball right back to the other team without our best leaper under the basket for a possible rebound. It is by far the worst offensive play we can run.

My favorite mode is 'My Player'. I've created defensive minded PF who was drafted by ... the Hawks (they desperately needed solid player for this position ;)). After getting starter role (about 15th-20th game) Atlanta traded Marvin and Jamal for Young and Hinrich (pipe dream) and Smoove was moved to 3 spot.

Hawks struggled throughout the season as they didn't have much help from me at offensive end (I shot 37% from the field) and finished with 44-38 record at 5th spot just to face Miami Heat at 1st round (yep). After RS my player was ROY and had 64 overall ranking (started at 40). We beat the Heat and now we're leading 3-2 in series vs Boston (KG is beasting in this game though).

My player has number of (sometimes really annoying) issues like ridiculous line-ups (Boykins with Bibby as backcourt) and rotation, wrong rating for some plays but it's still lot of fun to me. Actually I played only 3 "normal" games so far.

MP is a cool concept and I played; it a lot last year but it had(s) way too many annoyances. You basically have to adjust your game to what the CPU thinks is the right move to make. This isn't always the best basketball play though. You will get penalized for the right move way too often. If it did a better job of reward/punish It would be a better side game. I would like to see them perfect this in the future as it has a ton of potential.

If the guy has the skills and "The Dog", he needs to have the rock. I am of the mind to put your best 5 on the court, period. LD has said countless times that this offense is not point heavy. Meaning a "true point" is not necessary to run it. quote, "everyone on the court will initiate the offense". That being said, I'd be looking at a lineup of:

Jo Crawford

Ja Crawford

Joe

Josh

Al

That lineup is sure to disturb the senses. If Jordan is better than Jeff, so be it. Give the rook the rock.

The only senses that lineup will disturb is my eyes after I see the 140 on the scoreboard that just got put up on us. I hate to break it to you, again, but Jamal Crawford starting at PG is NOT our best lineup. Def not if you throw in his clone at SG. We would get destroyed on D and on the glass. Would make a good 2k team though.

Since we had several threads on Arenas this offseason, just figured I would update this to note that Arenas has now:

(1) Admitted faking an injury to avoid playing in a game

and

(2) Actually injured his groin

Nice to know that even before the preseason ends he can remind everyone why he is such a behavior and health risk at this point in his career.

WTF would anyone want this guy on your team? He faked an injury to avoid playing in a game. I repeat, he faked an injury to avoid playing in a game. Are you guys really serious?

A top 5 PG? Really? I can think of 8 guys off the top of my head I'd rather have over him. Hell, he's not even the number one choice on his own team.

I don't even have to get into his contract. I wouldn't want to sign him for half of what he makes. The guy is a cancer. I'm not a fan of paying for cancer.

I absolutely hated Jordan but playing his challenges is pretty cool and brings back some fun memories. Bad thing is after playing him it makes anyone else seem average.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sports/2010-09/22/c_13524223.htm

http://kenvibez.blogspot.com/2010/09/joseph-ouma-of-mombasa-geoffrey-oteky.html

http://www.busiweek.com/10/page.php?aid=1317

~lw3

Wish the NBA had more guys like him.

Great game offline, online could use some fixes.

If you do this, will you let me know what you think? I'm wanting FoxSoccer.TV if it comes out on the Roku box...

You guys should save your money and just watch Lifetime lol.

I didn't even notice this until my DVR did not record Sons of Anarchy. After researching this and learning they didn't want to pony up for a new Fox contract the DirecTV guys will be here next Wed. I'm not sure how Dish survives this.

So let's review the facts-

Encouraging running more on offense which takes advantage of all the athletes on the floor

Encouraging ball movement offense which gets rid of the ridiculous isolation stagnation and takes advantage of all the guys who can create for themselves and their teammates

Encouraging decrease in switching defense which gets rid of ridiculous matchup of Horford on opposing PG

Again LD seems too good to be true. He's literally addressing all the main philosophical and execution problems we had on both sides of the ball

Hell, I can name 6 HS members that saw our issues from years past. The question is, can he get the guys to actually fall through? I'm hoping he can but I've heard this song and dance before. Don't forget even Woody preached about how he needed more subs, less iso's, and more running. Talking the talk is one thing, geting the guys to do it is another. I'm not praising Drew until I SEE and not hear the improvments.

FAIL

My point is why is he still starting? Why are we not playing our best lineup (Joe at 3, Jamal at 2)? Why are we so quick to believe that changing coaches will change him?

Easy there Tiger. That's our best offensive lineup but I hate to break this to you Marvin >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Jamal on D. We start that lineup and we get killed on both the defensive side of the ball and rebounding. Not to mention our bench production drops severely. With the players we have Marvin starting at SF IS our best option. If you want to make an argument at least have Smoove starting there over him you would a more believable argument.

That said Marvin is an average NBA SF at best. Not sure why there was ever any hype surrounding him. He's too clumsy and soft to have ever had any founded hope to be something special. His numbers will go up this year but for those who are still garnering hope you will again be disappointed.

LD has a lot to improve imo. He has never been a head coach and coached here under who? Come on, I know some of you are totally on the bandwagon and I want to support him too.

I just have pause to blindly thinking a assistant coach off the same team can turn this thing around ESPECIALLY since the front office did ZERO in acquiring addtl needed veteran talent in the post.

LD has a BIG uphill climb IMO.

Oh I agree. I just don't think it will take long to reprogram any Woody info still in there since, judging by our defensive stats, none really stuck anyway.

If this team trades Joe, Al or Josh for Mello they wouldn't improve by any large amount.

So you don't think anyone on this team is worth a damn, yet you think if we trade any of these "average" players for one of the best in the league we still wouldn't improve?!? I now believe you type what you type just for a rise.

They make alarm clocks now that use light instead of sound. It gradually get's lighter and lighter mimicking the sun rising for those who get up to early to actually see the sun. Even if I worked that late I'd still need an alarm to wake me up.

We do mean, "melee," right?

~lw3

Maybe he meant "mayday."

Dampier would immediately be our best option at Center.

Ha, this could be beneficial for us. Maybe Josh with get a few T's early in the season and then realize he can't complain like that anymore and it will help him mature into a great player (mentally as well).

Yes, it's worked so well for Sheed.

I'm looking at the glass half full in regards to LD. However, I'm a realist, and I don't think our habits and tendencies from the last 6 years under Woody are just going to disappear. For us, as fans, to believe that one training camp, and 2.5 weeks before our first pre-season game, we're going to transform in to a totally different team is not gonna happen. It's going to be a process to grind through, if LD is sincere about reconstructing this team. In the meantime, we're going to continue to see heavy iso Joe. I think our defense will struggle early because of the change from switching (we'll look confused and revert to old habits). Although, it's a long season, and we'll evolve into the new regime (I hope). IMO, though, until the Holidays, we're gonna have to win on talent alone, like last year, and take our lumps at the same time....

Well since they never really did what he wanted them to do maybe it won't take so long to forget it.

Many players, ex and current, already live here. Black stars, music and sports, LOVE living in Atlanta. Problem is ownership, period. It's says a lot when a player already makes his home here and still doesn't consider ATL's teams.