TroyMcClure

One more thing. Anyone ever call James Worthy third fiddle? Look at almost any really good or great team, and they have players who sacrifice as individuals for a common team goal. If the Magic win the title, do you think people will call Lewis a third fiddle? No, they would call him a matchup nightmare and a very integral cog, don't you think? Oh, and Joe's salary is going to decrease or something, right? Dude probably thinks he deserves a raise or something. He led us out of the first round for the first time in blah, blah, blah.

I explained, in part, why he is a more dynamic player than Joe. Put down the pipe, if you think the Magic would have become this dangerous without him. And how exactly are his numbers that different from Joe's? Keep in mind, Rashard actually passes with time left on the clock. They gave up a 2nd rounder for Lewis. So what if he costs a few million more on the cap. He didn't cost a first round pick of a player and two more 1sts after that. Besides, this is their run. They are going for it. All that aside, when it comes to playoff basketball, a Lewis is faaaar more valuable in matchups than I've never jumped over anybody, I don't move without the ball, I don't pass with more than 5 seconds left on the clock, I play defense 36 minutes a year, Joe Johnson is. Their chemistry would totally suck with Joe Johnson on the Magic. Like I said, I don't know if Joe even remembers how to play team basketball anymore. Might not be his fault, but it is what it is, imo.

That may be true about Bennett, but Sund did not help. Perhaps he couldn't, who knows? I do know that he kept taking checks while running the franchise into the ground. Different city or not, it's the "team" he put together. They suck. I'm no contract expert, but didn't they both sign max deals. Those are the same, correct? Your last statement is just, dumb, MRH. Of course there is reason do discuss. Joe Johnson hasn't accomplished much in the way of team achievements in his career. It's about half over, btw. Rashard is a better teammate on the floor. He doesn't need to dribble for 15 seconds. He realizes there are other players. Rashard is a better clutch shooter, imo. He's taller, which helps tremendously when defenses are in rotation and charging a 3 shot. He actually has a post up game. Again, see height. He's very god down there. Inside out basketball benefits everyone. No one seems to know that around here. It's like Deke never played here or something. And Joe brings it defensively, like 4 times a year. Joe is in no way the answer for us. I personally don't feel he is even a piece. At least not for us. He's been a sacred cow for far too long. I don't know if knows how to play real basketball anymore. He's been dribbling for so long now... his game is just not growing. He's regressed as a player. He's not the man. Never was. Rashard Lewis on the other hand... he was a first option with Ray Allen on the floor. Could you say the same for Joe? I can't.

Thank God for Barkley keeping it real, though. He has been on these officials. Reggie Miller is calling for serious rules committee changes. It just looks really ugly.

That's not entirely true, and you know it. THe city of Seattle loved the Sonics for over 2 decades. Sure, they needed an arena, but guys like Sund sucked the life out of the city. With a guy like him at the top, the city realized the ownership had totally given up and they decided to let the owners walk. If they had won on the court, which is what a GM should do, they would have gotten a new stadium. He was there the last 7 years. Plenty of time to turn it around. But Rick Sund doesn't care about that. There's always another job in another city. I hate these NBA "lifer" chumps like Woodson, BK, and Sund. And really, I don't see how anyone could call the Lewis deal ridiculous, considering Joe Johnson's contract. I would take Lewis 8 days a week over Joe. Turk, too. But that's a different story.

He also traded Rashard Lewis, a move that ultimately put the nail in the coffin for the Sonics. Anyone know who they got for him, I don't even remember? I'll bet someone in Seattle remembers, though.

This question of pg or coach is an absolute no brainer. It's the coach. Everything starts from the top down. What good is the best pg with a bad coach? Not as good as a great coach with a mediocre pg. For instance, Avery Johnson was no world beater, but with a great coach, he was a steady rock to build your gameplan around. Remember, without a real coach, you have no gameplan. Without that, you're basically playing streetball(just like our Hawks) and no pg, no matter how talented, can will his team beyond an inept coach.

Since when is someone in the top 10 victories, a bad coach? Motta was a coach of the year and won an NBA title among other things.

I don't think we're smart enough to get him. If we were, we would have drafted guys like him. He doesn't have enough "game" as the idiots say.

Amen for that! Except I think Amare is very good at that elbow jumper. Especially in transition. Nice to see you back, soth.

Let's hope so.

You're acting like Joe doesn't want to do that. I guarantee, if he put his finger down, pointing for a pick... it would come. We don't have an offense. We let Joe dribble until he decides to do something.

dude, how old are you? Most knowledgeable this year? It's not like he is fresh on the scene. He's been the most knowledgeable color guy for about 20 years! Fratello would be perfect.

It also makes no sense to assume that "blowing up" the roster automatically equals 13 wins. That team could have won more games. But it's much better to play the likes of a Royal Ivey over a Jon Barry, right? I think possibly, Belkin really had no idea just what kind of losers Billy Knight and his buddy Mike Woodson were. Just for the sake of argument, but I think Belkin bought in to the idea of actually rebuilding, not the cheap facade the ASG have put up. And to do that, you can't give away the world for the likes of Joe Johnson.

Woody is not right. Ever think about the possibility that his beef is legitimate? It's obvious to me that it is. It's also obvious that he knew more about basketball as a child than Woody does now. The fact that you called Barry a scrub shows me you have no respect or understanding of the game of basketball. There is a reason his teams always went to the playoffs. All he did was make all of his teammates better. Woody doesn't understand that, that's why he's an idiot. Also, the fact that you don't think Barry has any insight into what kind of disaster Mike Woodson is as a coach, is alarmingly ignorant. The verdict has been in on Woodson for some time. This isn't news to me. His situation with Barry years ago, was one of the first indicators to me that he was clueless about winning. By the way, regardless of average. Barry was 10x the player Woodson was. Losers don't make good coaches. How could they? All they know is how to lose. Mike Woodson was a garbage scorer on some of the worst teams in history. But it's just a coincidence that he sucks, huh?

I'm going to answer myself and say, no.

First off, that's the dumbest thing I've ever read. It's right up there. Secondly, no one steals bases anymore. Also, we have many guys capable of hitting the long ball. Sadly, Casey Kotchman isn't one of them. By the way Bobby hasn't been the GM in about 20 years. Logic also tells you that if a guy is struggling at the top of the order, and thusly killing scoring chances, you should drop him. As evidence, look at the last few games. Lastly, how do you call yourself a Braves fan? Or do you? I mean, there are some things an educated Braves fan could gripe about eloquently regarding Cox, but these aren't those things.

Only if you let it be. There are a couple of players on this team that i really like. That's about it. The organization is garbage. I'm not crowing about this, but I said 4 years ago, and from the minute I got on this site, that this would happen in just this way. Anyone who's ever played for a coach... or really listened to Hubie Brown, would know that this is what happens with a "coach" like Mike Woodson. Don't let the losses bother you... they don't bother him.

Joe could also, like, move his body after he passes. I've never seen someone so young, and so injury free, move so little without the ball. He doesn't jump, he doesn't dive, he doesn't cut. Does he even know what a "give and go" is?

I've had problems with TP, but I've come to think that he's just doing what Bobby wants. We've been like this for 18 years, man! Besides, he will be the next Braves manager, imo. He's not going anywhere. We need consistent at bats and production from the top of the order. That's the biggest problem right now, imo. The middle relief is not exactly a bright spot, though.

Really, it's quite pathetic. The reason he's doing what he's doing is because his opinion on the game of basketball is actually worth being paid for. Mike Woodson is just clueless and increasingly classless. "What he say don't amount to nothing?" You don't have to be a Mensa member to be a coach, but I mean, come on. I'm sorry but a professional coach should speak better than that in a public forum. He's actually right, though. It don't amount to nothing.

Competing for a title is not on the list of things that are important to Rick Sund. Therefore, I don't think he really cares. He's happy with where we are. No Atlanta Hawks team has been past the second round. No pressure in his mind. Problem is, he should be applying the pressure himself.

Zaza was important, no doubt. Josh Smith though, was undoubtedly the MVP, imo.

It was nice to see and hear. thanks from all of us who could not afford to go to those that could and did such a tremendous job! The defense chants and the Hey, hey, goodbye were awesome!

I assure you, this is off the top of my head. I don't hate Joe, I just think Josh Smith is far more valuable. Here's at least 10 guys that took me less than 10 seconds to think of. Each are of more value to the NBA and their individual franchises, than Joe Johnson. Howard, Ming, Kobe, Rose, Boozer, Williams, Lebron, Wade, Mello, Chauncey, Dirk, Pierce, Allen. Now, do we really want to do this? Let's just be happy. They played great today.