AnnArborHawk

The first 2 games (at home), Josh played within himself in a way that was very encouraging and showed maturity and growth in his game. I don't think that, as a team, the Hawks are mature enough to win on the road. I was impressed with how they hung around for the first half, but they've shown that they can't get hit and then hit back on the road. I honestly think Josh taking those long jumpers was out of frustration with not being able to get it done inside or get the calls. And he's not the only player that started taking bad shots when the going got tough, that's just the MO of these team. They get a little desperate after taking a shot on the road. I've been one of Josh's biggest critics his first 5 years here, but I was really impressed with his first 2 games and am seeing signs that he CAN become the player the Hawks were hoping. I think the knocks everyone's taking on him about his jumpers versus the Lakers could apply to the whole team... just got down, desperate, and started taking bad shots. Just a bad night...

Honestly, I'm not quite sure what to expect. I do think the quality of officiating may take a little hit, but I hadn't considered what might come of the 'superstar' calls. It's an interesting question and I think you've got a very valid point. That aside, I'm really interested to see how these refs (who haven't been around the league for years and been on the court with many of these players before) respond to different player personalities (like Josh's whining versus Joe's almost-too-quiet demeanor).

It's an unbiased assessment. Smith doesn't seem to be applying himself the same way the other guys are. I'm sorry if I took a shot at your boy, but based on what I saw in the early part of the session, it was warranted.

Josh Smith is just horsing around and looks completely disinterested in what the coaches were telling him. He was actually yawning while Mark Price was working with the starters (they were just started to profile him, had the camera zoomed in on him, and big ole yawn). Oh yeah, and while he's been horsing around, he's been shooting long-range jumpers. No wonder it takes this kid the first quarter of the season to get his stuff together.

Haha, I'm posting on a thread labeled "Petition to ban Diesel" to keep him around b/c his Marvin threads are like comfort food and somehow I'm the bad guy.

I don't know... there's something comforting about logging into the squawk and seeing a Diesel trading Marvin thread. It's like comfort food - the blue box mac & cheese of HS, if you will. Doesn't offer anything new, and I rarely read them, but it's good to know they're tucked away in the pantry if I really need something.

What about Evans? If we sign Barnes, we're very deep at the 1-3 spots. Maybe too deep to get everyone who deserves it some quality PT. Bibby/Teague, JJ/Crawford, Marvin/Evans&Barnes. Maybe the idea is that Marvin would play more minutes at the 4 this year? I don't know. I really like the fact that we're getting deeper, but I just don't see Woodson getting 10 guys in the rotation. If anything, I think signing Barnes would mean that Teague is the odd man out of the rotation. Somebody refresh my memory, when's the last time we drafted a point guard between 10-20 and made him warm the bench for 46 minutes a game his first 2 years... I can't remember. Anyway, I like Barnes and actually think he'd be a good fit, but I'd rather have a big body.

I actually don't think Orlando would go for this trade.

I give Sund a lot of credit for making things happen quickly, first with Crawford and then Bibby & Zaza. Gives me confidence that he's got a plan, and we just have to be patient to see how it plays out. If Marvin signs the QO at 7.5M, he's got 10 guys on the books for next year at a payroll $6M less than last year. That gives some room to pick up a quality guy or two for the rotation.

He is Ricky Rubio. He is not like anybody else. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90_wyxvNyfQ (About 3:30 in)

Interesting thought. The thing the stats don't show is that Joe has carried us in the 4th quarter of some close games. Mind you, he doesn't do it often enough for how much he gets paid, but I'm not sure Crawford can even live up to Joe as the 'go to guy.' You definitely can't say the guy (Crawford) knows how to win... I don't think he's ever played on a winning team. Interesting to think about though... Joe would be a very attractive trading chip. Good player with a large expiring deal.

I'm wondering who on this team they count on to pass the ball. I guess we're going to be seeing Woody's famous ISO for a few more years. Maybe now we just have a couple extra guys who can execute it.

I agree that I don't think the light is going to come on. As a fifth year player, that should have happened by now. Between Horford, Marvin, and Smoove we have 3 talented forwards, all about the same age, and Josh is the only one who doesn't seem to be improving (although he undoubtedly has the most raw athletic ability).

You know it's bad when the TNT broadcasters, who've done fewer Hawks games than I can count on two hands over the time Smoove has been in the league, make statements like "have you ever seen Josh Smith not complain about a foul call."

Deke was a great player and will continue to be an even better man. The entire NBA should look to this guy as a model for how to do it the right way

The reality is if we can pull off wins on Tuesday and Wednesday against very beatable teams, that should all but wrap it up.

Only reason the shaving-the-head gimmick motivated the team in any way is that's where they figured he must be hiding the playbook. Imagine their disappointment when they found out that wasn't the case, and the hard truth was that the hope of a playbook was just another shattered dream.

The Kobe/Laker fans were obnoxious the first 6 minutes of the game. But with 2 minutes left in the 4th they all started slinking out. I sit by one of the portals, so I made it a point to ask each one: "Did it feel good walking IN with that jersey on? Cause I know it doesn't feel good walking OUT." I also gave a couple people a hard time who'd clearly never lived anywhere but the south, asking them how many times they've even visited LA. Seems like a lot of people here were born in NY (Yankees) and made it to Atlanta by way of Indianapolis (Colts) and LA.

After going 21-10 to start the year, we're 13-17 and looking quite average since. If we don't pick up the pace and start playing the way we did at the beginning of the year, we're not going to keep that 4 seed. Anybody else starting to worry?

Nobody said anything about giving up Bibby for Haslem :) But seriously, Josh Smith is not our second best player this year by any stretch. I'd rather have him over Haslem, but let's be realistic about what Josh Smith is.

I'm just sick of the C's and the phantom calls they get in general. Pierce is probably the biggest whiny b*tch in the NBA, but the league is rewarding acting like a punk when you're winning and crying to mommy (refs) when you're losing. LeBron does the same crap (last Saturday's game). People say JJ doesn't get a lot of calls because he doesn't complain much, but I'm really starting to appreciate that about him. Note to David Stern: If you keep giving phantom calls to crybaby superstars, you're going to end up with a league full of whiny bitches. (All that aside, I thought there were a lot of ticky-tack calls both ways last night. I really wish the refs would have let them play a little more.)

No basis for saying Chillz was a cancer, but Mo definitely makes us better on the defensive end. Chillz seemed to be a team player and his team defense wasn't so bad, but The Matador couldn't keep anyone from getting around him.

That place is money. For a Friday/Saturday game, I definitely hit the 44 and chase it with a 32. Then I don't have to spend a dime on overpriced beer at the game.

Now that's a fan! :thumbsupsmileyanim:

My signed Josh Smith jersey :) I also have a couple Jordan jerseys (23 and the 45 he wore for a few games), a Hawks JT jersey, and a custom road blue from last year.