pathway23

Quote: We drafted Marvin because BK has no faith in Smoove. If BK really felt that JJ was a 2 and Smoove was a 3 (as he said last year) then there was no real need for Marvin... That is inane Diesel, your imagination working overdrive again? You insinuate that BK's lack of faith in Smoove led us to draft Marvin, when we have Al as an unrestricted free agent the next offseason? What do you think BK is more concerned about, replacing Al's production cheaply, or replacing a rookie on a very reasonable contract who is only 20 years old? BK has stated before that he thinks Smoove can play the 4 and he thinks Marvin is a 3...I think I'll go by what BK said then what you say he is thinking.. and I'd much rather have Smoove at the 4 than Al at least he can defend the position MUCH better and isn't an offensive blackhole that can't play D..I don't have ESP, do you?

That is just totally unacceptable! We need a veteran coach in here that will at least have a clue of what we need on the floor in particular situations!

I agree about Morris not living up to hype, that is clear. I think he overhyped himself, coming out too early for the draft and getting in trouble. I think he realized it not long after and was ashamed of himself for it. I wish him luck.. He might become a solid NBA role player in a few years. As for Rondo I agree the dude is just spending so much energy doing everything he can for that team that I don't think it is fair to criticize that one aspect of his game (perimeter shooting) that isn't working consistently right now..like some have said, the Glove had to develop his J too.. Brevin Knight had to, etc.

You are aware that this is Randolph's 1st game back...The only perimeter threat on Kentucky's team is Sparks and he has been mired in a shooting slump, Rondo's rebounding, ball handling, passing and defense and the flashes of post play from Morris was actually what brought Kentucky back in this game against Vanderbilt and Kentucky almost won....I think Morris has upside. He plans to stay at Kentucky 2 more years (he really doesn't have much choice than the NBDL) ..I think Tubby has really had a tough time recruiting the last couple seasons..Pitino next door is hurting his recruiting.

I was also impressed by Hilton Armstrong.. is he just a freshman? he had 14 pts, 10 reb, and 6 blk.

Wake doesn't have as much talent this year, because they lost some pretty good seniors in Danulus and Levy and still were ranked 23 in the country playing Duke before that game...they were in this game 15 minutes left in the 2nd half where Duke made a run...Duke still has everybody returned from last year they are better this year...maybe if they had Chris Paul they win this one, doesn't seem they have as good PG play now...but still they have talent left over or they wouldn't have been ranked 23 headed into that game..Duke is undefeated btw. I'll admit to you this last years wake team didn't have as much talent as north carolina (who did?) but they had as much as Duke. Duke looks fantastic so far this year. Reddick has taken his game to another level..

Quote: Honestly, Paul didn't have a lot to work with at Wake and he does have a lot to work with NOW, but the one thing that he does better than a lot of other PGs you see now is that he makes those people playing with him BETTER. That is the most laughable thing I've read on this board today. You forgot about Justin Gray, Eric Williams Michael Drum, Trent Strickland? Wake Forest has some of the top recruiting classes in the country and that Wake Forest team last year was loaded.

Thats part of our problem. JJ and Al are trying to take over thsemselves and not getting their teammates involved enough. It makes the whole team and them less effective because as they go our team goes. If they are hot together we win and if one of them is cold we lose. I see NO playing more as a team.

I don't think BK has done a poor job putting together a roster. He did what he had to do. His neglect of the PG position has been based on philosophy, and we'll see how that goes in the future. However, his inability to get a legitimate defensive front court player is because of a lack of interest by the player(Pryz) or just lack of it in the market in total. I do think that NO roster has some good players though. Now that I think about it, JJ and Al are probably better than any 2 players on their roster. This sounds like an indictment of our coach which I listed already ? Perhaps the coaching is more the suspect than the other factors.

Chris Paul is good and makes others better, and I agree that he is their best player, but his team has more talent where it counts than the Hawks do. PJ Brown and David West are nice pieces. And his backup at PG Speedy Claxton isn't bad either (I'd much rather have him than Lue). It isn't just because of Chris Paul that NOK has more wins than the Hawks do. They have just as much or more talent overall, a more complete team, with fewer missing pieces, and a much better coach and it shows in the standings.

Wrong link.

I nominate Walter GM of the Atlanta Hawks for a day!

JSmoove and JChill are 2nd year players, they should be playing better than Marvin. Marvin is just a rookie and he isn't even expected to produce as a starter. He is playing behind a borderline allstar who we probably won't keep. I think your campaign to keep Al is to save yourself from eating crow when Marvin gets the time and touches he needs to produce within the offense? Like others have pointed out, chill and smoove produced more and we played competitively without al. I also expect Marvin to produce more...As for TLue, he better score, if he doesn't he is a waste on the floor , because he gives up almost twice as much as he scores. The last 4 games PGs have increased their average by 13 on us , alot of that on Lue.

CP is no doubt their best player..David West isn't far behind. That kid has some special talent. KB has to be on something to say JR is the best...I don't think he is even as good as grizzled old vet PJ Brown yet. I think that NOK has talent and CP is their most talented player, but not far and away. They have a more solid front court than the Hawks have defensively and Speedy Claxton could start on some teams at PG, they don't lose that much when CP goes to the bench.

That is the one point I agree with KB on, a problem with sports is instant gratification. The GM can't just choose a player for the sake of an instant turnaround, we need something definite. He has to have a long term plan. I think that is what BK is working on..

Marvin did do something, he made meaningful contribution to our win but it doesn't deserve a parade. It just deserves simple recognition. You and KB both have gone way too far with the CP3 vs MW war... MW was a known quantity and CP3 wasn't. It was known that MW would be a development project so I don't know why KB doesn't simply admit that...and at the same time I also don't know why you try to rub it in the face of MW's supporters that he is slow to develop (which those of us that recognized reality should have known already)...I don't think many GMs expected Chris Paul to do this well in the league, he is a pleasant surprise. I don't have anything against Chris Paul doing well..And I still think there is hope for Marvin to develop. It is obvious that MW is not as good as CP at this time. I don't have a problem with it.

Yeah worst record in the league with him, worst record in the league without him

I agree that Rondo is raw offensively, but the guy has no help in this game. Nobody is hitting wide open outside shots...Kansas isn't respecting them from outside so they are stacking the lane and Rondo can't drive without attempting a difficult pass or shot. I'm surprised how little offensive firepower this Kentucky team has...Rondo is their best player by far.

There is no logjam but a coach that doesn't have a clue how to use his players! He should just tell Smoove he is a PF, let Al start at SF, and let Marvin back them both up. I think Woody is confusing the hell out of his players with defensive assignments, make it simple for the love of god...

We got a pure SF instead of a tweener SF/PF. Al is slightly taller and stronger than the average NBA SF, and slightly less than average NBA PF...Chill is a good and potentially great role player off the bench, no logjam. Al has been playing PF because we don't have one. We have one but he is at C, Zaza. So we have those two guys playing out of position. Al should really be at SF and Smoove at PF..I don't think Woody has a clue, this team is a lot better than 7-22. I expect Marvin to really make strides if we actually get an offensive system in place. What kind of system do we run? Marvin's skills aren't even close to being utilized....He already is a better ball handler than smoove and a better shooter than Chill and Smoove.

For me priority #1 = BIG and athletic offensive linemen best available as a first round pick, the first offensive lineman picked by the Falcons in the first round since Bob Whitfield. priority #2 = hard hitting safety and veteran secondary help that is legit from FAcy if possible (Sharper maybe?) to bring the rook along behind him.. priority #3 = try to stay healthy! because the Falcons have some nice prospects on the defensive line, but injuries exposed lack of depth and made green players play out of position e.g. Chauncey Davis at DE instead of DT, etc...Still need to add depth there.

yeah but Ivey only played 4 minutes. again Ivey does well and sits.... 4 minutes, 2-2 FG, 2 reb 1 ast 0 TO Lue had 2 TO in his first 12 minutes of action.

Distant Replays is a good place in Buckhead retro stuff is their specialty but they have the current stuff too its on 310 East Paces Ferry Road have fun at the game (I wish it meant something too)

Chauncey Billups and Tony Parker aren't prototypical PGs and Ben Wallace is not a prototypical Center... give BK a chance to bring in a center (or try) a lot of GMs are having trouble finding one....I 'm not sure the Hawks are in that much of a dire need at PG right now...When they play well which is more often lately they score over 100 points and have over 25 assists..with chemistry the no PG formula appears to be looking better for BK..this team would be at .500 if it had more defense in the paint / physical body.

Quote: Shaq showed us why the other night. LOL! Shaq showed a lot of teams they don't have a center. A Shaq 100% healthy on 3 days rest is a tough even impossible in most cases cover for any other center in the league. A lot of guys playing center these days aren't really centers. I don't think BK has a lack of respect for center and pg, he just doesn't trust rookie PGs and he is like most other GMs in the league having trouble finding legitimate bigs.