AtLaS

Quote: I think when you draft someone in the top 5 of any draft, they should be making more of an impact Who in the top 5 is making more of an impact?

imo this team has played pretty well. We've had opportunities to win every game except the Orlando one and we've lost a few OT games. Free throws are responsible for at LEAST 2 losses, probably more. This is also with injuries to Marvin, Childress and Speedy, that sounds pretty good to me. You're right Marvin HAS to become a goto guy, maybe not this year, but soon. He was #2 overall and his position was unneeded. Smoove would be playing much better if our pg play improves, he just can't create a shot right now. His shot will start falling, he's just lost confidence in it recently. I just want Speedy to get healthy. I keep hearing about his knees, but damn don't play if you're hurt. He's HURTING the team right now. If his knees are hurt he just needs to sit out a few games and rest. He has played pretty good defense though. Zaza needs to quit traveling. I swear he gets called for traveling like twice a game.

Smith has been one of our most clutch players since we drafted him. Your saying other young players don't keep doing dumb things? Dude you don't see EVERY one of their games like Smith. Despite how good he is, ask Orlando how inconsistant Dwight is, and how many mistakes he makes. Look at Shaun Livingston, has all the potential in the world but either has a great game passing, has 10 turnovers, or is injured. Al Jefferson hasn't showed anything in a WHILE. Look at Telfair, J.R. Smith, Dorell Wright, go ask ALL those teams how inconsistant their players are. Look at Robert Swift. These are ALL players from the "coveted" 2004 draft class, they have all shown HUGE flashes (Smoove has shown more than most), but they are SO inconsistant. D-Howard is the most consistant but ask Orlando fans how consistant he really is. He makes dumb mistakes ALL the time. Give Smoove time man, he will learn. Once his shot starts falling (and it will) he will instantly become a much more consistant player. I do agree however that he shouldn't jack up three's.

You act like it is FACT that they will get that many minutes. With our team it's gonna depend on who is playing well that night. Some nights they will get more, some less, depending on who we are playing. And I love Chill and Marvin, but once Smith's shot starts falling don't start praising him..

We've pretty much heard everything from BK, even if he had spoken you wouldn't learn anything new.

I hope you're joking..

^^ and now everyone says they agreed with it or say nothing at all. That or try to bring up the Roland rating to support their argument. Might have to bring up some old threads pretty soon..

I've been saying this since before we drafted Shelden, post defense (for the most part) is ALL about strength, and Shelden is a beast. Being one inch shorter does NOT matter if you make up for it with strength and positioning. And now his shotblocking is starting to come around, which is even better. I am really liking Solomon right now, except for his fouling, but he'll come around. Anyone remember last night when him and Smoove were in and Charlotte couldn't even hardly drive cause they were in the air for EVERY shot? If they faked one out, the other was there. It was like having 2 pogo sticks out there blocking shots.

Yeah the Marbury thing was a joke. How did I insult JJ? Every player on my list is in your list. Arenas is NOT below JJ, at least according to the rest of the league. They may be even but he isn't below. I didn't bother to elaborate on EVERY single player, I just made a list of people who are "ABOUT" even off the top of the head. I didn't put forth a ton of effort into it like you obviously think I should have. I just randomly thought of good players and put them down, lmao and you flame for it. And yes I realize JJ is above Redd.. BTW JJ is definately a top 10 player SO FAR this season, but he isn't a top 10 PLAYER yet. He needs to put forth a whole season first.

I doubt that would be the case. I'd rather have JJ than probly all of em too, but every single team wouldn't feel the same way. I agree JJ's played great and is definately an upcoming star, but he needs to do it for a full year before he is far and ahead of all the aforementioned players.

Gm's would take JJ over Dirk, Kobe, Lebron, Wade, Arenas, Yao, KG?? Paul and D12? What are you smokin? The second list were players who are ABOUT even, I didn't say they WERE even, I'd rather have JJ than most of those players too just saying that's the value.

Wade, lebron, kobe, nowitzki, KG, Bosh, Yao, Arenas, Duncan, D12 and Chris Paul even though they're on rookie contracts. Players about even: Pierce, Melo, Redd, J. Oneal, McGrady, Brand, Gasol, Carter, Iverson, Marion, Nash. Oh and Marbury.. JJ is definately up there..

why are there so many suns fans on this board?

Why is the chatroom not working?

Young really hasn't impressed me that much so far..

what about games that aren't aired on tv?

thats because you are a basher. You wait until Smoove or Zaza makes a mistake and attack. When someone else throws it away or takes a bad shot you just say crap, but as SOON as Smoove does it you say "Smith is horrible, get him out of the game." Then say "see a bad shot leads to a fast break," while not even mentioning the fact that we AS A TEAM had 18 TO's and Detroit had 27 points OFF of those TO's.. I agree he had a bad game. I'm not denying that nor did I ever deny that. But you are a basher and that's all I'm saying. You are just another Walter or Hotlanta, but at least THEY stay consistant about how they feel.

Quote: Quote: Name another team that has 2 starters that COMBINE for less than 5 ppg, add to that they aren't averaging good assist numbers either. Bozeman and Shelden were not even supposed to be starting, they are injury replacements. EXACTLY! You just proved my point we are playing 3 on 5 on offense. So stop the Smoove bashing for now at least.

I completely agree with you. This was more of an attack to all the bashers on this site (hence the title, "if y'all need to bash someone"). I wasn't even bashing Speedy in this post, just saying if all these people need to bash someone, at least attack the right person. I agree I'm willing to give Speedy a chance. And I'm sick of all this Smoove hate when so far this year he's been given all kinds of new responsibilities, of course he's gonna struggle sometimes, but he's still playing good nonetheless. It's too early, only 8 games.

Quote: good post, godawg. i would also like to add that i think if anyone thinks we're playing 3 on 5 on offense, then you would also have to say that the majority of the time the other team is playing 3 on 5 when they're on offense. not many teams have solid offensive contributers 1-5. Name another team that has 2 starters that COMBINE for less than 5 ppg, add to that they aren't averaging good assist numbers either. I'm not a Shelden basher by any means, so that's not a knock on him, I'm just saying we ARE playing 3 on 5 on offense, and most teams don't.

Another thing, the reason Smith is playing like a rookie is because on this team RIGHT NOW he is a rookie. He's always had 2 goto guys on the team ahead of him, whether Walker and Harrington or JJ and Harrington. Now he has by default become a goto guy. This is the FIRST year he's ever REALLY been looked upon to provide for us in order to be successful. When you start Bozeman and Shelden (or even Speedy right now), you are playing 3 on 5 when on offense, because they do NOT help out. Of COURSE he's gonna make mistakes. And since Marvin isn't here to help, he's really had to step up, and with Chill out now he's relied on even more. Speedy is supposed to help him out, which I hope he will, but he hasn't.

Speedy is averaging 3.6 ppg and 2.4 assist in about 23 mpg. He is shooting an UNCONCIOUS 15% from the FIELD! How is everyone bashing Smoove and not Speedy? We just paid this guy 6 million per! HE's the one that shouldn't be shooting. If Smith started passing up WIDE open shots as y'all say he should, he'd be Boris Diaw (The Atlanta one). Diaw had a worse shot than Smith yet EVERYONE here was begging him to shoot. How can Smith pass up a wide open shot with less than 10 seconds on the shot clock? Just doesn't make sense. I'm sure Woodson TELLS him to take it if in a certain position. Now I agree he definately needs to take it to the rack, but y'all are overreacting just because we are losing and you have to find someone to blame.. BTW he's only avging 2.38 TO/g in about 40 minutes, which is less than JJ, Zaza AND Speedy who is only playing 23 mpg. That's right, Speedy is averaging 3 TO in 23 mpg, and shooting 15% on top of that! I agree Josh makes stupid mistakes but he is NOT the sole reason we are losing.. Y'all say Smoove's not playing like a 3 year vet, well Speedy is freakin 28. He's killing us with turnovers and not doing anything on the floor. That's killing 6 mil of our cap for an injured player who makes us WORSE when healthy. I think it's pretty obvious that Smoove would REALLY excel with a good passing pg that good get him the ball in position to score and one who can run the fast break. Speedy could become that but is no where near there yet. I also think Smoove will be better once Marvin gets back because he'll be playing PF and he won't be forced to be on the perimeter all game. Plus he plays much better defense down there. P.S. : THE REAL REASON WE ARE LOSING IS FREE THROWS.

Iggy is WAY overrated, I don't see why everyone considers him a good player. His defense is overrated, and he will never be more than about a 13 ppg player. In college he only averaged like 10 ppg. Childress is more complete and is MUCH more efficient. Please quit arguing about Roy, he's played all of three games, now he's injured and all you can do is bring that up. At least give him time first. I agree completely about Paul, Deron or Felton, last year's draft was considered a great PG draft, we needed a pg, and we took Marvin, who I thought was overrated anyway. Either way whats done is done and I hope Marvin turns into a great player. Either way we're the youngest team in the league, have cap space, and TONS of tradeable players who could become great land us someone great. Just look at some of the trades for big names recently. All we need to do is make the playoffs, and it will start from there. Tell me, WHAT TEAM makes the playoffs and is instantly a contender the next year without adding something to their roster? NONE. There MAY be a few exceptions, but for the most part it doesn't happen.

Miami was nothing but young players (just like our team) and Wade emerged and became a great player (who's to say one of our players won't, we dont even need a Wade we have JJ already), then they made the playoffs, then the next year they TRADED for Shaq. Wasn't Sheed the missing link in Detroit? Didn't they TRADE for him? BTW what was traded for those players? A 17th pick for Sheed. Odom, Butler and a LATE 1st for Shaq. What was traded for VC? Baron Davis? Phoenix got the biggest steal ever, they signed a 2 time MVP outright, for less than the MAX! We could have easily gotten Iverson this offseason. Fact is once you make the playoffs, have a young attractive team, players WANT to come there. When players WANT to go somewhere and you have the cap space/tradeable assets to get them you will land someone big. Stars are traded for way less than value EVERY year. Look at Denver, they were worse than us NOW for about 10 years straight. Noone would EVER want to go there. Then they get Carmelo, make a gamble offer to Miller, make the playoffs then make the biggest signing of that offseason (K-Mart) who at the time was a big time free agent. SA was just lucky D-Rob went down for the year or they would have never gotten Duncan. Lakers were EXTREMELY lucky to get Shaq, it wouldn't have mattered what team Shaq went to at that time, his team would have became contenders.

Our team is the youngest in the league by more than THREE years. Last year we were the youngest team in NBA HISTORY. How can you say we are designed for mediocrity when have nothing but cap space and young, very attractive and tradable assets (if we decide to go that route). How do you know Marvin will not become a star? Smoove? Shelden could become a force. Zaza's pretty damn good for a 22 year old center. Solomon could break out. Childress is getting better EVERY game. We are a few missed free throws away from being 7-1 (the REAL reason we've lost 3 straight). Pretty much every good team starts with a bunch of young players until someone breaks out and they make the playoffs. And when they are ready make a big signing or big trade, and we DEFINATELY have the assets for one.