troubleman

Hope was gone in the off-season when the Hawks decided to resign Joe Johnson, AND keep the rest of the core intact. I don't post much here, but in conversations with friends I stated I didn't mind seeing Joe resigned, but only if they were going to make another move to improve the roster. All I saw was Josh Powell added. WTF The "core" has been blown out in the 2nd round 2 years in a row, and the idiot ownership/front office decides all they need is to resign Joe? Jamal Crawford's contract, and a member of the "core" should have been moved to improve that starting lineup.

If it wasn't for my promise to the nephew to take him to a game, I wouldn't bother going to see the Hawks. Contrary to popular opinion, Atlanta is a good basketball town, full of knowledgeable basketball fans, and they are proving it by staying away from Phillips Arena to watch this schizophrenic team. The goal should always be a championship, and it is obvious to me that ASG does not see it that way.

No, the draft choices under BK were the worst. Yeah, he got Horford, and yeah he got Josh Smith at 17, but I would rather have Deng over Josh Childress. Deron Williams or Chris Paul over Marvin. Heck, anybody over Shelden Williams. These were all picks I wanted, and I know the Hawks might not have been able to get Horford, but maybe they could have swung a deal to get a big man in his place. I never saw the potential in Marvin. Not sure where the James Worthy crap came from, but I wasn't buying it. The two hardest positions to find are a legit center, and a franchise type point guard. If the choice is between a 6th man at UNC in Marvin or a franchise pg type in D. Williams or Chris Paul you have to go with the point guard. Small Forwards are easier to find in the draft. Heck they could have drafted old bad knees Brandon Roy and received more value that Shelden Williams. Even with Brandon Roy and Joe Johnson being similar players, you had options as far as trade, or your bench.

Exactly

I told a couple of buddies that signing Joe to a max contract was cool, IF the Hawks were willing to shake up the roster a little bit. Otherwise, they simply needed to let Joe walk, and commit to a small rebuild around Horford, Williams, and Smith. Going into next season with the same core group of players that have been swept in the 2nd round of the playoffs two years in a row is the sign of a team that is just happy making the playoffs. I really like Jamal Crawford, but after resigning Joe, the Hawks should have been looking to package his expiring contract with Williams or Smith to obtain another all-star caliber player. It looks like that is not going to happen. The older I get the more I see the business side of sports, and although I will continue to watch the Hawks on tv when I get a chance, I will go to fewer games if the core is the same as last year. I have a love for taking trips, and that money can go in the vacation kitty.

The Hawks are a team without a vocal leader on the court. They lack toughness. They win because of their athleticism, which is cool in the regular season, but will not allow you to advance in the playoffs. They lack fundamentals, and are currently tuning out their coach. I think NBA coaches overall are overrated, but it's obvious this team needs a new one because they are not listening to Woodson.

Nobody can carry a team alone. The Lakers were one and done in the playoffs until they acquired Gasol. The Heat have been one and done in the playoffs without Shaq. KG was one and done in Minnesota. Lebron's teams have advanced, so I'll give him a little credit, but they can't get over the hump, which is why they acquired Jamison and Shaq. The bottom line is this, no players can get it done alone.

Thanks, I just threw up in my mouth again. C'mon D. Wade, surely you can do better than Star Jones.

Yeah, notice I can do that without calling Joe "her", and the other nonsense I see on this board. I also can see that other guys are not taking advantage of the double teams that Joe is receiving. It's not just a Joe problem. This is a Hawks problem.

Yeah, Joe has been pretty bad during the playoffs this year, but in his defense, he is the only guy on the roster facing double teams every time he touches the ball. When that happens he has to rely on his teammates to convert. One thing that I notice that bugs me is the fact that guys don't catch and shoot. They make an easy shot, more difficult. I do wish that Joe would stop waiting on the double team, and make his move before it gets there. He is also a good enough shooter to elevate over guys like Delonte West or Mo Williams, before the big man double comes.

Well, if the team was willing to play with some heart, they would be willing to put Lebron on the floor. Unfortunately, they would be the first to help him up even if they grew a pair and knocked him down. It's all about pride, and this team lacks it. Too many times, guys are finishing at the rim, and not getting hit. This is the playoffs. Knock guys down, including the chosen one.

Finally, hopefully the end of the hype for the overrated Ricky Hatton. I'm not going to sit here and say that I expected a KO in the 2nd round, but I did expect Manny to destroy him. I knew the addition of Mayweather to his corner wasn't going to be enough, because Hatton is not fast enough or good enough defensively to stop the volume of punches that Manny throws. I have always seen Hatton as an overrated brawler/wrestler, who when not allowed to hold and punch, simply got hit too often. This sets the stage for a PBF-Manny fight in December if a rusty PBF can defeat a tough JMM. I still give PBF the edge against JMM simply because of the size, Floyd's underrated pop, and his great defense. I'm one of those boxing fans who believe in the art of boxing, which is the ability to hit and not get hit. If Floyd looks good against JMM, then I would give Floyd a "slight" advantage against Manny.

There is nothing wrong with having two max money guys on the team. Mgmt would have to be very smart with free agents, and draft picks to provide depth. I don't believe Bibby and Marvin are going to get huge contracts next year. Marvin still has potential, but I believe the injuries this year, and his inability to step up his game to become the #2 option this team sorely needs is going to hamper him. He is still young, and I believe it is more mental than anything else. Bibby is older, and it is obvious he is not the same player that he was 5 years ago. Getting a guy like Bosh would be a sign that this team is serious about taking the next step, and maybe Bibby would be willing to sacrifice for a chance at a ring. Or maybe not. lol Personally, I don't think it would take much to resign Flip or even Mo (I don't know Mo's contract situation off the top of my head). Of course this is all a dream, because I am not sure how serious ASG about building a contender.

Yeah, and the back court would be a joke. Honestly, I wouldn't be too happy with the front line either. I would do Smooth for Bosh in a heartbeat, but I don't think Toronto would be stupid enough to do that one. Marvin, Bosh, and Al would be great teamed with Johnson, and whomever in the back court.

It's one of the reasons why I'm not as hard on Joe as others. This team is very difficult to watch offensively, and defensively. The constant standing around as Joe or Flip dribbles around looking for an opening. The hand off screen, where the screener just stands there while Joe dribbles and kicks out to Josh for a 3. Rarely a cut to the basket, and when the screener does (rarely) roll to the basket, the pass is thrown a second or two too late. Honestly, this is one of the worst playoff offenses that I have ever seen.

Quoted for truth. D. Wade creates open looks for his teammates, by slashing to the basket. If they are hitting their shots, then the Heat will win. If not, the Hawks will get lots of fastbreak opportunities, and should win easily. This offseason, Hawks Mgmt really needs to take a complete look at this roster, and decide in what direction they want to move. Defensively? No Mike Bibby in 2009-10. Offensively? They can resign Bibby, but Woodson has to go. It's time for this team to really grow up, starting with Josh taking a look in the mirror. Until Marvin Williams and Al Horford take the next step in their development, if that ever happens, this team's fortune is unfortunately dictated by Josh Smith. They can simply become first or second round playoff "opponents", or contenders. This series, win or lose, should be a wakeup call to the entire organization.

The Hawks did a poor job of rotating even when forcing Parker to give up the ball. Unless that improves, it doesn't matter who is playing defense at the point.

Is it a shock that Joe leads the team in assists? He handles the ball more than any other player on the court, besides maybe flip who is more of an instant offense type of guy than point guard. Joe has always had the ability to share the rock, which is why some thought he could be a pg for this team. Avery Johnson is maybe an upgrade over Mike Woodson, but he did inherit a pretty good Dallas Maverick team, so it remains to be seen how good of a coach he really is. Defensively, the Hawks rank in the top 10 in points allowed, and opponent field goal percentage, which is why I am not sure that he is the answer. The Mavericks were a good offensive team before Johnson, so I don't know how much he would help the Hawks on that side of the court. Parker wasn't just abusing Bibby last night, so I can't put all of the blame on him.

I am happy, for now. I am more worried about offensive execution than Bibby's defense. If the Hawks ever run anything that even resembles a high school offense, I believe they will become a much better team.

It is too late for Jay Bilas to have the last laugh. Josh Smith has already proven him wrong by becoming a productive NBA player on a playoff basketball team. Josh Smith is a frustrating player to watch who still has a ways to go in understanding his limitations, but even at an "old 23" there is still plenty of room to grow.

Quote: I think this sends a clear message to the rest of the team about what they expect and what they will/won't put up with. Good move. He is a lot more valuable to us as a guy we cut than the marginal effort he gave us on the field. Go to Oakland, they love guys like that. You got that right, and even with Oakland's flaws the last 5 years, I'll take their history over the nonsense that passes for a football franchise in Atlanta. Every two or three years it's a new start for this franchise, and everyone feels good, and three years later everybody is hating the organization again. Being a Raider fan from the time I was a kid in the Bay Area, I love it when people take shots at them when they are down (not saying that you are). Jimmy Williams would be a welcome addition to the training camp roster, and if he fails, cut his a**. No harm, no foul.

Quote: I actually don't have a problem iwith Woody staying if we give him a relatively short term contract (one that we won't mind buying out if he struggles next year) and then we go out and provide him with a balanced roster that includes a real Center and a real PG. It would be nice to give him some veteran reserves as well. If he gets those things and the team still struggles, replace him but there is some value in keeping the continuity going that this team has been building over the last 4 years. I feel like either Billy or Woody HAD to go. That has happened. I certainly won't cry if Woody ends up gone too but it will be interesting to see if he can build on the momentum we built toward the end of the year and in the playoffs. I agree. I'm not a big fan of Woodson, but I wouldn't be totally upset if they gave him a team friendly extension, and helped him with some tweaks to the roster. I have mixed feelings on Woody, because on one hand he hasn't been given the easiest roster to work with, but on the other hand I hate some of his in game tendencies. It is a fine line though, because they can't wait too late to make a move if the team struggles next year.

Section 210, Row F (I think; too lazy to go in the other room and look at the tickets).

Very interesting article.

Nah, I'm watching it at home on the 50 inch HDTV. Sports Bars bug the heck out of me with the abundance of "non fans".