what position is JJ playing really?

[TheRedStripes]

I'm probably gonna get blasted for this, but I still think JJ can be our point guard. He has the best handle on the team, it's amazing to me sometimes how a guy that tall can keep his dribble so low and split defenders. At the beginning of the year it seemed like he was struggling to play the point, but now im beginning to think it was more of him just getting used to the other guys on the team, last night during the post-game interview he said he is finally getting down where the other guys like to get the ball, he has been putting up big assist numbers lately, and he was already leading the team in assists. Perhaps he could be labeled as a " point shooting guard" i dunno haha...but the guy can make plays off the dribble well enough to be a point guard, he can drive and dish to an open man, and he can also bury the outside shot. He's also taller and stronger than probably any other point guard in the leaugue, which could cause matchup nightmares for opposing defenses. He is also a damn good perimeter defender. He can guard 1's, 2's and 3's...

I was all for getting JJ, I think i questioned it a bit early in the season, but now im 100% behind that move, and I think JJ is worth every penny. You just don't find many players that have all the skills JJ has. There's only a small handful of players in the league that are as versatile as JJ. JJ isn't a leaper,and doesn't make the acrobatic plays, but he is strong and quick. He seems to have a decent post up game as well, and if he were starting at the point theres no way any other point guards could stop him from posting them up.

BK stated that he wanted Joe to play point...I see no reason why he shouldn't. Marvin has a good handle and passing ability for a small forward, and Smoove has a good handle and passing ability for power foward...I'm beginning to see the " BK vision of tall athletic, versatile players" that has been widely talked about here, and it's starting to make sense to me. My favorite lineup so far this year is JJ, Salim, Marvin, Smoove, and ZaZa, with JJ running the point...I don't think Salim is a starter,because he is too streaky, but he is definitely a deadly scorer off the bench, and I don't think ZaZa is either because his defense is too weak, but if the Hawks could add a good 2 guard maybe Adam Morrison, and a Center who can keep people out of the lane, this team could seriously contend for a playoff spot sooner than i thought. Maybe not next year, but I think it could be damn close.

Lastly...I do think it was a huge mistake not taking Chris Paul in the draft, although I wouldn't have selected him either...oh well...sometimes you get burned, I don't think anybody outside of d*ck Vitale thought Chris Paul was going to come in and be Isaiah Thomas his rookie year, Yeah it was a mistake, but Marvin has skills and he is going to be a very good player. They should have taken Paul...but like BK has stated, unless theres some Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul type point guard available, theres no need in trying to acquire a point guard, because JJ can handle it.

[vdunkndunk]

The only problem I have with JJ being our full-time point guard is that he has trouble guarding some of those small, really quick pg's. I still think our biggest need is a big man (hopefully Aldridge and Nene will take care of that), and after that a pure point would be really nice. I also woulnd't mind a combo-guard like Jason Terry who could guard the one but play the two on offense.

[Popeye]

Based on JJ's passing abilities i dont think we need a pure PG anymore. Teams that have pure point guards have nobody else to pass the ball. But we got a SG who can easily average 20.0ppg and 6apg

[exodus]

Quote:

---

The only problem I have with JJ being our full-time point guard is that he has trouble guarding some of those small, really quick pg's.

---

That is a big problem. Plus the fact that JJ has stated very plainly that he prefers to play the 2.

While JJ has good playmaking abilities for a 2, and will certainly improve over time, he isn't a pg. However his abilities do give the Hawks more flexibility as to who they bring in.

[TheRedStripes]

Quote:

---

That is a big problem. Plus the fact that JJ has stated very plainly that he prefers to play the 2.

While JJ has good playmaking abilities for a 2, and will certainly improve over time, he isn't a pg. However his abilities do give the Hawks more flexibility as to who they bring in.

---

I think what JJ was saying is it was nice to have someone to take some of the ball handling duties, He also stated before the season started that he wanted to play point guard, I don't think he has changed his mind, I think what he said has been misinterpreted, He plays point guard a lot during the games, in fact the best stretch ive seen the Hawks play all year was in the comeback against Chicago and JJ was playing point. Maybe he wont bring the ball up court every time down, and maybe you don't have to call him a point guard, call him a point 2 guard, or a point forward, but he is the guy that makes the offense go

[exodus]

Quote:

---

I think what he said has been misinterpreted,

---

No, it wasn't. It was very clear, and it wasn't the first time he said it. He said the same thing earlier in the season, that he prefers to play the 2.

Considering JJ isn't a big talker, the fact that he came out and said that leaves no doubt about what he is thinking.

[TheRedStripes]

I wasn't aware he said that, but even so...he has the ability to be the primary playmaker, so in my opinion the Hawks should be looking for inside help instead of a point guard, because i think JJ can handle keeping the offense going, and as far as him not being able to defend smaller point guards, that's not true, JJ is not the one getting torched by opposing point guards, its Lue and Salim

[exodus]

If JJ plays D on the point guards then who is going to guard all the high scoring 2s?

Childress? He was the slowest wing player drafted the last two years. although he has done better defensively this year the Hawks give up 5.9 more ppg when he is on the floor. That is the worst mark on the team by far.

Smith? He is too slow to guard 2s and 3s. He is best suited to guard the 4 spot.

Ivey? Too short to guard the 2 spot consistently.

So who will do it?

There is no reason the Hawks can't get a pg as well as one or two bigs this offseason. JJ's playmaking ability will be a big plus regardless of who the Hawks bring in and he will still have the offense run through him frequently.

[Johnnybravo4]

Quote:

---

If JJ plays D on the point guards then who is going to guard all the high scoring 2s?

Childress? He was the slowest wing player drafted the last two years. although he has done better defensively this year the Hawks give up 5.9 more ppg when he is on the floor. That is the worst mark on the team by far.

Smith? He is too slow to guard 2s and 3s. He is best suited to guard the 4 spot.

Ivey? Too short to guard the 2 spot consistently.

So who will do it?

There is no reason the Hawks can't get a pg as well as one or two bigs this offseason. JJ's playmaking ability will be a big plus regardless of who the Hawks bring in and he will still have the offense run through him frequently.

---

Smith too slow? Are you kidding? He is probably the fastest guy on the team with the exception of the pg's

Who cares whether or not JJ can keep up with the Speedy Claxton's and the AI's of the world...nobody can..but we also can post JJ up on those same players and force double teams.

I have no problem with JJ playing point if we had a scoring 2 like Corey Maggette or Francis. I mean a JJ/Maggette backcourt would be deadly. I know that Magettee plays the 3 on the Clips but I think that he would be a better 2.

[exodus]

Quote:

---

Smith too slow? Are you kidding?

---

No. He is fast running the court but has a slow first step, which is why guys were blowing past him off the dribble all last year when he was playing the 2/3.

He is much better suited to play the 4 on D, where the Hawks can take advantage of his shot blocking ability and strength. Whenever he has played the 4/5 on D he has made a big impact on the game.

[Johnnybravo4]

He had no problem guarding Hedo last night.

[Lascar78]

yeah but Hedo is bigger than Smith at 6 10

We're talking about Smoove's ability to guard smaller guys. He definitely can't handle 2's. He can handle 3's depending on just how quick they are.

His problem isn't speed, it's quickness. A guy will make a quick move and right off his first step, smith is a step behind.

[Johnnybravo4]

I think he lets them go by because he knows that he can recover and get a blocked shot.

I also want to see some pictures from 5 years ago..because it seems that Josh is tryin to adjust to his height...as if he was maybe 6'3 or 6'4 as a sophmore then blew up to 6'9 between junior and senior year...like Rodman.

[Gray Mule]

Or maybe it's Point Foreward. Who knows. He's getting

the job done, whatever you want to call him.

He has stated that he doesn't like to be the only player

trying to distribute the ball. That's why we have more

than one guard on the floor at any given time.

He said recently that he is beginning to learn the other

players on the Hawks and where they prefer to catch

the ball. Remember our 2-16 start? Hawks have played

much better after that.

Someone posted that Hawks had lost 10 games by 5 points

or less. Many of these losses occurred in the final

minutes as we blew a lead. Experience and confidence

will eliminate a lot of that.

Hawks are improving. They are better than last season.

They are not a finished product. They don't have all

the positions covered by great players. They would

die right now in the playoffs.

Hawks are not there. Not yet. But they're gaining on it !!

[Squawker24]

Leting JJ run the 2 is the best option. We need a true point in here to distribute the ball. Like JJ had with Nash, a true point. JJ is able to run the point for a few select minutes per game when the point is out. JJ is a versitile player capable of many positions but only part time. We need a true point and JJ will excel.

[Johnnybravo4]

I say this everyday...show me a true point that has lead a championship team in the last 10 years.

[Iman]

Bravo, I think I remember Mark Price commentating one nite and discussing coaching Smoove early in high school and he mentioned Smoove was already nearly as tall as now and that he had a knack for scoring in the post even though he really had no post moves. I remembered this disappointing me because I hoped Smoove might still get an inch or two taller.

I agree that Smoove is fairly quick and largely just doesnt move his feet half the time on defense. I'm sure his move in high school was to let players get past him and then he'd block them from behind and he still cant break that habit. Once he get fired up to stop a player such as Lebron he does a good job of keeping up.

I'd like to have a good, quick but long true point to help JJ. Rondo seems to be this type player and may be worth picking up as a lower lottery pick if we get a pick in that area. As our players mature, I'd still like to see JJ and Chillz on the court as guards closing out many games.

[Squawker24]

How about Tony Parker as a true point guard.