Where will we be without JJ

[BornandDieHawks]

This have been a disappointing season when you look at the wins and losses for the Hawks, but no one can say this team is not alot, and I mean alot, better team than last year. I don't want to see anyone fail so I give Diaw a pat on the back for a having a good season, but in no way will the Hawks have been at this level of play with him.

Even with the losses, this team have been in alot of games and with a little good coaching we could have been placed in the same position as the Hornets.

I know we still have a long way to go and we will make big strives with a big man but right now we have alot to be thankful for when we got JJ.

[chillzatl]

at least not if you went into it with realistic expectations. We will likely double our win total from last season, if not do a bit better than that. While we are still a losing team. We are significantly better than last year and our record proves that. You don't go from winning 13 games to winning 45 games in one season. You have to make small steps and we are doing that.

[joannes3000]

No doubt we took a step in the right direction this summer with the acquisition of JJ.

[Wretch]

Yeah, I felt good about going after JJ. He's got that kind of game that you can just depend on. It's a staple to have that on ANY winning team. Goes a long way towards establishing an identity.

I don't think the season as a whole has been disappointing. The slow start really annoyed me, especially some of those pointless losses...but we are getting out of that phase and are really starting to hand it to the teams that we SHOULD beat...and showing really stong against the ones that should beat us.

[macdaddy]

I agree with you but where were you guys yesterday?

All the posts yesterday were: 'fire BK and Woody, we've sucked for 8 years, we aren't getting any better, all our old players are great on other teams, we should have drafted paul, iggy, we are no better than last year'.

We are much better than last year and much better than the first time we played the Lakers. We were embarrassed by them at home and the Lakers have improved a lot since then too.

We are young and we lack effective big men. That will screw us in some games but we are improving.

[Lascar78]

no doubt, JJ is amazing. The odds of any of the 3 players we traded for him ever becoming as good as JJ are slim to none, and that makes it a great trade that I would do all over any day of the week.

This team is coming together. Smith is making much better decisions, Chill is starting to get more agressive, and JJ is figuring out how to lead the team even when his shot isn't dropping.

Here's hoping for a PG and quality bigs this offseason

[TAdams_1]

I don't know if I would get all giddy about beating the Lakers last night. I love beating the Kobe-Lakers more than anyone but if you recall we lost the first two winnable games of this road trip. I do believe we are two players away from contending and a new coach. Mike W. just looks like he is in a funk, bad dream or is high on mary jane while he is coaching. He has the same glare that Chris Webber has at times. He always looks like he can't believe what he is seeing. Welcome to reality, your game plan sucks. Virtually all our wins come on talent and energy and sometimes lack of effort on the other team.

[Dragitoff]

I didn't catch the game last night after the 1st quarter, but one thing I noticed LA was making no secrets about their game plan. Attack the paint and they did it very effectively, especially when Josh Smith was on the bench. This team needs some defensive big men to keep teams from exploiting the middle on us.

[chillzatl]

We win and it's all because of the hard play and hustle of teh players. We lose and it's all Woodsons fault. Great insight there.

[TheDude]

it has not been a disappoint season..we're on track for 32 wins this season, AND THAT'S WITH A 2-16 START...if we didn't have chemistry issues in the beggining and we start out a more respectable 7-11, that would give us 21 wins now, meaning over the course of a whole season would be 42 wins...not too shabby...

i think we'll end up this year with more than 32 wins...actualy i think (DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE AL TRADE) we'll end up with 38-40 wins this year...that's incredible from where we were last year and being as young as we are...

[TAdams_1]

Are you actually telling me Woodson is a good coach? He is an experiment that didn't work out. You are letting your feelings overtake your judgement. What are you a women?

[Popeye]

Quote:

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Are you actually telling me Woodson is a good coach? He is an experiment that didn't work out. You are letting your feelings overtake your judgement. What are you a women?

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I know Larry Brown is a proven head caoch, but what did he do with knicks who have more veterans players than the hawks.

If you put Larry in the same spot like Woody was last and this year, i wouldn't say he would be any better.

[uga2006]

"I've just been coming out and being assertive and getting my guys involved first, and then I will come looking for my shot," Johnson said. "If I can get them going, then it opens up for me."

A quote from Joe on last nights game. You gotta love that attitude.Also shows what kind of player he is.

[KB21]

The instant gratification crowd won't like the fact that you realize that teams don't go from 13 wins to 45 wins immediately.

[KB21]

Based on what?

The fact that he didn't win immediately?

That seems to be the only thing some of you base your opinions on.

[exodus]

I resolved to judge the Hawks by how they play and not get caught up in wins and losses.

For this reason I wasn't impressed when they won against NY and Denver back to back earlier in the year because I didn't like the way they were playing.

On the other hand I wasn't upset when they lost to Phoenix and Cleveland not long ago because I liked the way they were playing.

JJ has obviously impressed me the most and makes me optimistic that the Hawks can be a competitive team very soon.

[KB21]

The Cleveland loss pisses me off because the officials played such a big part in that one.

[TAdams_1]

Likewise, what are you basing your opinions on? Wins/losses or the fact both Chill and Smith numbers are down slightly this year. He is suppose to be making these young players better. I watch the hawks and get annoyed with how lost the team looks frequently. That is coaching. I will admit they look better during the last home stand and last night, but hey, half the season is over. They looked pretty good at the end of last season and regressed to sucking at the begining of this one. Put Rick C. in his position and we would be close to making the playoffs. Indiana wins surprisingly when players are out. That is great coaching.

[exodus]

Like i said, i am more interested in how they play. I liked the way they played and look at what they have done since then.

[TAdams_1]

Alright Alright ! I will try to be more patient with Mike W. There are only so many years of getting slaughtered that a fan can take. Like I admitted previously, they do seem to be better as the year goes on. I do like watching their energy. Chill and Marv are starting to grow on me. I love JJ, Smith and ZaZa. El toro might have some spunk too. I just have a gut feeling that sticking with Mike is going to be another let down. He might be a better practice coach than a game coach. If we don't start winning soon, (in the next two years) our young players will go elsewhere and we will start rebuilding yet again.