My thoughts on last nights game

[ATLien_]

The Good:

Big Dog- This guy can flat out score. He scores when I think he can't score. He takes off balanced challenged shots and he simply scores. He is no slouch defensivley either and how about them 8 dimes? Kukoc who?

Theo- Man this guy is better than I ever thought he was. Defensively he what I expected patroling the lane like a beast, but his offense is what suprised me. He has several nice moves. He has the running hook( a beautiful thing compared to Dekes LOL.) , he has a jumper out to I woud say 15-16 feet. The best thing about him though is that he can freaking dunk on people, he just elevated over two players and said eat that bia bia. I was scared the way he was going all out like that. I was afraid he would get hurt but he was really throwing his body around and looked good.

Ira- His jump shot is much improved. Though his jump shot has improved he is not trying to score and that is big.

Hendu- Did he even play? That was the quietest game I have ever seen out of a starter. He did squat.

JT- Please Jt don't forget to keep yourself involved in the offense. I think his assist numbers were misleading because stone hands hendu and other players missing shots. He looked good in the passing lanes but let Kidd get into the lane to much. But kidd does that agaisn't everyone.

Defense- Man I can't explain the number of wideopen shots New Jersey had. They executed their offense to perfection in half court. And you know how they do the fast break. Atlanta has to stop double teaming because it always ends up in a wide open shot for the other team, because our players defensive rotations are horrid.

Offensively- After watching the game one thing stood out in my mind more than anything. New Jersey had an offensive plan that enabled their players to get easy shots in the half court. It was created with good motion and nice screens being set by their big men.

Atlanta is the antithesis of New Jersey. Almost every point we scored was the hard way. Our offense was still stagnant and we had to rely on Big Dog and JT making tough shots. I blame this on Kruger. We have more offensive talent then last year even with the injuries and the offense looks the same.

What we have is a whole bunch of guys playing basketball. What we need is 1 team playing basketball. This is Krugers last year to give me that. It is time to put up or get out of dodge. I can't believe we let Musellem go. Did you see golden state.

[Guest]

We need SAR because he slows the game down

and changes the pace of the game.Kinda like Kidd

changes the pace to uptempo.

Theo when on the court is a better player than Mutombo.

That slam on Dekes face said alot.He was able to

score on Deke with ease and pushed him out of

post position a couple of times.

Newble has a better stroke this year.He shot just

looked better.But Email was horrible!Did you see

that that ball hit the backboard?I hate Email.

We look like we did at the start of last season.The

exact same way.We need to work JT in a two man

game more.Lon had no offensive game plan.

[swolehawk2]

Hot, I think Lon did have an offensive game plan and it was back home in ATL with a sore back...I think this offense will run through SAR....u have to double team him...if u don't then he will drop 22 2's on you like JT said. I think not having reef and Dion kinda through everybody's roles out of wack last night.

Theo looked [censored] good....he needs to hydrate himself better. We need him in the 4th...but when u haven't played much basketball that happens.

E mail was trying to fill Dion's role last night, not gonna happen. E mail is a back up point guard period, who can can hit the open shot on occasion.

Newble shot does look good...if he can continue that...we will be tough in the half court with SAR on the post....and JT & Dog when things break down.

That two hand dunk by Theo was nasty.

[Guest]

Deke doesn't look good againest real athletes

does it?Deke is so slow.Deke is also very weak.

How does a 225 pound center push you out of

post position?

Eamil will see alot of minutes in the following

nights I have a feeling.Dan isn't ready.I know

all the Dickau fans hate to here it,but he isn't

ready to play big minutes.He threw up wild

shots and turned the ball over.

[Blunt91]

Whoa there Hotlantadude. I agree Theo looked good but to me he is the one that was getting bullied in the paint. Theo got alot of fouls called on him when Mutombo was posting him up, and that play where he pushed Mutombo out of the paint he got hit with a foul. Theo can score a little and play defense off of his man but last night showed that he can get pushed around by the bigger centers in the league and Deke isn't that big imagined how Ratliff will get pushed around against Shaq or even someone like Olowakandi.

[Guest]

That one where Deke threw up the Hook shot

he was already nearly out of the paint when

Theo got called for the foul.Mutombo appeared

very weak last night to me.

[Traceman]

I think Theo will be terrific as long as he's healthy. He is going to hurt other teams with his speed and quickness a lot more than they are going to hurt us because their Center is too strong for him.

[Guest]

But lets just hope Shaq isn't playing when we

face LA.I don't want to see that matchup.

[chillzatl]

You've got to remember, deke is an old man in basketball years now. I'd take a young deke over a young THeo any day of the week. But things being what they are, Theo is the better player these days. That's why I think Deke isnt' teh godsend NJ thinks he is. He's simply not the same player he was a year or two ago. People are more eager to challenge him because they KNOW he's not as quick as he used to be.

[Guest]

Oh for sure.I can't deny what Deke gave us for

a longtime and wouldn't want too anyway.He

was a speical player for alot of years.He was

a big factor in us getting out of the first round

a couple of occassions and we would have

never got passed Grant Hill in his Detroit years

without Deke.

Mutombos number should be retired here without

a doubt.