thoughts on the upcoming road trip

[chillzatl]

Some might think me crazy. But I think we can take 3 of 5 on this road trip. Granted, a lot of things need to go right for us. But looking at the lineups I think we can do it.

Denver: They just don't have the firepower to out shoot us and they don't have the defenders to shut our scorers down. We should be able to get the W here and if so, it'll give us a good start to the road trip.

Suns: I also think we can get this one. The suns are better, IMO, than Denver. But I just don't see them having the firepower to out score us. JT matches up very well with Marbury. Marion can't stop BIg dog and they don't have anyone capable of containing Reef. two of our Big Three, should have big games here.

Jazz: We are clearly the better team. But the Delta Center has been one of the hardest places for anyone to play over the last few years. No reason we can't win with the same gameplan we used in our home opener with them.

Kings: Who is going to predict us to win this one? Not I. The Kings are the best right now, period. This is a watermark game for us, IMO. To see how we play with the best AND on the road against the best.

Lakers: They are STILL a good team without Shaq. If shaq comes back, I only hope that his being in the lineup disrupts the chemistry they were developing without him. Whether he's there I think we have a chance of getting the win. But I won't cry if we lose. I'm looking more to see how we play against the best in this one, a win is just a bonus.

[RLHawk]

I agree with you. I hope Shaq plays against us. You have seen how slow the Lakers start each year. I think it has more to do with Shaq than it does anything else.

Shaq demands the ball. Right now Kobe has the game. In all situations, he gets the ball and makes things happen. When Shaq is back he will need the ball some also. kobe will have to give it up in enough situations to allow Shaq respect. That is the key. Shaq is always out of shape when the season opens. He admits that he plays himself into shape during the first 1/3 of the season. Well he has been hurt lately. What kind of shape do you believe he is in? A non-motivated exercise routine is hard to keep with when you don't have an excuse.

I am not saying we will win either way, but I would like to see Shaq try to run the floor with our wide open offense for 3 quarters, then stop us in the 4th. He will foul a lot, which plays into our game at the end.

[Guest]

Actually Marbury seems to get the better of JT.

Marion CAN stop Big Dog.

[Diesel]

The way we play, we should be able to go 4-1... However, it depends on what kind of road team we are. Historically, we have sucked on the road. However, look at our win against Chicago. Chicago is young, but they have beaten the Hornets and the Celts. I think the only team on the schedule upcoming that can beat us is SacTown. Sactown is so much better than everyone else in the league that it's hard to imagine anybody them.

Secondly, We don't know who can stop Big Dog. He has scored 30 against: Rose/Hassell/Erob, Kirlenko (who is a pretty good defender), and Jefferson (who is no slouch on the defensive side of the ball)... And Robinson has put up 30 against them all. As a matter of fact, I would compare Jefferson to Matrix on defense. In our offensive scheme where Big Dog is the 1st option, it's hard to say who can stop him. In Milwaukee, he had to deal with Selfish teammates. IN Atlanta, that's not the case.

[Guest]

Sactown lost to Miami last night...but that

was in Miami.....Sactown is nearly impossible

to beat at home.

Marion is a better defender than Jefferson/Andrei

and Hassell allthough I think Hassell has a big

heart and gives his all.

[Guest]

Sactown lost to Miami last night...but that

was in Miami.....Sactown is nearly impossible

to beat at home.

Marion is a better defender than Jefferson/Andrei

and Hassell allthough I think Hassell has a big

heart and gives his all.

The Suns game is gunna be tough.Last year JT

was able to get the best of Kidd/Baron/Payton/

and Andre Miller but didn't do so well againest

marbury last year.

[Diesel]

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/andrei_kiril...x.html?nav=page

I don't think that Marion was better than Andrei on defense. Maybe rebounding, but Andrei is a really good defender. Probably the best Euro defensive player ever.

[Guest]

Andrei maybe the best Euro defender ever....However

there haven't been that many good ones in that

area.I just think Marion is alittle better.

[JTFan31]

That last line was a great point Diesel. In Milwaukee he had Allen and Cassell that are very cocky and selfish and always want the ball in their hands. Here in Atlanta is a totally different case, JT and Reef have totally different mindsets than those ballhoggers in Milwaukee. JT and Reef love to share the ball and all they want is to win, remember neither of the 2 have won in this level and is time for them to win, now is the time. Both of them have great big hearts and are extremely hardworkers......and Big Dog sees this, Big Dog is not stupid, he is a veteran and a very good one too. He sees in JT and Reef what he has always envision and that is WINNING.

[Diesel]

Either way, we will see the answer. Andrei couldn't stop big dog from going for 30. Richardson couldn't stop the Dog from going for 34. I don't think Marion will shut the Dog down. Even if Marion were a little better than those others... and Hassell played some of the best defense that I have seen anyone in the league (even Tmac) play and he still got pimp slapped by the Dog.

We need to make a sign for the Phil....

BEWARE OF DOG!!!

[JTFan31]

How about?

1. The Big Dog is barking

2. Feed the Big Dog

3. Let the Big Dog eat.......that was what Mike Glenn said in the keys to the game vs the Bulls.

[Gray Mule]

Winning 2 of five means we are at .500 -- Not bad.

Winning 3 of 5 = Excellent!

Anything above or below that == Great or terrible !!

Gray Mule

[Diesel]

Honestly....

we can go 4-1 if we focus on each opponent.

We can't look past Denver... They have good young talent.

We can't look past the Suns. Marbury, Marion, and Big Joke will cause us some troubles on offense.

We can't look past Utah. Just because they're slumping doesn't mean that the old man won't get mad and come back to slap us.

I think we can beat the Lakers if we play our game. [censored], we have beaten them every yr.... at least 1 time. Nobody on that team can gaurd JT.

[Guest]

Nobody on that team can gaurd JT."

Derek Fisher can.This could be a game

Derek Fisher goes off in

[Diesel]

Fischer can't gaurd any fast guards.

That's why the Lakers had Hunter last yr. He was the replacement for Tyrone Lue. Becuase everyone knows that these fast guards give Fisher big time problems.

[Guest]

I know, I know.... I was only playing around.FIshers

defense is suspect period.I haven't seen him effective

againest anybody in a longtime.

But watch out for those 3's!

they might try Kobe on Jt since Newble is the SG.

[cyman3]

SAC or LA.... i might be dreaming here, but its a gut feeling.

u can note me on this:

WE WILL BEAT either SAC or LA....

(i could be wrong, u go through life making lotta mistakes.... hopefulle, i wont be wrong on this one!)

[Sage11]

"U Can't run with the Big Dog"

[Diesel]

Don't make the Big Dog get his gun....

Beware of the Big Dog.

Big Doggy DOG.

Why must he feel like that, why must he chase the cat... Nothing but the big Dog.

If you can't run with the Big Dog... Stay on the Porch.

[Traceman]

Its so early in the season that I think any speculation as to what might happen on this road trip is premature. From a talent stanpoint, I think we are capable of winning ANY of the games but we are not so talented that we can overlook ANYBODY.

Each team will present unique challenges that I hope we will be able to overcome. Denver is first up. Big Dog has been on fire but both Ryan Bowen and James Posey are excellent defenders who could cause him some problems. In addition, JT and Chris Whitney have had some SERIOUS battles and that is not likely to change just because Whitney is now in Denver. I think the key to beating Denver could be Reef. If his back allows him to play his game, I don't think they have an answer for him. I also think Theo could be a big factor.

Note: One player to watch out for is Juwan Howard. He had a really good game in his head to head matchup with Reef last year if I remember correctly.