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My Thoughts 2 games in.....

KB21

By KB21
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KB21 Grand Master

KB21

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....First, I think 2 games into the seasons is entirely too early to be making concrete observations. A lot of things can happen over the next 80 games.

With that said, based on what I've seen from this team in the preseason as well as in the first two games, not making the playoffs this season is not acceptable. This team has developed to the point where I believe the playoffs should be the expectation of this team this year.

The Hawks just took on two of the best teams in the NBA and stood toe to toe with them. They beat the Mavericks by 7 points, and they had the game in control against the Pistons but squandered a 9 point lead in the 4th quarter.

Joe Johnson is still Joe Johnson. He's a star player that contributes in a variety of ways. He is a terrific shooter, and he's a terrific scorer when the situation calls for it. Joe is also a very good passer with great court vision, and his defense is very underrated.

This is the year most pointed to as Marvin's breakout year when he was drafted. Based on the results from the preseason and the first two games, Marvin is breaking out. He's averaging 19 PPG on 59% shooting so far after averaging 18 PPG during the preseason and around 16 PPG over the last month of last season. Marvin is playing aggressively, attacking the basket, drawing fouls, and finishing plays. The big thing is that Marvin is playing great defense right now as well. I'd like to see him hit the boards with the aggression he is attacking the basket with right now, and I believe that will come. Marvin is looking like a player that Mike Woodson should trust to be the second scoring option on the team.

Al Horford and Acie Law are not playing like rookies. They are playing like veterans. Mike already seems to have confidence in Al Horford, so it will be interesting to see if that confidence is maintained when Zaza Pachulia is healthy. Mike needs to gain the confidence in Acie Law, because Law is clearly a better option than Ty Lue at this point.

Josh Smith is up and down, but he typically starts the year out slow anyway. Josh needs to learn to play within himself and within the system, but he is attacking the boards and playing good defense.

Shelden Williams is becoming quite a nice role player off the bench. He's getting in on the boards in limited minutes off the bench right now.

Josh Childress right now needs to find his confidence. Much like Josh Smith though, Josh Childress is prone to starting slow.

Overall, everything should come together for this team this season. The pieces are in place to make a run to the playoffs, and that should be the expectations for this team.

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jerrywest Newbie

jerrywest

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Quote:

Quote:

Joe Johnson is still Joe Johnson. He's a
star player
that contributes in a variety of ways

I don't understand why many people on this board don't see this.

I loved how he took over both games at the end. We really needed a player like that. We never had a player like that since the great Boris Diaw.
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thesheedera Newbie

thesheedera

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Quote:

Quote:

Joe Johnson is still Joe Johnson. He's a
star player
that contributes in a variety of ways

I don't understand why many people on this board don't see this.

I think for the most part people do. I think there's more of a debate about how big of a "star" he is, rather than whether or not he's a star.

You have to be a little slow to not think the guy is a star on some level.
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Blunt91 Community Regular

Blunt91

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Yeah JJ has to be one of the top 10 shooters in the league. The play where he looked away to fake out Rasheed and then shot the 3 right over him was crazy. How many guys can shoot over a 7footer gaurding them closely??

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jerrywest Newbie

jerrywest

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Yeah JJ has to be one of the top 10 shooters in the league. The play where he looked away to fake out Rasheed and then shot the 3 right over him was crazy. How many guys can shoot over a 7footer gaurding them closely??

That was amazing. I stored that in my permanent memory cells.

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AtLaS Experienced

AtLaS

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Yeah, the hesitation jumper, JJ has perfected that move. That's also my goto move when I play ball. But that shot was going to his right, it's a lot harder to do it going right (if you are right handed), but he has seemed to figure it out this season. Last season he primarily did it left handed.

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Plainview1981 Mentor

Plainview1981

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Yeah. It's amazing at how many people considered Steve Smith to be a star player and don't consider Joe Johnson to be a star player when Joe Johnson is basically a turbo charged version of Steve Smith.

JJ's offensive game is more or less limited to jumpshots. If these jumpshots aren't falling or they're well guarded he's ineffective as a scorer due to his inability to get the free throw line.

Steve Smith wasn't a superstar, but in his prime he was a better player than JJ is. He also could catch fire with his jumpshot, could postup, get to the free throw line, and was a better leader than JJ is. Oh, and he actually lead the hawks to the playoffs a number of times.

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exodus Newbie

exodus

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Quote:

Yeah. It's amazing at how many people considered Steve Smith to be a star player and don't consider Joe Johnson to be a star player when Joe Johnson is basically a turbo charged version of Steve Smith.

JJ's offensive game is more or less limited to jumpshots. If these jumpshots aren't falling or they're well guarded he's ineffective as a scorer due to his inability to get the free throw line.

Steve Smith wasn't a superstar, but in his prime he was a better player than JJ is. He also could catch fire with his jumpshot, could postup, get to the free throw line, and was a better leader than JJ is. Oh, and he actually lead the hawks to the playoffs a number of times.

Smiths best year here was 97/98 when he averaged 20 pts shooting 44%. He got the the line 6 times per game.

Last year JJ averaged 25 ppg shooting 47% and got to the line 5.5 times per game.

Smith wasn't even close to JJ.
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Plainview1981 Mentor

Plainview1981

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Quote:

Quote:

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Yeah. It's amazing at how many people considered Steve Smith to be a star player and don't consider Joe Johnson to be a star player when Joe Johnson is basically a turbo charged version of Steve Smith.

JJ's offensive game is more or less limited to jumpshots. If these jumpshots aren't falling or they're well guarded he's ineffective as a scorer due to his inability to get the free throw line.

Steve Smith wasn't a superstar, but in his prime he was a better player than JJ is. He also could catch fire with his jumpshot, could postup, get to the free throw line, and was a better leader than JJ is. Oh, and he actually lead the hawks to the playoffs a number of times.

Smiths best year here was 97/98 when he averaged 20 pts shooting 44%. He got the the line 6 times per game.

Last year JJ averaged 25 ppg shooting 47% and got to the line 5.5 times per game.

Smith wasn't even close to JJ.

The game is about more than PPG. Steve Smith also lead the Hawks to the playoffs and played with other scorers. You think JJ would average 25PPG If the Hawks had other legit scorers?

The league is also weaker now. Moreover, in terms of skill set, JJ is a limited player. Also, like I said, Steve was a far better leader than JJ is. You think Steve would have been saying that he needs help one day before the regular season starts? That's not leadership. You don't say that in the papers one day before the season starts.

JJ is on the same level as Michael Redd which is no small thing. But he's not a superstar and never will be due to his offensive game being limited to jumpshots.
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jerrywest Newbie

jerrywest

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Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Yeah. It's amazing at how many people considered Steve Smith to be a star player and don't consider Joe Johnson to be a star player when Joe Johnson is basically a turbo charged version of Steve Smith.

JJ's offensive game is more or less limited to jumpshots. If these jumpshots aren't falling or they're well guarded he's ineffective as a scorer due to his inability to get the free throw line.

Steve Smith wasn't a superstar, but in his prime he was a better player than JJ is. He also could catch fire with his jumpshot, could postup, get to the free throw line, and was a better leader than JJ is. Oh, and he actually lead the hawks to the playoffs a number of times.

Smiths best year here was 97/98 when he averaged 20 pts shooting 44%. He got the the line 6 times per game.

Last year JJ averaged 25 ppg shooting 47% and got to the line 5.5 times per game.

Smith wasn't even close to JJ.

He did all that with a legit PG in Mookie and an elite Center in Deke that negated much of his defensive short comings. Smitty wasn't in the same league with JJ on defense (50% of the game).
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jerrywest Newbie

jerrywest

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Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Yeah. It's amazing at how many people considered Steve Smith to be a star player and don't consider Joe Johnson to be a star player when Joe Johnson is basically a turbo charged version of Steve Smith.

JJ's offensive game is more or less limited to jumpshots. If these jumpshots aren't falling or they're well guarded he's ineffective as a scorer due to his inability to get the free throw line.

Steve Smith wasn't a superstar, but in his prime he was a better player than JJ is. He also could catch fire with his jumpshot, could postup, get to the free throw line, and was a better leader than JJ is. Oh, and he actually lead the hawks to the playoffs a number of times.

Smiths best year here was 97/98 when he averaged 20 pts shooting 44%. He got the the line 6 times per game.

Last year JJ averaged 25 ppg shooting 47% and got to the line 5.5 times per game.

Smith wasn't even close to JJ.

The game is about more than PPG. Steve Smith also lead the Hawks to the playoffs and played with other scorers. You think JJ would average 25PPG If the Hawks had other legit scorers?

The league is also weaker now. Moreover, in terms of skill set, JJ is a limited player. Also, like I said, Steve was a far better leader than JJ is. You think Steve would have been saying that he needs help one day before the regular season starts? That's not leadership. You don't say that in the papers one day before the season starts.

JJ is on the same level as Michael Redd.

That hawks team was starving for more scoring from all other positions. Have you forgotten that? Hawks could have won a championship if Smitty could score 5 more ppg.

Redd is one dimensional. JJ plays complete game.

You don't know how old that interview is?
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Plainview1981 Mentor

Plainview1981

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Redd is one dimensional. JJ plays complete game."

How can JJ score other than his jumpshot?

"

That hawks team was starving for more scoring from all other positions. Have you forgotten that? Hawks could have won a championship if Smitty could score 5 more ppg."

The Hawks never had a shot at beating the Chicago Bulls even if Smith averaged 25PPG.

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exodus Newbie

exodus

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Steve Smith also lead the Hawks to the playoffs and played with other scorers.

So why did he shoot a worse percentage than JJ? And don't even try to say Smith played better D. He was slow.

Quote:

Moreover, in terms of skill set, JJ is a limited player

Not only is JJ a better 3 pt shooter he is also one of the best in the league at finishing in the paint. You might not like his floater but it is money.

http://www.82games.com/0607/06ATL6A.HTM

Last year JJ shot 60% on shots inside which just so happens to be the same percentage as Tim Duncan.

http://www.82games.com/0708/07SAS11A.HTM

Quote:

You think Steve would have been saying that he needs help one day before the regular season starts?

He said that long before the season started Sekou just chose to print it right before the season started. He admitted as much in his blog.

And JJ is the one coming through time and again in crunch time just like he did the last two games. He started 1-5 last night but went off in the second half. he also hit back to back 3s to give the Hawks a chance at the end.

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