Are the Hawks Turning The Corner Or Not???

[Highpozt]

First let me define turn the corner

Turn the corner is when a team makes the playoff and every yearif they keep the core team and core coaches they go further and further into the playoff rounds.

Not turning the corner is of course not making the playoff or barely making the playoffs and then getting worst the following year.

With that as a premise I think the Hawks desperately need another bona-fide scorer preferably in the post. Josh Smith is good but without a jumper and faulty decision making, he is not there yet. Horford, Childress, Lue and Williams can score but not consistently enough to be the second go to guy. This is particlarly apparent in close games. If JJ does not score other teams are comfortable leaving others open to double and triple team JJ. The same is happening to Wade in Miami.

I know this is no revelation but note All the top NBA teams have 2 to 4 go to guys. (Duncan, Parker, Manu) (Hamilton, Billups, Price, Sheed)(Nash, Amare, Barbosa),(Allen, KG, Pierce) (Paul, West,Peja. Not great players necessarily but ballers that can score when the game is on the line. Now the exception to this would be Kobe and Labron however they are the best in the game period. Also Labron has made other players around him really play above expectations (Just ask Danielle Gibson during last years playoffs)

[DJlaysitup]

I think we are pretty much AT the corner. Whether we turn it or not is the 64,000 dollar question. My concern is - if we stand pat between now and the trade deadline - and some of our competitors make moves, that could make things more difficult. Not only from a team talent standpoint, but by the signal it will send to our top guys.

I was listening to the radio this morning and they were talking about how the better players nowadays know they are going to get paid. Nowadays they are getting smart enough to do what they have to do to get on a contending team. The days of p!ssing away your career on a losing franchise happily are pretty much gone. The best players want to win. Many also see a life beyond their playing days and they want to be one of the guys on the TNT analyst team. Tough to do if you never get any nationally televised games or publicity outside your own area. Teams these days have to be relevant nationally to win (and attract players) and they have to win to be relevant nationally....kind of a Catch-22.

[Highpozt]

Yes I think you are right in that players are much more concerned about getting players on there team that can make them a winner. Not only with the game itself but with endorsements and just generally a good overall profile. I think the Hawks can turn that corner wit one more offensive go to guy. The question then is if he is already on the team waiting to be given the green light or not. I tend to the not because we don't really have a pure shooter after JJ. Marvins shot is decent and Lue at times. But a pure shooter and/or Scorer like Ray Allen, Peja, Pierce, Amare the Hawks don't have. JJ will see double and triple teams if the Hawks cant threaten with another scorer especially in close games.

[lunar]

i don't think our problem is with the starters, AJ, JJ, Marvin, Josh, and Horford have all been doing a great job this year. the problem is when you get to the bench. with the exception of the gunner lue, you don't have anybody that can create their own shot. childress get's garbage buckets, west is all defense, sheldon and zaza can't play above the rim and law is still shaking at the knee's when he gets an open kickout. team's are starting to figure this out and are going into a zone time the bench players start to come in. if we are going to turn the corner, we are going to have to work on the bench. that's where you are going to start seeing moves.

[DrReality]

I think the guys on the court have made more progress than the coaches, than BK or the ownership. And to truly turn the corner we have to address every level, and we haven't even started to address them.

[DJlaysitup]

Good point DrR. I've worked in a job where the bosses were clueless and we just tuned them out and did our own jobs the best we could. It evolves into disgust. Not surprisingly most everybody (who was any good) transferred to a different department when opportunity knocked.

P.S. - Detroit is torching Orlando 50-25.

[Diesel]

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i don't think our problem is with the starters, AJ, JJ, Marvin, Josh, and Horford have all been doing a great job this year. the problem is when you get to the bench. with the exception of the gunner lue, you don't have anybody that can create their own shot. childress get's garbage buckets, west is all defense, sheldon and zaza can't play above the rim and law is still shaking at the knee's when he gets an open kickout. team's are starting to figure this out and are going into a zone time the bench players start to come in. if we are going to turn the corner, we are going to have to work on the bench. that's where you are going to start seeing moves.

Blaming the bench is easy and wrong. The problem is that all the starters don't always come to play. IF JJ and Marv don't show up, we will lose. Hell, Chillz is the captain of the bench and he has had some good games off the bench... actually Lue can hit shots... and even Acie plays steady. The major problem is with consistency from JJ, Marv, and Smoove. 2 of those guys have to be on.

Somebody correctly said that JJ doesn't have another scorer. Somebody who can create for themselves consistently and become a problem.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Great post and great responses.

I agree we are pretty much at the corner and our bench most definitely blows.

Solomon Jones and Salim Stoudemire need more PT dang it

[bumpyphish1]

We need a PG that can shoot, bottom line. Acie HAS to develop into a guy who can knock down the open three. He has the other skills.

Leandro Barbosa would be a great fit here. If we could have traded for him AND Amare, we would be better than we are this year.

[DJlaysitup]

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...Solomon Jones and Salim Stoudemire need more PT dang it

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If we are pinning our hopes on Solomon and Salim we are worse off than I thought.