Josh Smith 8 TOs this game

[GameTime]

Unacceptable.

JJ had six as well.

Other than that Bibby had a horrible game so I knew if he couldn't shoot this game, we didn't have a chance in the 4th.

[ATLSmith]

Smoove had an injured hand and couldn't hold the ball.

They were saying before the game that it was swolen and huring him quite badly.

He played a hard game; he was injured and took two shots to the face.

[capstone21]

He did play hard but he does have a bad tendency to make some pretty stupid passes and he is a terrible dribbler. It had nothing to do with his hand.

I think it is good that he is so willing to pass but he throws so many of them away when he goes a little overboard with the fanciness. This often leads to fast breaks by the other team. He needs to slow down and think a little before he tries to make all these crazy passes. It will cut his Turnovers in half and the team will benefit.

[Guest Walter]

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It had nothing to do with his hand.

How does MW still get sympathy passes for a rumored "thigh bruise" occurring 4 weeks ago and the same people insist that JS' pregame highlighted injury doesn't apply?

W

[jerrywest]

Don't blame it on his hand. Its his head.

He tries high risk extremely difficult passes to make everyone say "WOW". Thats not how you play team ball.

He needs to learn to give safe passes. Stop showing off.

Unless he plays team ball and follow the fundamentals, with age, his athletic superiority will be gone, and he will have a shorter career than most players.

[jerrywest]

His turnovers were not due to his hand. He tried to do too much and took high risks more than he needed to. Much more.

[AHF]

The TOs were bad but partly a reflection of the fact that Law is injured and Josh Smith is trying to step up as a playmakers. Clearly, there are problems with him doing that but at least he is trying to make plays. When Bibby was in the game, he generally fed the ball to the PG rather than trying to drive and dish or throw the homerun ball.

I still get most frustrated with his shot selection. Hint - when Michael Finley is guarding you, he wants you to take that jumper. Back him down into the paint and take a shorter shot or dish the ball to an open cutter. That is about settling for the easy shot which is a recurring problem.

[capstone21]

I am not saying Marvin is not to blame either. His shooting has been horrible. His confidence is low and he is making a lot of dumb mistakes too. Watching the ball go out of bounds off his finger tips was frustrating too. He hasn't really been doing anything well for a while now.

[jerrywest]

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when Michael Finley is guarding you, he wants you to take that jumper. Back him down into the paint and take a shorter shot or dish the ball to an open cutter. That is about settling for the easy shot which is a recurring problem.

Smoove, Marvin and Horford do not know what to do when certain type of players are guarding them.

Marvin didn't demand the ball when Damon was guarding him, doesn't back down smaller men.

Smoove shoots jumpers when 38 year old Horry guarding him.

Horf tries to back down tanks like Thomas instead of trying to dribble by them.

The team keep going to players who are getting guarded by the best defenders.

Rarely they exploit any matchups.

The opposing coach dictates the entire game.

[JackB1]

Why does Smoove insist on dribbling the ball up the court when he has Bibby there to do it?

You would think that after many turnovers, he would stop it and let Bibby handle those chores.

Again...I blame Woodson for not instructing Smith to let the guards dribble the ball up the court. Hopefully Bibby will let him know that it's his job to do that. I love what Smoove brings to this team, but he doesn't have great "handles".

[coachx]

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when Michael Finley is guarding you, he wants you to take that jumper. Back him down into the paint and take a shorter shot or dish the ball to an open cutter. That is about settling for the easy shot which is a recurring problem.

Smoove, Marvin and Horford do not know what to do when certain type of players are guarding them.

Marvin didn't demand the ball when Damon was guarding him, doesn't back down smaller men.

Smoove shoots jumpers when 38 year old Horry guarding him.

Horf tries to back down tanks like Thomas instead of trying to dribble by them.

The team keep going to players who are getting guarded by the best defenders.

Rarely they exploit any matchups.

The opposing coach dictates the entire game.

Well said. all your points are true.

Bad basketball IQ on the part of many of the players (mainly Marvin and Smith) and the coach.

[Guest Walter]

[jerrywest]

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I am not saying Marvin is not to blame either. His shooting has been horrible. His confidence is low and he is making a lot of dumb mistakes too. Watching the ball go out of bounds off his finger tips was frustrating too. He hasn't really been doing anything well for a while now.

Marvin needed to demand the ball when he was guarded by much smaller or much slower defenders. There were times when Marvin had easy matchups but Bruce Bowen's man took the shot. Ridiculous.

Marvin had 0 turnovers in the game. That pass by Smoove that brushed by Marvin's extended fingers was much too hard and should have been softer. The scorer rightfully gave the TO to Smoove.

Marvin's shots are not falling and the dude is clumsy as hell when attacking the basket, but he has been playing great position defense despite injury.

I think he should come off the bench. Bibby/Chillz and Marv/Law are much better combos than the other way around. We are wasting Marv as a 4th scorer who needs more attention in offense. He needs to learn how to demand it. Moving to the bench would help him learn to demand.

[Lrenfro]

I used to think this was bad decision making on JS's part however I do know that in little league you are taught to give the ball to the best ball handler by high school this is instinct. With that said by now JS would instinctively look for the best ball handler unless he is being told otherwise. Now if he is going against both his instinct and his coach I would have to believe that some type of ramification or disciplinary action would have to have been applied by now. Since neither of the two have happened one is only to assume that instructions have given to continue doing the very thing that everyone on this board hates to see.

[Packfill]

Josh Smith would really benefit from some good coaching and, failing that, a brain transplant.

[HawksFan87]

lol Smoove sucked that game but he was also hurt, OH and let's not forget Joe our LEADER and our BEST PLAYER had 6 TO'S his self. But I forgot only Marvin and Joe are allowed to use injury as an excuse. LOL Marvin isn't hurt he's just soft and Joe is as well. Bibby has more heart then both of those 2 combined. Smoove will be fine..

[tomac]

I agree that Josh has too amny turnovers, but some of those are due to other players not paying attention. Marvin in particular has missed out on easy layups on would- be assists simply because he doesn't keep hie eyes up when cuts through the lane.

In Josh's defense, absolutely no one on this team is playing harder than he is right now. If it wasn't for him and Big Al (especially on the defensive side of rthe ball), we'd be dead last in the division. It's hard for me to knock a player when I see that kind of work.

Lastly, Josh would be a more polished player with better coaching. Woody has to go.