Marvin is solid recently!

[JackB1]

Marvin was great tonite. 10 for 13 shooting and 9 rebounds! he also played pretty well against Pierce on Wed nite. Seems like when he wants to, he can play up to his potential. Problem is, it seems like someone needs to lite a fire under his ass or he goes to sleep for a few games.

Keep it up Marvin!!!

On a side note, it doesn't seem like he's shooting as many 3's as he was earlier in the season. Anyone else notice that?

p.s. Woody is NOT developing Acie and Solo anymore at all! How does he expect these guys to improve? When Bibby's shot isn't falling or we are taking too many jump shots, he should send Acie in there and tell him to drive, drive, drive. When Smoove starts hanging around at the 3 pt line, put Solo in there! Just a little "coaching" once in a while would be nice.

[TruJerz]

Marvin was great tonite. 10 for 13 shooting and 9 rebounds! he also played pretty well against Pierce on Wed nite. Seems like when he wants to, he can play up to his potential. Problem is, it seems like someone needs to lite a fire under his ass or he goes to sleep for a few games.

Keep it up Marvin!!!

On a side note, it doesn't seem like he's shooting as many 3's as he was earlier in the season. Anyone else notice that?

p.s. Woody is NOT developing Acie and Solo anymore at all! How does he expect these guys to improve? When Bibby's shot isn't falling or we are taking too many jump shots, he should send Acie in there and tell him to drive, drive, drive. When Smoove starts hanging around at the 3 pt line, put Solo in there! Just a little "coaching" once in a while would be nice.

I couldnt agree with u more. especially about Woody developing Acie Law and Solomon Jones..those guys will come in handy in the playoffs when he need guys to come off the bench...whether its because foul trouble or whatever the case may be. Other than that, Hawks are looking just fine

[Chris18]

It's amazing how much he has improved his game this year. Woody needs to think about running the offense through Marvin at times because he is our most efficent scorer.

Acie needs to get 15-20 minutes a night to help improve his confidence and to keep Bibby fresh. Until Acie improves his jumpshot Woody can't give him 25 minutes but when Acie does this team will be much better. How many minutes Solo gets is going to depend on matchups and Zaza.

[Tex]

Marvin has shown the most improvement of anyone on the team. He is much better at going to the basket and has added the three pointer, although he hasn't taken many lately.

JJ- still solid

Smoove-no improvement

Horford-no improvement-still playing great out of position

Bibby-much more consistent than last year

Mo and Flip have been hot and cold-I still like the two of them for the price of Chilz

Oh what we could be with a real big man!

[TruJerz]

Oh what we could be with a real big man!

Yup, one more good big man would make us a much better team. But who??

[Cwell]

It's amazing how much he has improved his game this year. Woody needs to think about running the offense through Marvin at times because he is our most efficent scorer.

Acie needs to get 15-20 minutes a night to help improve his confidence and to keep Bibby fresh. Until Acie improves his jumpshot Woody can't give him 25 minutes but when Acie does this team will be much better. How many minutes Solo gets is going to depend on matchups and Zaza.

Acie hits his jumpers when he gets extended minutes and can get in a comfort zone. One game when Woody finnally let him play some in the 4th he hit a go ahead mid range jumper.Of course he call pulled right after but he did it. His game against the Cavs he hit a long 2 and a pull up 3. Acie's shot will come with the minutes. When his minutes are spotty his jumper will continue to be spotty also.

[Boomer]

Rathbun was saying last night how he thinks Biedrins(sp?) would be a perfect fit for us. I don't think we can afford him though.

[coachx]

Marvin was great tonite. 10 for 13 shooting and 9 rebounds! he also played pretty well against Pierce on Wed nite. Seems like when he wants to, he can play up to his potential. Problem is, it seems like someone needs to lite a fire under his ass or he goes to sleep for a few games.

Keep it up Marvin!!!

On a side note, it doesn't seem like he's shooting as many 3's as he was earlier in the season. Anyone else notice that?

p.s. Woody is NOT developing Acie and Solo anymore at all! How does he expect these guys to improve? When Bibby's shot isn't falling or we are taking too many jump shots, he should send Acie in there and tell him to drive, drive, drive. When Smoove starts hanging around at the 3 pt line, put Solo in there! Just a little "coaching" once in a while would be nice.

Excellent post !

He is turning into a complete SF !

This is what I wanted to see ! Marvin step up and take some offensive pressure of JJ !

JJ needs a side kick who can score consistently in a variety of ways. Bibby is nice but he is one dimensional. When his jumper is not falling he can't bail JJ out. Marvin on the other hand can now score from all over the court. He can shoot as good as JJ but with a little less range, can finish better then JJ, and can get to the line MUCH better then JJ. Marvin made some excellent cuts into the paint last so he is also moving without ball much better rather then just hanging around the perimeter. JJ can still shoot better off the dribble and has more range and confidence but Marvin is developing into a heck of an offensive side kick with solid defense to boot.

Marvin confidence is growing. It took JJ 4 seasons to develop into more of leader and take charge guy on offense. Marvin is getting there. Patience with him is paying off BIG !

As far as Law and Solo. Flip ended up with a good game but alot was in garbage time. Even when Flip does have a good game I still don't like the way he plays as a PG. He simply has too many turnovers and shoots to many quick shots that lead to fast breaks............When Law played in the 1st half he found Flip for some open 3's that seemed to help Flip get out of his funk !

Play JJ 36 mpg and let Law and Flip have some more court time together.....at least 12 mpg together. If Flip's shot is off I would like to see Law get more 2nd half minutes...........it will help us in the long run.

Edited December 20, 2008 by coachx

[lethalweapon3]

I've enjoyed watching Marvin attack the glass when the other Hawks are engaged in three-point shooting practice. Defense has a little ways to go, but much more aggressive play on offense is transcending his game while saving the Hawks from having to endure some humbling losses.

For big men, they'll have to see if a moderate-cost SF/PF or PF/C shakes loose from one of the Western conference teams whose seasons are effectively over. That would include Mikki Moore, Ryan Gomes, Craig Smith, Chris Wilcox, Nick Collison or Johan Petro.

~lw3

[JackB1]

Marvin never seems to take "stupid" shots. Don't you wish we could say the same for Smoove? :) If anything, he doesn't shoot enough.

Also, I don't know how Woody expects Acie and Solo to be ready come playoff time if he refuses to use them during the season? Acie has shown signs of breaking out if just given the chance. It seems he and Bibby would be a perfect tandem. If Bibby's hot, leave him in there...if he's not, yank him for Acie. It's frustrating on nights when Bibby's shot isn't falling and Woody refuses to give Acie extended minutes. He should also use Flip more to keep Joe fresh. Woody is already playing like it's late in the season. Last night was a perfect opportunity for Acie and he didn't play enough.

[BusBoyIsBack]

If Smoove could shoot and make decisions like Marvin he'd be an all-star. Maybe even greater than that.

But yeah Marvin has definitely made some strides of improvement. Working on that 3 pointer has opened up the floor, and he's attacking the basket under control a lot more. Also showing up in the 2nd half more often.

I actually wish Marvin could have been more aggressive in that Celtics game because he was torching them

[DrReality]

For us to contend and to be resilient throughout the season different guys have to stepp up and it's good to see MW do the same. His new look makes him look a little more mature . . . . . and tougher. Lost night he went to the basket several times and that was great to see.

[frosgrim]

If Smoove could shoot and make decisions like Marvin he'd be an all-star. Maybe even greater than that.

But yeah Marvin has definitely made some strides of improvement. Working on that 3 pointer has opened up the floor, and he's attacking the basket under control a lot more. Also showing up in the 2nd half more often.

I actually wish Marvin could have been more aggressive in that Celtics game because he was torching them

JJ has to trust Marvin more IMO. The last 5 or 6 possessions against the Cs JJ just tried to go one on 5 vs the Cs.

The team has go to realize that Marvin is the #2 scorer on the team and feed him the damn ball. Marvin is ready to step up, he just needs the ball in his hands. Oh, and Woodson needs to let this happen as well.

[AHF]

The last two games against Boston and GS have been excellent for Marvin -- and sorely needed after the few before that. Keep it up Marvin!

[Diesel]

You know this Marvin talk sounds so familiar....

" Tim Thomas was picking up his nephew at a Philadelphia hotel in August when he ran into 76ers star Allen Iverson. "I hear you guys are about to make a trade," Iverson said, referring to rumors of a deal involving Glenn (Big Dog) Robinson. Moments later Thomas's cellphone rang. It was Bucks general manager Ernie Grunfeld, saying that he had indeed shipped Robinson to the Hawks for forward Toni Kukoc, forward Leon Smith and a 2003 first-round pick. The 6'10" Thomas was now Milwaukee's starting small forward. "I wanted the season to start the very next day," he says.

If Thomas, 25, can successfully replace the Big Dog, the bite could be back in the Bucks. Last year they were supposed to contend for the title, but nagging injuries to the backcourt of Ray Allen and Sam Cassell, along with poor team chemistry, cost them down the stretch. Milwaukee suffered an epic swoon, losing 14 of its final 19 games to become the first team in NBA history to fail to make the playoffs despite leading its division after the ides of March.

In need of a shakeup, the Bucks subtracted one of their Big Three. Though they will miss Robinson's consistent scoring, they feel Thomas's ball handling and willingness to share the rock will make them better. "Tim can do a lot more things," Allen says. "If he doesn't score 20 but gets us two or three steals a game, that's just as big." Thomas's quickness and immense wingspan alone should improve a defense that ranked 22nd last season. The trick for Thomas will be to maintain focus at both ends. Last season, his second after signing a six-year, $67 million deal, he averaged a respectable 11.7 points and 4.1 rebounds but shot only 42.0% and put up far more three-pointers (291) than free throw attempts (179). He also had too many lapses on D. "When Glenn was in the game, Tim had a tendency to kind of disappear or fade into the shadows," Allen says. "As big as he is, and as talented as he is, we can't have that."

Over the summer, Thomas says, he rose nearly every morning at six to lift weights in his basement, then went to the track at Villanova, where he ran 100-yard wind sprints with a football tucked under his arm. He also spent a week in Atlanta working one-on-one with four-time All-Star Bernard King, a former teammate of Grunfeld's who helped Thomas add some low-post moves to his already solid face-the-basket arsenal. "He taught me some tricks but mostly just helped me with footwork and positioning," Thomas says.

While the Bucks could sorely use more inside punch, they say that they don't need Thomas to match Robinson's 20.7 points per game. Coach George Karl says he'll take 16 points and eight rebounds as long as Thomas provides passing and consistent defense. "With Glenn, you'd get spectacular," Karl says, "but you'd also get disappointment sometimes." The Bucks are counting on Thomas to be solidly in between."

[AHF]

While the Bucks could sorely use more inside punch, they say that they don't need Thomas to match Robinson's 20.7 points per game. Coach George Karl says he'll take 16 points and eight rebounds as long as Thomas provides passing and consistent defense. "With Glenn, you'd get spectacular," Karl says, "but you'd also get disappointment sometimes." The Bucks are counting on Thomas to be solidly in between."

The irony is that Thomas has never averaged 16 points in any season his entire career and has only been 13ppg or higher - once in his career.

Likewise, his career rebounding average is 4.2. He never has averaged above 5.1 rpg, let alone 8.

[Diesel]

The irony is that Thomas has never averaged 16 points in any season his entire career and has only been 13ppg or higher - once in his career.

Likewise, his career rebounding average is 4.2. He never has averaged above 5.1 rpg, let alone 8.

Actually, neitehr has Marvin. In fact, Tim Thomas has never played the amount of minutes that Marvin plays... It would be interesting to compare their averages per 36 to see just how relatable these two players are. Both should be this and should be that but has never shown the aggressiveness to be more than what they are.

[thefloydian]

Yup, one more good big man would make us a much better team. But who??

Rasheed.

[coachx]

You know this Marvin talk sounds so familiar....

If Thomas, 25

Marvin is only 22................I really want to see what he is at 25 !

[vdunkndunk]

Actually, neitehr has Marvin. In fact, Tim Thomas has never played the amount of minutes that Marvin plays... It would be interesting to compare their averages per 36 to see just how relatable these two players are. Both should be this and should be that but has never shown the aggressiveness to be more than what they are.

I thought this was an interesting comparison and looked at Tim Thomas vs. Marvin in terms of PER, to give an idea of their per minute production.

Good news for Marvin: Tim Thomas's PER in his fourth season was 12.32. Marvin's PER right now is 16.20. Thomas has actually never had a PER that high in his entire career.