Woodson and Smith feud again; Hawks lose again

[DrReality]

Woodson and Smith feud again; Hawks lose again

Coach benches player after heated argument at halftime

By SEKOU SMITH

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday, March 06, 2009

Charlotte — What began as a promising week in Washington got downright nasty in Charlotte on Friday night after turning ugly in New York on Wednesday night.

The Hawks lost their second consecutive game to a sub-.500 opponent, dropping a 98-91 decision to the Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Do you think Mike Woodson and Josh Smith can co-exist on the Hawks?

Yes

No

They also lost more ground in the race for the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Their lead over Miami is now just a half a game.

And Hawks coach Mike Woodson benched starting power forward Josh Smith after halftime, the result of a heated disagreement between the two in the locker room during the break.

Smith refused to comment after the game, and Woodson said it was a “coach’s decision” and that Smith’s status for tonight’s game against Detroit would be determined later.

“That was coach’s call,” Hawks captain Joe Johnson said. “This is coach’s team. Whoever he wants to play plays, and if he doesn’t want you to play, you don’t play.”

Smith had 13 points, four rebounds and two blocks before leaving the game after playing only 21 minutes. But whatever transpired in the time it took the Hawks to get in and out of the locker room after halftime, changed everything.

“Josh played well in the first half,” Mo Evans said. “It didn’t have nothing to do with his basketball playing abilities. It’s the off-the-court, internal stuff that causes all the drama.”

The Hawks (34-28) can’t afford any more drama, not with their season teetering on the brink and their chances of hosting a first-round playoff series fading fast.

They begin a seven-game homestand against the Pistons, and they’ll do so knowing that they need to rebuild their cushion over Miami, the Pistons and Philadelphia for the fourth spot.

“This is tough because we had a chance to put ourselves in a good position, and we gave two games away,” Johnson said. “I don’t know. I think we all need to get on the same page. But it’s kind of tough to play when the chemistry is not there, and we’re not playing as one.”

If they can’t muster any more energy or any better effort than they did against the Bobcats on Friday night, they won’t have to worry about the fourth spot much longer.

The Bobcats controlled the action from the start, working inside out in the first quarter to build a 15-point lead before the end of the quarter.

Former Hawks swingman Boris Diaw served as the facilitator for the Bobcats, who run their offense through their starting power forward.

Diaw finished with a game-high 13 assists to go with his 13 points and five rebounds. The Bobcats (27-35) led by as many as 18 before withstanding a late Hawks rally to avoid being swept in a season series by the Hawks for the first time.

“It’s just been a lack of effort,” Evans said. “We play in spurts, and you can’t do that if you want to be a contender at any level. You see how it is. We get down and dig ourselves a hole. And you have to bank on too many things to go the right way to get it back.

“And that’s the difference between the elite teams in the league and the teams like us that are inconsistent. One day we’re there, and the next day we’re not. If we can overcome that challenge before this thing ends and finally start to get it, we might have a chance to hold on that fourth or fifth spot. If not, well, I don’t know what else to tell you.”

[DrReality]

“Josh played well in the first half,” Mo Evans said. “It didn’t have nothing to do with his basketball playing abilities. It’s the off-the-court, internal stuff that causes all the drama.”

That sure will get the rumor mill going. Go to AJC.com to vote if they can coexist together or not?

[NineOhTheRino]

“Josh played well in the first half,” Mo Evans said. “It didn’t have nothing to do with his basketball playing abilities. It’s the off-the-court, internal stuff that causes all the drama.”

Mo is always down to drop a dime.

[DrReality]

This is the voting so far saying whether they can coexist or not:

Yes 11.41% 17

No 88.59% 132

[NineOhTheRino]

“Josh played well in the first half,” Mo Evans said. “It didn’t have nothing to do with his basketball playing abilities. It’s the off-the-court, internal stuff that causes all the drama.”

That sure will get the rumor mill going. Go to AJC.com to vote if they can coexist together or not?

I swear we did that at the same time :laugh:

[YP2K]

Dysfunctional feuding ownership = dysfunctional feuding team . . .

[DJlaysitup]

Dysfunctional feuding ownership = dysfunctional feuding team . . .

The ASG's big mistake was not seeing the forrest for the trees IMO. It came down to a BK versus Woody scenario and they backed Woody. What they failed to see was that there was a third option - fire them both. While BK's mistakes were many and legendary - Woody did much the same. Woody wanted Shelden Williams bad - got him - then put him in the doghouse when he found out Shelden wasn't the next Mailman. As much as I like watching Flipper, we are running Bibby as our 1st PG (no real complaints there...but he's not the future) and a journeyman 1/2 combo guard as our #2 PG...and we have a guy who needs playing time to develop rotting on the bench.

This team needs a breath of fresh air badly.

P.S. - Some would say that if we fire Woody now it will look like Smoove won....get over that ASG. Tell the Woodster that we appreciate all his efforts and we will pay for his moving expenses - then call in JS and tell him that we aren't too happy with him either and he better clean up his act. Then hire a coach who knows the game and proceed - suck it up and do the right thing ASG!

Edited March 7, 2009 by DJlaysitup

[WraithSentinel]

Can these two just get along for the remainder of the season? I think we all know Smoove is likely going to be moved this offseason by now. The writing is one the wall. With this latest development they are destroying any trade value he may have.

[Cwell]

Can these two just get along for the remainder of the season? I think we all know Smoove is likely going to be moved this offseason by now. The writing is one the wall. With this latest development they are destroying any trade value he may have.

lmao Smith is not going anywhere.

[WraithSentinel]

Smith is going to be traded whether Woodson stays or goes.

[DJlaysitup]

Smith is going to be traded whether Woodson stays or goes.

I tend to disagree....Smoove is on a good contract - plenty of money for him and manageable for ownership. Plus he's a local guy and an impact player.

I missed some games but I do know that Smoove was guarding a perimeter oriented PF versus NYK. He couldn't rebound much because he was away from the basket. Most rebounds he wanted were already corralled by AH or Zaza. Then he comes out and plays the best of the rest against the Bobs in the 1st half (not that that is saying much). Then he goes in at halftime and has a serious argument with Woody for whatever reason and is benched for the 2nd half while we lose a game we could have won.

Woody should be a stock foreman at Home Depot. No real thinking involved. Just do the same thing every day....it's what he is good at.

[GameTime]

On the front page.

http://realgm.com/

[thecampster]

On the front page.

http://realgm.com/

Ok, I'll bite. What was selfish about Josh's play last night that would have Woodson single him out again?

[smithrules]

Ok, I'll bite. What was selfish about Josh's play last night that would have Woodson single him out again?

Im just speculating here, but woody has a tendency to not ride the player with the hot hand unless that player is flip, bibby or JJ(alot of times he forces plays with jj) but if horford, smith , marvin or acie is hot woody just pulls them or forgets about them. I would imagine josh thought he could take the ball on the block more or didn't agree with something in woody's stratedgy. You know the same things you might be thinking or nique might say about our offense or defensive stratedgy, well i think josh just says it if its on his mind. Woody seems like the police officer who thinks hes god because he has some type of power.

[PureGreatness]

is smith playing tonight? hope so

Edited March 7, 2009 by hoodstar

[TheNorthCydeRises]

My only thing about last night is this . . . . why not play Solo, if the decision was made to bench Smoove for the entire 2nd half? I would've defintiely have played Solo in those 5 minutes he gave Acie last night.

LOL . . you can tell that Woody is a Larry Brown disciple. Brown would've probably done the same thing to Smoove, just to show him who is in control.

The people that constantly back Smith, doesn't watch that kid on the bench when he is out of the game. If he's out longer than what he thinks he should be out, he's constantly sulking. He's almost T.O., and I hate to say it . . Chad Johnson like, in his behavior ( because I'm a Bengal fan, and love watching Chad play ). They all might be passionate about playing the game, and passionate about winning. But all three of those guys think they are above criticism, and their antics make people believe that they aren't team players at all. Vince Young is another guy, who I would compare Smoove too, except Vince doesn't pop off at the mouth. He just sulks.

When Woody opts to sit Marvin or Horford for extended minutes, you don't see them sulking, like you see Josh doing. They're cheering on folks. They're standing up in the huddle, listening to coach, even if they know they're not going back into the game. When Smith is out, he's always at the back of the huddle, if he knows he's not going back in.

Smith's dropoff in the last 15 games or so, has been pretty dramatic. Especially from an energy player standpoint.

He's 18 - 51 from the FT line ( 35% )

But worst of all, he's only grabbed 4.3 rebounds a game in February and March.

4.3 folks . . . our PF.

Diesel already mentioned earlier this year, about how he's not blocking shots anymore ( like how he used to ).

It's sad to see too, because this is kind of the Andrei Kirilenko effect that I talked about last season with Josh, if he was moved to SF, or if Horford started emerging as a better scoring option. The same thing happened to AK47, when Boozer started to emerge as the better scoring option. More plays and shots started being run for Boozer, and AK47 started to sulk.

Smith better be VERY CAREFUL with this. He might be the most popular player on the Hawks, but that ish will change QUICKLY, if the fans think he is dogging it out on the floor, and not giving maximum effort. He'll end up exactly like Chad Johnson in Cincinnati. Totally beloved in 2007 . . . totally hated by 2009.

[WraithSentinel]

Smith better be VERY CAREFUL with this. He might be the most popular player on the Hawks, but that ish will change QUICKLY, if the fans think he is dogging it out on the floor, and not giving maximum effort. He'll end up exactly like Chad Johnson in Cincinnati. Totally beloved in 2007 . . . totally hated by 2009.

I think it has already started to change. The frustration with him is growing.

Edited March 7, 2009 by UltimaDragonReaver

[TruJerz]

lmao Smith is not going anywhere.

I don't think he will get traded either but thats just me. I think Smith's problem is that he is still young and immature. He thinks he is better than he is..andjust like Carmelo, I don't think he likes to come out the game at all lol i like the guy and I think he has a world of potential but he gotta work on his game alot more to become the player he can be. He is inconsistent and doesn't have a good basketball IQ. Woody probably told him something along those lines and he probably didn't like it. But thats how I feel about Smith.

Hope everything works out with him and Woody so we can be one big happy team come playoff time!

Edited March 7, 2009 by r3drumNYNJ

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I don't think he will get traded either but thats just me. I think Smith's problem is that he is still young and immature. He thinks he is better than he is..andjust like Carmelo, I don't think he likes to come out the game at all lol i like the guy and I think he has a world of potential but he gotta work on his game alot more to become the player he can be. He is inconsistent and doesn't have a good basketball IQ. Woody probably told him something along those lines and he probably didn't like it. But thats how I feel about Smith.

Hope everything works out with him and Woody so we can be one big happy team come playoff time!

What makes me mad about him sometimes, is that he has the athletic ability to do exactly what Shawn Marion does. In my mind, there is no reason why this kid shouldn't be averaging 10 rebounds a game, even with Horford here. Rebounding is about positioning and effort. And lately, he's not doing any of that.

He ought to be scoring 6 ppg, just off of getting offensive rebounds and either putting them back in the hole, or getting fouled while trying to put it back.

By the way, I KNEW he was going to hit that 3 last night, when JJ did all of that dribbling, and passed it to Smith with 2 seconds on the shot clock. As the ball was in the air, I mumbled to myself . . "watch he hits this ish". Sure enough . . all net.