Josh Smith calls himself out

[WraithSentinel]

At least that is what I take from this article. Smoove is calling himself out.

http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/ha...josh_smith.html

Smith says he must ‘refocus’

By SEKOU SMITH

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Josh Smith wants to get back to being the “old Josh.”

The Josh who runs the floor, rebounds, blocks shots and scores in dramatic fashion.

Enlarge this image

AP

Josh Smith was at his best in the win Saturday over the Pistons, leading the Hawks with 19 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and two assists.

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The Josh who played like one of the league’s most dynamic players in the Hawks’ first four games of the season.

His team, ankles deep in a string of six straight home games, including New Orleans Monday night at Philips Arena, could use a lot more of the Smith who showed up for Saturday’s seismic win over Detroit.

The Hawks swept the Pistons in a season series for the first time in 15 years and did so convincingly with Smith playing a leading role.

Smith was at his best in the win over the Pistons, leading the Hawks with 19 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and two assists the night after being benched by Hawks coach Mike Woodson for the second half of a loss in Charlotte.

“I just wanted to establish myself early in that game the same way I’ve wanted to this whole season,” he said. “I wanted to get back to being the old Josh. I needed to get our there and play with that confidence and have some fun again. That’s what this whole team needs.”

After dropping two straight road games against teams beneath them in the Eastern Conference standings, it was the clear the Hawks (35-28) needed something.

A double shot of Smith and Al Horford (18 points, 12 rebounds) seemed to be the perfect jolt for the Hawks, who haven’t had Smith and Horford working in tandem like they did against the Pistons in weeks.

Saturday’s game was the first time they had matching double doubles in the same game this season.

“There’s no doubt about it,” Horford said. “It’s going to be hard to get away from us when we’re both playing well like that. We really need Josh to stay active and it wasn’t only on the boards. He was playing great defensively and helping everybody out and doing the little things. That’s what we need to do to win.”

Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson can suffer through a tough night when Smith and Horford are playing as well they did. And that has as much to do with the improvements his frontcourt duo has made as it does with the overall improvement of the rest of the Hawks’ regular rotation players.

“When those two guys are active like that we’re a tough team to beat,” said Johnson, who was held nine points below his season average against the Pistons. “There’s no doubt about that. It’s just about playing with the right kind of energy right now and the rest of the way.”

It also helps when Smith is making his free throws the way he did Saturday. A .560 shooter from the free throw line this season, Smith made seven of nine free throws against the Pistons, punctuating his redemption game with his best night from the line in a month.

“I felt more confident than ever on my free throw shooting,” Smith said. “I need that confidence to where it needs to be every night. And to do that I have to refocus. We all had to refocus as a team.”

The best way for Smith and Horford to help that cause is by duplicating the performance they had against the Pistons, or at least cloning the effort and intensity.

“I think it’s pretty obvious we play well together,” Smith said. “We just have to do it on a consistent basis. We can do it every night if we want to. Even through we’re a bit undersized we have to try and use our quickness on the offensive boards and outsmart other teams.

“I’ll put the onus on myself, I haven’t been going to the boards in previous games like I should have been. But again, I have to get back to playing like the old Josh.”

[Chris18]

Good to see he is taking some responsibility for his actions.

[mrhonline]

I want to continue to encourage everyone to click the links when people posts stories about the Hawks from larger media sites on the web, even if you read the article here first.

While the coverage is far from perfect, it won't get better if they don't know we're out there...

[Lrenfro]

I want to continue to encourage everyone to click the links when people posts stories about the Hawks from larger media sites on the web, even if you read the article here first.

While the coverage is far from perfect, it won't get better if they don't know we're out there...

I did not know that. I will do that from this point fwd. By the way how does it help when we click the link?

[DrReality]

Good artilce and reflects a shift in his attitude. They are right, if we get Al and SMoove going we are a different team.

[NineOhTheRino]

I'd love to see Josh pimp slap himself after an ugly 3pt attempt.

Edited March 9, 2009 by NineOhTheRino

[tonegully]

I hope Josh sees when he plays down low and above the rim he is unstoppable. Keep going at it Josh sooner or later you will start to get calls in the paint.

[HawksFan87]

good .. cause we are not that good when he isn't playing well.

[AHF]

Glad to see Josh Smith turning things around for himself. He needs it and the Hawks need him at his high energy best if they want to win at all in the playoffs.

[macdaddy]

I don't know if someone posted Schultz's article yet:

AJC Shultz

My favorite line from this one:

One of two things happened Friday night in Charlotte: Either Smith committed a violation so egregious late in the first half that Woodson felt the player had undercut his authority and was ripping the team apart.

Or Woodson overreacted to something, anything, a noise in the ventilation shaft.

I lean toward the latter.

Glad to see Josh is trying to get back on the high road.

[thecampster]

I don't know if someone posted Schultz's article yet:

AJC Shultz

My favorite line from this one:

Glad to see Josh is trying to get back on the high road.

Anyone who sees this as "Josh is turning the corner", is seriously dillussional (which means most of the board). This is publicity from Josh pure and simple. As was his play against Detroit. As was Woody's going out to hug him. Nothing is better between the 2 of them as evidenced by the player's only meeting before the game on Saturday. Look I'm probably Josh's biggest fan on this board but let's not fool ourselves. Woody can not and will not win a war with a player. He isn't that accomplished. Players put fans in the seats and not coaches. It was the players feeding Josh the ball on Saturday, it was the players bumping chests with him before the game. This will blow up again before the end of the year. Just watch. We got 6 weeks till the playoffs.

[mrhonline]

I did not know that. I will do that from this point fwd. By the way how does it help when we click the link?

I would imagine, and I'm just guessing here, that the AJC takes into consideration how frequently their various pages are viewed.

[exodus]

I would imagine, and I'm just guessing here, that the AJC takes into consideration how frequently their various pages are viewed.

I think that is the case everywhere. My sister used to write a column for a paper which was online as well and her hit count was a major issue with her employers.

[DJlaysitup]

Anyone who sees this as "Josh is turning the corner", is seriously dillussional (which means most of the board). This is publicity from Josh pure and simple. As was his play against Detroit. As was Woody's going out to hug him. Nothing is better between the 2 of them....

You're probably right Camp....maybe the timing will be right and there will be one more blow-up before the playoffs. Once they get through throwing dishes at each other and breaking lamps again, they will be together for the playoffs.

[JackB1]

Anyone who sees this as "Josh is turning the corner", is seriously dillussional (which means most of the board). This is publicity from Josh pure and simple. As was his play against Detroit. As was Woody's going out to hug him. Nothing is better between the 2 of them as evidenced by the player's only meeting before the game on Saturday. Look I'm probably Josh's biggest fan on this board but let's not fool ourselves. Woody can not and will not win a war with a player. He isn't that accomplished. Players put fans in the seats and not coaches. It was the players feeding Josh the ball on Saturday, it was the players bumping chests with him before the game. This will blow up again before the end of the year. Just watch. We got 6 weeks till the playoffs.

Totally agree. The problem with Josh is his head and you can't fix that overnight. He looked really bad last night evern though he managed about a double double. Glad to see him rebounding, but his offense was horrible. He was clumsy and hardly played at all on the block and posting up. He still hangs aroung the 3 point line and he threw up some nice bricks last night.

[PureGreatness]

josh had a horrible offensive night(kinda expected that since we a was playing a GREAT defensive team) but at least we know he is rebounding know. So i can be patient on his offense.

Don't expect a great offensive night vs Utah either.

[JackB1]

josh had a horrible offensive night(kinda expected that since we a was playing a GREAT defensive team) but at least we know he is rebounding know. So i can be patient on his offense.

Don't expect a great offensive night vs Utah either.

What bothered me was how "clumsy" he looked. He almost looked drunk. There were several times when he stumbled over his own feet. I think his ankle is still bothering him. I think Woody should rest him for several games. We will need him at 100% for the playoffs.

He also whined about EVERY non call. When is going to grow up and knock that off? When you are at the game in person, you can really see how ridiculous he acts.

[PureGreatness]

What bothered me was how "clumsy" he looked. He almost looked drunk. There were several times when he stumbled over his own feet. I think his ankle is still bothering him. I think Woody should rest him for several games. We will need him at 100% for the playoffs.

He also whined about EVERY non call. When is going to grow up and knock that off? When you are at the game in person, you can really see how ridiculous he acts.

Aint nothing that wrong with his ankle, he just looked clumsy against new orleans.

I don't pay attention to every detail like most hawks. its a 82 game season i dont got time to criticize every hawk player after every game. which is why i dont post near as much as alot of other posters.