Merged: Mike Woodson throws Acie Law under the bus. Good article

[prolific25]

The biggest thing about this is Woodson singing this kid's praises which means perhaps he will actually play him! That's the best news of all. And of course JJ supporting the guy gotta love it. He's probably as giddy as I am about this kid.

Think about it folks, our back court has improved every year:

First we had Ty Lue and Anthony Johnson starting!

Then we traded them and had Bibby and Acie Law for the rest of the year.

Then we had Bibby, Acie Law, and Flip.

Now we have Crawford and Teague and possibly keep either Flip or Bibby or imagine both?

This team could win 50+ games next year barring injury

It also means that Woodson had input on picking Teague unlike Law because him and BK weren't on speaking terms at the time(according to Sekou).

[sturt]

Sund, if I'm not mistaken, also said something about keeping Flip.

Nothing against Flip, but I can't see that whatsoever. They can keep saying it, but I'm not buying it.

[The MoonKnight]

the fact that he calls Teague a true PG just lets us further know about woodson lol

Amen. Woodson would not know a "true point guard" if John Stockton fell on his head. Woodson would probably have considered Ed Gray a true point guard. To call Teague a combo guard is even stretching it as Teague was clearly used as a two guard for most of his college career. Teague has a long way to go before he develops a point guard mind set.

[Antmillennium]

So, what's going to be Woodson's excuse when he starts playing Flip or some other veteran at PG instead of Teague? I honestly think Woodson has no idea how to develop young talent. It's going to be interesting to watch how this thing plays out during the season. If Teague is rotting away on the bench while Woodson plays somebody like Flip at PG, I'm not going to hear any excuses from Woodson about how Teaague "is not getting it" and etc... That will validate for me beyond all doubt that Woodson is a confidence/career killer for young players.

[KB21]

the fact that he calls Teague a true PG just lets us further know about woodson lol

I wonder what Mike Woodson's definition of true point guard is, because it is clear that Jeff Teague is more of a combo guard than a true point guard. Of course, this verifies what some were saying before the draft relative to Mike preferring a combo guard at the point guard position.

If this team doesn't resign Marvin who not only was the most efficient player on this team and is still the youngest I'm going to be pissed. Why do we need Flip when we just got Crawfor/Teague? It's not like Woody gave Acie any minutes last year. Hell if Teague averages more than 5 MPG he'll be in there more than Acie was.

Marvin has very quickly become the most underrated player on this team. He does everything well. On this team, he's the most efficient offensive player and the best at getting to the free throw line. The important thing with him, IMO, is that he does whatever he is told to do. If he's told to be a spot up shooter, that is what he will do. If he is asked to be the go to guy, he responds. If he is asked to be a designated defender, he responds. The guy is still only 23 years old. He's going to continue getting better, and I think it is time his role is increased in Atlanta.

[DJlaysitup]

I wonder what Mike Woodson's definition of true point guard is, because it is clear that Jeff Teague is more of a combo guard than a true point guard. Of course, this verifies what some were saying before the draft relative to Mike preferring a combo guard at the point guard position....

We don't know if Woody wanted Acie (I doubt it)....it was BK's last chance as a GM to get it right.

Acie came in as a combo PG/Shooting guard and he couldn't shoot. Let's all remember that Acie was a killer in College but couldn't hit the side of a barn in the pros. It was "ABA" his first year (Air Ball Acie). He not only wasn't hitting "clutch shots" he wasn't hitting ANY shots....often not even close.

Acie will be fine (as long as he's saved his money)....He'll get a second contract for 250K or so for a year or two....then he can buy a nice place on a small lake and coach HS basketball.

Edited June 27, 2009 by DJlaysitup

[KB21]

We don't know if Woody wanted Acie (I doubt it)....it was BK's last chance as a GM to get it right.

Acie came in as a combo PG/Shooting guard and he couldn't shoot. Let's all remember that Acie was a killer in College but couldn't hit the side of a barn in the pros. It was "ABA" his first year (Air Ball Acie). He not only wasn't hitting "clutch shots" he wasn't hitting ANY shots....often not even close.

Acie will be fine (as long as he's saved his money)....He'll get a second contract for 250K or so for a year or two....then he can buy a nice place on a small lake and coach HS basketball.

I think you will see Acie's career take off when he's in a system that allows him to use his ability to get into the lane and play with the ball in his hands and doesn't ask him to be a spot up shooter on the perimeter. Despite his limited chances, Acie Law did shoot 47% on shots in the paint, which comprised around 59% of his shot attempts in his two seasons with the Hawks. This clearly shows that he is very capable at penetrating into the lane and getting his shot off. Also despite his limited chances, Acie's scoring, three point percentage, three point attempts, free throw rate, and assists went up in his second season while his turnovers went down. This is despite the fact that he actually played less minutes as a second year player than he did as a rookie.

I think in the long run, you will see that Acie is no longer in Atlanta more because he is a bad fit for what Mike Woodson wants to do and not because he is a bad player. His strengths and weaknesses just didn't fit with the role Mike Woodson wanted him to play. He is at least capable of being a quality back up point guard in this league. Many Hawks fans wanted a player very similar to Acie Law in the draft named Eric Maynor.

[thecampster]

From this morning's ajc.

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports...=7&cxcat=21

"The Hawks traded Acie Law IV and Speedy Claxton to get Crawford and watched seven other point guards go off the board before grabbing Teague.

“I’m not knocking Acie Law in any way shape or form,” Woodson said. “But this kid [Teague] is what I’d call a true point guard. I gave Acie some opportunities, and it just didn’t work. That’s no knock on him as a player or me as a coach. Injuries probably hurt Acie the two years he was here, and honestly we just didn’t have the luxury of waiting on him when he first got here. We had to win."

I've kept my mouth shut on the Acie stuff up until this point but this infuriated me. When Mike? When did you give Acie real opportunities? When he was giving the ball to Joe to run an Iso during his 10 minutes per game in only 55 appearances last year? Is that what you call an opportunity? Where was Acie when you were running Joe into the ground last year and could have given minutes to flip at the 2 and put acie in to run the point? What do you mean you had to win? Are you insinuating that you couldn't win with Acie on the floor getting meaningful minutes? Please don't tell me this was your idea of developing a point guard you took in the lottery. Because you took Teague 19th overall and he was the 8th point selected. Are you gonna give the kid 10 minutes a game and 3 years later say, "whoops...well I tried but we needed to win"?

[Packfill]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/h...ague.html?imw=Y

"

“I’m not knocking Acie Law in any way shape or form,” Woodson said. “But this kid [Teague] is what I’d call a true point guard. I gave Acie some opportunities, and it just didn’t work. That’s no knock on him as a player or me as a coach. Injuries probably hurt Acie the two years he was here, and honestly we just didn’t have the luxury of waiting on him when he first got here. We had to win."

It also says Bibby remains a high priority and so does Flip. NOTE THAT THEY DON'T INCLUDE MARVIN.

I would love to hear Woodson define what a "true point guard" is in his mind.

[NineOhTheRino]

I would love to hear Woodson define what a "true point guard" is in his mind.

Bad move by Woody to make these kind of statements now. If Acie starts to shine under Nelson then Woody would look like a complete goof.

[Packfill]

Bad move by Woody to make these kind of statements now. If Acie starts to shine under Nelson then Woody would look like a complete goof.

I don't think Acie is going to get much of a chance in Golden State unless either Monta Ellis or Curry are traded.

[macdaddy]

Woody has always made horrible public comments and this one ranks right up there. The stuff he said about Acie was really unnecessary but to add the line 'that's no reflection on ... me a coach' is either stupid or insecure.

The truth is he may be right about Acie. I think he should have definitely gotten more time but nothing in his time on the court that he did get screamed 'play me more' the way Smoove's did in his first two years. Even if you feel like he wasn't a great player though, your job as coach is to say 'he did a great job for us, he has a bright future in this league, we wish him well.'

[NineOhTheRino]

Woody has always made horrible public comments and this one ranks right up there. The stuff he said about Acie was really unnecessary but to add the line 'that's no reflection on ... me a coach' is either stupid or insecure.

The truth is he may be right about Acie. I think he should have definitely gotten more time but nothing in his time on the court that he did get screamed 'play me more' the way Smoove's did in his first two years. Even if you feel like he wasn't a great player though, your job as coach is to say 'he did a great job for us, he has a bright future in this league, we wish him well.'

Woody knows what he's been criticized for. You think he's not reading the papers or listening to the radio? The 'that's no reflection on me as a coach' was well thought out response to his detractors. Woody is always in full damage control mode.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

If they re-sign Bibby and Dlip:

Bibby/Flip/Teague

Crawford/Flip

Johnson/Evans

J.Smith/

Horford/Jones

I don't know... I'm not seeing any room for Marvin unless he was to re-sign fairly cheap and come off the bench for 20MPG. I don't see that likely.

Marvin has routinely played some 4 since he's been here. That's why we almost have to re-sign the guy. There's no way we're advancing anywhere, with that lineup.

[Packfill]

Marvin has routinely played some 4 since he's been here. That's why we almost have to re-sign the guy. There's no way we're advancing anywhere, with that lineup.

Agreed. That would also be the worst defensive backcourt in the NBA by a pretty wide margin.