What is Jamal Crawford?

[Diesel]

I was reading some comments about Crawford and he was called a "Volume Shooter". That sounds like a guy who puts up a lot of Shots to get points.

So I thought it would be interesting to compare him to what we have:

Craw = 15.7 FGA

JJ = 18.0 FGA

Bibby = 12.7 FGA

SMoove = 12.3 FGA

Marvin = 10.2 FGA

Horford = 8.9 FGA

Flip = 9.9 FGA

I wouldn't exactly call him a volume shooter. Hell, Joe shot 18 FGA per game. I think he will get more playing time and more FGA than Flip did. The other thing that came to mind when thinking about Crawford is the fact that he has not really played on a good team. He played for a Young Bulls team, A horrible Knicks team, and a run and gun Golden State team. It's hard to define a player when he has played with nothing but Garbage. Sorta like Chauncey Billups before going to Detroit. I think that we might be surprised by what we get from Crawford... But there's just one thing.

When he was acquired, Crawford said something to the effect that My best asset is passing the ball??? This statement made eyebrows raise and some giggling was heard in the background at the sportsbar in San Francisco. However, I looked. Crawford averaged 4.4 apg with the Warriors and 5.0 apg with the Knicks. His A/TO is something around 2.0. Not great, but he hasn't had the best finishers in the world playing with him either.

However, we know his thing is scoring. I have a new tune about what we have. I think we have 2 guys... in JJ and JC that can score. I admonish you to watch this video. This guy thinks about his role... I think we have made ourselves infinitely better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctlo8PgHfho

[thefloydian]

This post shows why he should be the 6th man and not the starting SG.

[Diesel]

This post shows why he should be the 6th man and not the starting SG.

You mean a guy that has scored 50 3 times, scored 40+ more than 9 times, leads the league in 4 point plays over the last 5 years.... and shoots less FG per game than Joe.

Floyd, you have an agenda.

[Swatguy]

You mean a guy that has scored 50 3 times, scored 40+ more than 9 times, leads the league in 4 point plays over the last 5 years.... and shoots less FG per game than Joe.

Floyd, you have an agenda.

It is beyond amazing that some would put Crawford on the pine and Start Marvin.

Has Joe done 50? He shoots a lot.

Edited August 1, 2009 by Swatguy

[jerrywest]

Floyd, you have an agenda.

Floyd, Diesel calls you agendaman. LOL. Now you need to type 29,999 posts hating Crawford.

Diesel - good thread. I think Crawford is much closer to JJ than people realize. JJ+CC could be unguardable.

[Swatguy]

Floyd, Diesel calls you agendaman. LOL. Now you need to type 29,999 posts hating Crawford.

Diesel - good thread. I think Crawford is much closer to JJ than people realize. JJ+CC could be unguardable.

JC is more athletic and shoots as well or maybe better.

[jy23]

I for one have never EVER denied JC offensive skills and have said in other posts that I would love to see JC at the 1 JJ at the 2 and Marv at the 3 during the game because I think that gives us a great advantage as far as size goes against alot of teams, but the thing that I don't like about starting JC at the 2 and moving Joe to the 3 is that that hurts the ONLY size advantage that we do have on the court consistantly. Bibby and Craw wouldn't be an ideal backcourt defensively by anyones standards and I think we all know that but I do agree that it gives us more options on the offensive end. D you made it clear in your post that Craw can get his own shot, wouldn't you want someone coming off the bench who could do that instead of the guy who you kill ALL THE TIME about only being able to score when someone sets him up? I hear what your saying but I just think that having someone with Craw's skillset coming off of our bench would be the most ideal situation. When was the last time that we really had someone coming off of the bench that teams had to really worry about? I know I can't remember, maybe some of you older fans can help me out with that one! lol

[T21]

Crawford is a huge addition!

He already stated that he'll accept his role of comming off the bench and contribute the best way he can... He seems like a smart guy who'll find the way to incorporate himself.

In the past he played on terrible defensive teams like NYK, GSW, and those teams played up-tempo pace on offense, shooting the ball after 10 or so seconds... That partialy explains his attempts per game, also, the fact is that he was among top 3 options on offense on those teams.

P.S. The last time Hawks had someone who was difference maker off the bench was way back in 93/94' when Hawks signed Craig Ehlo from the Cavs... Hawks signed him and Andrew "Clubber" Lang and those bench additions proved to be very valuable... Ehlo was great on D, plus he could score some 3's and in transition... Hawks won 57 that year. However, he was nowhere near JC offensively...

[MaceCase]

It's not hard scoring 50 when you're only playing on one side of the court.

[Robdawg]

I'm curious as to how many minutes Crawford will get compared to Bibby and if he is really a 50 point scorer with us?

[hawksrule9]

He is a great 6th man option. We don't have to have him starting. Our starting lineup is strong.

Having Crawford come off the bench is huge. Now if we could only talk Flip into coming back.

[Diesel]

JC is more athletic and shoots as well or maybe better.

I'm not going to say that JC shoots better than Joe. However, I will say that Craw is a player who will take a lot of pressure off of Joe. Flip was a terrible passer and he was a Limited scorer. I think Craw is a limitless scorer. His shake and bake is money. His shot from outside is not bad. He has the ability to confound defenders. However, now, he has people to pass to on top of all that.

I'm calling it now.

The Joe and Jamal Show.

Woody put them on opposite sides of the court and let them work. Give Jamal the side with Al so that he can get a pick. Give Joe the side with Josh so that he don't get a pick... and you have something.

Another thing is this. Maybe Sund was thinking about the future and maybe a joeless future. JC is just like Joe offensively. They both can penetrate or shoot outside. They both have good moves to get them into the paint. We have Joe Johnson and the poor Man's Joe Johnson.

[Diesel]

Crawford is a huge addition!

He already stated that he'll accept his role of comming off the bench and contribute the best way he can... He seems like a smart guy who'll find the way to incorporate himself.

In the past he played on terrible defensive teams like NYK, GSW, and those teams played up-tempo pace on offense, shooting the ball after 10 or so seconds... That partialy explains his attempts per game, also, the fact is that he was among top 3 options on offense on those teams.

P.S. The last time Hawks had someone who was difference maker off the bench was way back in 93/94' when Hawks signed Craig Ehlo from the Cavs... Hawks signed him and Andrew "Clubber" Lang and those bench additions proved to be very valuable... Ehlo was great on D, plus he could score some 3's and in transition... Hawks won 57 that year. However, he was nowhere near JC offensively...

Many of the years he played with NY, they were not a uptempo team. However, they were not defensive either. I mean he shared the backcourt with the shortest guard in the league and he had Eddy Curry playing C. The only defense that the Knicks had was Jeffries.

I also heard him say that he would come off the bench, however, I think if he plays, he will see no less than 33 mpg. The guy is too good of a scorer for us to use him sporadically.

[Diesel]

I'm curious as to how many minutes Crawford will get compared to Bibby and if he is really a 50 point scorer with us?

I was wondering that myself. My thought was that even though GS and NY were much worse teams, they had much better offensive direction. I mean, you actually see him using a pick. The only way Jamal gets a pick here is if Zaza gives him one. Smoove will not set picks. I think he will play at least 33 mpg. I also think that he will have some influence on the offense we run. He's not a guy who seems to play without thinking about what he's doing. That's why I uploaded that video. When you listen to him, this guy knows offense.

I'm amazed that people think that he's Flip. I look at him more like he's another JJ offensively.

[thefloydian]

Floyd, you have an agenda.

This is beyond hilarious. You have to be a troll.

Will you tell me the coaching staff has an agenda too when Crawford is coming off the bench? The 6th man position is the perfect spot for a guy who does nothing but score a lot. That's the point.

[Diesel]

This is beyond hilarious. You have to be a troll.

Will you tell me the coaching staff has an agenda too when Crawford is coming off the bench? The 6th man position is the perfect spot for a guy who does nothing but score a lot. That's the point.

I'll ask you like I asked AHF. Show me a place where the coaching staff (specifically Woodson) said that he plans to play Crawford off the bench? I know it would be stupid for Woody to say such a thing without seeing his players in action first.

However, from the first 5 minutes after the trade was complete, you have sounded the trumpet here on HS that Crawford will fit in nicely as Flip's replacement.

What??

AGENDA.

[Crank]

Crawford COULD start and be great for us but he should come off the bench and be a all star for us . Thats right I said it ALL STAR.

We really get to control the matchups and force teams to adjust to us . We get to choose who we bring him in against and when he does come in we know he will be respected . I think his percentages will go up and he will win the 6th man of the year and make the all star team . The beauty of it is we can bring him in for Joe or to play next to Joe depending on the game situation.As Ive said before the best thing about this is that Crawford demands the attention of a good defender . You cant hide your pg on him like with Mike and we know Joe will get the teams best defender so this will force teams to choose which will funnel plenty of good shots to Marvin,Smoove, and AL.

50 pts in the nba EASY ? lol seriously

The one thing about Crawford scoring 50 points that no one ever mentions is that

TWO of the three games were on the ROAD. I dont care who does it but it is in no way easy to walk into an opposing teams gym and drop 50.

Lets not forget also that they have Gerald Wallace and Raja bell on that team as well and you see in the clips where some of everyone was on this guy . They were also one of the best defensive teams so he deserves his props . We dont need him to do this all the time to win games and thats why he will help us.

Some games he will come in and will need to keep the ball moving and some games we will need a spark offensively. Our situation unlike his previous teams is that he is a luxury of our success not a necessity to it and I think he understand that and will be used accordingly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjulTveN6Ts

[RedDawg#8]

With Crawford, I say unless he has an amazing camp, he will be our 6th man, but will get starters minutes. We are one of the only teams in the NBA who will be starting the same 5 players for a 3rd season, let alone a second season. Why mess that chemistry up, it is trully one of our best advantages.

What I hope we do see is alot of different sub line-ups that are based on matchups that we use intentionally, and not because of injury or foul situation.

Bibby-Joe-Marv-Smith-Horf: Start every game with this group, and based off what happens go to either:

Craw-Joe-Marv-Smith-Horf: Against taller or faster PG's (Kidd, Chauncey or Rondo)

Bibby-Craw-Joe-Smith-Horf: Against smaller quicker SG's (Allen, West, Wade)

Bibby-Craw-Joe-Marv-Horf: Spread the court and bombs away shooting line-up (to play catch up)

Teague-Craw-Marv-Smith-Horf: Young, Athletic, run and gun group for the fans

A little off topic, but in camp i would like to see these be the 2 main units going against each other, but not the actual line-ups

Bibby vsTeague (master vs. the apprentice)

Crawford vs. Evans (6'5 offense against 6'5 defense)

Joe vs. Marvin (Best scorer against the man who will always guard the best scorer during the reg season)

Smith vs. a veteran (Hot-headed youngster vs. a wiley vet)

Horf vs Zaza (Scrappy vs Scrappier)

Edited August 1, 2009 by RedDawg#8

[MaceCase]

Aside from us actually hearing Woody say Crawful will come off the bench in a radio interview it's pretty easy to assume that Woody, a coach that hangs his hat on defense, is not going to start a PG that can't guard anything and a SG that can't guard anything over 200 pounds. For all this talk of JJ moving to SF why oh Why didn't we move him to SF for all those games that our starting SF was injured? Why did we start the 6'5" Mo Evans at SF for 99% of those games in both the regular season and playoffs? And If we were so much better as a team with Flip in the lineup then why didn't he start? I guess Floyd you are right, Woody does have an agenda.....or is that called a gameplan?

[tremor]

His shot looks so nice but he shoots with such low FG% (he's often critisized for bad shot selection). I bet we'll see a lot JC-iso when JJ is on the bench.

Teague - Crawford - Evans - Hunter(?) - Pachulia will be entertaining second face of the Atlanta with no D up tempo game.

And JJ >>> JC because of defense, consistency and leadership.