Josh Smith is the team MVP.

[HawkWeisErrr]

No other player on the Hawks is more valuable to the teams success than Josh Smith. Horford, Crawford, and Johnson are all good players but none bring the all around dominance that Smith does. I think J Smith should be the player this team builds around.

This is all just my opinion. But who else (in your opinion) brings more to the table than Josh?

[High5]

Joe's rock solid and reliable contributions are the foundation of our team. Fans have started taking his usual 20 and defensive attention for granted. We'd be a mess without him. Josh is obviously very valuable, but Joe is the MVP.

[HawkWeisErrr]

Joe's rock solid and reliable contributions are the foundation of our team. Fans have started taking his usual 20 and defensive attention for granted. We'd be a mess without him. Josh is obviously very valuable, but Joe is the MVP.

Yeah Joe gets20 a game.. but that's it. Jamal gets 17 coming off the bench. But lets not turn this into a hate Joe thread. Josh gives you a solid performance in so many areas. And he's very disruptive for opposing offenses. Josh is emotional and gets the fans fired up. The team seems to rally behind his exciting and sometimes dominant play. You don't get these things from Joe. You just get 20.

If Josh continues improving, very soon he will be one of the best all-around players in the NBA. He's pretty dang good right now.

[niremetal]

Wait, a guy who only posts to bash Joe and pump up Josh thinks Josh is the team MVP? Naaawwwwwwww....

Edited February 25, 2010 by niremetal

[Atlantaholic]

Josh is first on the team in PER, and second in win shares (behind Horf ahead of JJ). Factor in his defensive presence and I'm pretty sure you can make as good an argument as any that he is the MVP of the team.

[thecampster]

Anyone who quotes a 6 ppg differential as the reason for MVP doesn't know squat about basketball.

Just because you can fill it up at the YMCA doesn't mean you play basketball. Joe is a menace to offensive flow at times. He forgets he has teammates much of the time. There is a difference between being a volumn scorer and an MVP. Don't get me wrong. Joe is a valuable part of these Hawks but he is no MVP.

Josh is the total package with a developing offensive game. I watched the first 3 quarters of the game last night. I can tell you he changed for worst at least 10 defensive possessions. In one drive, Sessions was leading a break with Josh as the lead defender. Even though it looked like Sessions had a clear path to the basket and a wing trailing, he peeled off to the corner at the free throw line rather than challenge Josh. Josh is a momentum beacon. That one play stopped Minny's momentum. Josh is a difference maker...Joe is not. When Josh plays well...the Hawks win...period.

No disrespect to Joe...but he is not the most valuable player to this team. Joe is 6ppg better than josh but takes more than 6 shots more a game. Josh wins in every other statistical category except assists which are almost dead even. Joe is Clyde Drexler lite....that's it.

Edited February 25, 2010 by thecampster

[coachx]

I couldn't care less who the "Team MVP" is.

I just care about wins baby.

Threads like this are pointless. Posters put down some Hawks in order to "talk up" other Hawks. Then tomorrow night we are pulling for them all to do well.

Just win baby ! :line dance:

Edited February 25, 2010 by coachx

[Sothron]

Josh doesn't score enough to be the MVP. He's right behind Joe in total impact to the team. I'm not underrating his defensive contributions or his rebounding/ballhandling but he flat out needs to score more points to be a go to guy instead of a guy you never really know what you are going to get offensively.

[HawkWeisErrr]

Josh doesn't score enough to be the MVP. He's right behind Joe in total impact to the team. I'm not underrating his defensive contributions or his rebounding/ballhandling but he flat out needs to score more points to be a go to guy instead of a guy you never really know what you are going to get offensively.

Well he only scores 6 per game less than Joe. So you are saying he has to match Joe's scoring despite being ahead of him (or even) in every other category? Being he is ahead of Joe in most categories, and he only averages 6 fewer PPG than him, how many more PPG should Josh have to surpass Joe as team MVP in your opinion? 2 more points per game making it 4 less than Joe? 4 more, being 2 less than Joe? What will it take?

[dhawk]

Josh doesn't score enough to be the MVP. He's right behind Joe in total impact to the team. I'm not underrating his defensive contributions or his rebounding/ballhandling but he flat out needs to score more points to be a go to guy instead of a guy you never really know what you are going to get offensively.

What he said. Josh is an awesome player, but you build around a center or a scorer.

[HawkWeisErrr]

What he said. Josh is an awesome player, but you build around a center or a scorer.

Again, so Josh needs to score 6 more per game? And we're not talking about building a team around, we're talking about team MVP.

[Wretch]

20+

I have always used that number to identify the kind of player that you need in order to win big in the NBA. Ideally, you'd like to have two of those players putting up 20+ a game. It's a very generic and imperfect stat, but look at the teams that have a guy doing this and in any given year, you will find those teams at the tops of the standings. When you have a guy giving you a legit 20+, you have an MVP player. That's not what makes Joe special though. There are guys who can score and there are guys who can score when it counts. JJ is a clutch shooter and off hand, I can think of 3 of those players who have come through Atlanta in the past 25 years that I've been watching the team.

That being said...

Josh brings something else to this team. Whereas JJ is the clutch scorer, Josh is the clutch everything else. That boy does so much on the floor and is special in a way that I have not seen before. He's like the king of intangibles and it is downright scary to think that he's only 24 years old and he could actually get better. I mean...imagine that. lol

Both of these guys are pretty damn important to the team. It's hard for me to say who's more important, but this year I have to give it to Smoove. Moreover, if he can refine his offensive game, I seriously don't think it will even be up for debate.

[dhawk]

Again, so Josh needs to score 6 more per game? And we're not talking about building a team around, we're talking about team MVP.

Don't the Hawks internally at the end of the season, give out team awards? It will be close, between Josh & Joe. Josh might get it. I think the playoffs will determine it for most honest folks. Also, you mentioned building a team around in your opening post.

Edited February 25, 2010 by dhawk

[HawkWeisErrr]

Don't the Hawks internally at the end of the season, give out team awards? It will be close, between Josh & Joe. Josh might get it. I think the playoffs will determine it for most honest folks. Also, you mentioned building a team around in your opening post.

You're right I did say that. I think that is part of a different subject and I should have left that out of this thread.

[exodus]

Let JJ face single coverage all game and see how many he scores. He is the one the defenses game plan to stop. Smith doesn't rebound well enough, can't make jumpers or foul shots worth a crap. Just because he had a good shooting game last night doesn't mean his jump shot hasn't been terrible all year.

Smith also isn't known for good decision making. Did everyone already forget his 3 pointer with 7 seconds left against GS?

Smith is left wide open on the perimeter all the time. Let JJ sit wide open on the perimeter all game and see what happens.

[mrhonline]

I couldn't care less who the "Team MVP" is.

I just care about wins baby.

Threads like this are pointless. Posters put down some Hawks in order to "talk up" other Hawks. Then tomorrow night we are pulling for them all to do well.

Just win baby ! :line dance:

:beer:

[HawkWeisErrr]

Smith doesn't rebound well enough, can't make jumpers or foul shots worth a crap. Just because he had a good shooting game last night doesn't mean his jump shot hasn't been terrible all year.

Rebounds

Smith 482

Johnson 261

Free Throws Made

Smith 194

Johnson 162

FG%

Smith .517

Johnson .466

So, um.... You were saying?

[arhawkfan]

You're right I did say that. I think that is part of a different subject and I should have left that out of this thread.

Josh would not be able to do what he does if he was the focal point of the offense. Joe helps Josh get open looks by just being on the floor. Its not a fluke that Jamal is having his best year playing with Joe just llike flip.,

[exodus]

Rebounds

Smith 482

Johnson 261

Free Throws Made

Smith 194

Johnson 162

FG%

Smith .517

Johnson .466

So, um.... You were saying?

Josh plays the 4, JJ the 2. Sure Smith is a good rebounder compared to 2 guards but relative to other 4s his rebounding is weak.

Dwight Howard makes more free throws than Smith by a mile. Does that make Howard a good foul shooter?

JJ takes a lot of long perimeter shots including 3s which will lower his overall shooting shooting percentage.

Please go to the store and buy a clue. Thanks

Edited February 25, 2010 by exodus

[HawkWeisErrr]

Please go to the store and buy a clue. Thanks

I did and it said Josh is the team MVP.