What happens to Josh in the last 5 mins?

[JackB1]

Josh has been playing great lately, but there has been a disturbing pattern where his brain turns off in the last 5 mins of close games.

It started with that ill advised long jumper Josh took on the Hawks last possesion, with over 6 sec's left, about 2 weeks ago (See "What

was Josh Thinking?" thread). Lots of bad turnovers and bad shot selections by Josh have caused us to lose many of these games in

our last 12 or so games. Josh still doesn't seem to realize that a long jumper is a low percentage shot for him. If he makes a

few jumpers early on in the game, he seems to forget that he is a bad jump shot shooter. Josh just gets to the rim SO EASILY when he

wants to and I just can't understand why he will settle for a jump shot.......EVER???

Josh needs to play smart as games wind down and become a clutch player that we can trust when the game is on the line. As far as he has

come this season, this part of his game is still shaky. Who here wants the ball in his hands with 10 seconds left in the game? Anyone?

Didn't think so.

[niremetal]

Josh has been playing great lately, but there has been a disturbing pattern where his brain turns off in the last 5 mins of close games.

It started with that ill advised long jumper Josh took on the Hawks last possesion, with over 6 sec's left, about 2 weeks ago (See "What

was Josh Thinking?" thread). Lots of bad turnovers and bad shot selections by Josh have caused us to lose many of these games in

our last 12 or so games. Josh still doesn't seem to realize that a long jumper is a low percentage shot for him. If he makes a

few jumpers early on in the game, he seems to forget that he is a bad jump shot shooter. Josh just gets to the rim SO EASILY when he

wants to and I just can't understand why he will settle for a jump shot.......EVER???

Josh needs to play smart as games wind down and become a clutch player that we can trust when the game is on the line. As far as he has

come this season, this part of his game is still shaky. Who here wants the ball in his hands with 10 seconds left in the game? Anyone?

Didn't think so.

First off, he's exhausted by the last 5 minutes. Second off, no team puts the ball in the hands of someone without a reliable jumper (and certainly not someone without a reliable jumper and with shaky handles and inconsistent free throw percentage) when you desperately need a basket, so Smoove will never be "that guy" for those shots. You put the ball in the hands of someone who can create their own shot. What we need from Josh is to crash the offensive glass when JJ/Jamal/Bibby take the shot. But it's tough to do that when you've played 42 minutes.

Edited March 9, 2010 by niremetal

[MaceCase]

Josh simply proved yet again why we can't rely on him to be a closer and provide reliable offense for us. In that 4th he had 3 trying to be a superstar moments that stuck out to me, th long jumper followed by the steam pass he tried to get to Al down low and culminating with that jumper/psuedo fadeaway off the dribble he took in the paint. Sad that we actually could have won the game with him playing to his greatest strength on that last play. Cé la Hawks

[NineOhTheRino]

First off, he's exhausted by the last 5 minutes. Second off, no team puts the ball in the hands of someone without a reliable jumper (and certainly not someone without a reliable jumper and with shaky handles and inconsistent free throw percentage) when you desperately need a basket, so Smoove will never be "that guy" for those shots. You put the ball in the hands of someone who can create their own shot. What we need from Josh is to crash the offensive glass when JJ/Jamal/Bibby take the shot. But it's tough to do that when you've played 42 minutes.

well said....

[JackB1]

First off, he's exhausted by the last 5 minutes. Second off, no team puts the ball in the hands of someone without a reliable jumper (and certainly not someone without a reliable jumper and with shaky handles and inconsistent free throw percentage) when you desperately need a basket, so Smoove will never be "that guy" for those shots. You put the ball in the hands of someone who can create their own shot. What we need from Josh is to crash the offensive glass when JJ/Jamal/Bibby take the shot. But it's tough to do that when you've played 42 minutes.

that's a copout. many stars play 40+ minutes and they aren't "exhausted" in the last 5 minutes. I don't see Josh's problem as conditioning or anything physical as you claim. It's what's between his ears. Josh takes more bad shots, makes more risky passes and in general plays stupidly whenever the game is on the line.

[HawksFan87]

The Iso Joe/Craw is WHAT HAPPENS and let's point out everyone's play drops of ok.....

[High5]

Even though he has done it so many times I'm still shocked when he decides to take a long jumper soon after successfully driving to the basket. We probably win the game last night if he doesn't take that long jumper late and just went at whoever was guarding him.

Not blaming the loss on him of course, it's just his mistakes should be easily avoidable.

[JackB1]

Even though he has done it so many times I'm still shocked when he decides to take a long jumper soon after successfully driving to the basket. We probably win the game last night if he doesn't take that long jumper late and just went at whoever was guarding him.

Not blaming the loss on him of course, it's just his mistakes should be easily avoidable.

The long jumpers and errant passes ARE avoidable.

[AHawks89]

From my point of view, Josh Smith has been playing the most minutes lately. It seems like when there is 5 mins or less in the game, the hawks stop passing the ball and start taking jump shots. I mainly see Joe Johnson dribble the ball and try to create his own shot. What I don't see is them passing ball to the inside for easy baskets. I really don't understand what the hawks are doing. If it was not for Josh, we wouldn't even be talking about "close games" in final minutes. He's been the game changer.

[DJlaysitup]

From my point of view, Josh Smith has been playing the most minutes lately. It seems like when there is 5 mins or less in the game, the hawks stop passing the ball and start taking jump shots. I mainly see Joe Johnson dribble the ball and try to create his own shot. What I don't see is them passing ball to the inside for easy baskets. I really don't understand what the hawks are doing. If it was not for Josh, we wouldn't even be talking about "close games" in final minutes. He's been the game changer.

Not to defend Smoove's every decision, but looking back at things that have happened recently at the end of games, I think JS was actually expecting the ISOs and our offensive "sync" was part of the problem. In the NYK final seconds I really think Smoove was about 110% sure that Craw was going to shoot on that final drive and Smoove was fixing to crash the boards in case of a miss. Even though Smoove was surprised by the pass and hesistated for a split second, he still would have made the dunk if not for the excellent defensive play against him.

Also it seems like other teams pretty much expect the late game ISOs and they double. When they double they have to leave somebody open and it seems to often be Smoove on the wing (fairly smart move on their part). To fix this I recommend to Woody that in game ending situations JJ just dribble across the center line and pound the ball until there are 3 seconds left. then fire up a 35 footer...surely they won't double team him that far out.

[AHF]

Also it seems like other teams pretty much expect the late game ISOs and they double. When they double they have to leave somebody open and it seems to often be Smoove on the wing (fairly smart move on their part). To fix this I recommend to Woody that in game ending situations JJ just dribble across the center line and pound the ball until there are 3 seconds left. then fire up a 35 footer...surely they won't double team him that far out.

That seems like a much better move than actually running a play to exploit the double team.

[drzachary]

That seems like a much better move than actually running a play to exploit the double team.

You're going to make me cry. :(

[JackB1]

Josh did it again last night. Takes a horrible long jumper at a crucial point in the game and it all went downhill from there.

Josh's offense seems to disappear in the final 5 mins and he seems to score 75% of his points always in the 1st half.

When is he going to become a clutch, 4th quarter player?