Josh Smith or J-Smoove?

[txsting]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2011/columns/story?columnist=wallace_michael&page=bulls-hawks-110508

Loved seeing Josh Smith show up last night. I know he clearly doesn't soar the way he used to - but I'm not sure that his extra 25-30 pounds don't help him out when he's battling under the basket, taking contact and finishing.

J-Smoove was that 220lb cat who used to take flight, throw down wicked dunks, but didn't understand how to play. Wish that guy would hang 'em up.

I wonder what Wallace knows about the deadline trade that he's talking about?

[coachx]

Excelllent article by Mike Wallace. I'm shocked to see a writer that good working for ESPN.

Edited May 9, 2011 by coachx

[niremetal]

Excellent article. I gotta say though, that this is frustrating to see after a game like last night:

"When people who don't understand the game or know the game [criticize me], it really doesn't faze me," Smoove responded when Smith was asked how he handles the terse reaction from fans to his struggles on the court.

Ok. What about criticism from your teammates, coaches, commentators, and basketball luminaries? Do Hubie Brown, Mike Fratello, Jack Ramsay, Kenny Smith, Jeff Van Gundy, and probably the ghosts of Chuck Daly and Red Auerbach all not understand the game? It's worrying to see these types of quotes after a game like last night, where Josh went 1-6 on long jumpers but DOMINATED in the paint, because Josh still seems to think that he needs to prove the doubters about his perimeter game wrong rather than simply rendering their doubts irrelevant.

Josh's focus needs to be on dominating with his strengths, not on trying to prove that he has no weaknesses. So yeah, Josh needs to give Smoove a blindfold and a cigarette and let Smith take over his body full time.

Edited May 9, 2011 by niremetal

[Guest]

Excellent article. I gotta say though, that this is frustrating to see after a game like last night:

Ok. What about criticism from your teammates, coaches, commentators, and basketball luminaries? Do Hubie Brown, Mike Fratello, Jack Ramsay, Kenny Smith, Jeff Van Gundy, and probably the ghosts of Chuck Daly and Red Auerbach all not understand the game? It's worrying to see these types of quotes after a game like last night, where Josh went 1-6 on long jumpers but DOMINATED in the paint, because Josh still seems to think that he needs to prove the doubters about his perimeter game wrong rather than simply rendering their doubts irrelevant.

Josh's focus needs to be on dominating with his strengths, not on trying to prove that he has no weaknesses. So yeah, Josh needs to give Smoove a blindfold and a cigarette and let Smith take over his body full time.

What can you say, Josh has enablers all around him.

[benhillboy]

Excellent article. I gotta say though, that this is frustrating to see after a game like last night:

Ok. What about criticism from your teammates, coaches, commentators, and basketball luminaries? Do Hubie Brown, Mike Fratello, Jack Ramsay, Kenny Smith, Jeff Van Gundy, and probably the ghosts of Chuck Daly and Red Auerbach all not understand the game? It's worrying to see these types of quotes after a game like last night, where Josh went 1-6 on long jumpers but DOMINATED in the paint, because Josh still seems to think that he needs to prove the doubters about his perimeter game wrong rather than simply rendering their doubts irrelevant.

Josh's focus needs to be on dominating with his strengths, not on trying to prove that he has no weaknesses. So yeah, Josh needs to give Smoove a blindfold and a cigarette and let Smith take over his body full time.

You beat me to it. Too funny. Apparently, The Discipline of Basketball falls under the umbrella of Doctorate Level Rocket Science and he happens to be one of the few so privileged to fully understand it. This guy. Gotta love him.

Good job by Arthur Triche stepping in and making Josh quit while ahead. He still needs a chaperone from time to time for his 10th grade act.

Edited May 9, 2011 by benhillboy

[itsslomotionbaby]

you know i was a josh sith defender all the way up until the first2 games of the secound round then i threw my hands up and said we need to trade him to los angeles .lets trade him for odom or gasal b/c they need a high energy atheletic guy. then he puts on a performance like that in game 4.

then it brings me back to a statement i made on the boards a long time ago (JOSH SMITH IS MAKING DUNKS THAT MAKE YOU AFRAID TO TRADE HIM) he clearly changes the complextion of the game when he plays right. the key to this bulls series is reallly about being tougher in the paint and we have nobody intheir thats a threat except for josh smith as far as offense wise horford seem like he got the message when he bullied noah down in the paint.

Is it me or does anyone realise when it seems likethe team wants to win down the strecth, that we start getting more calls from the refs.

[JackB1]

I still don't believe that Smith truly "gets it". He didn't seem to think the fans ("who know little about the game") that were boing him when he start to shoot know what they are talking about.

He seems like he thinks the criticism on him lately is unfair. Even in the post game intervoew, he never fully admits that he shouldn't be taking jump shots. He says "my teammates believe

in what I'm doing" and I am afraid he still thinks he can hit those shots.

I would love to hear Smith say: " I have to realize my strengths are playing close to the basket, defense and rebounding. I will let the other guys take the long jump shots. They don't need that from me".

As good as Josh was last night, we have seen this before. He has a great game, but then goes back to being "Smoove". If "Josh Smith" decides to show up Tues nite in Chicago this series could turn our way.

[HawkItus]

you know i was a josh sith defender all the way up until the first2 games of the secound round then i threw my hands up and said we need to trade him to los angeles .lets trade him for odom or gasal b/c they need a high energy atheletic guy. then he puts on a performance like that in game 4.

then it brings me back to a statement i made on the boards a long time ago (JOSH SMITH IS MAKING DUNKS THAT MAKE YOU AFRAID TO TRADE HIM) he clearly changes the complextion of the game when he plays right. the key to this bulls series is reallly about being tougher in the paint and we have nobody intheir thats a threat except for josh smith as far as offense wise horford seem like he got the message when he bullied noah down in the paint.

Is it me or does anyone realise when it seems likethe team wants to win down the strecth, that we start getting more calls from the refs.

I know this was probably a typo, but I love this. Josh the Jedi vs. Josh the Sitih.

[Wretch]

I still don't believe that Smith truly "gets it". He didn't seem to think the fans ("who know little about the game") that were boing him when he start to shoot know what they are talking about.

He seems like he thinks the criticism on him lately is unfair. Even in the post game intervoew, he never fully admits that he shouldn't be taking jump shots. He says "my teammates believe

in what I'm doing" and I am afraid he still thinks he can hit those shots.

I would love to hear Smith say: " I have to realize my strengths are playing close to the basket, defense and rebounding. I will let the other guys take the long jump shots. They don't need that from me".

As good as Josh was last night, we have seen this before. He has a great game, but then goes back to being "Smoove". If "Josh Smith" decides to show up Tues nite in Chicago this series could turn our way.

No he doesn't get it...

What is he thinking though, "Imma show them. The next one is going DOWN!"

[Diesel]

I still don't believe that Smith truly "gets it". He didn't seem to think the fans ("who know little about the game") that were boing him when he start to shoot know what they are talking about.

He seems like he thinks the criticism on him lately is unfair. Even in the post game intervoew, he never fully admits that he shouldn't be taking jump shots. He says "my teammates believe

in what I'm doing" and I am afraid he still thinks he can hit those shots.

mAYBE LD ought to bring in Hall of Famer Charles Barkley to talk to Josh.... Charles is a Hall of fame PF. Maybe he would listen to the guy who helped revolutionize the position.

[HawkItus]

mAYBE LD ought to bring in Hall of Famer Charles Barkley to talk to Josh.... Charles is a Hall of fame PF. Maybe he would listen to the guy who helped revolutionize the position.

Chuck did some of the same stupid stuff. It's funny to hear him talk about Josh.

[Antmillennium]

mAYBE LD ought to bring in Hall of Famer Charles Barkley to talk to Josh.... Charles is a Hall of fame PF. Maybe he would listen to the guy who helped revolutionize the position.

Drew doesn't even need to do that. All he needs to do is show Josh the segment on TNT when Barkley put on a crash test dummy helmet to describe Smith and his love for taking long jumpshots. However, that still probably won't get through to Smith. He seems to think that he's smarter than everybody else, and everybody else is wrong. He has this silly notion of not wanting to be known as "just a dunker."

[JackB1]

Drew doesn't even need to do that. All he needs to do is show Josh the segment on TNT when Barkley put on a crash test dummy helmet to describe Smith and his love for taking long jumpshots. However, that still probably won't get through to Smith. He seems to think that he's smarter than everybody else, and everybody else is wrong. He has this silly notion of not wanting to be known as "just a dunker."

You all heard him say "I'm still gonna play my game".

"Play my game" = taking long jump shots. I wish I was wrong, but I PROMISE

you Josh will be at it again throwing up bricks from 20 feet in games 5 & 6.

I think the only thing stopping him yesterday was the entire Phillips crowd yelling

"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" In Chicago, he won't have to worry about that pressure and

will be free to fire away.