Teague is leading scorer again: Is he our new team leader?

[hawks21]

Jeff Teague has been impressive throughout this whole series, and it makes you wonder if Coach Drew will call more plays for him in Game 6. It appears he has leadership qualities and he had exhibited that at Wake Forest. The folks on the TNT broadcast had talked about how many of the Hawks are soft-spoken, so that suggest there is a void in leadership and Jeff teague is in a position to FILL THAT VOID.

I believe Teague is capable of having a 30 point game if the offense is run more thorugh him. The Bulls had a difficult time defending him when Teague became aggressive.

Edited May 11, 2011 by hawks21

[FrankWhite]

He's been our best player by a mile this series and he's going head-to-head with the league MVP. I couldn't be prouder of him if he were my own son.

[Atlantaholic]

He was the main man tonight. No doubt about it. It's amazing what confidence can do for a young PG. Imagine if our "Coaches" had actually developed the guy the last two years?

[Supporter]

Teague will be our best player in a couple of years, only question is, can he be a star that can get fouls calls ala Rose. I believe in this kid he has the skill to be an amazing player. A new era of Hawks ball will come about with JT leading the Hawks,.......I can't wait!

[FrankWhite]

That floater he hit over Asik or whatever his name is was a thing of beauty. The fact that he was fouled on the play (no call, of course) makes it all the more impressive.

[hawks21]

Teague will be our best player in a couple of years, only question is, can he be a star that can get fouls calls ala Rose. I believe in this kid he has the skill to be an amazing player. A new era of Hawks ball will come about with JT leading the Hawks,.......I can't wait!

Jeff got a few foul calls in Game 5 and went to the foul line SEVEN TIMES...

[TRUEINTELLECTPLAYA]

If he has any sense he will ask to be traded because being a ATL Hawk means he will never get any foul calls. Blake Griffin will probably just slam him to the ground next year and break his neck and no foul will be called and that's the end of his aggressiveness.

[atlguitar]

It's pretty simple ... the farther we get in the playoffs, the more people get to know our players. The more they incite a reaction in the audience, the more popular they will become - the more the refs will give them calls, and the more the fans will egg them on. Josh and Teague are the only ones with the eye-catching style of play to make us a more popular team to follow (despite Jamal's 4 point plays, Powell's ambulance blocking and ET's mad poetry jams). Teague can be a guy that will be feared by the opposing teams fans - yet they will have no choice but to give him his props because of his attitude that doesn't rub what he does in your face (like Rose, Durant). Josh can be more of a guy that opposing fans will loathe and boo yet find themselves with an open jaw at his skills (like Lebron). If you watched the game tonight you saw how he is now boo'd by Bulls fans. This is a good thing. We want rivalries. We want attention if we are to ever get the Arena full and possibly be able to go over the luxury tax to get a deeper bench. Teague is also much more media shy and makes funny faces in game but is reserved in interviews. This probably extends to locker room behavior as well. Most likely Teague could become the team leader, but Josh be the face of the team (which he arguably already is, since his inconsistancy and love-hate relationship represents our team this year).

It's a fact now that Teague has earned new fans and respect across the country. It remains to be seen if he can ever develop enough of a vocal presence to be our 'media representative' but he is capable of leading by action - making teammates try to emulate his confidence and aggressiveness.

Edited May 11, 2011 by atlguitar

[sasuke]

Jeff Teague is playing like a 120 mill man. I'm loving it.... a player that scores without jump shots.

[hazer]

M-V-Teague just cemented his position as the starter and/or sent his trade value through the roof :superman:

[Randy]

Its been great seeing him come on like this. One of the talking heads (think it was Barkley) commented he was the kind of guard the Hawks needed to get them running like they should. He also has this crazy idea about going to the basket to score. What a concept!! I am hoping this will be the confidence boost he needs to really put it togehter next season. Since Jamal will probably be gone, he will really be needed to keep it up.

[Marvin24Williams]

Jeff Teague bandwagon in full effect.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Teague is playing excellent basketball. Way above any expectations I had for him this series. He's not the team leader though . . yet. Until Drew completely trusts him to run the offense, he won't be the team leader.

The Bulls haven't tried to lock in on Teague and completely shut him down. With Kyle Korver still guarding him at times, they either don't respect Teague, or is scared to death of putting a weak defender on JJ and Jamal. It got to the point last night that Korver didn't even play in the 2nd half.

Teague has done his thing though in one on one situations. It's just that when teams try to stop you, the double and triple teams come at you. Teague hasn't seen that yet.

[niremetal]

Having a "new" team leader implies that there were "old" team leaders.

[APE]

Having a "new" team leader implies that there were "old" team leaders.

I wish I could +1 from my phone.

[BusBoyIsBack]

It's painful that 2 of his efforts have been wasted because his teammates didn't show up, ESPECIALLY last night

What scares me about Game 6 is that Jeff Teague is DUE for a bad game. Don't call me a jinx, because I don't have that power. But man our other guys not showing up may really hurt us because they haven't given Teague any chance to have an off night with the way they've been no shows

If Teague has an off night we dont' even have a chance unless Horford, Josh Smith, and Joe actually step up like the big 3 on the team they are supposed to be

And the way they are playing right now, can we count on that?

[00Blink]

Teague is playing excellent basketball. Way above any expectations I had for him this series. He's not the team leader though . . yet. Until Drew completely trusts him to run the offense, he won't be the team leader.

The Bulls haven't tried to lock in on Teague and completely shut him down. With Kyle Korver still guarding him at times, they either don't respect Teague, or is scared to death of putting a weak defender on JJ and Jamal. It got to the point last night that Korver didn't even play in the 2nd half.

Teague has done his thing though in one on one situations. It's just that when teams try to stop you, the double and triple teams come at you. Teague hasn't seen that yet.

I disagree with the comment.

1. Bulls haven't tried to lock in on Teague, but DRose started out the series guarding Teague. They were going head to head up until mid game 3. They probably didn't want to tire out Rose on the defensive end. They couldn't put Rose on Joe, too small. When Joe got the bucket and the fall, they immediately switched. They put Rose on Crawford when we have the line-up with Teague and Jamal. So yes, the Bulls may not be locking 'in' on Teague, but they are 'game planning' him as to not tire Rose.

2. Joe's double teams happens when he dribbles too long. They do not trap him coming over half-court, or even TRY to prevent him from getting the ball. They WANT him to get the ball in order to trap him because he has a delayed reaction to the trap. Hence, Kenny Smith and his dribble, dribble, dribble rants and passing at tthe end of the shot clock. It is a method to the madness of doubling Joe.

I'm not criticizing you for not seeing this, as it is my opinion. But I do feel that Joe brings double teams to himself. Notice how they wait like 5 seconds in to Joe dribbling before a double team comes. He takes too llong.

As a coach, if I know how and when to double, that is how I do it. In college and high school, they do full court and half court traps because they know teams/their opponents weakenesses, that they can't handle the pressure or the double teams. This is obviously something they see in Joe. He can't handle double teams because he dribbles too much, takes too long to make a pass, or takes a rushed/unwanted shot.

Joe is big enough to see this coming and react BEFORE the double teams get there. Why don't teams double Lebron, Kobe or Wade. Because they know they will react before the double gets there. Either by not hesitating til the double comes to penetrate or passing the ball right when they see the double comes, or taking the shot they want while it is a one on one scenario.

It is what it is my man.

Having a "new" team leader implies that there were "old" team leaders.

So true..*sigh*

[hawkman]

^Agreed. JJ waits too long. Just go and go QUICKLY. They can't guard him one on one.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

SmooveHawksFan. . . the reason why Chicago is getting so many illegal defense calls against them, is because they're shading an extra man toward JJ even when he doesn't have the ball. They've been whisteled at least 1 a game it seems like. They're almost playing a Box-in-1 on JJ.

Teague is benefitting from weaker defenders playing him at times. And Teague has taken full advantage of them. That's very nice to see.

But don't get it twisted. Chicago's entire defensive gameplan revolves around stopping or limiting what #2 does.

What JJ needs to start doing, is looking to shoot a standstill jumper as soon as he catches the ball before the double comes, ala what Melo does.