We need to get rid of Josh

[MoBetta]

Seriously Im sick of it

THIS CANNOT BE LIFE

[Joker]

He has one of these games every 5 to 7 games in a season.

[IheartVolt]

1st game where there is signs of some struggles and some are already to start dumping people

[MoBetta]

1st game where there is signs of some struggles and some are already to start dumping people

This isn't about the Team its just about Josh

[Supporter]

Is this real life?

[Bawse]

Yeah get this b*tch outta here.

[HalfHawk]

First "Trade (Insert Player Name Here)" thread of the season.

Yup, I'm in the right place. This is hawksquawk.

[99PROBL3MS]

He has been pretty bad tonight but I wouldn't go that far.

[Bawse]

this team is straight booty, we will get blown the f*** out against the cHeat.

everyone, get your advil ready for a headache.

[Plainview1981]

1st game where there is signs of some struggles and some are already to start dumping people

It was an embarrassing loss to a team lacking in talent.

[DrReality]

How many threads with this topic have there been? 100?

They came down to earth tonight. And it don't get easier from here.

[Plainview1981]

How many threads with this topic have there been? 100?

They came down to earth tonight. And it don't get easier from here.

If were going to honest, if you look at the 4 games the latest effort was worse than the previous one. Scoring is going to be a problem. I think everyone knew that.

[Watchman]

He has one of these games every 5 to 7 games in a season.

I must be missing something. He's only had one good game out of four. Are you saying he'll only have two or three bad games for the rest of the season?

[Joker]

I must be missing something. He's only had one good game out of four. Are you saying he'll only have two or three bad games for the rest of the season?

I was talking about games where he will lose you the game.

[niremetal]

[lethalweapon3]

I am evolving (albeit too slowly) past the point of having perennial conniptions over Josh's decisionmaking and positioning, and instead pointing the wagging finger toward our esteemed coaching staff. We have a roster and a coaching staff chock full of enablers around Mr. Smith (never mind certain members of the ownership group).

If you have the ball, and you turn your head to see Josh standing alone by the sideline waiting for an open shot, for chrissakes, turn your head the other way and find a Hawk who's not being doubled. If he's hoisting up prayers masquerading as shots because he can't find an open teammate, then the onus falls on the teammates for failing to get open, and on the coaching staff responsible for not setting up the offense properly. If he's lofting shots up around the perimeter because he's scared to put the ball on the floor and drive, that's on the coaching staff, too... how many more seasons of player development does he need to become comfortable taking the ball to the hole?

This team sees the same mistakes that we (and half of America) do, but keeps on feeding him the ball where he's least likely to succeed, knowing that 80% of the time it will result in a doomed possession. Each repeated blunder is indicative a collective failure, not just an individual one.

~lw3

[Guest]

I am evolving (albeit too slowly) past the point of having perennial conniptions over Josh's decisionmaking and positioning, and instead pointing the wagging finger toward our esteemed coaching staff. We have a roster and a coaching staff chock full of enablers around Mr. Smith (never mind certain members of the ownership group).

If you have the ball, and you turn your head to see Josh standing alone by the sideline waiting for an open shot, for chrissakes, turn your head the other way and find a Hawk who's not being doubled. If he's hoisting up prayers masquerading as shots because he can't find an open teammate, then the onus falls on the teammates for failing to get open, and on the coaching staff responsible for not setting up the offense properly. If he's lofting shots up around the perimeter because he's scared to put the ball on the floor and drive, that's on the coaching staff, too... how many more seasons of player development does he need to become comfortable taking the ball to the hole?

This team sees the same mistakes that we (and half of America) do, but keeps on feeding him the ball where he's least likely to succeed, knowing that 80% of the time it will result in a doomed possession. Each repeated blunder is indicative a collective failure, not just an individual one.

~lw3

Just because Josh gets a pass on the perimter doesn't mean he has to shoot it, after receiving the ball on the perimter he can pass and go to the post he doesn't always have to shoot from long range just because he is open.

Saying Josh takes open shots because he can't find open teammates or they fail to get open is assinine. Josh making the same repeated blunder over and over is his failure, he has to take responsibility for his own short comings. You can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. WE have all talked, the coaches have said, the announcers have said - stop shooting from long range and park your butt the post or closer to the basket -GREAT things happen when you do.

This is Josh Smith. We are no longer talking about potential. He is who he is going to be as a basketball player.

[lethalweapon3]

Just because Josh gets a pass on the perimter doesn't mean he has to shoot it, after receiving the ball on the perimter he can pass and go to the post he doesn't always have to shoot from long range just because he is open.

Saying Josh takes open shots because he can't find open teammates or they fail to get open is assinine. Josh making the same repeated blunder over and over is his failure, he has to take responsibility for his own short comings. You can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. WE have all talked, the coaches have said, the announcers have said - stop shooting from long range and park your butt the post or closer to the basket -GREAT things happen when you do.

This is Josh Smith. We are no longer talking about potential. He is who he is going to be as a basketball player.

What's asinine is, giving him the ball over and over, as you say, "doing the same thing expecting a different result." He can't blunder if you don't give him the ball. If he is who he is going to be, stop setting him (and ourselves) up for failure.

~lw3

~lw3

[niremetal]

What's asinine is, giving him the ball over and over, as you say, "doing the same thing expecting a different result." He can't blunder if you don't give him the ball. If he is who he is going to be, stop setting him (and ourselves) up for failure.

~lw3

~lw3

The problem is that you can't play 4 on 5 on offense and you don't want to take Josh out and lose his dangerousness as a transition/help defender. I agree Drew should bench him more when he takes dumb shots and his teammates should pass to him less when he's out there, but ultimately the cure (going with lesser players or playing 4 on 5) is often worse than the disease.

In the end, the only person who can stop Josh from taking those shots without making the team suffer even more...is Josh.

[lethalweapon3]

The problem is that you can't play 4 on 5 on offense and you don't want to take Josh out and lose his dangerousness as a transition/help defender. I agree Drew should bench him more when he takes dumb shots and his teammates should pass to him less when he's out there, but ultimately the cure (going with lesser players or playing 4 on 5) is often worse than the disease.

In the end, the only person who can stop Josh from taking those shots without making the team suffer even more...is Josh.

I agree it is Josh who has to transform. I also believe it is the team's and the franchise's responsibility to help him get there, especially knowing, despite all the protests, he is not going anywhere anytime soon. Yet years of coddling, warnings, fans screaming at arenas and pounding out their keyboards at home, sportswriters and bloggers' diatribes, benchings... those approaches have not worked, and will not work. The one thing Josh wants, above all else, is the highlight play. And, blocks notwithstanding, he can't get those without someone allowing him the right he believes he has earned to handle the ball.

Indeed, the cure can be worse than the illness. And Josh needs to see the cure first-hand in order to get the clue he needs to get over his illness. Isolate the wound, and instead of the 1-on-none plays that Josh enjoys, play 4-on-5 on half the floor until Josh figures out he can even the odds by putting himself in positions where he can truly contribute. They're willfully going 4-on-5 anyway when he parks himself near the 3-point line. Starve the cold, don't feed it.

~lw3