Our best lineups....

[Diesel]

According to 82games.com

Our 2 best 5 man squads are:

JV, JT, Jackson, Reef, Theo...

and

JV, Glover, Jackson, Reef, Theo.

They give differentials of 21 and 20 points when they are on the floor. Very good.

Now... I'm not an expert, but I think that the stats show that we should play JV at PG a little more with the starters... I don't trust JT as Sg, JV as PG but they seem to have played good defense.

Right now, I'm almost for starting with:

JV, Glover, Jacks, SAR, and Theo and then bringing JT off the bench ala Bobby Jackson.

[JTFan31]

Diesel the Hawks will be crazy if they bench JT a 19 ppg scorer and a guy that avg last year 7 + apg and his assists will get better over Jacque Vaughn. That will be totally absurb. Bad analogy, Diesel. Sometimes you make perfect sense, but sometimes you make non at all.

[OGRat]

Diesel,

I was with you until you said bench JT for Glove. I think that JT is better for the team if he does not have to think about running it. But I think he is needed on the court to contribute to the up tempo, push the ball offense the Hawks do so well with.

By the way, I like Nailon's ability to finish around the basket. He and Nazr make a good combination on the second squad.

[CBAreject]

OK, I hate to lay into you, since we've never formally spoken, but I can't resist.

First, you tell Diesel that he makes no sense, that he's totally absurd. However, he's clearly cited statistics indicating that our best lineups are those without JT. He provides compelling evidence that JV should play with our starters. Sure, you might disagree, but to say that he makes NO SENSE is ridiculous.

Your argument? "JT averages 19 ppg. We can't bench him!"

That doesn't mean much, friend. Big Dog averaged even more and we traded him for some axle grease. You're the one lacking sense.

Second, you claim that Diesel has made a "bad analogy"? Wha? The only analogy that he made was in comparing JT to Bobby Jackson. You didn't mention that, though, so I'm confused.

Third, if you're going to insult someone's intelligence, you should at least spell correctly (absurb?). Same goes for 'non sense at all'.

[Diesel]

Nobody has said that your favorite player JT shouldn't play.

I'm saying bring him off the bench. Let our starters develop a flow with JV in the game, then Bring JT in as instant points off the bench.

The advantage:

We develop a flow with our first squad.

We have some pop with our second squad.

As Diaw becomes a better player, this will only make us a much better team.

Can you see JT/Diaw replacing JV/Glover?

Also, i think that SAR should be stripped of his C even though he does a lot of things that merits a C. Any player who don't know what the C really means shouldn't have it.

These are just things that a smart coach would do.

I know he's your favorite player, but JT is a SG (period). We have tried the whole formula of playing JT as a PG for 4 yrs. It doesn't work. That doesn't mean that he's not useful. SacTown had the same problem with Bobby Jackson. Jackson was a player who exhibited more skill as a SG than a PG. However, he had a PGs body. Moving him to off the bench play was a smart move by SacTown. Now, Jackson comes in and wins games. JT can do the same here. However, to have him out there with other non-ball handlers will always lead to other teams establishing their tempo on us.

[dj_me]

I will agree that when JV is on the floor, some decent game is brought. I do not agree, however, that we should bench JT or Glover for JV.

JV is at his position right now, backup PG. He will 'remain' our backup PG. As we go through the season, I do not see JV becoming anything more than our 'backup' PG. He is a stablizer; he comes in as a support roll. That is all. He does not bring energy. He does not bring scoring. [censored], he doesn't really bring a whole lot other than the fact that he smoothes everything out. This is why I see him staying our 'backup' PG.

DD has not recieved much PT. Actually, I do not see this changing. DD, IMHO, will remain our third string until his contract is up, our until he has a breakout game (and the only way I see that is if either JV or - God forbide - JT get injured). DD will continue to get b*tch minutes even then because we would probably start using Diaw more at the PG postion.

What I have seen in the past few games is Diaw and Hansen getting more PT. Diaw has been getting some pretty major minutes, where as, Hansen has just begun to get some good PT. I believe that Stotts is forming what he sees as our second string. That second string also includes Nailon, Nazr and JV.

Now, that's what I think. This is what I wish our lineup was.

Starters...

PG: JT - Complain all you want, but he is doing his job. He's shooting a high percentage in both FG and 3pFG, he is our most consistent scorer and he is always good for at least 5 assists. His most important role is the energy that he brings. All this is why he will remain our starter.

SG: Diaw - The funny thing is, they'll play him as a SG, but he will be the main guy bringing the ball down the court. It's only a matter of time before he discovers his defects and begins to control them, as well as the floor. Plus, he's going to become one [censored] of a defensive stopper - which will help out Theo.

SF: SAR - I know many of you are thinking, "but he's a PF". En, wrong. He can play PF but that does not make him a PF. He should start at the SF position. You know what he brings, so I won't get into that. The question you're probably thinking now is "Why?".

PF: Theo - Uh, what a shack-up! Again, you're probably thinking, "but he's a C". Yeah, but...

C: Nazr - Here's our starting C. He brings offensive rebounding (which, now starter other than SAR does at the moment). He also scores and gets the occassional block.

Backups...

JV/Glover/Jackson/Nailon/Hendu

(this is, of course, after Hendu comes back)

[Diesel]

I understand your opinion.

However, the only reason i say Start JV and bench JT is this:

JV is a guy who can get us in and out of our offensive sets very easily. He knows how to run our offense. JT does not. Now, the stats say that our best lineup is JV at the PG and JT at the SG. I will not doubt the stats, I just wonder if our scoring can make up for our lack of defense over prolonged periods. If So, I would start with JT as SG and Glover on the bench.

Still, we need to play the game so that we can :

1. Develop a tempo...

The problem that we have with a lot of teams is that we play the game at their tempo. LAC ran up and down the court on us and we couldn't hang with them or stop them. They also punished us on the boards.

When other teams impose their will on us and control the tempo and their defense controls our offense the way that LAC and Washington did.. then JT is not doing his job. What do you mean JT is doing his job. If you believe JT's job is to score, you're wrong. That's the problem. We have taken his 18 ppg to mean that he's doing his job. Sorry fella. JT's Job is to get THE HAWKS into their offensive sets, to set the tempo, to get the ball to our Players in their spots... JT does none of those things well. Most of the time he dribbles around like a drunken fool and defers the responsibility of running the offense to someone else.

We need Leadership on the floor, we need to atleast start the game knowing what our objectives are... NOT start the game trying to see which of our players can shoot the ball.

[Playmaker0017]

DJ_Me,

And who will be our bench Center? Who will come in as the second string PF?

Play.

[Playmaker0017]

JTFan,

I also don't agree about BENCHING JT, but I think he needs to be moved.

Assists aren't what makes a PG an effective PG. Being an effective PG is about controlling the tempo, the team, the sets and taking care of the ball.

JV does those things. JT does not.

You said it best when you said JT is a 19 PPG scorer. That is what JT is good at. In that role, his assists will rise, as will his scoring. He is more succussful as a scorer than a PG. It isn't an insult.

It is just like me saying Reef is much better in the post as a PF than at the perimeter as a SF. Reef can play the two positions, but has success down low with his back to the basket.

JT can play PG or SG, but he has success at SG.

Play.

[dj_me]

I understand where you're coming from as well. The thing is, JT isn't the Captain of this team. SAR, Theo and I believe they even made Hendu Captains, right? Now, I know that JT playing at PG automatically gives him the leadership role, but this should not be so. As you have said many times before, Diesel, get SAR involved down in the post and come off of him. That is the way that seemed to work in the last game, right? It's the smart way to go. It allows for JT, Glover and Jackson to run rampant on the offensive end of the floor, causing confusion for the other teams defense.

On another note that I wanted to make earlier, whenever JT and JV are on the floor at the same time, I become very nervous and very aggitated. The only way these two should be on the floor at the same time is if the other team is running small.

What's even worse is when it's those two plus Diaw. Who the F*CK is running that offense? Diaw can be point, JV can be point, JT can be point. Who has the leadership role? The main reason I say this is because it always seems that we bind-up when they are on the floor together.

On one more note, I think that if Hansen continues to improve or show that he can continually play like he did in the last game, I really wouldn't be surprised to see JT and/or Glover traded for a star PG. Who could fit this billing?

??/JV/DD

Jackson/Hansen

SAR/Diaw/CC

Nazr/Nailon

Theo/Hendu

Disclaimer...

Do not get me wrong; I am somewhat happy with who we have at the moment. I was just impressed to see what Hansen did in the time he was given and believe that, if given the chance, he could be a huge surprise of the draft.

[dj_me]

Play -

PF = Nailon

C = Hendu

[Playmaker0017]

DJ_Me,

Again, why put Reef at SF where he is uncomfortable and unable to give us what he is good at?

I would be more inclined to put Nailon at SF since he loves taking jumpers. But, could you imagine the number of shots Nailon would have if he played 30+ minutes?

Play.

[CHORO44]

Well I won't start ranting about SAR is a PF since that's obvious. The problem with playing him at SF is that he can't gaurd any of the small forwards in league. His defense really deteriorates the further he is away from the rim.

[dj_me]

Play -

Understood.

I just hate that Nazr isn't starting. He's a consistent scorer and one of our only offensiver rebounders. I've many times wondered where his stats would be if he did start.

Another point to make is that, when Hendu comes back, Nailon's minutes will be cut back. Nailon has been giving good minutes off the bench. He is our other consistent offensive rebounder, plus he's good for a few points.

When Hendu comes back (when is that, by the way) this is what I imagine our main lineups will be.

PG: JT, then JV, third string DD

SG: Glover, Diaw splits time w/ Hansen, Hansen being third string

SF: Jackson, Diaw splits time w/ Nailon, third string CC

PF: SAR, Hendu, third string Nailon

C: Theo, Nazr, third string Hendu

You know, after looking at this, it won't be so bad. Nazr should still get more minutes, though.

[Playmaker0017]

DJ_Me,

Look two years ago, Nazr started all season and was quite successful.

I wouldn't dislike Nazr getting more minutes and honestly believe we could live with him as a starter if we were to trade Theo (which I wouldn't suggest).

Play.

[JTFan31]

Let me start with you CBA reject, sorry I never attended an ESPN spelling bee contest. We arent here to critisize about how others spell, we are here to critisize issues of the Atlanta Hawks. So bite me!!

The only consistent scorer we have in the Hawks other than JT is Reef. Whats the main reason JT was brought back desperately? Because he is high energy and a prolific scorer that we much need, he can run the offense quite well, not great but just well, same way Arenas and other PG's in the league run the point. Dont make it sound like he is the worst PG in the league, cus he isn't and he isnt a top PG neither right now, he can become though. Dont make it sound like JV is so much more effective than JT, cus JV isnt.

Now to your analogy Diesel, if we start JV and bench JT, where is all the scoring come from, not from Reef cus he will be double team and they will leave JV open all night, because one thing JV cant do is create and JT can, right?

So tell me this we start JV, Dion and jax right. Double team Reef inside and leave JV open...great no offense.

Now about Bobby Jackson coming off the bench. Well very simple why he is, Because the Kings have Peja a 20 ppg scorer, Bibby, Brad Miller and Christie is a great defender with some scoring, the Kings have firepower that we dont if we bench JT. And JV is not much more effective than JT, and that is still to be proven if he is, which I think he is not. What I dislike about some of you that you guys make it seem that JT is this terrible PG and only look at what he does wrong and dont look at what he does right, he has made some amazing passes in the last couple of games and he is getting more comfortable with the players and he offense. Remember he begins to stride in December.