2008 bigman - Thabeet!

geeman · Post #1 » by **geeman** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 4:53 am

Watching at the LA game makes me believe that our future starting forward combo is Josh and Al and I believe J Chills versatility makes him perfect coming off the bench. In saying this see Marvin and Sheldon being odd men out. I love Marvin game and I think he will be a all-star some day and Sheldon just needs the opportunely to get minute, these pieces could get us a fast, afletic, defensive minded big man. Someone like Thabeet. Thoughts

http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=759040

JoshB914 · Post #2 » by **JoshB914** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 5:32 am

I don't like this guy. He is wayyyy to raw.

evildallas · Post #3 » by **evildallas** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 5:36 am

We have no pick and Thabeet will likely come out and be a late lottery pick. Sorry.

I also don't agree with your break down of the future based on a game when Marvin had a bad night, but everyone is entitled to their own vision of the future. Personally even with his good play of late I don't see investing in Childress long term as a starter (because of skills) or as a backup (because of price). Need more shooting from that position than Childress will ever be able to reliably provide and I'll be shocked if someone doesn't offer him the MLE to become a team's glue guy. Marvin may (should) develop that shooting touch. My biggest concerns about Marvin are assertiveness, defense, and extension price tag.

LL Cool Scott · Post #4 » by **LL Cool Scott** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 9:56 pm

I watched that dude play against Tech last year at the Dome, and he looked terrible. Just completely awkward. Then I checked the paper the next day and he had a ton of blocks. He'll be another Manute Bol/Shawn Bradley/Georghe Muresan. Hard to play in the NBA if you aren't a good athlete.

I kind of agree with you about Marvin being the odd man out. This team can go one of two directions - we can get a big guy to play serious minutes so Smith can move to the wing and Horford can move to the 4, or we can get a dynamic point guard and run west-coast style and keep Horford in the middle with Smith and Marvin as forwards. This half-assed thing we're doing now is like the worst of both worlds...

evildallas · Post #5 » by **evildallas** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 8:15 am

LL Cool Scott wrote:I kind of agree with you about Marvin being the odd man out. This team can go one of two directions - we can get a big guy to play serious minutes so Smith can move to the wing and Horford can move to the 4, or we can get a dynamic point guard and run west-coast style and keep Horford in the middle with Smith and Marvin as forwards. This half-assed thing we're doing now is like the worst of both worlds...

Yep. That sums it up. They fail to complete the puzzle to make the group really hum.

tontoz · Post #6 » by **tontoz** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 2:21 pm

We are already one of the worst perimeter shooting teams in the league. Moving Smith to the 3 would only make things worse. Plus Smith isn't quick enough to guard 3s.

LL Cool Scott · Post #7 » by **LL Cool Scott** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 4:11 pm

tontoz wrote:We are already one of the worst perimeter shooting teams in the league. Moving Smith to the 3 would only make things worse. Plus Smith isn't quick enough to guard 3s.

He can't shoot, that's true. But his shooting seems to be improving every year. So has his ball-handling. The way he improves every year, I could see him developing a nice inside-outside game eventually.

I disagree about his defense, though. I don't remember too many guys beating him off the dribble, 3's nor 4's. He is a tremendous defensive talent who can guard almost any position on the court.

Post #8 » by **HMFFL** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 5:25 pm

I agree with many of you here on many different things. However, the lack of size on this team is really hurting us and at some point a change will be needed. I'm not sure how long we can continue to go with Marvin, Al and Josh smith holding down the 3-4-5. I'm starting to face the reality that these three won't be playing with one another for years to come.

I've said before if we keep these three together we need to focus on adding size to the bench. However, Woody of whomever the coach might be would need to have a firm control on the match ups.

tontoz · Post #9 » by **tontoz** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 6:07 pm

LL Cool Scott wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

He can't shoot, that's true. But his shooting seems to be improving every year.

His outside shooting is just as bad as it ever was.

I disagree about his defense, though. I don't remember too many guys beating him off the dribble, 3's nor 4's.

He got beat routinely off the dribble playing the 3. He recently got owned by Thorton who was forced to play the 4 due to the Clipps injuries.

tontoz · Post #10 » by **tontoz** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 6:10 pm

HMFFL wrote: I'm not sure how long we can continue to go with Marvin, Al and Josh smith holding down the 3-4-5. I'm starting to face the reality that these three won't be playing with one another for years to come.

Horford should be fine as long as he is playing only 15 minutes a game against the other teams backup center. Having him as the starting center and playing the majority of his minutes at center is a big problem though. He is badly outsized and has shown no inclination to try to use his quickness advantage on offense.

LL Cool Scott · Post #11 » by **LL Cool Scott** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 9:53 pm

tontoz wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

He got beat routinely off the dribble playing the 3. He recently got owned by Thorton who was forced to play the 4 due to the Clipps injuries.

Ok...

#1 - No, it's not. Don't you remember how bad his shooting and ball-handling were as a rookie? He's not too good at either one yet, but you have to admit he's vastly improved from when he first got here.

#2 - Who routinely beat Smith off the dribble? I'm not saying you're wrong, but I don't remember it happening often. And using 1 game against Al Thornton (who is just freakishly quick for his size) isn't really fair. You really don't think Josh Smith can guard small forwards?

mattlanta · Post #12 » by **mattlanta** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 11:09 pm

Finally Thabeet gets the attention from Atlanta fans like he should. I really like this kid, but it can just be me being a homer of CT. I also believe he's too raw, but his potential comes close to unlimited. He's only been playing basketball for a very short time, and he seems to be improving every single game he plays.

LL Cool Scott · Post #13 » by **LL Cool Scott** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 11:13 pm

Wow. Just finished watching that game against Tech. Thabeet is WAY better than I thought he was last year. Just goes to show you that I am a complete idiot.

tontoz · Post #14 » by **tontoz** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 11:46 pm

LL Cool Scott wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Ok...

#1 - No, it's not. Don't you remember how bad his shooting and ball-handling were as a rookie? He's not too good at either one yet, but you have to admit he's vastly improved from when he first got here.

#2 - Who routinely beat Smith off the dribble? I'm not saying you're wrong, but I don't remember it happening often. And using 1 game against Al Thornton (who is just freakishly quick for his size) isn't really fair. You really don't think Josh Smith can guard small forwards?

1)Two seasons ago Smith shot 36% on jumpers.

http://www.82games.com/0506/05ATL9A.HTM

Now he is shooting 31%.

http://www.82games.com/0708/07ATL9A.HTM

I challenge you to find one player in the NBA that takes as many jumpers as Smith and shoots them as poorly.

2) pretty much anyone would beat Smith off the dribble when he was playing the 3. However Smith would recover to block or alter many of those shots but he still got beat routinely.

Then there is last game when the Cavs were missing both of their power forwards so they started Ira Friggin Newble at the 4 and he dropped 18 pts shooting 8-12 from the field.

Smith hasn't been matched up against 3s hardly at all this year. He has spent more time this season at center than at the 3.

http://www.82games.com/0708/07ATL9C.HTM