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The Hawks defeated the defending NBA champion Heat Sunday.

Yes, it’s just a preseason game. But it’s a good start for these new-look Hawks who are implementing a new style, with different offensive and defensive schemes, on a roster that currently has 14 new players.

Josh Smith scored 21 points and newcomers Lou Williams (18) and DeShawn Stevenson (11) were in double-figures in the Hawks’ 92-79 victory over the Heat at Philips Arena. The Heat did play with three of the Big Four with LeBron James (24 minutes), Chris Bosh (23 minutes) and Ray Allen (27 minutes). Dwyane Wade did not play.

The Heat led 26-19 after the first quarter. However, the Hawks outscored the Heat in all three remaining quarters, including by nine points in both the second and fourth stanzas.

“We were a little rusty early on,” Smith said. “After the first quarter, we tightened it up on the defensive end, got some stops, pushed the ball pretty good.”

Jeff Teague started at point guard, but coach Larry Drew used Williams at the position for much of his time in the game. Williams hit 5 of 6 from the field, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range. The Hawks collectively shot 38.1 percent (8 of 21) from beyond the arc.

“I was very happy with the way he led the team,” Drew said. “He was a point for us tonight. In the past he’s played a lot off the ball where he’s been predominately a scorer. He’s been playing some point guard through training camp and I wanted to use him in that capacity tonight. He was aggressive when he had to be. He got us into an offense when we needed to be. I was extremely, extremely happy with how well he defended.” http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2012/10/07/a ... over-heat/

Good game, saw some things i REALLY liked from the Hawks.

1) Korver and Lou Williams directing traffic and moving the ball. There was 1 sequence where KK came down and dribbled across the arc and Teague and others just stood stagnant. He yelled at Teague to rotate and got on Josh for standing in the post. Lou Williams was doing the same thing, telling people where to be, really taking control and running the offense. There were times last year where i felt like our offense got stagnate because we would just stand around.

2) 3 point shooing near 40%. This is what I feel we will rely on heavily.

3) Lou Williams will be our starting PG. Just my gut feeling. I dont know if i like it, because i Really would like his scoring coming off the bench.

4) DS looked good. Good shooting, hustle plays.

5) Smith and Horford looked good. Horford looked a little rusty, Josh shot some stupid jump shots , but then he seemed to calm down and play the post. He was doing these stupid double clutch moves when he was trapped under the basket , needs to just go straight up strong.

All in all was pretty impressed. Dont care they beat the 3/4 heat or less. I care more about what they looked like after 5 days of practice. Korver and Williams are from a much faster paced form of basketball IMO, and that is going to help us out a lot.

I wish their was a shot chart. I wanna see what percentage of his shots was jumpers. I want him to shoot 60% of his shots in the paint this season. I heard we moved the ball well tho.

Hood President wrote:I wish their was a shot chart. I wanna see what percentage of his shots was jumpers. I want him to shoot 60% of his shots in the paint this season. I heard we moved the ball well tho.

its just mind boggling to me that he scores so much in the post, usually at will even with LBJ on him , but he still shoots these crazy open jumpers.

He has horrible rotation on his shot which means he releases bad. The ball rotates side to side. Hes just not a jump shooter. This year, with the shooting we have on the floor, i want him to penetrate and kick. Theres no excuse for him not to drive and dish. I agree 60% or more of his shots have to be in the paint.

Its ok, only 1 game.

He changed his shot last year for the better, but suddenly went back to his old shot mid season.

At the start of the year, he was releasing the ball on the way up (think Ben Gordon). That greatly increased his shooting as there is a HUGE margin of error in that shot. Mid last year,he went back to the "perfect" jumper, trying to release at the top of his jump which is always a tougher jumpshot.

I personally think he HAS to be a threat from midrange to be a scoring force on this team. His post game isn't that good. People see his numbers of scoring in the paint, but ignore that a good percentage of those are assisted.

Also, if he starts Lou Williams at the point, then he is just stupid. Simple as that. You have one guy that has consistantly been a force in the league as a bench player and a guy that needs to start in Teague to be effective. Moving Teague to the bench will have a net negative effect on the team.

Josh smith doesn't have to be a threat from the outside. Hell Lebron isn't. Not saying Smith is Lebron but still.

Any body who thinks Josh isn't gonna shoot jumpers is insane. He WILL shoot jumpers. The question is how much? if he shoot 60%(Hell, I'll settle for 55%) of his shots in the paint then I'm good.

Hood President wrote:Josh smith doesn't have to be a threat from the outside. Hell Lebron isn't. Not saying Smith is Lebron but still.

Any body who thinks Josh isn't gonna shoot jumpers is insane. He WILL shoot jumpers. The question is how much? if he shoot 60%(Hell, I'll settle for 55%) of his shots in the paint then I'm good.

Josh doesn't have the handles to take people off the dribble like Lebron, and you don't leave lebron open from the midrange. You might give him some room at the 3 but even thats not a great idea.

LBJ took a few jumpers yesterday, bricked all of them IIRC. He had 2 dunks several and 1s, only 10 points total. But on a few sequences they played him tough he settled for jumpers and just didnt have it. He rarely does. Hes put on a lot of muscle since he entered the league, his Jumper just isnt as reliable. Ill take LBJ shooting midrange and out jumpers ALL DAY LONG because that is his weakness. He did pass extremely well like normal

Granted he can get hot, but hes like Josh Smith, terrible inconsistent from the outside.

Josh just needs to post and flash to the basket. Use his length and size. He backed LBJ down a few times for a good shot. He can do it, just needs to stick to it.

But hes also gotta space the floor for horford.

Lebron shoots nearly 42% from midrange. Josh shoots around 31 percent. League average is 38-39%. In other words, Lebron is better than average from the midrange, Josh is below average. Please don't try to call them both inconsistant from there.

Rip2137 wrote:Lebron shoots nearly 42% from midrange. Josh shoots around 31 percent. League average is 38-39%. In other words, Lebron is better than average from the midrange, Josh is below average. Please don't try to call them both inconsistant from there.

EHHH numbers dont always tell you everything. LBJ under pressure or decent defense is NOT a good jump shooter, that is just fact. I dont think anyone will dispute that after he shot himself out of the finals vs Dallas.

Hes spotty from midrange and out, thats his scouting report.

Smith is absolutely worse im sorry i gave you the impression they were the same.

LeBron was spotty from midrange like 3 seasons ago, it's not 2009 anymore.

I've come to terms with Josh taking those terribad jumpshots, at this point in his career he is who he is.

I guess no one remembers the horrendous shooting LBJ had last season during the finals, or the playoffs.

Ill just leave this here
http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2012/06/1 ... e-numbers/

His percentage is high because he doesnt shoot outside much anymore, because when he does, hes not consistent.

LBJ Is UNSTOPPABLE inside the paint, that is his game now. Hes just not a good face up jump shooter even though he can get HOT (because hes the best in the world). When he stopped shooting jumpers is when he started winning championship(singular for now)

Uhm, the link you provided shows that he takes damn near as many midrange shots as Durant (500+), in fact it shows that he attempts a greater % of his total shots from midrange than Durant.
Just because he happens to take more from the paint than there doesn't mean he attempts them "rarely".

Like Azu said, this isn't 2009, you can't just wash and repeat an old meme. That link even discounts the meme of him not being clutch. And surely you can't possibly point to a singular series as proof of anything.

3 seasons ago? You guys completely forgetting the Mavericks playoffs where he got exposed for being a terrible jump shooter? EDIT: Ok maybe Terrible is a strong word. At times, he is terrible from midrange and out. At times hes very good or better than average. He is INCONSISTENT

Even last year he was so afraid of his jumper he deferred half the time. Almost every game he got into a Jump Shooting mode the Heat had trouble. Why do you think he worked with Hakeem in the offseason ? to develop a low post game because his jump shot is STREAKY at BEST.

I mean its not even an argument, its just factual. Go read any coaches defensive tactic or scouting report on LBJ, force him to shoot jumpers because that is his weakness. Problem is, almost no one is as quick as he is, and if you double team he passes out of it.

The link was just showing stats from last yeaers finals where he was like 19% from the field shooting Js. LOL

So him shooting 19% on 16 shots in the first 2 games of the Finals is a better indicator of his shooting ability than the 41.2% he shot on the 578 shots beforehand........That's factual to you?

In fact, check out his midrange shooting over the past 6 years. He's been above league average from midrange every year since 2008 actually
http://www.hoopdata.com/player.aspx?name=LeBron%20James

I know, I know. But but but the Dallas series! Like I said, if you are going to use the sample of one single series to base your "facts" on then we shouldn't even bother debating Josh. The guy should be cut from the team and playing in Iran after shooting a total .386% against Boston last playoffs.

big games, clutch games, hes a streaky jump shot shooter. Period. its not his game. I stand by my statement. Im going by the Finals last year and the Dallas series, and the pacers series, and the Celtics series. Hes unstoppable because he drives the lane, not because he shoots jumpers. We have seen him try to be a jump shooter and he doesnt win.

It wasnt until he developed his low post game he won the ring.

Agree to disagree

I didnt see the game tonight but looking at the box score looks like Lou Williams started tonight. Had another good night shooting, 3pt shooting was 44%. 21 points off Fast Break, TO were a little high but its preseason.

Sounds like run and gun with spot up shooters.

This team is going to be a lot of fun to watch this year.