RealGM

2007-08
PPG: 17.2
RPG: 8.2
APG: 3.4
BPG: 2.8
FT%: 71.0

2008-09
PPG: 15.3
RPG: 7.0 - Career low offensive with 1.8
APG: 3.1
BPG: 1.7 - Career low
FT%: 65.2 - Career low

The positives: FG% is a career high this year and less turnovers compared to last year.

A concern?

his blocks are way down since the injury it seems.

I am extremely worried about Josh. I was going to wait a little to see if he snapped out of this defensive funk because of the injury, but it's been a while since he's returned now and he's still offering us nothing on the boards or with blocked shots. He's hardly even had an impact at all as a shot blocker since returning from injury. Josh is currently averaging the same BPG as Al Horford.

Is that not bothering anyone else? If Josh doesn't become the type of help defender that we aren't going to make any noise in the playoffs.

Here I am again to talk about the city super hero. Now, seriously, my take on him this season:
1. Rebound : How can a staring PF in the eastern conference avg 7rpg ? Just stay on the perimeter jacking shots, or have no post up game, or have no box out/rebounding skills. Name: J. Smith.
2. Turnover : Woodson tried that play where we'd isolate J. Smith down in the post, we then saw a turnover machine. He can not handle the ball, but our coach, and that's on him, let Smith make plays.
3. Block : Now, he can't even do that anymore, and according to some here, that was the sign he was a great defender, which I have always disagreed.

Anyway, yesterday as I was watching NBA TV, S. Smith brought up a point that I'm thinking we could consider. He said that Horford should play the 4, Smith the 3. We all know that J. Smith hass got no perimeter/outside game, but guess what, he's got no inside either. Another thing I'd consider would be keeping Marvin at the 3 and trading Smith for a 5 (Kaman for example). The Hawks might even be competitive keeping this team as designed as it is, but they'll never be a serious contender with that frontcourt,

You can tell who just yaps at the mouth because kaman hasnt played since november 26! and people want camby and people havent seen him play but freakin twice the hole season and his defense i overrated because he plays in a uptempo team.

Put smith at the 3, horford at the 4 and trade marvin for a center. a center who actually isn't injured and stats isn't flawed. you can always find marvin type players in the draft.

Put smith at the 3, horford at the 4 and trade marvin for a center. a center who actually isn't injured and stats isn't flawed. you can always find marvin type players in the draft.

That won't work either, though. Teams will double JJ and leave Smith open on the perimeter EVEN MORE if you do that.

There's no reason to trade anyone. Let's see what Marvin's cost is in the offseason, and then discuss.

you say this like centers grow on trees...there are maybe 10 decent centers in the NBA. we're not just going to be able to trade to get one that would offer anything close to the production josh brings. give him time...ankle sprains don't just heal over 2-3 weeks. when you can't rest it, it takes forever to get back to 100%. if you really think we'll be that much better without josh, check out that sweet losing streak at the beginning of the year.

Josh has been deep-fried doo doo since he came back from his injury. But give it some time. And remember, last year was a contract year. Even intense guys like Josh take it easy a little bit after getting paid and getting injured. He'll be fine once he gets his body and his mind back in competitive shape.

We need to see how Marvin progresses over the season cuz I like his skill set combined with his athletiscism to help us out alot during the season and beyond. We need to get rid of Smith if he contiunues to show nothing positive.

Smith has 3 blocks in his last 5 games. Given his history i think it is pretty clear he is still hurting.

Offensively he is shooting the highest percentage that he ever has at this time of the year. He still takes too many long jumpers and turns it over too much but he is doing a better job finishing inside.

tontoz wrote:Smith has 3 blocks in his last 5 games. Given his history i think it is pretty clear he is still hurting.

Offensively he is shooting the highest percentage that he ever has at this time of the year. He still takes too many long jumpers and turns it over too much but he is doing a better job finishing inside.

I'm waiting til I see his blocks back to say he's healthy. He's still tentative since his injury which means he's not going to go up in a way that he doesn't know how he will land (hurts him the most on rebounds, blocks, lateral movement).

There is a lot of stuff you'd like to see from him but the 3 games pre-injury he was contesting everything and grabbing boards left and right in a way he hasn't been able to do since returning.

He still needs to be smarter, but I'm not going to bash a guy while he's injured. This has shades of the "JJ is a dud" stuff that was going on last season while JJ was shooting below 40%.

conleyorbust wrote:

tontoz wrote:Smith has 3 blocks in his last 5 games. Given his history i think it is pretty clear he is still hurting.

Offensively he is shooting the highest percentage that he ever has at this time of the year. He still takes too many long jumpers and turns it over too much but he is doing a better job finishing inside.

I'm waiting til I see his blocks back to say he's healthy. He's still tentative since his injury which means he's not going to go up in a way that he doesn't know how he will land (hurts him the most on rebounds, blocks, lateral movement).

There is a lot of stuff you'd like to see from him but the 3 games pre-injury he was contesting everything and grabbing boards left and right in a way he hasn't been able to do since returning.

He still needs to be smarter, but I'm not going to bash a guy while he's injured. This has shades of the "JJ is a dud" stuff that was going on last season while JJ was shooting below 40%.

That is what i was thinking. Smith has a history of playing a certain way. I have no problem bashing him for dumb mistakes or not boxing out. But as far as his effort goes I am not going to dog him now.

I think when he missed that dunk where he jumped a bit too far (not far for him when healthy)... it's a sign that he's not 100%.

I'm not sure that he will get to 100% w/o resting though.

I'll wait another month or so and post his numbers compared to the last 2008-09 numbers I posted. I see him playing hard as usual, but not going after as many blocks, and the same for his rebounding. He's just not throwing himself out there to get them. Maybe it's just the injury, but will need him to step up with the absence of Al Horford.

you can tell that he's hurting on the floor and for the most part the stats that are effected are the ones where he has to launch himself off the floor. one stat that is unexcusible however is his FT%. that's just from lack of focus. if that FT% is beyond 70% then alot of games that were lost at the FT line would have been won. the New Jersey game is a clear sign of this. and it's a team wide problem. there is no reason our ft% is so low. the players have to step up. especially with horford out.

a second reason to think about his ppg. is that last year we didn't have bibby to be our second option. josh is just another rung down on the pecking order.