All the Josh Smith hate

bibbynjoe · Post #1 » by **bibbynjoe** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 3:30 pm

I think all the hate on Josh Smith lately and requests for him being sent out of Atlanta are ridiculous. He has lost a step because of injury, but he has really picked things up lately. He is avg. about 20 points and 7 boards a game, and his shooting percentage has been pretty good lately. And thankfully, he has had only 2 turnovers the past 2 games. Josh is still a force, and I am glad that we resigned him this off season, and I hope he stays a Hawk so we see him develop to his all star potential.

DONT TRADE J SMOOVE

betta1 · Post #2 » by **betta1** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:28 pm

Amen!

raleigh · Post #3 » by **raleigh** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:01 pm

I'm not in the "Smith is untouchable" group by any means, but I totally agree. He's clearly improving, and there's no reason to want him moved unless it's for a legit center.

JoshB914 · Post #4 » by **JoshB914** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:53 pm

People have been overreacting about Smoove since we drafted him. This year is no different. I remember a few years back when there was like a 6 page thread about trading him.

Once he gets back healthy and is blocking shots he is going to be a serious force.

ATL DirtyBird · Post #5 » by **ATL DirtyBird** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 7:08 pm

Ive been a huge critic of Smith but lately he has been shoooting the ball much better and his jumpshot looks alot cleaner and his dribbling looks a bit more controled a lower to the ground. If hes not fully healthy now I cant wait to see what he can do with all his health. Ive been very brutal on him but hes been proving me and wrong and I hope he continues to do so!

High 5 · Post #6 » by **High 5** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:21 pm

He's averaging 20/10 on 50% shooting over his last five. Only ONE three over that stretch. Also only 2.4 turnovers. I could live with that many. Just wish he would get back to blocking shots.

Oh, and the FT shooting needs to really improve.

Rod700 · Post #7 » by **Rod700** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:44 pm

mrhonline wrote:I'm not in the "Smith is untouchable" group by any means, but I totally agree. He's clearly improving, and there's no reason to want him moved unless it's for a legit center.

I completely agree with that last line, but for us to take the next step to becoming a title contender, I feel like we will have to choose between Horford and Smith at some point. As Horford continues to develop I don't think that there will be enough room for them both. Al plays better at PF, and we need a true starting center to make a title run. I don't want to trade either of them, but I think that it has to happen in a year or two in order for us to have a truly balanced roster that can compete at that level.

NDaATL · Post #8 » by **NDaATL** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:55 pm

Rod700 wrote:Al plays better at PF.

I still don't understand this assertion. Al didn't play any better when Smith was out and he started at PF for 12 games. He also plays plenty of PF each night when Smith is on the bench.

Bottom line, he must improve his post game if he ever wants to be able to be a respectable scorer, it doesn't matter if he's playing PF or Center at this point.

IDoIt4TheA · Post #9 » by **IDoIt4TheA** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:59 pm

Smith is a very frustrating player. Butwhen he plays like he played the last 2 games he is golden. He can get to the rim just about any time he wants, he needs to keep driving to the hoop. Good things happens when he goes aggressively to the hoop he either scores, gets fouled, or kicks it out to an open player since that collapses the defense. He is a pretty good passer when he doesn't try to do too much. I wish he would play like that every night....he'd be an All Star. Forget about the outside shot unless the clock is running out. There is a reason teams leave him wide open on the perimeter.

raleigh · Post #10 » by **raleigh** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:29 am

Rod700 wrote:I completely agree with that last line, but for us to take the next step to becoming a title contender, I feel like we will have to choose between Horford and Smith at some point.

Horford's contract status will determine that. He's cheap for 2.5 more years, so there's no reason to think about moving him or Smith until summer 2011.

bibbynjoe · Post #11 » by **bibbynjoe** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:55 am

I mean maybe nothing will change with Josh throwing up jumpshots until Bibby or Joe go up to him and tell him to leave the shots to them. However for those pushing for a J-Smoove for Kaman or Dalembert trade.... ridiculous. We will lose all of our fire.

High 5 · Post #12 » by **High 5** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 2:19 am

NDaATL wrote:
Rod700 wrote:Al plays better at PF.

I still don't understand this assertion. Al didn't play any better when Smith was out and he started at PF for 12 games. He also plays plenty of PF each night when Smith is on the bench.

Bottom line, he must improve his post game if he ever wants to be able to be a respectable scorer, it doesn't matter if he's playing PF or Center at this point.

Horford's few minutes as the "PF" are when Zaza is next to him. Horford was still basically the center while Smith was out.

tontoz · Post #13 » by **tontoz** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 5:19 pm

High 5 wrote:He's averaging 20/10 on 50% shooting over his last five. Only ONE three over that stretch. Also only 2.4 turnovers. I could live with that many. Just wish he would get back to blocking shots.

Oh, and the FT shooting needs to really improve.

I didn't realize that. His improved offensive rebounding is probably a direct result of not hanging around the 3 pt line. Maybe he is finally getting a clue.

Smith frustrates me more than anyone on the team but i can't see trading him for anyone other than Bosh.

NDaATL · Post #14 » by **NDaATL** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 5:44 pm

High 5 wrote:
NDaATL wrote:
Rod700 wrote:Al plays better at PF.

I still don't understand this assertion. Al didn't play any better when Smith was out and he started at PF for 12 games. He also plays plenty of PF each night when Smith is on the bench.

Bottom line, he must improve his post game if he ever wants to be able to be a respectable scorer, it doesn't matter if he's playing PF or Center at this point.

Horford's few minutes as the "PF" are when Zaza is next to him. Horford was still basically the center while Smith was out.

No he wasn't, because he was being guarded by PFs, with whom everyone says Horford matches up much better, and he wasn't better. Bottom line, he couldn't be a reliable scorer in that situation either.

It's obvious that he must improve his post game tremendously before he'll be a goto post guy, regardless of what position he plays.

High 5 · Post #15 » by **High 5** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 7:21 pm

NDaATL wrote:No he wasn't, because he was being guarded by PFs, with whom everyone says Horford matches up much better, and he wasn't better. Bottom line, he couldn't be a reliable scorer in that situation either.

It's obvious that he must improve his post game tremendously before he'll be a goto post guy, regardless of what position he plays.

Zaza played less than 20 minutes in most of those games. Horford still drew most of the center attention. The point is that Horford would play better with a reliable center next to him. Zaza can burn teams occasionally, but he's nowhere near reliable. Obviously Al needs to improve, most 2nd year players do, but you're crazy if you don't think he'd much more effective at the 4.

NDaATL · Post #16 » by **NDaATL** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:03 pm

High 5 wrote:
NDaATL wrote:No he wasn't, because he was being guarded by PFs, with whom everyone says Horford matches up much better, and he wasn't better. Bottom line, he couldn't be a reliable scorer in that situation either.

It's obvious that he must improve his post game tremendously before he'll be a goto post guy, regardless of what position he plays.

Zaza played less than 20 minutes in most of those games. Horford still drew most of the center attention. The point is that Horford would play better with a reliable center next to him. Zaza can burn teams occasionally, but he's nowhere near reliable. Obviously Al needs to improve, most 2nd year players do, but you're crazy if you don't think he'd much more effective at the 4.

Defensively, he'd be better. But, we already have Smith there who is a much better defender.

Regardless, offensively he just doesn't have the post game to be more effective at the 4. That's not to say that he won't eventually, but he doesn't now.

Skyhawk1 · Post #17 » by **Skyhawk1** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:16 pm

I've always loved J. Smith's game. Man, that pretty jump shot, he's almost like a rebounding machine, and even though he's got the ball in his hands quite often, he barely turns it over... he's also a great defender with outstanding rebounding skills and team defense concept.

Sorry for the joke... I'm not going to try to change anybody's mind about him. I do not like his game and think the Hawks will have to let him go or play him at the 3. Horford is a true 4, the guy has been injured more often than he should due to the fact he's guarded Big after Big in this league. I think Smith's block shot ability got a lot of people excited up to last season, now that he can't even do that, some people are kinda seeing what he can really bring to the table. Anyway, Smith is a high schooler who did NOT learn the fundaments of the game, so his game got no consistency. I've never in my life been more bothered by a player than I am by him. He gets on my nervous.

JoshB914 · Post #18 » by **JoshB914** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:29 pm

^^^ I see what you're saying. But one thing that no one can get on Josh for is his shot blocking. He has been a top shot blocker basically since he came into the league. His current struggles in that area have to do with his ankle issue, because there is no way his shot blocking ability could have just suddenly vanished.

Rod700 · Post #19 » by **Rod700** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:36 pm

^^^I'd want to see Barbosa, Hill, Barnes, or Lopez included in that trade before fillers are added.

tontoz · Post #20 » by **tontoz** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:34 pm

Skyhawk1 wrote:I've always loved J. Smith's game. Man, that pretty jump shot, he's almost like a rebounding machine, and even though he's got the ball in his hands quite often, he barely turns it over... he's also a great defender with outstanding rebounding skills and team defense concept. Sorry for the joke... I'm not going to try to change anybody's mind about him. I do not like his game and think the Hawks will have to let him go or play him at the 3. Horford is a true 4, the guy has been injured more often than he should due to the fact he's guarded Big after Big in this league. I think Smith's block shot ability got a lot of people excited up to last season, now that he can't even do that, some people are kinda seeing what he can really bring to the table. Anyway, Smith is a high schooler who did NOT learn the fundaments of the game, so his game got no consistency. I've never in my life been more bothered by a player than I am by him. He gets on my nervous.

Hell will freeze over before Horford averages 20/10 shooting 50% over 5 games, which Smith just did.