Josh Smith Benched

[HMFFL]

Josh Smith is on the bench and did not start the second half for the Hawks on Friday.
It appears that this is a disciplinary move instead of an injury. Mo Evans has come off the bench for the Hawks and there is speculation that Smith will not play again tonight. Smith owners should be livid for the short-term consequences of the move and hope that he's not suspended, but there's also some hope that he will finally be jolted out of his season-long slump in the process.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/player ... 99&id=1057

[HoopsGuru25]

That seemed strange unless something happened in the locker room at half time. Smith definitely wasn't playing good defense but it wasn't like anyone else was playing good D. He definitely was playing harder than he did vs New York.

[BigSlam]

Not sure if you guys saw the game, but it was kind of weird because Smith was sitting on the bench laughing and looking like he was having a good time during the 2nd half.

It's not like he was sitting there all p*ssed off because Woodson had ripped him a new one at half time??

[JoshB914]

I think it's becoming pretty clear that Josh's absence for "personal reasons" at the end of the west coast trip was likely a disciplinary measure, too.

This team is falling apart before our very eyes.

[HMFFL]

Woodson and Smith feud again; Hawks lose again

And Hawks coach Mike Woodson benched starting power forward Josh Smith after halftime, the result of a heated disagreement between the two in the locker room during the break.

Smith refused to comment after the game, and Woodson said it was a “coach’s decision” and that Smith’s status for tonight’s game against Detroit would be determined later.

“That was coach’s call,” Hawks captain Joe Johnson said. “This is coach’s team. Whoever he wants to play plays, and if he doesn’t want you to play, you don’t play.”

Smith had 13 points, four rebounds and two blocks before leaving the game after playing only 21 minutes. But whatever transpired in the time it took the Hawks to get in and out of the locker room after halftime, changed everything.

“Josh played well in the first half,” Mo Evans said. “It didn’t have nothing to do with his basketball playing abilities. It’s the off-the-court, internal stuff that causes all the drama.”

“This is tough because we had a chance to put ourselves in a good position, and we gave two games away,” Johnson said. “I don’t know. I think we all need to get on the same page. But it’s kind of tough to play when the chemistry is not there, and we’re not playing as one.”

If they can’t muster any more energy or any better effort than they did against the Bobcats on Friday night, they won’t have to worry about the fourth spot much longer.

The Bobcats controlled the action from the start, working inside out in the first quarter to build a 15-point lead before the end of the quarter.

Former Hawks swingman Boris Diaw served as the facilitator for the Bobcats, who run their offense through their starting power forward.

Diaw finished with a game-high 13 assists to go with his 13 points and five rebounds. The Bobcats (27-35) led by as many as 18 before withstanding a late Hawks rally to avoid being swept in a season series by the Hawks for the first time.

“It’s just been a lack of effort,” Evans said. “We play in spurts, and you can’t do that if you want to be a contender at any level. You see how it is. We get down and dig ourselves a hole. And you have to bank on too many things to go the right way to get it back.

“And that’s the difference between the elite teams in the league and the teams like us that are inconsistent. One day we’re there, and the next day we’re not. If we can overcome that challenge before this thing ends and finally start to get it, we might have a chance to hold on that fourth or fifth spot. If not, well, I don’t know what else to tell you.”

http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports ... bcats.html

[fo_o_fo_404]

Yeah...Smith's becomea cancer in the locker room, and the cancer is starting to spread.

I saw him over there laughing and carrying out his silly antics and it's quite pathetic. It obvious that he took the $$$$ and is laughing str8 to the bank. If I were Woody, the SECOND I saw him laughing and giggling, I would have IMMEDIATELY made him go to the locker room and hit the showers! You can't have that kind of attitude on your bench....cause believe or not, that cancerous attitude is spreading to Acie, Solo, West, Gardner....you get the picture.

This should be his LAST season with the Hawks.....key words being "should be"

[HMFFL]

Your right Fo. I can't stand players that act like this and the Atlanta fans will probably boo Josh again tomorrow night. We don't need him to sit, but he's playing like he's TRYING to get Woodson fired, and I have no respect for that. Fans are paying good money to see this team perform and not paying for Josh to hurt this team during such a key seasons that's for the most part been successful.

[fo_o_fo_404]

But you know what?

In situation like that...you need a leader to step up and dayum near come to blows with Smoove. Like, if Smoove did that with say Kobe, Lebron, CP3, KG, etc....trsut me, some locker room staff would be breaking up a fight cause certain players do not and will not tolerate one person trying to bring the ship down. SMOOVE AND WOODY CAN NOT CO-EXIST IN THE SAME LOCKER ROOM....PERIOD! GET RID OF BOTH! I"M SICK OF THIS FIVE YEAR BICKERING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THOSE TWO! FIVE YEARS IS ENOUGH! IT'S TIME FOR A DIVORCE!

Rick Sund better take a page out of Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff's book...and make some shrewd and bold moves in the summer. If you vets aren't cutting it....get rid of them! I really respect how bold Dimitroff's leadership/management style is......it's BOLD!

I'm thoroughly disappointed in JJ and Bibby. They've shown me no passion or fire or leadership abilities to try to get these guys in line for our stretch run. I mean dayum....is it too much to ask JJ or Bibby to show a little emotion out there on the hardwood? And now, I feel if we don't go undefeated in our next extended homestand, we will be in jeopardy of falling to 6th or 7th in the East.

"The ship be sankin'" folks!

[HoopsGuru25]

I knew the mandatory "we need more leadership" compliant was coming. Smith has been on the team longer than anyone and we shouldn't be worried about him throwing tantrums anymore at this stage of his career. Blaming this on Bibby or Joe is laughable. You should be blaming them for missing shots instead of policing Josh Smith.

As for the teams recent struggles- The Hawks aren't losing because of their chemistry or lack of passion. They are losing because they suck on the road and have all year long since they won their 1st 4 road games. I don't know if you all have noticed by now but the Hawks road record is significantly worse than the Knicks and Bobcats home records. People are just getting frustrated because we've had so many of our road games piled up one after the other this year that it seems like the team is "falling apart" when they've actually just been extremely consistent since going 6-0.

[Skyhawk1]

It's nothing new. Anyone who's been at Hawks games in the last few years shouldn't be surprised. Last off-season, there was all that talk that Woodson and Smith were on the same page and all. That's BS. Smith couldn't care less about what Woodson has to say. It's been like that for a while. What I really do not understand is why the Hawks as an organization is so high on this guy. WTF has he done is his carreer that indicates any kind of greatness? Look around the league and play teams that have guys at PF killing us night in night out. We should've traded him a while ago. Now, this team is falling apart and he only contributes for that. I'll boo him every time he touches the ball against Detroit if he gets any playing time.

[CWell]

It's nothing new. Anyone who's been at Hawks games in the last few years shouldn't be surprised. Last off-season, there was all that talk that Woodson and Smith were on the same page and all. That's BS. Smith couldn't care less about what Woodson has to say. It's been like that for a while. What I really do not understand is why the Hawks as an organization is so high on this guy. WTF has he done is his carreer that indicates any kind of greatness? Look around the league and play teams that have guys at PF killing us night in night out. We should've traded him a while ago. Now, this team is falling apart and he only contributes for that. I'll boo him every time he touches the ball against Detroit if he gets any playing time.

please. the real thing that needs to be understood is what the heck has woodson done to KEEP a job. easily the worst coach in the leageu and a douche bag. He deserved everything that was said. Woodson is the real cancer on this team and we won't go to the next level till this CLOWN is fired. He couldn't even coach up a middle school team.

[fo_o_fo_404]

I knew the mandatory "we need more leadership" compliant was coming. Smith has been on the team longer than anyone and we shouldn't be worried about him throwing tantrums anymore at this stage of his career. Blaming this on Bibby or Joe is laughable. You should be blaming them for missing shots instead of policing Josh Smith.

As for the teams recent struggles- The Hawks aren't losing because of their chemistry or lack of passion. They are losing because they suck on the road and have all year long since they won their 1st 4 road games. I don't know if you all have noticed by now but the Hawks road record is significantly worse than the Knicks and Bobcats home records. People are just getting frustrated because we've had so many of our road games piled up one after the other this year that it seems like the team is "falling apart" when they've actually just been extremely consistent since going 6-0.

LOL!

OK...I'll let you have this one!

But know that cancer is spreading on the team at a pivotal point in the season. You've got to have a better arguement as to why our team is "falling apart" other than scheduling! And the leadership complaint is totally legit! Point to one player not named Horford who's shown any leadership this season?

And you are totally wrong on the Hawks being "exteremely consistent since the 6-0 start. Extremely consistent teams are BOS, CLE, LAL, SA, etc. What team are you watching?

[johnny878]

It's nothing new. Anyone who's been at Hawks games in the last few years shouldn't be surprised. Last off-season, there was all that talk that Woodson and Smith were on the same page and all. That's BS. Smith couldn't care less about what Woodson has to say. It's been like that for a while. What I really do not understand is why the Hawks as an organization is so high on this guy. WTF has he done is his carreer that indicates any kind of greatness? Look around the league and play teams that have guys at PF killing us night in night out. We should've traded him a while ago. Now, this team is falling apart and he only contributes for that. I'll boo him every time he touches the ball against Detroit if he gets any playing time.

please. the real thing that needs to be understood is what the heck has woodson done to KEEP a job. easily the worst coach in the leageu and a douche bag. He deserved everything that was said. Woodson is the real cancer on this team and we won't go to the next level till this CLOWN is fired. He couldn't even coach up a middle school team.

This.

Mike Woodson's gameplan for everygame "Joe, you try to beat your man 1on1 and take it from there"

I think the best thing that could happen to the hawks this season is if Woodson was fired ASAP.

[evildallas]

Consistent doesn't have to mean good, just predictable.

I don't know exactly what happened, so I don't want to overreact without all the facts. My theory on what happened is that Woodson jumped Josh's case for the last play of the first half and Josh fired back to the extent he got sit down for insubordination. As a reminder, that last play had Josh out of control trying to force it by going 1 on the whole Bobcats team. Predictably he lost the ball. Instead of getting back on defense he started whining to the official about not getting a foul call as the Bobcat player with the ball (Felton I think) pushed it up the floor to get a final shot. He actually turned his back on the Bobcat player to yell at the official. I know I wanted to yell at him.

Rather than pick sides, let me says that I've hated Woodson for years. Perhaps I cut him too much slack during the hot start this year, but I am not one to be pigheaded in the face of good results. Sadly, he's not been able to maintain it. NBA coach isn't that responsible for success. It's a players league and the structure of the contracts reinforces that. Woodson may be tight with some players but he clearly doesn't reach others and Josh is the poster child for that group.

I've supported Josh Smith since day 1, but his play and attitude are wearing thin with even me. I could say that he's needed a coach to pull him aside and say: "You do this and you play this way and we'll win and you'll get rich. You don't listen, you won't play, and your future won't be bright." Maybe Woodson has, but the real issue is that Josh has to listen and respond. Also I don't want to blame other players for not being enough of leaders. Josh Smith shouldn't be looking for someone else to lead, he should be a leader. He should be leading others with immense defensive intensity and wise play on the offensive end. I don't say that because of his contract, I say that because that was the direction he was heading prior to this year.

You can break down and evaluate every piece on the team and that person's performance in their job. A lot of people aren't getting it done. This thread is about Josh Smith. He's the most glaring example of not getting it done right now. It's extra frustrating because he has the physical talent to be great and his head is sabotaging himself.

[HoopsGuru25]

But know that cancer is spreading on the team at a pivotal point in the season. You've got to have a better arguement as to why our team is "falling apart" other than scheduling! And the leadership complaint is totally legit! Point to one player not named Horford who's shown any leadership this season?

You say that no one outside of Horford has shown leadership....but how has Horford's leadership helped if the two things he supposedly said were to stop chucking 3s(which they obviously didn't listen to)and to encourage Smith to listen to the coach in the huddle(if he blew up at the coach the very next game). We all know Horford is totally on winning but I'm not going to blame him(or any one else)for Josh being a malcontent.

And you are totally wrong on the Hawks being "exteremely consistent since the 6-0 start. Extremely consistent teams are BOS, CLE, LAL, SA, etc. What team are you watching?

The Hawks are extremely consistent in that fact that they are predictable in the games they win/lose since the 6-0 start. We haven't beaten a team with a better record than us on the road since the 1st week of the season. I could see if we were losing to teams that were tanking but the Hawks road record is significantly worse than the Knicks and Bobcats home record. It's possible that the team is falling part, but I think it's more likely that the team just isn't good enough to beat teams like Charlotte on the road consistently even if their chemistry was perfect. The Hawks team morale/momentum was at an all time high during the playoffs but that didn't stop them from getting curb stomped all four times they played in Boston. They have done a good job beating the awful teams on the road(Sac/Minny/Washington)....but they struggle vs mediocre teams(the last 2 games for example)and just flat out lose to every good team they play away from home.

[JoshB914]

I knew the mandatory "we need more leadership" compliant was coming. Smith has been on the team longer than anyone and we shouldn't be worried about him throwing tantrums anymore at this stage of his career. Blaming this on Bibby or Joe is laughable. You should be blaming them for missing shots instead of policing Josh Smith.

As for the teams recent struggles- The Hawks aren't losing because of their chemistry or lack of passion. They are losing because they suck on the road and have all year long since they won their 1st 4 road games. I don't know if you all have noticed by now but the Hawks road record is significantly worse than the Knicks and Bobcats home records. People are just getting frustrated because we've had so many of our road games piled up one after the other this year that it seems like the team is "falling apart" when they've actually just been extremely consistent since going 6-0.

I completely disagree with this. We are absolutely losing because of a lack of chemistry. Unless you think that teams like Charlotte and NYK should be beating us just because we're playing on their floor. I would say that those are teams we should be able to handle no matter where the game is played. So why isn't it happening? It's chemistry. At the very least, it's a mental problem with this team.

When you're away from your comfort zone on the road, that's when you find out what your team is made of. That's when you find out who you can count on. But this team can't seem to figure out how to play together when the deck is stacked against them. If that isn't a leadership problem then I don't know what is.

Fo hit the nail on the head, if Smith is arguing with the coach in the locker room then someone needs to step up and tell him to shut his mouth. But it seems like the only guy trying to keep Josh in check is Woody, and we already know he isn't exactly a guy that Josh listens to.

The thing that bothers me most about Smith's current antics is that he is supposed to be one of our leaders. When your second best player spends most of his time taking stupid shots and whining about coaching, it trickles down to everyone on the roster.

I've always been a big fan of Smith, but this season he has been a different player. He's not playing with the same passion and intensity. If that doesn't change soon then there are going to be some serious problems. I miss the old Josh Smith. The guy that came out and played his heart out every time he stepped on the floor, the guy that inspired his team by making game-changing plays on offense and defense. What happened to that man? I hope he comes back soon.

[HoopsGuru25]

Josh-the chemistry may be the reason the team sucks on the road, but if that's the case then let's not pretend that the lack of chemistry just became a problem recently. The team is not "falling apart"....they are losing the same games they've lost all year. I don't recall anyone saying their was a problem with our leadership when we were winning at home. The Hawks playing on the road clearly is a mental problem...however that same mental problem existed last year during the regular season and when we beat Boston at home but couldn't even play them close once in 4 tries on the road. The only difference is that people are getting nervous because of the combination of all these road games piled together and Miami/Detroit finally starting to play well.

[tontoz]

Smith has looked completely disinterested since the All-Star break. Last night he jacked up a couple of 3s in the first half and had that awful possession to end the half so i am sure Woody let him have it. Woody should have put his foot down with Smith a long time ago.

If Smith doesn't get his act together this could easily be his last year in a Hawks jersey.

[BigAlHorfordROY]

I don't even know what to think anymore. It is obvious Woody has tried to get that kid in check and it isn't working. Can you even blame Woody anymore?

This kid is in his fifth year, granted still a young man but at some point it has to come back on you. The same knocks on Smoove exist today as they did early in his career. You have to grow up and be a proffessional at some point, check your ego at the door. He is the only player on this team that you constantly hear stuff about. Sure other things go on behind closed doors, but this much with one guy? Come on

I see him having the same problems wherever he goes and hopefully he does go. He is a selfish player and doesn't play a team oriented game. Sure he can block a few shots and make a highlight dunk or two, but that only goes so far in the end when you are making the boneheaded plays he does. It used to be the good outweighed the bad with Smoove, now it is the otherway around.

Remember when there was all those teams apparently so high on Smith in the offseason, but he kept coming back without a contract? Apparently they saw something the Hawks brass couldn't see and now we are the ones paying for it.

[conleyorbust]

Fo hit the nail on the head, if Smith is arguing with the coach in the locker room then someone needs to step up and tell him to shut his mouth. But it seems like the only guy trying to keep Josh in check is Woody, and we already know he isn't exactly a guy that Josh listens to.

Of course, there's always the possibility that the other players are sick of Woody too which is why Joe seems to tune everyone out and just play one on one ball all the time and Marv/Al/Bibby seem very content to let things happen around them and not demand the ball and try to take charge when things are falling apart.

For various and very obvious reasons, our offensive and defensive strategies do not work and don't fit the personnel we use right now. I'm sure the players, who are in those systems, understand that. Whether it is their "professional responsibility" to always support the coach is a moot point as it is his "professional responsibilty" to design a system that fits and even his most ardent supporters wouldn't say he's attempted that. Don't forget too that Woody has had blowouts with other players. Acie has been in his doghouse since day 1, he's kicked Zaza out before, 2 of the guys we shipped out for Bibby had had blowouts with him (AJ and Shel). Seems like he's a lot like Scott Skiles in that he wears thin on dudes except his teams don't overachieve like Skiles'.

I actually don't disagree with you that we need more leadership but I do think that even more than Joe, Woody needs to be the leader of this team as that is his job description. I don't like the fact that Joe is a reluctant leader but I'm more likely to evaluate his on-court performances whereas a lack of motivation and preparation on the road is something that we can look to Woody for.

Honestly, if we can't say Woody is a bad coach because his systems don't work, the players aren't motivated to play for him, the players have all gone off into their own little worlds, we aren't prepared, we don't seem happy, our substitution patterns suck, etc. What do coaches do? Why pay the dude a cool mil or two if his job is to stand there? I'm 100% sure that if the job didn't require you to effectively manage in game subs, come up with good offensive and defensive sets, and motivate and develop player's habits, I could do it.

The way I see it is that this is at best a Terry Porter situation (decent coach with the wrong group) and at worst a Larry Krystowiak situation (poor coach with the wrong group). Either way, the team has COMPLETELY zoned him out, allowed things to devolve, and stopped trying on D. Doesn't mean Woody is a bad guy or anything, just a coach that is inneffective.