Salim Stoudamire frustrated by lack of playing time

[HMFFL]

Hawks guard Salim Stoudamire's lost season continued Sunday in his hometown, when he dressed but didn't play against the Portland Trail Blazers. Stoudamire has been used sparingly in the third and final season of his rookie contract.

Stuck in a situation where he doesn't play and therefore doesn't have a chance to show the progress he's made, Stoudamire can only hope for an opening.

It's been very frustrating," he said. "But I came into the season telling myself that no matter what went on, I would stay positive and just work hard. Because I know eventually things will work out for me. Looking at players like Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups, it took five years for things to work out for them, for them to find their niche."

That perspective hasn't stopped the questioning from his peers on other teams. "Every team we play, somebody comes up to me and asks why I'm not playing. I don't know. That's up to the coach."

Stoudamire is usually the last person off the practice floor. His work ethic hasn't gone unnoticed by Hawks coach Mike Woodson, who said Stoudamire is simply caught up in a numbers game in the backcourt.

"It happens in this league," Woodson said of the playing time squeeze. "Unfortunately for Salim, he had some injuries at times that didn't allow him to take advantage of the playing time that was out there. When we needed him a month ago, when guys were hurt, he was hurt, too. When [Tyronn] Lue was down, he was hurt. When Acie [Law IV] was down, he was out. He's missed 15 of our [40] games this year with injuries of his own. What can you do?"

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BS Woody, just admit you don't like Salim.

It's a numbers thing and yet Woody keeps cancers like Lue on the court. As much as I like Acie, I actually believe Salim would win one on one. Salim's just another player on this team that doesn't get any consistent playing time. Give Joe Johnson Salim's minutes and I doubt he could shake the dust off.

Salim, it's going to be fun watching you play for the Western Conference during the future.

[Hawks]

If Salim would come out and actually make shots while he is in the game. Then I could understand the arguement for playing him more.

[HMFFL]

If Salim would come out and actually make shots while he is in the game. Then I could understand the arguement for playing him more. The guy just bricks the ball everytime he shoots it. This whole arguement over Salim should play more is old. He was given his chances and didn't take advantage of them.

While I do agree he has had his chances, but about the only Hawk that can relate is Soloman Jones, because he deals with similar treatment. Woody only brings Salim into the game for a spark, but it's fairly difficult for that to occur when your cold coming off the bench, and your coach takes you back out of the game within a couple minutes (or when you make a mistake).

If we can get Salim open, I feel he will get the job done, but he needs some consistent minutes, and I would love too see Woody dip into Tyronn's minutes too make this happen. Salim is probably the fastest player we have and why not allow him to do his thing. He drives hard to the basket and I can't say the same about many of our players.

36% is Salim's career with the 3 pointer. We need shooters and yet we don't provide him with any minutes. It's poor management on Woody's behalf and he's not rewarding Salim with the work ethic he admits he has.

[JoshB914]

Salim is a shooter that hasn't shot the ball well. And he can't do anything else.

[D21]

I was thinking the same the last games I saw Salim played. The thing we don't know is what Woody is telling him. If he puts pressure on him wanting two or three 3s in the next minutes, it's not good. And Salim plays like it was this thing. I don't say it's Woody's fault, just it seems like Salim is thinking "OK I am on court so I have to shoot fast, or I will return to bench". But he can't (or exceptionally). He needs to get the game rhythm before, then start shooting. Don't know who is wrong from Woody and Salim, but sure, I would let Salim play more in the first half.

I add that Salim should not shoot in the first minutes he's on court. And then, if Woody was benching him for not shooting as soon as he's on court, it wold prove it's Woody's fault. It's all incomprehension first. Now, if this Woody says him to get rythm first and he don't and prefer shoot instantly, that's another problem. The hurting thing is we know he can shoot.

[killbuckner]

Ridiculous- Salim's chance of sticking in the league was to either become a viable option at PG or to shoot over 40% from 3. He is a lousy passer for even a SG and basically is incapable for playing the point. And he simply hasn't shot the ball well enough from 3 to justify any playing time. I really do believe there are lots of guys in the D league who would be more productive than Salim.

[Rip2137]

There is a guy in the rotation who he clearly outplays.

He is a better defender than Lue. he is a better shooter than Lue. He is a better at running the pick and roll and passing it out than Lue. He doesn't stagnate the ball like Lue. he is either going to get a shot or keep the ball rotating.

Yet he gets no minutes and Lue gets minutes.

I would personally love to see Mario West get Lue minutes, but if Woody isn't going to play him either, Salim should have the minutes because he gives the team a better opportunity to win.

But next year we will see Salim sign with a team without a moron for a coach, people around the league will take notice of his ability and that will be that.

Right now the only example of the players that "can't do anything well" who were playing here since Woody got here are Royal Ivy and Boris Diaw. Both IMMEDIATELY played ALOT better once they got to another team.

[JoshB914]

Lue has been ten times the shooter Salim has. Maybe on the practice floor Salim is, but Lue has been much better on the court. This is not defending Lue, but Salim has been struggled more so than him.

[Skyhawk1]

I swear that If i'm at Philips Arenas and that guy enters the game I'll boo. He's horrible. I'm just glad that's his last season here.

[CAM]

I'm all for him getting 10 min a game, and the boy can shoot, but Lue, although a terrible defender etc. has been a consistent and clutch shooter for us.

[HMFFL]

I'm all for him getting 10 min a game, and the boy can shoot, but Lue, although a terrible defender etc. has been a consistent and clutch shooter for us.

Lue also gets a consistent 10-27 minutes when healthy. Salim on the other hand has been toyed around with and needs consistent minutes so he can actually show us what he can offer this team. I'm far from being a Salim fan, but I don't like the unfair treatment he's received during his career with Atlanta, and at some point this year I would like to see it change.

[conleyorbust]

-= original quote snipped =-



Lue also gets a consistent 10-27 minutes when healthy. Salim on the other hand has been toyed around with and needs consistent minutes so he can actually show us what he can offer this team. I'm far from being a Salim fan, but I don't like the unfair treatment he's received during his career with Atlanta, and at some point this year I would like to see it change.

Yeah, in Sal's first season with us (his first season playing with the NBA 3 point range), he shot 38% from 3. Thats not bad at all for a rook. He showed decent ability as a scorer. For all you stat-heads out there, based on the infamous +/- he was our most effective "point-guard"... the competition being Lue and Ivey, regardless though - we run offensive sets through Joe enough that it doesn't matter.

Salim hasn't become a worse shooter. He just hasn't been given a chance. I'd say at this point he is a lost cause, damaged goods, at least in the ATL. He might be fine in another situation, it took Eddie House 5 years to have a season where he bested 38% from downtown... Sal is fairly similar to him (a superior defender, but worse passer). Won't be here though, I doubt he'll ever be able to get it going here.

[raleigh]

In other Hawks' news:

Hawks' fans frustrated by Salim's inability to make the best of his on-court time.

[Rip2137]

You all realize that his shooting numbers are the same as Joes...right?

In march and April of last year, when Woody couldn't pull him every second he missed a shot, he shot 49 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3.

He averaged over 21 minutes a game over that time and didn't see the quick hook. Its pretty simple. He didn't forget to shoot. He shot progressively better through out the year.

Its hard to produce as a shooter with no minutes and knowing that if you miss a shot you get pulled.

[HoopsGuru25]

Salim's shooting numbers being better than Joe doesn't say much. Brent Barry has had better shooting numbers than Ginobili during his time on the Spurs. The Hawks need a guy to come off the bench and drain open shots right away. Matt Carroll,Jason Kapono,and James Jones filled this role early on in their careers and eventually did it so well that they got more and more playing time as they got older. Salim is a volume shooter with no concious(Willie Green,Crawford,Dixon). The thing that makes it worse is that he is 6'1 with no PG skills. Sure he will occasionally have a game where he scores alot but he will hurt your team more often than not. He is not the type of player we need on this team.

[raleigh]

Salim has been give more than enough chances over the past 2.5 seasons. He does nothing that helps the team win games, and the day can't come soon enough that the Hawks replace him with someone with actual guard skills.

[High 5]

Salim should at least get a heat check when our offense is struggling. He's a streaky shooter but when he's on he's on.

[raleigh]

But where do you play him?

He can't play lead guard, and if you play him at off guard, you either have to ask JJ to run the show (which he hates) or go with an undersized unit.

I don't buy the "he needs more PT" excuse. Coming off the bench at random moments to hit big perimeter shots is EXACTLY what you want from your bench sniper. If he can't do that, he's useless.

[JoshB914]

You all realize that his shooting numbers are the same as Joes...right?

In march and April of last year, when Woody couldn't pull him every second he missed a shot, he shot 49 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3.

He averaged over 21 minutes a game over that time and didn't see the quick hook. Its pretty simple. He didn't forget to shoot. He shot progressively better through out the year.

Its hard to produce as a shooter with no minutes and knowing that if you miss a shot you get pulled.

Yes they are the same as Joe's. And they have both been terrible shooting the ball. The thing is, Salim can't do anything else.

Maybe when people ask why Salim isn't playing he can tell them it's because he's shot 19-59 when on the floor. I think that's a pretty good reason.

[High 5]

But where do you play him?

He can't play lead guard, and if you play him at off guard, you either have to ask JJ to run the show (which he hates) or go with an undersized unit.

I don't buy the "he needs more PT" excuse. Coming off the bench at random moments to hit big perimeter shots is EXACTLY what you want from your bench sniper. If he can't do that, he's useless.

So we can play Lue but not Salim? Lue doesn't help the offense (unless he hits a jump shot) and doesn't play defense. Pretty much the same for Salim, but he's younger, faster, more athletic and is playing for a lot more than Lue. As someone else said, you won't see Salim dribbling out the clock, he either takes the shot or moves the ball.