Whats The Problem??

[jagstang76]

Tontoz, we had a ton of injuries all of last season, not just at the end. D21 has a great argument. We should be a much better team with adding Horford and having Smoove, Chill, and Marvin contributing more. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to watch many games since moving to Memphis, but I can see that there are some pretty big issues that are keeping this team down. I think a good bit of the disappointment has to be on Woody. I don't know how much better another coach would do, but he obviously isn't making good decisions. Also, guys like JJ and Zaza are definitely not contributing at the level they should. And then there are some glaring weaknesses on the team like not having a good PG, a good sharp-shooter, or enough decent bigs. Now, we should have Speedy making PG less of a weakness, but he's currently unavailable . Salim and a few others ought to be giving us the range we need. And Zaza and Sheldon should be contributing more in the post for us. BK really has attempted to bring in players that fill all the roles, but he hasn't been able to see that his solutions are not working and make moves to address the issues.

So, it's a combination of coaching, certain players, and our GM not meeting expectations. All these problems could be helped by addressing one - making a move to address our weakness at PG. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I think BK could get someone like Miller or Watson and see an immediate impact on the whole team. For one, guys like JJ and Zaza would gain a great deal from having someone to get them the ball in a good position to score. That helps everybody, including Woody because he'll have someone to make things happen on the court to where he doesn't have to be a scheme genius to keep us going. The only thing a PG won't help is in the size department. But the ones we have might play better if they have someone to better guard the perimeter and create opportunities for them.

[tontoz]

We have had injury issues this year as well. AJ was the only healthy pg on the roster for awhile. Acie and Lue both were hurt. Speedy hasn't played at all. Chill was out. JJ has been playing hurt for awhile and we don't really know the extent of his injury.

Last year JJ and Lue were both extremely hot to start the season. That isn't the case this year.

The reality is that our only additions are rookies that aren't helping us on offense. Before the season i would have said that i expect both of them to be averaging low double figures.

Acie just hasn't been playing enough and when he does play he can't make a jumper. Horford hasn't been using his quickness advantage against bigger slower players which is making it tough for him to score.

[D21]

But the question is: do they not bring enough in offense because of themselves, or because of Woody ?

If Woody has systems, but not the right players, then we should go after a guy like Frye who seems to know how to play in POR (remember he was part of some good actions in the disaster), and not a defensive big like we thought.

[tontoz]

But the question is: do they not bring enough in offense because of themselves, or because of Woody ?

Both. I would say both guys are tentative offensively but Woody has to take some blame.

they need to tell Horford when he is matched up with someone like Big Z that he needs to drive on him even if he isn't comfortable with it. At least we could get some fouls on Z.

Acie should be playing 30 minutes a game and i think that would solve his problems.

Like it or not we are still in developmental mode. Sure it would be great to make the playoffs and be a first round pansy but you can't lose sight of the big picture.

Horford and Acie are going to be here for years and we need them to learn how to play/score. We won't be a good team unless those two start hitting their stride and we may just have to accept some growing pains just like with Smith and Marvin.

There is absolutely no point in playing AJ and Lue big minutes instead of Acie. Both guys will be gone next year and they aren't that good anyway.

[conleyorbust]

Well I'm pretty sure that we all know the the problem(s) is(are): We have no point guard, we have no shooters, our big man depth is atrocious, we have poor coaching, our fans cheer for the other team, our best scorer isn't shooting well, our bench players have regressed, etc.

I think the issue now is getting to solutions. I think there are a few ways we can go with this. First, we might make the playoffs as currently constructed but I don't think anyone wants to see us continue without making a move. So we can say that we should use our assets to acquire one or more of the following: point guard, shooter, big man.

Second, if we don't make any roster changes than I think its time to say good bye to Mike Woodson. Some mixed feelings on that move but the problem is that Woody's job is to do as well as he can and he will do that the only way he knows how. Woody comes from a specific school of coaching and isn't going to change that. If the roster is going to be the same at the deadline than we should bring in a new coach that will be willing to try new things even if it leads to some losses. We should always try and push the pace, we should start the offense from our PF and C and let the perimeter players work off of them, things like that; things that Woody doesn't like to do.

Personally I'd like to see us acquire Dre Miller and make the playoffs running this season. With a move like that we could hit a streak, pass Washington, and have a competitive series against Orlando. Then in the offseason we say goodbye to Woodson and try to land a coach that will play the team to its strengths.

[tontoz]

I think the chances of BK making a helpful trade before the deadline are about the same as the chances of the Hawks offering me a 10 day contract.

[D21]

Basically, it's a incompatibility between coach and how the team is constructed. So 3 possibilities:

1) we change the coach for one who can use systems that get benefits from our players.

2) we add/change some players to fit the way Woody is coaching.

3) both 1 and 2, excepting it would be better to first change the coach in order to make right moves.

The best ways to built the right team would be the 3) , but that means it is too late (unless BK can find a coach then some trades in 10 days...), so it would be this summer. Problem: we have expiring contracts, and we can add some talent with that, but these contracts won't be there this summer, and we will only have the MLE due to the cap holds and/or extension.

So 3) had to be made last summer, and not the one coming.

That's why it is so complicated now.
Sure BK wants at least the playoff to save his place, but if the only possible trades are not trades with players who don't fit Woody's systems, it could be dangerous and the team could miss the playoff. He certainly thought about that.

[lunarblues]

i remember at the beginning of the season we asked what we thought our W/L record would be. for the most part everyone here said we'd win around 36 games.

well...

this is how you win 36 games. let's face it, we knew this team was going to screw up around 10 games and we knew we were going to get demolished in about 20 games and we were going to legit lose another 15 games.

we also knew that this record was going to get us into the playoffs for the first time.

this offseason, we are going to have to reload on our bench, but i don't see any trades that are going to push that win total up this year.