Josh Smith

Joel Embust · Post #1 » by **Joel Embust** » Tue May 6, 2008 10:41 am

His 07/08 stats are almost identical to his 06/07 stats, but then again he's just 22 years old.

Will this guy ever be a 20 point scorer? It's not easy to improve your scoring average when you can't hit a shot from more than 15 feet.

Gerald Wallace and Shawn Marion weren't shooters and they've extended their range, will Smith do the same?

conleyorbust · Post #2 » by **conleyorbust** » Tue May 6, 2008 3:04 pm

Well its actually a little bit misleading to say his stats were the same. He scored 1.6 more points per40 and shot 46% instead of 44%. He had more assists with fewer turnovers too.

Its also important to remember that last season Joe Johnson missed the last month and a half and Smith was asked to be the 20ppg scorer, which he actually did fairly well. That raised his scoring average this season but Johnson didn't miss a game so Smith wasn't initiating the offense which hurt his %s because for some reason he was out at the perimeter too often and got the ball near the end of the shotclock and took the J.

Anyway. Comparing him to Marion and Wallace is tricky. Smith actually has a viable post game and the 2 inches and +25 pounds of muscle he has on those guys means that he doesn't have to play as far out from the basket. In the Boston series he shot 46% from 2 and that was lowered by his disasterous game 7, when he was in the high post against KG he was making his moves. He needs some discipline or a coach that will put him in an offensive system where the PF isn't getting the ball at the 3pt. line and being asked to create.

Of course its possible that he does improve his jumper and that would be nice but until he does he needs to reign in the urge to take it.

_BBIB_ · Post #3 » by **_BBIB_** » Sat May 10, 2008 4:10 pm

Sky is the limit for Josh Smith, it's all about his BBIQ and development of a 12-15 foot jumpshot.

He needs to stay away from the 3 point line.

And as pointed out he DID improve this season. Will be interesting to see if he can stay hungry after a big pay day. I personally think he can.

TAI8 · Post #4 » by **TAI8** » Sat May 10, 2008 6:31 pm

Yes. He has tremendous potential and is contingent on his work ethic specifically on his J and ball handling. He is already terrific on the fast break and blocking shots.

wigglestrue · Post #5 » by **wigglestrue** » Sat May 10, 2008 7:07 pm

If his court awareness improves with maturity and somebody in the Hawks organization reshapes his poor shooting form into something decent, he'll easily score 20+ ppg and be a perennial All-NBA candidate.

Pats19andO · Post #6 » by **Pats19andO** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:50 pm

wigglestrue wrote:If his court awareness improves with maturity and somebody in the Hawks organization reshapes his poor shooting form into something decent, he'll easily score 20+ ppg and be a perennial All-NBA candidate.

And Dpoy

Post #7 » by **tsherkin** » Mon May 12, 2008 1:28 am

Smith is one of the best young defenders in the league, an excellent rebounder and a decent post scorer. As someone else said, he needs a mid-range J and to be beaten with a stick until he plays a disciplined brand of basketball but he also needs not-Mike-Woodson as his coach, a coach who will put him in the places he needs to be in order to score effectively. He could be a 20 ppg, 50% type of scorer.

Smith is definitely a promising young talent, a sky's-the-limit type even nearly a half-decade into his career.