2nd best player?

[Hawkeyes]

I think everyone would obviously agree that Joe Johnson is our best player, but who do you think is our 2nd best player? The easy answer used to always be Josh Smith, but his offensive game has been very poor so that leaves the question wide open. It isn't that big of a deal, but I was just curious what everyone thought. Bibby has stepped up his game a lot, Horford is big for us inside since we are light inside, Marvin is much improved, so who do you all think? Right now my answer would be Marvin Williams.

[killbuckner]

Keep in mind that Marvin has been shooting 25% on 3 pointers over his last 11 games. Its still hard to know what he is going to provide.

If you are just going off of this season then Bibby has easily been the Hawks second best player I think. He has really been a threat out there in a way I didn't think he could be. He had declined 3 seasons in a row but has really turned it around.

[Narcist]

ZAZA easy.

[LHughes/JSmooth]

This is a good question at this point in the season, and really hard to answer. With Marvin and Bibby playing well, and Smith and Horford having great games. I want to say Marvin, but based on what Bibby has done this season, it's him.

[JoshB914]

The answer to this question seems to change every couple of weeks.

For now I've got to go with Bibby. He's shooting lights out and runs the offense extremely well. But one of the things I've liked most about his game this year is that he has committed himself to playing defense. That has made a HUGE difference.

[D21]

I will choose Bibby, and he's playing exactly the way we hoped. Everybody know he's not a great defender, but it's balanced with his offensive production. He's making a great combo with Joe, and seems to play focused, at least of his passing game with less than 1,5 TO/game.

Back to some months ago, I was happy the trade was for him and not for Andre Miller.
Now that Bibby showed he can play at this level being not injured and after training camp, it looks like the right choice.

[JoshB914]

To be fair to Bibby, he is working his butt off on defense, he just isn't that good at it.

This is one area where Woody really has to take a lot of the credit. Mike was not motivated to play defense over the past few years. But this year he is doing whatever he can on both sides of the ball to help the team win.

[Rod700]

Since Josh's blocks have dropped a bit recently, I would give the slight edge to Bibby, but I expect that would be temporary. In two years, I will like Horford could be better than either of them are right now though.

[Sultanofatl]

Bibby. He is the guy we count on when it is crunch time and Joe is doubled.

[NDaATL]

As good as our defense is with Smith as opposed to how bad it was without him, and considering our 16-6 record with him and 6-6 without, I have to say Smith.

How is his offense been terrible? He's still shooting 48% which is a career high and averaging 15 ppg, and his TO's are down from the past 2 seasons. Bibby is EASILY our third best player this season, but he contributes nothing defensively so I can't give him the nod.

[CWell]

To be fair to Bibby, he is working his butt off on defense, he just isn't that good at it.

This is one area where Woody really has to take a lot of the credit. Mike was not motivated to play defense over the past few years. But this year he is doing whatever he can on both sides of the ball to help the team win.

more contract year than woody

[LL Cool Scott]

Bibby. He's a winner. Love the guy. Josh Smith is my favorite player, but he's played like doo doo this year on offense.

If we're counting the super-human Hawk players on the roster, then it's:
1. Zaza
2. Joe Johnson
3. Bibby

Among the mere mortals, it's:
1. Joe Johnson
2. Bibby
3. Josh Smith

[D21]

As good as our defense is with Smith as opposed to how bad it was without him, and considering our 16-6 record with him and 6-6 without, I have to say Smith.

How is his offense been terrible? He's still shooting 48% which is a career high and averaging 15 ppg, and his TO's are down from the past 2 seasons. Bibby is EASILY our third best player this season, but he contributes nothing defensively so I can't give him the nod.

I know the defense is a big problem without Smith, but offense would be a big one without Bibby.

With Smith's injury, we saw what the team is without him, but as long as Bibby is not injured, and we don't know any record with Smith but without Bibby, we can't use this argument to compare both, even if I would bet on a record not better than 6-6 if Bibby was injured for 12 games.