Hawks in Milwaukee...

[ATL Boy]

Horford just overpowered the scrawny Larry Sanders on that last play, great win!!

[Jamaaliver]

AL avg 22 & 9 on 69% shooting in the last two weeks.

And he avg 24 & 8 this week. Has to be a candidate for player of the week and maybe player of the month!

[parson]

Yes, there were those times when Smith wasn't very intelligent out there and, yes, he shot badly (6-19, 2-6 from 30 but the guy is important when he shows up - aaaaand he still fills up the stat sheet (13reb, 5a, 3steals and 1 block).

Meanwhile, those who say Horford can't create his own shot and has no inside moves need to explain his game-winning drive on the NBA's best shot-blocker.

Teague proved how dumb it would have been to trade for Jennings. Teague and Harris whooped Jennings and Ellis.

Our main problem was demonstrated again: we're small, small, small. MIL killed us on the boards and inside. You go 14-28 from 3 and have to squeak out a win?

[GrimeyKidd]

Apparently Larry Sanders grabbed zaza from behind following the game and he described it as "they are just mad they lost"

[PandaKidd]

What i cannot stand, is the way Josh Smith , for lack of a better word, LOLLY GAGS after a missed shot. I never once see him miss a shot and hustle back on defense. He always misses a shot, stands and looks at the ref, puts his hands up, complains, and then decides he needs to trot down court. WTF IS THAT

HUSTLE MAN, HUSTLE.

[Skyhawk1]

Well, that was a nice win in spite of Smith. Dude is beyond a black hole sometimes. We will get better once we learn to play a little slower. Last night against the Kings and tonight against the Bucks, we seemed to rush a lot of shots (Smith and Korver). We are way more under control running the pick and roll with Al and Teague. The Bucks will get better with Redick. Sanders need to get more physical and play inside on both ends of the floor, he's got a lot of potential. Now, Jennings is another basketball black hole. He's got no PG skills, it's all about shooting with that guy. Imagine him and Smith on the same team. Throw in M. Ellis and you have the worst shot selection team in NBA history.

[Yungsta404]

great comeback from us. Smoove needs to go he almost gave the game away. AL beasted.

[Jamaaliver]

What i cannot stand, is the way Josh Smith , for lack of a better word, LOLLY GAGS after a missed shot. I never once see him miss a shot and hustle back on defense. He always misses a shot, stands and looks at the ref, puts his hands up, complains, and then decides he needs to trot down court. WTF IS THAT

HUSTLE MAN, HUSTLE.

Amen, brother. At this point, I'd welcome a less talented player who simply played hard and made smart decisions.

[PandaKidd]

I wish Josh Smith had Al Horfords mentality. Horford isnt as athletic or gifted as Josh Smith, but he makes up for it with his intangibles.

Im just more so worried about it infecting the players around him.

[Rip2137]

I actually feel sorry that you guys can't watch a game objectively anymore. You watch waiting for Josh to do something wrong to the point you miss what he does right, how others are screwing up etc.

If I hadn't watched the game I would have thought he was the worse player in the world and we won in spite of a horrible 4th quarter. But I watched the game. I watched him have 5 points(on 2-4 shooting with one shot being blocked) 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 careless turnover in the final 4 and a half minutes of the game. Not one mention of Teague or Harris having the same amount of turnovers in the Quarter, Horford's really tough shooting stretch to start the quarter or any of that. Nope Josh had 1 turnover and the world fell apart.

I really do pity you guys. If you can honestly say you have never seen Josh get back on a missed shot then I can honestly say you haven't been watching.

This is literally getting silly. Al Horford is the only guy I would be against trading on this team, I personally don't care if we resign Josh or not, but I have to continuously point out the forest to you tree watchers in here when it comes to Josh Smith.

[parson]

Rip, I think some criticism is warranted but I agree this is going way over the edge.

That said, saying Smith had the same # of turnovers as 2 GUARDS demonstrates part of Smith's problem: he needs to stop trying to be our PG, especially on the break. What's so maddening to me is, he'd be a monster if he got the ball out to Teague/Harris fast and took off down the left side. Our fast PGs pushing the ball and giving it up to Smith for a dunk would break teams' hearts.

I notice alot of new guys (low, low post #s) criticizing Smith all of a sudden.

[Jamaaliver]

I actually feel sorry that you guys can't watch a game objectively anymore. You watch waiting for Josh to do something wrong to the point you miss what he does right, how others are screwing up etc.

I would disagree with you there, RIP.

An example would be the previous night's game where ATL largely dominated SAC. I complimented Teague, Josh and AL on their solid all around games.

Tonight we played a disjointed, tight game that we barely won against an inferior team. I was critical of AL. I was compliementary of AL.

I was critical of Jeff Teague. i was complimentary of Jeff Teague.

I was critical of Josh. He made poor decisions all night, and it came to a head in the fourth quarter.
He then made two back to back big plays.

I WAS COMPLIMENTARY OF JOSH. Almost immediately.

I gave fair assessments of each players performance as they happened.

But last night was a poor game for Josh. Not because he was missing shots, but because he didn't seem to be the same smart decisions that everyone else on the team was. Long jumpers. Too many three pointers. Not getting back on defense. Arguing with refs. Insisting on bringing the ball up court after almost all of his rebounds. Not blocking out. he has poor fundamentals. And it showed last night.

With that said, if i never see AL taking a 3pointer, I'll be a happy man.

Jeff and Devin should run the offense, should bring the ball up, that's what they do.

At one point, Josh got a rebound and was running down court at full speed when Drew called a timeout. Josh immediately stopped and bounced the ball in frustration.
Josh was trying to run the fast break. Drew was trying to get the ball out of Josh's hands and into the playmakers that had been playign well all night.

the signs are there. have been for most of the last decade. Anyone who's ever taught fundamental basketball can recognize it.

[Rip2137]

Rip, I think some criticism is warranted but I agree this is going way over the edge.

That said, saying Smith had the same # of turnovers as 2 GUARDS demonstrates part of Smith's problem: he needs to stop trying to be our PG, especially on the break. What's so maddening to me is, he'd be a monster if he got the ball out to Teague/Harris fast and took off down the left side. Our fast PGs pushing the ball and giving it up to Smith for a dunk would break teams' hearts.

I notice alot of new guys (low, low post #s) criticizing Smith all of a sudden.

I think alot of the criticism is warrented. Look, its not like I don't see Smiths problems. The thing is, he has been doing it so long, that others on the team aren't helping. Meaning, watch the next time Smith gets a rebound. There is a 50-50 chance EVERYONE just turns and goes up court and no one stops to get the ball. This is because Smith seldom gives it up. But if you want to correct the problem, EVERYONE needs to be on board.

That big turnover in the 4th was the case. Josh brought the ball up BECAUSE Jeff wasn't looking for it. About 2 dribbles, he was looking to Teague the whole time who had his head turned. Now, I can't blame Teague because he is so used to Josh not giving it up, but I can't COMPLETELY blame Josh because he was looking to do the right thing(although that doesn't mean turn the ball over by not looking).

But the point is that was his SECOND turnover in the game. Last nights game, Kyle Korver going 2-10 with 3 turnovers and getting killed on the Defense end was probably the most damaging presence on the court. Zaza, while great on the offensive boards in the first half, his inability to finish ANYTHING around the basket hurt as well. I think anyone watching OBJECTIVELY would have seen the problems that caused. But instead its nothing but a string of "screw Josh smith for that one turnover" post.


My point is it used tobe fun when the fringe guys were the over the top ones and everyone else here could discuss basketball. We had Skyhawk that hated Josh no matter what he did, Ruhiel who would find a way to blame Marvin Williams and/or Al Horford for every loss no matter what, and most everyone else was pretty balanced. Now we have tcorbin going insane on one extreme, about 5 guys going nuts on the other end and only a few middle of the pack, rational people.

[parson]

^You just said that Smith is so terrible about not giving the ball up on the break . . . that it's not his fault.

However, now that the trade deadline's past, hopefully we can start JUST criticizing Smith where we want him to improve, not because we want him gone.

From now to the playoffs, this is the team, folks. Tear it down carefully.

[Rip2137]

^You just said that Smith is so terrible about not giving the ball up on the break . . . that it's not his fault .

Its a 100% his fault that his bad habits have created an expectation from his teammates. I'm saying if you are going to correct it, he, teammates and coaches have to be on the same page. The next time you see Josh grab a rebound and everyone sprints out with drew screaming GO! You are watching a bunch of guys asking a alcoholic to hold their beer for a second.

Right now they are on different books when it comes to Josh leading the break let alone the same page.