Josh Smith 2014-2015

princeofpalace · Post #1 » by **princeofpalace** » Wed Nov 12, 2014 3:25 pm

Josh Smith is our most mercurial player, he has the ability to stuff the stat sheet, in a way that few players can and has the potential to be a plus defender. However, Josh Smith is currently averaging:

14 points/8 boards/4 assists/2 blocks on 35% FG on 17 attempts, 10% from 3 on 2 attempts per game in 35 minutes per game.

Offensively, Smith has been horrifying- he hasn’t met a shot that he didn’t like and he’s missed more shots at the hoop that he has made and takes a number of ill advised jumpers early in the shot clock. Things have gotten so bad, the crowd loudly boos when Smith shoots long jumpers. In response to this, Smith said that he didn’t care what fans think but his teammates, and those who “understand basketball” understand his shot attempts K. Smith clearly has no awareness that he hurts more than he helps on offense which is suggestive of 1) low ball IQ 2) lack of discipline and 3) being on a long leash.

The one positive thing regarding Smith’s offensive game thus far is that he’s not taking as many threes, instead taking more shots closer to the hoop. That said, Smith is still as inefficient as ever.

27 % of Smith’s shots thus far this season have been at the rim, up from 25% last year. However for whatever reason Smith is finishing at an embarrassing 44% from point blank range.

31% of Smith’s shots have been from 3-10 feet, up from 24% last year. However Smith is finishing at a 38% from that range.

4% of Smiths shots have been from 10-16 feet, up from 6% last year where he has yet to hit a single shot in that range (0 of 5).

28% of Smith’s shots have been from 16 feet to the 3 point line, up from 23% last year, where he has only shot 37%

10% of Smith’s shots have been from 3 point land, down from 22% last year, where he has shot 10% (1 for 11)

Since starting at SF, Smith has been rebounding the basketball better than your average SF and his defense on SF’s has been solid. Smith is passing well and is helping to protect the paint through shot blocking .

Is Smith helping us more than he’s hurting us? Will he eventually make his shots in the paint? Is he correct that fans don’t understand basketball when they harp on him for his field goal attempts? Are you upset that SVG has shown little ability to rein in Smith’s shot attempts? Are you disappointed that Smith is leading us in minutes and shot attempts? Is Smith being unfairly blamed for our losses? Should we trade Smith, and if not, what is his role with the team?

Post #2 » by **Snakebites** » Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:09 pm

He's terrible.

As of right now I think its very clear that he's hurting us more than he's helping us, and frankly (small sample size, I know) he wasn't shooting any better at power forward either.

And its hilarious that he's deploring fans for not understanding basketball, when he's one of the lowest IQ players I've ever seen or heard spoken of.

I don't know how upset I am about SVG's (thus far) apparent inability to control Smith's shooting. Its very obvious that he's still taking bad shots, and he's still taking them early in the shot clock. We'll see how the year progresses.

When teams double team him he doesn't pass out of it well. When teams leave him open he shoots us right out of games. There is no defensive strategy a team can employ that DOESN'T lead to bad offensive plays from him.

With that said, this team has been straight up awful from the field this year in general. There's plenty of blame to go around.

Post #3 » by **dVs33** » Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:14 pm

He's definitely improved as the season has gone on. the last few games he's looked much better, but he still ruins his good work with a boneheaded move in the last few minutes of the game.
It seems like he's been attacking the rim and his long jumpers are going down, so i can live with that.
I just hope he can continue the way he's going.

I'd still trade him if we can get either a starting SF or cap space this offseason.

Moose10Fan · Post #4 » by **Moose10Fan** » Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:37 pm

He stinks,

whatever he does thats positive is negated by a string of bone headed plays and his free throw shooting. He weighs the team down much like he did last season, you can't get into any rhythm as a group if one guy is taking shots and making plays his teamates know he can't complete.

Post #5 » by **Snakebites** » Wed Nov 12, 2014 11:44 pm

Honestly, I'm not sure Lebron James does enough positive on the court to negate the negative that Smith brings, both in terms of court results and development for other players.

He's the textbook definition of a cancer, and the worst one this teams' seen since Allen Iverson. Heck, he's probably worse simply on the basis of the fact that we were only stuck with Iverson for one year and could tell him to go home towards the end of the season.

Han Solo · Post #6 » by **Han Solo** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 2:41 am

Smith has to go. He's the black hole of this team and makes us worse..

JD43320 · Post #7 » by **JD43320** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 2:50 am

Spider156 · Post #8 » by **Spider156** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:11 am

Smith is the black hole for our team like someone ^ up there said. He takes a lot of shots and it kills our offensive flow. The sooner we trade him the faster we move on from the mistake he was bringing him here. Smith or Drummond needs to come off the bench. I wish Dre was giving a good enough reason to start but he's not. I'm very annoyed with how ours players are playing in the end. It's pathetic.

srt4b · Post #9 » by **srt4b** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:14 am

Smith embodies everything I dislike about basketball. He doesn't feel like a Piston at all. I will start watching again when he is gone. I honestly have no idea where he fits in the league. Maybe as a defensive specialist next to a scoring big man. O wait, we already have that and he is still a chucker.

Defor · Post #10 » by **Defor** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:17 am

Smith has been terrible this yr , worse it appears his bad habbits are rubbing off on Drummond. I've been very critical of the bone head brothers since we got Smith and Jennings , but after watching the last few games , I'm happy to admit I been too hard on Jennings. SVG seems to be reaching him as he been playing alot better , Smith on the other hand is a lost cause , too bad we can't trade him too the european league for some small forwards prospects.

Han Solo · Post #11 » by **Han Solo** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:22 am

Hornets are having a hard time scoring the ball.. Maybe they will take him from us??

Spider156 · Post #12 » by **Spider156** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:36 am

I'd trade Smith for ANYTHING. Anything at all!!

Spider156 · Post #13 » by **Spider156** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:37 am

Give me Eric Gordon for Smith. Watch what our coach would do with Gordon.

DetroitSho · Post #14 » by **DetroitSho** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:38 am

Han Solo wrote:Hornets are having a hard time scoring the ball.. Maybe they will take him from us??

How does Smith help that?

Han Solo · Post #15 » by **Han Solo** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:39 am

DetroitSho wrote:
Han Solo wrote:Hornets are having a hard time scoring the ball.. Maybe they will take him from us??

How does Smith help that?

Chucking?

Rasheeed!!! · Post #16 » by **Rasheeed!!!** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:47 am

Boo this man!!!

Redeemed · Post #17 » by **Redeemed** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 11:53 am

Ghost · Post #18 » by **Ghost** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 1:20 pm

dVs33 wrote:He's definitely improved as the season has gone on. the last few games he's looked much better, but he still ruins his good work with a boneheaded move in the last few minutes of the game.
It seems like he's been attacking the rim and his long jumpers are going down, so i can live with that.
I just hope he can continue the way he's going.

I'd still trade him if we can get either a starting SF or cap space this offseason.

I agree.
I was hopeful that he would take advantage of having SVG and the situation to start the year with Monroe's suspension... and even though he has improved as we have played more games and at times appears to have bought in, he still hasn't been that good. Maybe it will keep getting better and in a couple weeks (or maybe months) we won't have to look at it as being so painful or damaging to the success of the team. Right now, I'm just got to hope that it gets better instead of plotting on how to get rid of him or begging for anyone to take him. Drummond hasn't been playing up to par yet, maybe Smith will also blunder into a zone.
But if a trade does happen, I hope either we pull a Raptors from last year :lol:

... or a 76ers

Laimbeer · Post #19 » by **Laimbeer** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 8:51 pm

He's a mixed bag. He's playing good defense and averaging 8 boards, 4 assists, and 2 blocks per 36. His shot selection and FG% are maddening, but he's shooting at the same clip as KCP. I think they're both suffering from the fact they are better off as the third or fourth scoring options but are often the first or second. It would be best if Smith played less at the three, but it's on SVG when he is there. He needs to play a Marion or Faried type of role.

Smith, KCP and the Pistons would benefit enormously from a bonafide first scoring option on the perimeter.

russkopp · Post #20 » by **russkopp** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 9:24 pm

The only issue we have is he's our Greg Monroe insurance. I doubt smith is traded when monroe is most likely leaving. Add the fact monroe, one of the only pieces that could help us in a trade, can block any trade he's involved in. This is a mess and I bet we ride out the year with this team.