buckeye242424

Yes. Granted the current 4-1 record is nice w/out him, and sure he's not worth ALL that coin....BUT, we need Joe. He needs to get healthy and come back fresh and ready to roll. We're not better off without him.

Way to go LD to sticking to his guns and benching Smoove. I hated seeing it, and Smoove pouted until we had a chance to win. but whatever. 5 in a row with our all star benched, and the other in "time-out", I'm ok with it. Horf stepped up, dude is our leader

A four time all-star bust? Just dumb....he had10 boards and 7 assists and we won handily. He can help in other ways, and he did, and we won...

Another one in Toronto tomorrow...

Trade Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson. I don't like this plan....

I agree that he's in a slump, and everyone is ticked he's breaking the bank and playing so bad. Glass half full, it's an adjustment. For the first time in 6 years, for the most part, he doesn't have to go one on one all the time. It's going to take some time for all these changes to settle in. Also in JJ's defense, he rebounded well today, and made some really nice passes...Just because he isn't shooting well, doesn't mean he isnt important to the team. We blew out a team that has been hot on their home court with our star not having to score....that's not all bad.

Yeah, LOL...the bench was classic, especially Smoove. My DVR got a workout, I watched the dunk/reaction at least 10 times...

Yikes....rider. That's not a good thing. You post enough to care. I can't miss a game.. Speaking of, we have been in HD more than not this year, luv it.

Marv had a few WIDE open looks early, and I only remember him hitting one....about 18 feet, albeit timely, cause we were on a good run. However, something needs to change. Call me crazy, and I will be, but I think I would look at putting Horf at his natural position, throw Collins in there - or Zaza - whatever, and putting Smoove at 3. Smoove is gonna do what he wants to do, we all know it...he shouldn't even have a label, or number....he just needs to be out there. Marv needs a change. Maybe coming off the bench will spark him.

I don't think we should expect Joe to get "better" in the regular season, that's tough to do. What we should expect is the consistency and to put up similar numbers as the last few years. So far, he hasn't done that, and it's disappointing. But I don't think he's on a decline yet. His numbers will go down with Smoove being in his prime and Horf becoming a stud.

I hope not about tonight's game, if that's what you were referring to.... Tomorrow is another day though, and in the long run, me too. I'll enjoy my stomach being stuffed and a Hawks win in the time being.

Collins looks more comfortable shooting the three than Smoove! Haha...looks prettier. Jordan can score. I never thought I would see a player with a more calm demeanor than Joe Johnson in the league, let alone on the same team! Craws2 shows absolutely no emotion on the court, not that it's a bad thing, but he's super calm/relaxed playing. I think he's got a ton of potential and he's going to get his shot to prove it....I bet sooner rather than later.

Uuuuuhhh. We did okay. No worries.

Yup. His improvement is glaringly obvious. Darko had NO chance guarding him yesterday. Love his heart, effort. He just seems like he's playing harder than anyone else on the floor. And it's already come, for me at least, when he's shooting 16, 17 feet and in, it's money.

Sorry I don't give the entire season up on one game out of 82. Games like last night happen. Orlando blew a 24 point lead at home last night. I'm not pretending anything. Don't put words in my mouth. Do we have issues? Sure. Every team does. I'll be happy when we win a few more game in a row and you disappear again.

Gotta give some credit to Milwaukee, they seemed to make every shot, get every bounce...excuses aside, they whooped us. Long season, it happens. 6-3, move on.

Yuuupp. Been saying that for years.

How about it was ugly? We lost in an embarassing fashion. It's game 9 in 82 and everyone needs to take a deep breath. Although, our next opponent, the Jazz is on the verge of beating Orlando on their home court.

hahahahahahahahahahaa

I agree, 100%, and I have made such comments. In addition to keeping the core together, we've improved, all that jazz. For the sake of the thread, I'll assume devil's advocate. It was a no brainer locking up Horf. Not only a solid double double, but ASG is just following the footsteps, like you mentioned, giving Marv, Smoove, JJ, Zaza, Bibby contracts. But, maybe for the sake of money, or realizing we do need that true center to finally get over the hump, our biggest bargaining chip is Smoove. I can somewhat understand that rationale, just slide Horf to his natural position. But true centers are so hard to find these days, especially ones that need to slow down D. Howard, that it makes it nearly impossible to perform a trade in which Atlanta gets as much talent in return for J Smoove.

I don't understand the money situation, but the opinion is we can't afford all these guys under contract...so how do we keep getting contracts done? We're locking up all of our "core" guys, so why would Smoove be the odd man out when we made a point to keep him? It has to be Craws...dumping his salary helps us to keep Smoove somehow.....

We wouldn't have won this game without Smoove, and we would could have lost this game with him just as easy. I'm done trying to break down his game, his talent, his head, technicals, all that. Never have I been so pissed, then cheering, then pissed, then he wins the game for us....geez! My rationale thinking is if he can be so dominate on defense, I'm fine with the long jumpers. He's earned some shots on offense as much effort he puts in on defense. Wow...what a teeter-totter game in regards to one player. Glad we won!

Didn't Zaza play for the Georgia National Team this summer? I think so...Could be why is in better shape and his game looks sharp.

To answer the question of the thread... Woody is thinking he needed to hear and listen to the 56 coaches on his staff! Obviously, he didn't. How we could continue to follow the elementary offensive knowledge for a half a decade +, with the talent he had?? And he had an assistant that could implement something better to play to our talents as a team is extrememely confusing. Woody is thinking he didn't use his resources and LD is either thinking "I told ya so", or "I'm not taken seriously, so I won't speak up"..... Either way, if Woodson watched our first game, he's shaking his head...

The win is irrelavant, except for it was the first win - game - of the year, and everyone wants to get off on the right foot. But I hear ya, with 82 games, it is really insignificant looking at the whole picture. It's so nice to see the same talent, the same faces, the same players aka. "core", doing something 100% different than what we've done for the last five years with the same dude's, its refreshing. I know it's only one game, and we could fall flat on our faces, but it was apparent we hit the ceiling with our team under Woody...give credit to the owners for realizing that, and making the change while were still fairly young, talented, and giving this fan base a new life with same guys. I love the players we have, and thankful they're still here with the chance to compete with the big boys with a whole different angle. It's exciting. That said, on to game two.