benhillboy

I love Nique as much as the next guy, simply because he's Nique. But he is absolutely the worst commentator grammatically I've ever heard. "Josh doesn't quite has the range from out there yet." "That Raptor bench don't look comfortable over there." "Dwayne Wade have all the skills." He even stresses incorrect words, almost like he's trying to flex his linguistic muscle. Aaah, Nique. Sometimes it's hilarious. I know many times Bob is embarrassed for himself and for Nique. Makes you wonder what he was doing in class at Georgia.

We did defeat the Lakers the second meeting last year in a great game where I would give Joe props for constantly bodying Kobe and frustrating him, although that was the first game for Kobe after his finger injury. Things won't be the same in this one, especially without Flip's energy. I expect Joe to languish lethargically, the team will follow, and wilt under the pressure of Bean's greatness.

I give the Hawks a B. I think many of the defensive performance gems in crunch time, the trademark of this team in my opinion, are totally attributable to Woodson, although many want his head and point to his stagnant and vanilla offensive sets with little movement. The fact that Woody can get Zaza to post good +- numbers consistently is a testament to a good coach, because Zaza is, well, Zaza. I am to a point where I don't even mention Joe Johnson. I'd rather see him elsewhere. The destiny of this team depends on the progression or depression of Horford, Josh, and Marvin, with the latter making the biggest strides in his mental and physical game as of late. Sure, Al still gushes professionalism and excels at things that don't show up in the stat sheet, but I agree that his scoring and rebounding numbers should be considerably up from last year, and they are not. I'm sure Bibby doesn't factor in to the long-term plans of the Hawks, although I commend his job this year and his considerable scoring average due to career-best three-point shooting. I also agree that Josh's problems on the court are easily correctable, yet he continues to dumbfound with his dribbling and long-range shooting antics. All in all, the record speaks for itself. A quick winning streak after the break (after we are thrashed by the Lakers with Flip out, of course), and we are nearing the win total from all of last year with slight changes in the bench additions of Flip and Mo (both of whom have paid big dividends). As long as we are in the driver's seat for the fourth East spot, we are comfortably above average. The front office also factors into the equation. No talk of getting a real back-up point guard renders their grade an F, because you won't find anyone who hates the sight of Acie leaving the scores table as much as I do. Let alone the fact that Speedy is still on the roster.

As I've always advocated, Joe should not be anywhere near an All-Star game. He is the gold standard for a complimentary player, yet the coaches feel the need to select the highest scoring player from the Hawks because we are a constant up-and-comer, knowing full-well he cannot bring any excitement nor passion to the game whatsoever. I knew he would bomb, but the only scoreless player with with the most turnovers? He was blocked and stolen from like he was Acie or somebody. Flip could've mustered 3-5 points out there. Bibby could've had a 3 and a dime. Josh could've caught an alley at least (after 5 turnovers himself). Al could've posted an and-1, simply because these are AGGRESSIVE players, and Joe is a passive one. He truly looked out of his league. Even in that lame H-O-R-S-E tournament, he looked like a zombie. Something is wrong with Joe, and it seems to run deeper than on the court. Embarrassing representation of the hometown squad.

Darn. Now we have no chance to beat L.A.

Last night was incredibly lame, which is disappointing considering that Dwight went to school his whole life in my neighborhood, although I am not a fan of his off-court persona. Nate Robinson is also quite lame. The dances after the dunks were stuff of a 6 year-old. Pathetic. I certainly would not waste my time next year unless Josh, LeBron, Ariza, Wade, and Gay compete, which won't happen. LeBron against anybody else won't cut it. Dominique had to be either doubled over in laughter or sick to his stomach watching last night.

Chipper. I've seen him hit bombs just by flicking his wrist. Classic Barry Bonds-styled homers. Steroids have the reputation of helping young players heal faster, but I think they are more liable to cause chronic injury problems if you look at the older roiders. I also expect the next big name out of the 104 to be David Ortiz. Also a classic case when looking at his sudden rise to stardom and lack of any other baseball skills. I would've bet my left one that A-Rod was on as soon as he came to New York, as he has never done anything to impress me as the natural that so many "analysts" thought he was. Historically, a tell tale sign is poor fielding. His swing is technically and physically atrocious, much like Sosa's. Randy Johnson comes to mind also.

Is it me, or is A.I.'s legacy tarnishing with each game? As a young'un around the mid 90's, me and my dudes were obsessed with A.I., mainly because he held it all the way down for skinny dudes with big hearts. He made every teenager who was around 5'something, 100-something pounds believe that they could compete with the big boys at anything. Catching alley-oops, in big men's faces? Tip-dunks? John Thompson kept him aggressive, but made him play at a much better flow and cohesiveness that allowed his collegiate squad to flourish and get darn near everyone drafted from that Georgetown team. Then he entered the NBA as the poster child for the hip-hop player and the Reebok contract with the fly shoes. 50 in three straight games. Dribble driving and gliding into Siekaly's grill, among others. Forget Rookie of the Year. He was instantly on the radar for All-Star, seeing as how he made Michael Jordan look silly on his killer-carry-cross-over. The next best player was Clarence Witherspoon, so who cared if they won? Philly fans could stomach losing for a while because the guy was so electric. Problem: his game NEVER progressed. Looking at A.I. today, he owes more to Larry Brown than he probably will ever realize. Larry Brown's calling card to being a Hall of Famer is "I got to the Finals with Allen Iverson, a defensive juggernaut in Mutombo, and absolutely nothing else" (no disrespect to Snow, Lynch, and McKie, but come on.) Amazing. They actually won a game against Kobe and Shaq (Not Shaq and Kobe.) But really, has A.I. improved in any fashion that you guys can tell? He's always been an average passer, and slightly below average jump-shooter. He is long gone from dunking, probably at the advice of his braintrust based on his size and injury prevalence. We know the deal on his practice (Practice?) habits, which can probably clue us in to what type of work he puts in when the game clock isn't running. Most think he is a thug, but he probably falls right between upstanding citizen and thug, although the tats and cornrows don't help perception. Although I think he could've and should've gained considerable weight, I can't knock him too much because at times I eat like a pregnant fat chick and won't gain an ounce. Failed in the Olympics, although I don't see how a basketball "expert" would include A.I. on an Olympic team. To me, he has been in the league waaaay too long to not be able to grasp ball movement in efforts to get a high percentage shot. Novel concept, huh? Pick and roll offense and defense leaves much to be desired. Overall defense is pathetic, easily the worst MVP defender of all time, which is saying a lot considering Steve Nash, who at least gives up his body regularly on charges and attempts to stay in front of his man, bless his heart. A lot of wasted air and jerking/ swaying on his jumper. I wouldn't even call him a streaky shooter. His energy in Philly at times just seemed to will his jumpers into the hole. There are many types of passes that A.I. simply can't or won't make: great bouncers or strong over-head two-handers, to name a few. He seems forever satisfied with being stagnant. Because he has uncanny quickness and speed, he seems to have based his entire repetoire on those skills. Larry Brown is the only coach to remotely get him to understand tempo, possession mathematics, situational strategy, and maximization of playing time within a 48 minute scope. The praises given to Chauncey in Denver also serve as back-handed slights to A.I., although I despise George Karl no matter who the point is. Is he a Hall of Famer? He was there years ago purely based on his career average, let alone his size while tallying those numbers. His will and drive on the court were unmatched until Kobe assumed the role as The NBA's premier predator. Arguably, A.I. has won more games and stayed relevant with less around him than any current player (mainly his Philly days.) His coast-to-coast drives were worth the price of admission alone. He has inspired many to strive for goals that seem out of reach given their attributes. But if I'm not mistaken, the Pistons currently have a losing record with A.I.? (someone clear that up for me, please), while the Nuggets seem to be rolling along with the closest thing to a player-coach in Chauncey (had to get one more jab at Karl). I know that Chauncey made that team go, and Rip is complimentary to him, and the coach doesn't seem to be that good, and Rasheed is a basket-case, and Prince has little upside, and the Pistons are old, and yadda yadda, etc, etc. But you add a surefire H.O.F. to the mix, and you are losing more than ever in recent memory? Everyone around the NBA expected A.I. to turn the corner into being a team player and caretaker of a balanced offense once paired with an offensive force like Carmelo. Instead, the only thing that happened was their defense got worse. That doesn't compute to me. It seems like a compelling indictment of the guy with boudless potential and talent, but no concern for becoming a well-rounded winner. The debate as to what type of guard he is or should be is pointless. At 6'0, 160-something, you automatically make yourself into the best true-blue point guard you can possibly be, which means administering an actual set or knocking down almost every open 15 footer, among other duties that he doesn't seem to care for. There isn't a 2 guard who has ever played in the NBA who A.I. could guard. Corey Brewer would drop 40 on him. What yall think? He is fastly approaching a legacy of a sideshow. A statistical freak. A mere tool that a franchise can use to fill seats, but not the win column, most notably when the playoffs kick-off. Twenty-five years from now, he will be an afterthought when talking about championship-type guards (I suspect whoever runs point with LeBron will win his fair share of rings.) People will bring up Paul and Williams (stay healthy, dude) and Billups. Tony Parker not so much. Many young guys now on the rise who find the right fit, maybe an Augustine or Stephen Curry. Then they will say "Remember A.I.? That guy was a scorer." "Oh yeah, he was alright." Leave it up to a Hubie Brown or Bill Walton-type to call it like it is:"He never really grasped the team concept, though." The winning memories of A.I. are few and far between. While wanting to be referred to and remembered as a shooting guard (in his words), he will be remembered as a combo, as in neither shooting nor point. Just a volume shooter and scorer who made boatloads of money and rebelled a bit. Unfortunately, when he left a franchise, it became better in a short span, and the one he arrived to got worse just as fast. Sounds like the antithesis of a Hall of Famer to me.

I had to check that figure to confirm. I can't believe that. Doesn't Arenas get that much for putting on a suit? Ridiculous. Flip and Al are my favs on the squad, and I'd like for them to be paid handsomely. That is a complete steal for a guy who can drop 20 effortlessly. I will personally picket if he isn't re-signed. He's so cool and confident in his skills, and bulldogs his way to the hole after mistakes, turnovers, or ill-advised shots. He has a great sense of atonement while staying aggressive, plays well within himself, and is a better defender than given credit for. He has a very high basketball I.Q. and seems to have his hand on the pulse of the game flow at all times. He talks to his teammates more than I thought. He is also well-respected by the rest of the league. And his three ball rolls in so soft and pretty. Seeing the game live, Joe's body language is considerably more relaxed and confident when on the floor with Flipper. I suspect he knows that is the only way the backcourt can finish at the rim (I'm still waiting for Joe to dunk in traffic this year) while keeping an opposing guard defended better than Bibby can. Hopefully all of you will have the privelige to hear my obnoxious "Flipper!" hollers somewhere in the Club Level. Aaaahh! I know we are in a hellish recession, but please, let's hit these games if at all possible. I enjoy myself exponentially more than going to some silly club or a lame movie. The crowd was positively surprising for the Wizards game. A lot of tasty ladies on deck to check out, of course when your lady friend ain't looking. Let's take it back to the hood: stash food in your girl's purse (the big joints that the door crew don't feel like searching), and by all means, bring your own liquor. You'll save like, $100.

I can't knock Marvin. I always wondered about people critcizing his rebounding. Some of his stronger, snag rebounds all but intimidate opposing teams. But All-Star someday? No. LeBron has his spot for the next ten years. That leaves a couple of spots for Marvin, which I highly doubt. I don't think people would be outraged or even considerably concerned if Caron Butler hadn't made an All-Star appearance, and he is light years ahead of Marvin as far as consistency.

Went to the Wizards game last night, but cannot give a valid opinion because the Wizards clearly performed like there were being paid minimum wage to clean bathrooms or something. Someone should've told them that they are multi-millionaires playing an enjoyable, childhood game. Didn't see the game tonight, but skimmed over the numbers and stats. Nice to see Al back to being Al. All I can say is "Flipper!" That's my dude. Don't care for Joe, but I can't knock his performance. I guess he didn't want to be in street clothes tonight. A.I. is chipping away at his legacy nightly because, except for the year under Larry Brown, the guy has failed to progress his entire career. He's actually regressed, seeing as how he used to finish over big guys regularly, catching alley-oops and tip dunks, then came to a sudden halt after his sophmore season.

Acie Law ithe Fourth is not NBA material, point-blank period. His game cannot possibly warrant these lengthy discussions. If the Hawks are winning a blowout, his play amuses me. In a contested game, I invent new cursing combinations. Entire articles on Acie Law the Fourth? Really? Interesting.

You guys are making respectable arguments for other guys, but seriously, Marvin over Paul? That is akin to Bowie over Jordan, because Paul will unquestionably be a Hall of Famer, while Marvin will NEVER even go to the All-Star game as long as his age is that of Lebron and will always be fighting for two or three spots that he won't be able to fill even if he improves considerably. Most people had no idea that Paul would be the monster that he is, but expert talent evaluators should have seen signs. That single decision set our franchise back at least 10 years. As many of you know, I am far from a Joe Johnson fan, so my ideal lineup would be and should be Paul, Roy, Smith, Horford, and any stiff you could find at the 5, sorta like the one we have now, although I have increasing respect for Zaza. Paul and Roy wouldn't even allow Josh to do half of the ridiculous antics he pulls on a nightly basis, and would be closer to an All-Star level after last season than farther from it. I despise Billy Knight and hope to never see him enjoying himself in Atlanta. True, Isiah was an abomination, but many eyes were clouded like mine because we were still seeing the player who was brimming with court intelligence and basketball know-how that we were waiting to see translate in his managerialship. Never happened. Still, I don't remember Isiah passing on a H.O.F. and perrinnial All-Star for Marvin and Shelden, respectively.

I wanted some opinions on Speedy. Exactly what is the nature of his injury, and how in the **** is he allowed to miss so much time, make so much bread, and get a pass! Many of the problems on this team stem from him contributing nothing since signing. Is he refusing rehab? Is his injury that severe? He better have gangrene growing under that cast. Is he soft as a baby's butt? Is there something in his contract that prevents needles, additional surgeries, or progressive treatment? What is the ownership and management stance on him? Does he take any heat? Can he walk into an Atlanta bar? If he were still in Philly, where people are borderline violent when it comes to their sports, he probably wouldn't be able to show up, game after game, modeling sportcoats. How many think that he would contribute if he were healthy, because I have grown tired of seeing the guy on the sideline looking silly. He probably talks to his accountant every halftime to make sure his money is still there, because a judge should freeze his assets due to extortion. If there ever was a time to dispute a contract and be back-compensated, the time is now for the Hawks. There has to be some fine print there, because this is starting to be a devastating business loss. But considering the ownership group, they probably aren't even aware of the situation.

Having an amateur at PG doesn't affect the flow of a professional game? Wow. I beg to differ. Of course he isn't going to be at primary fault for a loss or primarily praiseworthy in a win. We are talking about Acie Freaking Law The Fourth, right? He will be a wasted talent unless he gets on an awful team that can give him starter's minutes, repetitions, and experience with a back-up, veteran 1 who cares for his progression, because I don't think Bibby does, nor should he. Our team is fighting for league-wide respect as an upper-echelon team, and there is no time for Bibby to babysit a player who seems "challenged" in more ways than one, based on some of his decisions and antics on the floor. Running neck and neck with Josh for the silliest player on the team. But he's a first-rounder, and you have another guard in Claxton who should be jailed for robbery. What can you do but take your lumps with him, as much as Woody hates to.

Our type are few and far between, Jackets333. True, the Clippers near full strength all season would probably be in the middle of the playoff hunt in the West, but only a fool would count on such a crapshoot with Baron and Camby's injury history, and Randolph to a lesser extent. But as far as Joe, how do you allow such a poor performance from your team at home without your partner, when the two games before, your backcourt mate (who should have 3 All-Star appearances to your none) lead his squad to two wins on the road? Truly, Joe apologists, come on. I'm sure you'll come up with something flimsy. "Joe's role isn't to set the offense and dominate the ball like a point guard" or "He was sick" or "There was no one to get him the ball." Look at his mannerisms. Look at his situational play. His clock management and aggressiveness. No numbers you can crunch or restructure or deviate or manipulate can tell the whole story. Barely half of it. The guy is SOFT. I repeat: JOE JOHNSON IS THE MOST PASSIVE ALL-STAR CALIBER GUARD IN THE NBA. Find a player as uninspiring in times of rallying: Ray, Kobe, Dwayne, Vince, Roy, Rose, Ben Gordon, Devin Harris, Durant, Manu, Deron, Tony Parker, Baron Davis. You won't find a harsher critic of Nash, T-Mac, A.I., or Gilbert (is he still alive?), yet I'd still give them the edge over Joe as far as leadership intangibles and various forms of intensity. Making excuse after excuse for him reflects badly on you and the type of basketball you enjoy. Crucial play at the end of the half, isolated, and you travel? Still throwing up those weak Tony Parker floaters, huh? Only problem is, Tony is twice as good at it, and 3 times as good going to the rack, drawing fouls, and putting pressure on the defense. Joe will maybe drive harder when he loses 40 or 50 pounds. I can only hope. 6'7', 240, I 've seen no dunks in traffic this year, nor emphatic block. Pathetic. I know that the Hawks probably would've loss with Bibby. Al Thornton had the game of his life, and Zach is a 20-10 guy. True, the defense looked tired from all parties involved. Disappointed in Al, as I expect him to fight every second and lead by example. But still, the teams were virtually even, trading a Bibby for a Kaman. I personally think we would have shown better if Joe also had on street clothes, because the team takes on his personality without Bibby, which is mostly dull and defeated. Paying 70 meals for Joe isn't remotely as disgusting as Arenas for 110. I don't totally hate the guy, as I'm always the first to champion his underrated D. He's the only guy I've seen so far who had Derrick Rose panicked, flustered, and afraid to show the ball when in attack mode on crucial plays down the stretch. But from my vantage point, his agent is laughing all the way to the bank, at the Hawks' expense. He commanded general money for a lieutenent. Many of you respond by saying "Who would you replace Joe with, genius? Who's gonna trade a peaking All-Star for another peaking, like-aged All-Star?." I don't have an answer by name. But I'm sure there are options who actually have a heartbeat. Iggy, O.J., and Kevin Durant all have comparable numbers to Joe, give and take, yet all of their accomplishments combined don't amount to Joe's accolades. Kevin Martin scores more, shoots a slightly less percentage and can't rebound. All of these players are younger and have a higher upside than Joe and frankly, I 'd give them or players like them who are contractually movable a shot as a primary option over Joe, because I've had enough of his bunny hops in the paint, his 20-feet fade-aways, under-utilizing his body, and stone-face with nothing of substance coming out of his mouth to unify and focus his squad. Let's go, Joe Apologists. What you got! Crunch your situational numbers!

The outcome of this game was a forgone conclusion as soon as Acie Law The Fourth was announced as starter. Unless an Unquestionable Future Hall of Famer is on your active roster that night, no team in the league has a chance to win in that predicament. NONE.

You'll never catch me on a Marvin bandwagon. He should have been an aggressive driver, as he's showing now, about 1.5 years ago. A little late, although he is still a baby. I know Woody calls the plays, but an aggressive, vocal player would simply not allow Joe to hold and deliberate when said player can force great block position and catches, get to the rim and draw fouls regularly. There seems to be a little too much friendliness and political-correctness when I hear/ see these guys speak in the media and interact during the game, other than the ongoing rift between the coach and Josh that produces mixed results. I expect Marvin to start to take a secondary leadership role behind Bibby and Flip with a little Al sprinkled in, because that simply is not Joe's forte. The rest of the team must make up for Joe's passiveness, and I think it's Marvin's time to assume his duty as far as ascending team spirit.

I know that man didn't actually say that.

Another road win without old Joe, huh? The team looks more comfortable and confident, especially when trailing. I like Roy considerably more than Joe, basically due to intangibles, but it seems a wash considering Roy is oft injured and Joe is quite durable. We should've seen what Roy could do up close next to Chris Paul as draftees but I digress. I'm not a GM nor do I follow every player in the NBA'S contract or every team's balance sheet, but I think it should be relatively easy for Sund to find a better replacement(s) for Joe, as most GM's in the league know he is a complimentary player who could be instrumental in winning a title, but NEVER lead you deep in the playoffs. The guy simply isn't that good nor cares to be. I don't hate him or find him as overrated as a Yao or Nash, but true, I don't like the guy as a primary option at all. I'm aware many of you don't recognize do-or-die basketball and are impresed by a guy scared to use his amazing body. One who puts up a lot of misleading stats due to his high minutes and cuts down on post oppurtunities for his big men. Of course, it is foolish to compare Joe or any other 2 to Kobe or Dwayne on a grand scale. But to be considered an All-Star yet never coming close to that brand of passion and competitiveness doesn't sit well with me, nor should it with you. Jamaal Crawford, Kevin Martin, Devin Harris, Michael Redd, Kevin Durant, while not as rounded as Joe, go at your throat consistently, and I just don't see it with J.J.

I like the Hawks without Joe. More driving, less contested jumpers. Dare I say Marvin's B-Ball I.Q. rivals or is higher than Joe's? Unless you are an elite range shooter (and Joe is not), a high I.Q. scorer forces it to the hole if single-guarded, no excuses, especially down the stretch. A lower I.Q. player (and sometimes lazy player) will settle for fade-aways and turn-arounds. Also, the players know exactly were to look for various forms of leadership down the stretch from Bibby instead of trying to search and read Joe. Josh seems more calm knowing that he'll get enough good looks (please, stop with the jumpers.) No more contested, quick-trigger threes after dribbling for 7 seconds by Joe or out-of-rhythm mid-rangers. Free-throw oppurtunities doubled. Many more and-1 oppurtunities. While lacking without Joe in perimeter defense, Al and Josh run the paint and erase many mistakes by the backcourt. The team just seems to have a nice blend of steadiness and aggressiveness that you simply can't have with Passive Joe AKA I'm-6'7-240-And-Can't- Dunk. Maybe he should just sit against sub .500 teams and come off the bench against above .500 teams for 28 minutes. I wouldn't mind, although I know a lot of you want me dead for the thought. I am just historically and philosophically at odds against anyone who is a Joe Johnson fan and satisfied with him as our leader. His game is too numbers-oriented and not enough in the passion, determination, and focus department. Let's go, Joe-less Hawks, although I cringe when Acie appears. Again, welcome back Al. We almost forgot how much of a pro you are. Let's go Flip. To the hole I mean. Mo is the definition of solid. I will never advocate Zaza, but I have developed considerable respect for the guy. Woody-Haters, admit it. The guy knows his defense and the buttons to push down the stretch, as he has clearly studied Popovich and has mastered some elements of the Detroit Defensive Run that he contributed to.

I'm guessing he'd fare poorly. Mark Price makes you a much better 3 point shooter. He can't make you into a true three-point shooter. What about the other contestants? Are you kidding? Jason Kapono isn't well-rounded enough to even attend All-Star weekend, let alone participate. I'm sure Ray Allen is still laughing at the line-up. Three-point percentage is so overrated in the league.

I can't front like I'm a Marvin Fan. Started warming up to him this year only because he has clearly taking a liking to working with Mark Price overtime and has shown favor for throwing his body into anyone to get to the line, most impressively against the Shaqs and Howards of the world. While not his fault, I will always think of what could have been with Paul. Spilled milk, though. The bright side is that he's still very young and I think he is around 80% of optimum performance, both physically and mentally. With that said, Marvin simply needs as many oppurtunites as possible to be physical and use his backside as a buffer. Those oppurtunities are considerably decreased with Joe dominating the ball, point-blank. I'm sure fans of Joe are tired of my bull, but I feel strongly that Joe ultimately detracts more than he adds to this team, despite his gaudy totals and good efficiency. Can Woody and his staff come up with better motion and more pick-and-roll options? Of course, as they deserve much more "blame" for the Hawks' offensive shortcomings than Joe. While far from perfect players, Bibby and Flip are more polished and show a better feel for the game and their abilities at the guard position than Joe. If Flip takes 2 awful threes out of rhythm, he will bust his butt to force a foul at the hole. Joe won't. His next shot is a fade-away. If Bibby and Al screw up a connection, Bibby will implore the squad to keep moving the ball and move without it. Joe just says "My bad." Our young front line simply will not progress until our #1 option is as aggressive as they are in terms of drawing fouls, showing emotion, finishing strong at the rack, and passing for balanced, optimum shooting.

Not pretty, but a good team win nonetheless. It is concerning when the same issues repeatedly arise: being out rebounded, Josh handling, free-throw shooting (mainly Josh), and unforced turnovers (Josh the ring-leader, yet again.) Randy Foye helped give the game away: he was awful (How 'bout Acie, Acie fans?) The game shouldn't have been nearly as close. The zone with the double on Jefferson was outstanding, though. But a win is a win, against a semi-quality opponent on the road in February. You have much less to talk about in a singular-player sense and are prompted to look at the Hawks' performance as a whole without Joe. I like that better than latter. It almost seems as if Marvin can't progress at optimum level with Joe Johnson. By no means do I claim to have the prowess in the area of scouting and analyzing a player's and a team's game that a GM possess (unless you're Billy Knight.) But if you're Sund, it should be glaringly apparent that Joe retards Marvin's aggressiveness. An aggressiveness that leads to 14 free-throw attempts by banging down-low on both sides, catching the ball considerably deep on the block, and dribble-driving with reckless abandon against a good front line in Love and Jefferson, things that you wouldn't associate with Joe Johnson. When was the last time Joe attempted 14 freebies? For whatever reason, the offense wasn't clogged and had a sense of working for the best shot rather than iso for Joe. Winning this game has to raise an eyebrow for Sund. The ball swung as good, but still below average. Bad shots were kept to a minimum by playing inside, team foot speed on defense seemed improved (the Bibby exception), and there was a quiet but more evident leadership shown down the stretch, which I expect was Bibby, but could've been a combination of things. Maybe addition by subtraction without Joe being quiet as a mouse and gassed during crunch time. We killed them inside offensively, mostly Josh and Marvin with more good catches, while the D (anchored by Al, glad to see you back) forced the Wolves to shoot awfully in the paint. Joe wouldn't have helped us with Kevin Love owning the glass (what was happening?) Could the Hawks have blown the Wolves out with Joe? Probably. Could we have loss with him? Certainly. Obviously, I'm not a Joe fan, but this win isn't a knee-jerk reaction, as I think we should beat any marginal team, like we have with Joe, without Joe. My favorite players on the squad aren't on the radar in the league. I've been watching Joe for a long time, as I'm sure all of you have. The guy simply doesn't have "It," and being a number 1 option on a relatively young team without "It" will detract from the team on too many occasions. While greatly skilled and technical, there's nothing about him that justifies anything close to $70mil. (Has anybody seen Billy Knight?) It would be interesting to sit down and look at film of Joe Johnson with Sund and get his true, unadulterated opinion as to what they should do going forward with the 2010 sweepstakes approaching. Most players who are traded and/ or let go in free agency twice in their career have issues that a majority of franchises will gladly do without, most cases being attributed to "inflated" of "skewed" statistics that raise value for contract years or whatever the case. The franchise knows that said player is substantially questionable in a certain facet, maybe emotionally. They let him go, event though he put up 18-8-4. The problem will bite the next franchise in the butt, all while being clandestine to the general fan; people around the league know the glaring flaw that will ultimately detract from the team too consistently, considering the responsibilities and salary of that player. Every team has a definitive plus or minus line as to the total impact of a player, which infinitely extends beyond the realm of field-goal percentage from the circle, win-shares, or a 5-steal game. I think the Celtics analyzed Joe and said "He simply doesn't have 'it'." (Even though Doc brown-nosed and said it was a huge mistake to let him go during the playoff series last year.) I think D' Antoni thought he could be replaced for a much cheaper price. I refuse to believe that coaches allow players to leave that they would lose sleep over. Look at the league. T-Mac was shown the door twice. Basically Glass Joe. Shaq? Kobe nor Phil could stomach his conditioning some 7 years ago, which eventually drove the Heat crazy when juxtaposed with an Alonzo Mourning who stayed in world-class shape, despite a major organ malfunction. Chauncey clearly has issues with coaches. A.I. will be remembered as infamously as a Hall of Famer can be. Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson for obvious reasons. The Hornets could have seen with a crystal ball 9 years ago that Baron Davis would routinely miss quarters and halves, of seasons. There are surely coaches who can't stand the sight of Jason Kidd shooting from 20. Ray Allen is easily the most manageable, efficient, non-detractive player that has been let go by two franchises, whether it is trade and/or free agency walks, by presumably accelerating his conditioning after major injury problems. I think it is highly unlikely Dwayne Wade or LeBron go anywhere unless Cleveland and Miami are unbelievably cheap and/ or stupid. Their shaky jumpers and Dwayne’s past injury history, which he seems to have remedied, are dismissible when their total impact is considered, so basically everyone else is game for 2009-2010. I hope there's a team who plans to outbid the Hawks for Joe, which shouldn't be too hard considering ownership. It know it seems silly to knock a routine 23-5-5 guy as "detractful". Clearly All-Star numbers in any era, and more durable than given credit for. I still think the future progression of the team (most notably Al and Marvin) without Joe is best, with at least 70 mil cleared off the books. He simply is far from a #1 option, and arguably a #2 for a true contender. He could cement titles with he Spurs as a 3rd-ish option for the next 4 years. That's the type of player he is. At 6'7, 240, he fades-away and shoots floaters on clear dribble-drive and and-1 opportunities. Rarely is he seen at or over the rim, nor does he cut consistently enough to finish off the ball. That penchant alone makes it increasingly hard for me to enjoy him, let alone convince me that he can carry a team for a game of stretch of games. I am confident that the Hawks would have more efficient, crisp team passing and considerably more quality touches in the paint if Joe is substituted for more paint-oriented players, preferably an All-Star caliber 2 or efficient, tough 1 and 5. The entire team is affected negatively when your "best" player shows passiveness 3-5 feet away from the rack, whether he be guard, forward, or center. He has only shown emotion in the playoffs for the most part. With a good season in progress, we are still woefully under .500 with him at the helm for over 5 years. I like Woody, but he is linked to Joe and is also highly culpable for the record. If you want to blame him for the losing streaks and get rid of him also, I wouldn't mind all too much, just so long as his replacement is also a defensive-minded coach with considerably more experience i.e. age who can diversify an offense.