TheNorthCydeRises

It's funny. Everybody wants to add Wade, when they know good and well why the BIG 3 are better than us . . . .the frontline. Unless you team Wade with another all-star player ( preferably a PF or C ), he's not winning jack. That's why when this discussion of swapping Wade for JJ came up, I said that we'd still probably be the #4 team in the East, with maybe 55 wins ( instead of 50 ). The problem folks, is that those teams have better frontlines than we do. People just have to accept that. So the only way we can beat those teams, is to do what the 2004 Pistons did, and become the BEST defensive team in the NBA. People can talk about Wade, or offensive systems, or coaches all they want. But this team's only chance ( as constructed now ), is to be lights out defensively. But it goes back to the guy that no one wants to trade . . . Josh Smith. His development is the key to everything here, as long as we have a good backcourt. If he doesn't play bigger, we can't advance as far as we need to be. And his presece on the squad prevents Al Horford from possibly developing into a good PF, because we need him to play center. But no one wants to trade the most exciting player on the team. A trade for Amare Stoudamire, while keeping JJ . . wins you more games and gives us a better shot at challenging the BIG 3 . . . than losng JJ and adding Wade. At least then, you have a legitimate big man that people have to account for. You double JJ, and Amare will have a field day. You double Amare, and that opens everything up for the shooters. His presence also may give Horford a chance to play more PF, to showcase what he can do. With our frontline inconsistency problems, I'd even go to say that a team consisting of Marcus Camby and Dejuan Blair, would be better for the Hawks, than Jamal Crawford and Jeff Teague. A frontline of Horford, Smoove, Camby, Zaza, and Blair would cause all kinds of problems for people. It'll also give us a better array of bodies to throw at the frontlines that the BIG 3 possess. But everybody loves offense in A-Town. Rather look like Dallas and lose, than to look like old Detroit and win. Complain when the Hawks win 82 - 79 . . because they'd rather see the Hawks win 111- 106. Until this team as constructed right now, start "selling out" on the defensive end, and start relentlessly crashing the boards, we'll always be a good team on the cusp of being a great team . . . but we'll never get there. It is what it is folks.

But after 2 years ( Horford ) and 4 years ( Smith and Marvin ) of playing with JJ, they're STILL CLUELESS? I mean, it's very easy to blame the offensive system for their problems. But how much blame should we place on the players? Or better yet, are we fans expecting the players to do things that they simply can't do on a nightly basis? I want Smoove to play like a real PF. A tough guy PF. But maybe Diesel is right about him. Maybe he does have a SF mentality, and will always tend to play soft, even if he's best utilized at PF. That's pretty much been the criticizm of Lamar Odom his entire career. That he plays too soft, considering his skill level. We all want JJ to be able to flip the switch, and be able to carry the team at times. But it's obvious that he doesn't have that mentality to be selfish, and literally take a game over. We've really only seen that one time out of him in 4 years ( Game 4 in the Boston series ). And come to think of it, those very same criticizms were said about Kevin Garnett in Minnesota. That he was almost too much of a "team guy", and didn't look to take games over offensively on a nightly basis . . if he could at all. So I don't know man. If we were to put in Eddie Jordan's Princeton offense, could our players run it effectively? ( and will that offense look as good in Philly, as it did in Washington . . with Iggy, Brand, and Lou Williams being the focal points . . . instead of Arenas, Butler, and Jamison ) What about Jerry Sloan's Pick and Roll offense? ( an offense ran effectively by Stockton and Malone . . . and now by Deron and Boozer ) Phil Jackson's Triangle offense ( an offense headed by 2 of the greatest players ever to play the game: Kobe and Jordan ) I can't say for a fact that our guys could run ANY of those offenses efficiently. Because in the NBA, while a good offensive system may be important, it basically comes down to the players you have on the squad. Because if the T-Wolves were running the Triangle, I don't know if that would make them a better team. When it coms down to it, you simply need guys who can make plays and make shots.

CREATE . . . not great

Damn, I must've been typing my thesis ar you wrote this, because I totally agree. I still say that if Acie doesn't get hurt early on in his rookie year, that he was going to be our PG for a long time. He could pretty much take anybody off the dribble and make the right pass. But unlike Teague, if you even blew on that dude going to the rim, he was going to miss the lay-up. But if Teague proves that he can be the aggressor and score at the rim, while also make the right pass to set people up, you'll see an immeadiate change in how efficient our offense is. People want Woody to construct this efficient offense without a low post threat that can't score efficiently or occasionally draw a double team, and a PG who can't beat anyone off the dribble. Every good offense in the league is going to have at least one ( or both ) of these elements. That's why the guy preaches defense so much. If we get stops, it gives our athletic frontcourt a chance to get out and run, and get easy scores.

Three things need to be addressed in this conversation. Since everyone is talking offense first, let's begin theere. 1) If people don't want JJ dominating the ball, and want more ball movement, why is it that everytime JJ exits a game, the players ( talking about Marvin, Horford, and Smoove ) hardly ever step up to the plate offensively? When JJ is out of a game, that's their chance to show that they can be viable offensive threats, right? So why doesn't it happen more times than not? It doesn't happen because those guys aren't even average one on one scorers. They perform poorly ( other than Smoove on some nights ) when they have to create their own shot. And because of this, no one worries about sending a diouble team toward Horford, or Marvin, or Smith. They can play those guys straight up, while JJ just sits outside waiting for the ball to return to him. A ball that may never come, because his man isn't going to leave JJ to double Marvin. 2) The only way you can maximize the talent of Smith, Horford, and Marvin, is if you run ISO JJ at times ( in which when a team sends a double team to JJ, he can rotate the ball to a wide open shooter ) . . . .OR . . . . if you have a penetrating playmaker that can dart in and out of the lane, and either get a lay-up, somebody else a lay-up, or for that PG to drive and kick it out to a shooter. Since people have a problem with ISO JJ, let's address the penetrating playmaker. First off, Bibby CAN'T do this. At this point in his career, he's merrely a stamdstill jumpshooter, or a shooter that can use picks or a few dribbles to set up his jumper. He's not going to blow past somebody ( ala Steve Nash ), get into the lane, and get an easy look for somebody on the inside, or with a kick-out pass to a 3 point shooter. So the alternative is to hope that Crawford and Teague can do this on a regular basis, to get guys easy looks. When Woody alluded to Zaza is going to love playing with Crawford and Teague, this is what he was talking about. Their penetration into the lane will force a guy like Howard to stop their advance before they get a lay-up. At that point, a smart penetrating playmaker would get the ball to Zaza, and get him an easy lay-up. 3) Now . . let's address the REAL REASON why these guys didn't go to the rim vs Orlando ( since tis is the reason all of these questions are popping up now. ) The reason why they settled for jumpers, is because they didn't want to challenge last year's DPOY at the rim . . . Dwight Howard. When you have a guy in the middle that you know can block your shot at any time, a player may seek not to challenge him, and settle for the easy jumpshot. And look at the makeup of our team: - we can't toss the ball into the post, and expect any of those guys to be remotely successful vs Howard ( or any other defensive oriented center ), because our guys aren't crafty enough low post scorers. When you see that Zaza is the guy with the most low post moves, that speaks volumes about our low post options. But we all know what we get with Zaza: ( dribble, dribble, pump fake, go up weakly and miss the lay-up . . tip rebound miss . . tip rebound miss . . tip rebound score or the other team grabs the board ) - our guards LOVE to shoot jumpers ( outside of Teague ), and aren't necessarily known as physical guards that can take contact AT THE RIM and finish the play. JJ is trying to go to the basket more, but he's much more comfortable with shooting the 9 foot floater in the lane. Crawford definiely won't do it on most nights. Mo doesn't do it. Teague is the only guy who may do this on most nights. - Horford would much rather shoot the 15 foor jumper, than to go directly at somebody. He almost refuses to take a big center off the dribble and get to the rim, like Smoove does when he takes PFs to the rim. - We all know Smith loves the jumper, but even when he does go to the rim, it's usually in a finesse way, other than in a power way ( which is why I have been begging the dude to play more like Shawn Kemp, who relentlessly attacked the rim and forced people to foul him ) - Marvin probably goes hardest to the rim ( even though he's less likely to go to the rim than Horford or Smith ). But even with him, he's out of control sometimes. If he draws a foul, great. It's not so great though, if it's an offensive foul, or if he loses the ball, or if he goes so hard, that he ends up getting hit in the air and falls hard to the floor . . hurting himself. Might as well add a 4) . . we ARE a soft team overall. The Hawks don't have a scrapper's identity, like a San Antonio or a Utah. The only 2 guys on this squad that people can remotely call "scrappers" or "tough players", are Horford and Zaza. No way would this team survive in the Old Eastern Conference of the 80s and 90s. The Hawks are very much reminiscent of a Western Conference team, that would rather beat you with shooting and atleticism, than by grinding a game out. Thankfully for us, Woody keeps instilling in them that they MUST grind things out every game, in order for us to win. The players just need to start believing that. It's a reason why were such a bad rebounding team. Being undersized does have something to do with it. But it's mostly because this team doesn't scrap nearly as hard as they should. It's not because they don't play hard, because they do. But on most nights, they won't always put a body on somebody, to give them a better chance at a rebound . . or fight through a pick ( my main beef with Bibby on defense ) . . or aggressively close out a shooter with hands up. This is why Woody always preaches defense and rebounding, before he starts worrying about the offense. When we defend and rebound, we win games. But we've shot 55%+ on occasion, and lost games, due to poor rebounding and defense. So when Woody says ish like "defense and rebounding will take care off the offense, ( for this team ), he's actually right, because those two things great fast break and quick open shot opportunities.

What Buzz is saying though, is that the effort Jamal played with Friday night . . is typical Jamal Crawford defense. His awareness is terrible, almost as bad as Tyronn Lue's, but not quite as bad as Bibby's. That's why I say that if Jamal plays well here ( on both ends of the floor ), people shouldn't say another word about Woody not developing players. Because expecting Jamal to be an adequate defender, is like expecting Collins to be a 15 ppg scorer. And if he becomes that, it's gonna be all because of Woody.

Wow !!! I got the replica blue Horford, and white JJ and Marvin jerseys. I guess I'll get the red Josh Smith one on Friday night. Those are much better than those God awful yellow jerseys of 2005.

(( playing violin )) This dude talks about a preseason game like it's a playoff game. (( crying )) Oh no. We got embarassed on ESPN in preseason. They're a gutless bunch of punks. JJ plays like a 15 year old girl that sits the bench. Please trade them for everyone on the New Jersey Nets roster. Slit my wrists. I wanna DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!! You really wanna know what "gutless" is? You wanna see a punk? Look no further than the great CHRIS PAUL. The city of New Orleans is jacked up. After losing 2 games in Denver in the 1st round of the playoffs, the Hornets win Game 3. Game 4 approaches, with the Hornets looking to tie the series 2 - 2. So how do they respond? By losing Game 4 . . . at home . . . BY 58 FUGGIN POINTS And what did the "Great One" do? He scored 4 points and had 6 assists . . . in 36 minutes of play . . .with him only taking 7 shots . . . and commiting 6 turnovers. The so-called best PG in the league, and arguably a top 5 player, FLAT OUT QUIT ON HIS TEAM . . IN THE FUGGIN PLAYOFFS. They went on to lose Game 5 by almost 20 points. Now that's the type of loss that can effect a franchise. A playoff BEATDOWN in which your best player quit on his team. Let's see how the Hornets, and the Great One recovers from that debacle this season. So save that preseason Hawk doom and gloom junk for fans who live and die with every win or loss. You are entertaining though, freaking out over this "embarrassment".

Yep. That, and it was our first live look at the Hawks, and it highly disappointed us. Then add the fact that maybe we are a long way from being on Orlando's level, and it's even more depressing. I guess the only thing that could've made this worse, is if this game was in Atlanta. Also, I think people really wanted to believe that we were an elite level team, and that tonight's preseason game would show that we could play with the Magic. Unfortunately, that team shot lights out tonight. -

Hawksquawk is officially ready for the season now. LOL @ Teague going 0 - 15. Damn. How do you even do that? This time next Friday, as I'm leaving Philips Arena after just watching the Hawks beat the Wizards, those "are the Hawks an elite team" threads will come back to the boards. And this game will be long forgotten . . until Thanksgiving. We're going to be the most miserable 50-win fan base in the history of the NBA. Just think guys. Orlando beat the ish out of us . . and they didn't even have Rashard Lewis.

LOL @ hollow 50 wins. It is what it is Mr. Hot. And anybody who isn't a homer Hawk fan already knows that the Big 3 are called the BIG 3 for a reason. Even if JJ plays at "D-Wade level", it won't be enoug to overtake the BIG 3, if our frontline doesn't drastically improve its play. That's out major weakness against the "elite" teams. You know it. I know it. JJ isn't a superstar, so why are people expecting him to do what Kobe and Lebron do? Seeing JJ jack up 16+ shots in a preseason game, simply to show that he's single handedly trying to get us back into a game, does nobody any good . . if he's ice cold. The dude, and the team ( minus Crawford and Smoove ), played like crap tonight. Overal, they ALL had a GREAT preseason. But people talk like Orlando's run last year was a fluke. You see what they did to us. We doubled Howard, and their shooters murdered us. We play him more straight up in the 2nd half, and HE murdered us. Then, when you get down more than 10 points, you start jackinng up quick shots and forcing 3 pointers ( and missing then ) That's how they beat people. If we don't play great defense, or match them shot for shot, we're not going to beat the Magic. It is what it is man.

Dude . . this is fuggin PRESEASON. Get upset if Indiana or Washington beats us like this, with JJ stinking up the court. I'm not telling you not to be mad at their performance. But this game doesn't mean jack shyt come Wednesday. JJ is a 3 time All-Star, who has more than proven his worth on this team. LMAO @ turning on him NOW, after one horrible PRESEASON game. Especially after he's shot 55+% FG for the entire preseason leading up to tonight. If anything, look at this as a game that Woody can use as a teaching tool, to get these guys all on the same page come Wednesday night.. Instead of coasting into the season opener vs Indiana, he'll have reason to work their azzes for the next 3 - 4 days. This is like flipping out if the Falcons lost 45 - 7 to the Steelers . . in the last preseason game . . and saying that you're done with Michael Turner. Some of you have been waiting to revert back into the "woe is me as a Hawk fan" mode. So go ahead and get it out of your system tonight. But as soon as JJ hangs 25 - 35 points on somebody, I bet you'll be cheering his azz. So go ahead and get the crying out of your system. Cry all of that stuff out tonight. The REAL SEASON starts Wednesday.

LOL . . and here it comes. (( passing "the man" torch from JJ to Crawford, and watch us lose 50 games )) JJ definitely stunk up the joint tonight. No doubt about that. That doesn't mean give the rock to Gunner #11

The fan base needed a game like this I guess . . to smack us back down to reality. The defensive effort is what disappoints me the most. You'd think with this being a national TV game, that they'd be more jacked up for this one ( even if it's preseason ) Oh well. Hawksquawk hasn't had much to bytch about since the Marvin signing. So I guess some can spew some venom at the team with this debacle. ( Note to JJ: It's games like these in which they say the things they say about you. Don't get outplayed on BOTH ENDS of the floor. This is why they want to pay you 14 mill, instead of 18 mill. )

Can you say . . . . REALITY CHECK !!!! Beating up on bad teams is one thing. Going to play a TRUE ELITE TEAM on its homecourt, on the 2nd night of a back to back, is a whole different animal. And I told you guys about Ryan Anderson. That dude is straight strokin it. It's pick your poison with Orlando. And look at Vince Carter. TurkaWHO? Having said that, the Hawks are mentally tough, and will come back in this game. The starters will start that 3rd quarter fired up. But then, Dwight may take over. LOL . . interesting game so far though.

Instead of "Hack a Shaq" . . it's "Clip a Smith"? If it makes anyone feel better, Josh Smith was 16 - 24 ( 75% ) from the line, until last night's game. His 1 - 10 performance just illustrates how bad his mechanics are on his FT and his jumpshot.

It could be worse. We could have Nellie as a coach. He only played 8 players tonight. Maybe half of the team has the flu or something. Or maybe Nellie has lost his rocker. - Monta played 35 min - Curry played 38 min ( and had a +41 plus/minus number tonight ) - Acie played 20 min ( I wonder if he played SF? ) - and last year's #2 jumpshooter on the Northcyde Jump Shot Index ( Anthony Morrow ) PLAYED ALL 48 MINUTES ( went 14 - 19 FG ) LOL . . Nellie is CRAZZZZZZYYYY But the Warriors did win easily though.

I guess tomorrow night, we'll see the big or "Jumbo" lineup: PG - JJ G - Marvin SF - Smoove PF - Horford C - Collins or Zaza I think Woody played the small lineup twice. In the 1st half, I believe it was . . . Teague - Crawford - Evans - JJ - Horford

LOL . . I think Woody was trying to let JJ get a triple-double. Why else would he be playing PF in a 4-guard lineup, at the end of a preseason game? LOL @ Woody. Bibby - Crawford - Evans - JJ - Smoove ( please don't ever play that group together ever again, unless you need a bunch of 3s to get you back into a game ) That's a "Hawkenstein" lineup.

The only way I could've made sense about his prediction, is if he said that he believed that Crawford wouldn't be a good fit. But if he believes that Crawford is an upgrade over Flip, and that Teague is a nice talent ( especially over Law ), and that Joe and Jason are decent additiobns, how in the world are we gonna win just 43 games? LOL . . . the logic just doesn't make sense . . unless he has BOTH Miami and Washington winning more games than us. And I like the way the writers and some of the bloggers say that we've peaked, even before we've had a season showing just that. It's just a lazy analysis to simply say that "we've peaked" and that "we need a top 5 player." You could say that about 25 other teams in the league as well. If JJ is JJ, and if 2 of the 3 kids improve their game ( mainly Smoove and Marvin ), we're going to be a 50+ win team easily. The Orlando game tomorrow night will be everyone's 1st look at the "new look" Hawks. I wonder if Woody will coach that game like a regular season game ( at least for the 1st 3 quarters )? I hope he does, and the squad comes out guns blazing tomorrow night.

The level of competition he's playing against isn't the problem, unless they're sending 2 guys at him. It's the type of shots that he takes, that is the problem. He LOVES the off the dribble jumpshot. It doesn't matter if D-Wade is guarding him, or JJ Redick, he's more than likely going to settle for the same off the dribble ( sometimes falling away ) jumper. And he can make that shot. Even make it while being fouled. But that's also part of the problem. Because on average, he doesn't make those types of shots nearly enough. It then becomes detrimental to the team, for him to keep shooting like that. Flip had some games like that ( especially during the playoffs ). So if he's 1 - 5 FG, and he's out on the court with Mo Evans, who is 3 - 3,FG I want him to find a way to get Mo the ball, instead of him jacking up another long jumper. If he consistently does that, we'll be much better off as a team.

If Jamal wants tio pass the ball and get others involved more, go right ahead sir. I'd love it if he averaged 11 ppg and 7 assts off the bench . . rather than average 17 ppg and 4 assists, while shooting his usal 40% FG off the bench. He just can't keep shooting when his shot is off. I would love to see Woody rest JJ tonight, and insert Jamal in the starting lineup tonight opposite Dwyane Wade ( if he plays ). Throw him into the fire, and see how he and the rest of the squad plays with him as the lead guard, and not JJ.

LMAO . . . . hilarious. Good luck to G, wherever he ends up. Most b-ball players don't even make it to an NBA training camp, so at least he can say that he did that at least.

LOL . . homerism is a wonderful thing sometimes. Because the same people that are saying that Vince won't fit in well in Orlando, ( or is on the decline ), are the same people who flat out believe in Jamal Crawford and what he could do for the Hawks. Incredible. Isn't Vince the same dude that has been KILLING THE HAWKS ever since God knows how long? How many game winning shots has that cat hit against us in recent years? 3? 4? And Vince isn't even the reason why the Hawks won't overtake Orlando. The reason is the MONSTER IN THE MIDDLE. With Orlando, it's choose your method of death. Do you want to die a slow death by Howard, fouling all of your frontline guys out, and he scoring 25 pts ( 10 from the FT line ), grabbing 18 rebs . . . or do you want to die a quick death, by constantly doubling Howard, but always leaving a shooter open? Isn't this how they beat people? The problem is that most teams don't even have frontline guys who can slow down Howard, let alone stop him. And if you can't stop him ( especially on the offensive boards ) a team has virtually no chance in beating the Magic. So you're forced to double, and hope and pray that guys like Jameer Nelson ( the #1 jumpshooter on the Northcyde Jump Shot Index - NJSI last season ), Lewis, Pietrus, Carter, and now Ryan Anderson ( who has made 18 threes in preseason ) have an off game from outside. Even add JJ Redick to that mix, for spot minutes. If not, you're done. So the question is . . who are we going to put on Howard ( to guard one on one ), to prevent the shooters from killing us? Horford? . . Smoove? . . Zaza? . . Joe Smith? . . Oh I know . . we can trot out Collins ( our old Chevy ) and Siler ( whose nickname should be "Molasses" Siler, because he's slow as hell ). Better yet, which one of those guys can get Howard in foul trouble? Maybe Smoove, but that'll require him to constantly challenge Howard in the paint, and not settle for jumpers. I mean dang folks. Why do you think the Lakers beat the Magic? Because they had big athletic guys ( Bynum, Odom, Gasol ) that they could throw at Howard, while pretty much staying with their shooters. And because the Magic didn't have real good off the dribble shot creators, the shooters shot poorly . . and the Magic lost. That's why all of the contending or close to contending teams were trying to make deals to add big men to their roster. Cleveland and Boston don't go get Shaq and Rasheed Wallace, if it wasn't for what Orlando and the Lakers bring to the table. Which brings us to Vince. Because he's the type of shot creator that Orlando needed last year. Hedo got traded because he couldn't effectively do it ( outside of the game winning shots he hit ). They have the big man. They just needed the reliable shot creator. The value of Vince: - he becomes their "go-to guy" at the end of games - he becomes one of the best playmakers and passers on the team - he can create his own jumpshot at anytime and from anywhere - he can shoot the 3 - he can rebound decently for a guard - he plays passing lanes decent - he gets to the FT line and can make his FTs If Vince were a Hawk, instead of Crawford, people would be talking NBA title around here. So why diss the man just because he plays for the enemy? Vince is better than Crawford, and damn near on JJ's level as a SG. He's still easily a top 10 SG in this league. Vince will either do one or two things this year: - he'll either lead that team in scoring, seeing that Dwight still isn't a finished product offensively - or lead that team in assist, because Carter is NOT a selfish player and has never played with a dominant offensive big man. The key to us overtaking Orlando, is for either Horford to become a top 3 rebounder in the league ( preferably over 12 game ). . or for Josh Smith to be a 10+ a game rebounder, along with a Defensive POY top 3 candidate . . or possibly BOTH. Otherwise, we're not overtaking Orlando, barring multiple injuries to their squad, or a significant injury to Howard.

Crawford missed all 5 of his jumpshots, but he made up for it big time with 9 assists. This is what I was talking about last week, in which I said that I hope he sees what Gilbert Arenas was doing this preseason. Arenas was trying to be more of a playmaker than a scorer so far this year ( that'll probably change because of the Jamison injury ). If Crawford's shot isn't going, this is exactly how I wat him to play. If he plays smart, and doesn't take all of those bad shots when ice cold, that he's known for, then I won't have many complaints about JC this season. Friday night's game vs Orlando will be interesting. With it being an ESPN2 national TV game, both teams may take the game a little more serious.