Way to go Salim

[gsuteke]

the guy is like a black hole on this team. he took 13 shots tonight and shot a low FG %.... again!

by the end of the season he will no longer be the 2nd best player on the team so maybe some of you will lose your affinity with the 'black hole.'

[Lascar78]

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JJ's halftime 3... was the difference. we got robbed.

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we did not. The hometeam coverage showed a shot where the clock was at zero, red lights are on, and the ball in JJ's hands. There is no debate, that shot didn't count unfortunately and they got it right

My biggest problem isn't necessarily that Salim was in the game, but that once again, in a clutch situation, we take our time and settle for a long jumper. Why in the world can't Woody get our young players to attack the rim and try to get a layup or a foul? I am sick of seeing Al and Josh Smith shoot 3s, I am sick of us always settling for long jumpers. Do you think that if the heat was up 2 with 30 seconds to go they would settle for a 3 by choice? Hell no. They would either get Wade to attack the rim or dump it in to Shaq in the post.

[Johnnybravo4]

Everybody knows that I am the biggest Salim fan on this board but I can't defend that Sh*t last night. Unexcusable. But I believe that the biggest blunder was leaving Salim in the game on the defensive possession where Derrick Anderson hit that fade away shot. For once, Ivey would have been the better option.

But I will say one thing, this game may have changed Salim's career. He may have been served a plate of humility last night. Which is good for all of us.

[phoostal]

are on this board. Salim is in his first year and he is getting bashed for everything he does. When he does have a good game there is an excuse about him still being a bad player. It is a can't win situation. Just like Lue.

It's funny when Childress, Smith, or Marvin F##$ up there is always an excuse for them. Everybody loved the game Smith had last night, I watched him throw the ball away three times in the 4th qt. If he didn't do that maybe we would have won. Yet, no one brings that up. However, Salim like Lue is the whipping boy on this board.

Some of you need to check yourself, if you are going to call people out, be consistent. I doubt that you will though.

P

[HawksFan87]

Dude on one on here said SMTIH did'nt screw up but he made up for his mistakes. CHILL did'nt play last night so this dicussion has nothing to do with him ,MARVIN and SMITH are both young so we can see why they make mistakes but SALIM gets on most people nerves when he comes into games and just starts throwing up shots. he should'nt have taken that shot plain and simple.

[phoostal]

I'm not saying Salim didn't screw up. However, all the other guys get a free pass when they do.

Yeah, Smith had a great game. However he still screwed up with those bad passes, especially when he thinks he is a point guard bringing the ball up and constantly throwing it away. I don't see anyone riding his a@@ about it.

Look Salim messed up, yet he doesn't get the leeway of the other rookies on this team. That is all I'm saying and it is the truth.

Salim seemed to make some clutch shots down the stretch in the Toronto game the other night, I don't see anyone bringing that up. Or if they did it would be, well he shoots enough he better make a few. It's the same with Lue he will play a good game and someone will find a flaw with that as well.

This board playes favorites, plain and simple. People claim to be fair and critique everyone in the same light, but that is the furthest from the truth. Just read the posts, I do. I guess no one else does. I must be crazy because I am the only one that sees it.

P

[Plainview1981]

If Salim isn't shooting a high percentage he is NO good. Atleast the other plays can contribute in some other way.

It's pretty clear that Salim needs to sit on the bench cause he just isn't cutting it. It seems like night after night he shoots poorly. Is he even shoot 40% now?? I have looked, but I'd be shocked if he is.

When Salim has a good game??? When was the last time that happend?

[HawksFan87]

Obviously you and SALIM think alike, He thinks more of his self than he really is and yo do to. So you just cant sit here and say that's all the JOSH'S ,MARVIN ,and the rest of the HAWKS do is turn it over because SALIM does the same thing every game.

[Admin]

EVERY player on this team gets criticized at one time or another. Maybe you arent around enough to see that, but its pretty obvious that nobody on the team is above the law here.

Last night Salim was forcing up shot after shot even though he wasnt "on". I blame him for not passing and I blame Woody for not only leaving him in there but running that final play for him. Its almost like he is going out of his way to show there is no hard feelings between them.

Just to make one final point, Salim has been praised massively on here when he has done well. Just go back and look at the old threads. He deserves that when he does well just as much as he does when he f*cks up like he did last night.

[Seano]

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If Salim isn't shooting a high percentage he is NO good.

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I still think you're being far too harsh on the rook, so I wouldn't say he's *no* good when his shot's not falling. It's still way too early to determine what his ultimate value might be. But I do agree that his primary value lies in the fact that he's a shooter, so when the shot ain't falling then you've got some problems. But it's not like that was a big secret when we drafted him. I mean everyone knew that his best attribute by far was his ability to shoot, and the rest of his game was not nearly as complete.

He could improve with NBA experience and become a more complete player as well as being a shooter. Or he could be strictly relegated to a bench/6th man type role where he's relied upon to provide points and maybe even instant offense the way Vinnie Johnson used to do- and FWIW Salim's rookie season to date he is substantially outperforming Vinnie Johnson's rookie year in Seattle.

Now that might not mean much, but neither does the fact that he struggles sometimes- I mean, it happens. That's an inevitability. There's this temptation to try and provide instant analysis and try and label him as a 'bust' or what have you- but that ain't realistic at this point in time and that's not the way it works. He is what he is right now, a young player with a good shot, some attitude questions and some areas of his game that could definitely use some improvement. But the fact that's what he is now does not necessarily have any bearing on his future or what he might become. Some of that will be determined by outside factors (coaching etc etc), but much of it will be up to him, how badly he's willing to work to become a good player.

It is silly to write him off at this point in his career, and Hotlanta1981 you do that all the time.

[exodus]

Salim has been shooting poorly for months, but that hasn't stopped him from chucking up bad shots consistently.

He also doesn't run the offense well, having more turnovers than assists on the season. He isn't exactly a tough defender either.

The only time he has any value is when he is shooting well, which rarely happens.

When Smiths shot is off he is still hitting the boards, blocking shots and getting assists. Smith had 11 pts in the 4th quarter, shooting 9-12 on the game with 5 assists and 8 rebound.

Sometimes he makes bad decisions on his passes but AT LEAST HE IS LOOKING TO PASS, which can't be said of Salim. Trying to compare the two is a joke.

[Peoriabird]

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.When Smiths shot is off he is still hitting the boards, blocking shots and getting assists. Smith had 11 pts in the 4th quarter, shooting 9-12 on the game with 5 assists and 8 rebound.

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He is doing what you described above this year but last year Josh Smith wasn't playing like this consistently. All I am saying is give the guy a few years in the league first before we label him a bad player and ship him out like we did Diaw.

[Plainview1981]

Eddie House II

[Johnnybravo4]

All this being said. I much rather have Salim take that shot than Royal Ivey thats for sure.

[exodus]

If Royal had been playing instead of Salim it wouldn't have come down to a last second shot.

[Johnnybravo4]

Right because we would have lost by 10

[exodus]

The Hawks built a huge lead with Salim on the bench. They lost it when he was in.