Let's blame T-Lue now!!

[Popeye]

Problem:

T-Lue doesn't play defense in the clutch. Last two games, Jason Williams hit the clutch three for Miami and T-Lue didn't even raise his hand, instead he just watched him shoot it. This game Billups hit a clutch three to put Pistons up by 6 and made it out of reach for us. Once a again Lue didn't even bother to put his fking hand up. I am not sure if he is tired but he shouldn't be playing defense when the game is on the line. Only exception is if the opponents PG is offensively challenged like Snow in Cavs. Woody starts Ivey and Bozeman over Lue because of their defense and he puts Lue in the close games when you have to play your best defense.(Come on Woody, you know better than that).

Sloution: Put Speedy or Bozeman to finish off games.

Lue shouldn't be playing more than 25 min a game if this team wants to be SUCCESS(like Borat would say).

[Peoriabird]

Quote:

---

Problem:

Lue shouldn't be playing more than 25 min a game if this team wants to be SUCCESS(like Borat would say).

---

He is playing more minutes because of our injury situation. Can't have a non shooter like Bozeman or Ivey on the floor late in games when you are behind. You do need offense to out score your opponent. Will be a moot point once Childress and Marvin come back.

[Blunt91]

MW I think the play you are talking about(The one that sealed the game for them) is where a pick was set for Billups. Billups took one dribble to his left and then spinned back to his right and raised up for the 3pointer. I don't think you could fault T-Lue on that one. They set a good pick and Billups put a good move on Lue that left him out of position to defend.

[Duff_Man]

It is one of the NBATV highlights. Gotta say that even the best defenders in the NBA would have had a hard time on that move. We need Lue on offense down the stretch. Only option is to play offense/defense like Larry Brown used to do with Korver. I think Lue does OK for his size.

[terrynoonan]

Whoa! Hold up. T-lue has played beyond his abilities so far. Any blame for our problems should start and end with BK and Woody. I think the guys give great effort. It's amazing that everyone thinks we're so much better defensively. Really, we still don't box out(which is part of defense), leave way too many open 3's, and don't defend the pick and roll with competence. Al's gone. That's pretty much it. Shelden and Lorendu have helped, as well. You can't blame Lue. I think this is the beginning of a confusing stretch for the Hawks. When Marvin comes back to full health, we should be a very athletic team. We will win games and look good. We will blow games that we shouldn't. My great fear is that we win 34-38 games, miss the playoffs and Woody is commended for overacheiving. That would be a disastrous sequence of events for the team. I'm a Homer. I know a lot of people think I just like to bash the coach. That's not true. I'm just not blinded by my Homerism. Real teams have real coaches. I used to get upset with Fratello and Lenny. Man, how times have changed.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

[Duff_Man]

Quote:

---

I'm a Homer

---

Quote:

---

I'm just not blnded by Homerism

---

Uhhhh...What?

[terrynoonan]

What don't you get? I want the team to win. I'm just not a "stay the course" kind of guy. Are you happy with 39 wins in two years? Are you happy with a 4 game losing streak, three of which occured at home? You probably don't care. You don't live here.

[Duff_Man]

Quote:

---

What don't you get? I want the team to win. I'm just not a "stay the course" kind of guy. Are you happy with 39 wins in two years? Are you happy with a 4 game losing streak, three of which occured at home? You probably don't care. You don't live here.

---

I have been a loyal fan since 1985 (5th grade). I go to Atlanta every year for the Falcons' home opener. I buy the NBA package strictly to watch the Hawks. While I do not like losing, I also understand that we are an improving team with a nice nucleus and a very high ceiling. Just because we don't win a championship every year, doesn't mean squat. I would rather watch these kids hustle their asses off and lose than watch some of the teams in previous years be lazy and mediocre. We are on the upswing, and we are fun to watch. Enjoy the team, don't just bash the coaching or whatever.

I was FAR FAR FAR more upset watching Abdur-Rahim jack 20 footers all night and hanging his head. Watching these kids grow together is nice and refreshing.

So, yeah, I do care.

[Popeye]

Quote:

---

MW I think the play you are talking about(The one that sealed the game for them) is where a pick was set for Billups.

---

It's on Nba.com highlights, you can see that Lue went waay around the pick for some reason. He should be fighting through the screen and maybe get offensive foul, but he made a circle around Rasheed.

[jerrywest]

Don't blame Lue.

He just can't do what he can't do.

He is already doing more than what we paid him to do.

If he could play D like we want him to he would have asked for twice the salary and he would have been signed with someone else.

So, lets face reality.

Lue will never give you that. We have to win despite his defense. Live with that.

[Popeye]

I remember he used to be a good defensive player when he was with the Lakers. He gave AI a lot of trouble in the playoffs.