Who is the player most needed to maintain or raise

[Swatguy]

their game this season for this team to be successful. Me, I say Marvin has to blow up for the Hawks to be successful. We have to have another player capable of scoring 30 points when needed. Outside of Joe, Salim is the only one to show that kind of scoring. We gotta have another. We need another to score 20+ a game. Al may be that one day but is a lot to ask for him to be now. Law, Ditto. So it has to be Marvin.

If Marvin does not fit the bill by the trading deadline, We will have to wheel and deal to find one. Or look forward to '09 for the playoffs.

[pimp]

If we are relying on Marvin, be a guy to drop 30 every few games, then we are in trouble.

Marvin didn't even have a 25 point game last year.

Josh Smith will most likely be our second leading scorer again. He avg 19.5 ppg the last 3 months of the season.

And 18.5 PPG sfter his Hernia Surgery.

But scoring is not the problem.Thats not why we lose.

We lose because we can't defend or defensive rebound ,and

we give up to many points in the paint.

So i think the 3 headed Center/pf Trio of Zaza, Shelden and Horford will be the real xfactor.

# 2 would be Speedy Claxton.Can he stay healty and be effective .That is one of the biggest question msrks going into the season.

[Swatguy]

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If we are relying on Marvin, be a guy to drop 30 every few games, then we are in trouble.

Marvin didn't even have a 25 point game last year.

Josh Smith will most likely be our second leading scorer again. He avg 19.5 ppg the last 3 months of the season.

And 18.5 PPG sfter his Hernia Surgery.

But scoring is not the problem.Thats not why we lose.

We lose because we can't defend or defensive rebound ,and

we give up to many points in the paint.

So i think the 3 headed Center/pf Trio of Zaza, Shelden and Horford will be the real xfactor.

# 2 would be Speedy Claxton.Can he stay healty and be effective .That is one of the biggest question msrks going into the season.

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The Hawks were dead LAST in scoring last season. But you think scoring is Not a problem. When we scored 100+ points the percentage was .654 . When opponents scored 100+ the percentage was .150 .

I agree we would win more by playing better defense, but a 93.4 average is far too low. Marvin has the skill-set to score inside and out. He was drafted as (to be)a beast. I (and many others) believe his lack of aggresiveness is the problem. If it doesn't change his minutes have to reduce and someone else will have to emerge be it on the roster (or another teams roster). We will have to see if JSmith is an inside scorer.

Moving Joe to the 3 and getting Salim more minutes at 2 is a thought worth considering.

[Diesel]

I Say Speedy or Law.

In Speedy we have a player with the ability to distribute and defend the 1. The game has changed. All the advantages has been given to speedy PGs who can take the ball to the hoop. Usually, they get the advantage of having a foul called or a basket. Against us, it's usually a basket. Speedy has shown the ability to stop the dribble and change the plan of speedy PGs.

Also, his ability to distribute is key. We haven't had a PG who could get more than 6 apg since Mookie.. or maybe even before? We need that. With a team filled with finishers, you need to be able to run and distribute... Therefore you need a PG like Speedy.

Law also because in the halfcourt, you need those same attributes but you need a PG who can hit an open shot!

[pimp]

They were last in scoring... but don't you think JJ/Chill/Lue, and Speedy missing a ton games had alot to do with that.At one point JJ,Lue,Chill,Speedy we all out at the same time.

With those guys playing more, we would have scored more ppg, but we still cant stop anybody, and we still can't defensive rebound.

I just don't see Marvin scoring 20ppg and leap frogging over Josh Smith as our second leading Scorer.Marvin has not shown any real ability to create his own shot, execpt taking advantage of a much smaller Gerald Green.

Most of the time when he tries to create his own shot, he either gets his shot blocked or turns it over.

His Lack of aggression....

Marvin gets his shot blocked more than any other player on the team.That's most likely why he is not agressive.

82 games.com

Marvin

Close Shots blocked: 23%

Inside shots:20%

Dunks: 6%

J.Smith

Close Shots blocked: 12%

Inside shots: 9%

Dunks 2%

JJ

Close Shots blocked:12%

Inside shots: 11%

dunks: 0% only had like 2 dunks all year

Chill

close Shots blocked:20%

inside shots" 15%

dunks: 2%

Zaza

close Shots blocked:18%

inside:16%

dunks: 0%

Marvin Also is the most Assited player on the team.

Meaning, most of his scoring was setup by other players , rather than him creating his own offense.

Marvin

Scoring ast'd 76%

JJ 40%

Smith 58%

Chill 56%

Zaza 56%

Lue 38%

Shelden 65%

Speedy 37%

Salim 65%

That go me thinking, What gonna happen when teams start playing some REAL defense on him, and stop leaving him wide open , while they double someone else.Will he be agrressive

enough to try to create his shot? Will he be successful at creating his shot with out getting block?Will he demand the ball while JJ, AND Jsmith, Zaza and others are heathly and on the court? Or will he defer to team like in the past?

This is why I believe JJ AND Js will remain to top 2 scorers on the team.And that The 3rd scorer, while that could be Marvin...will be a different guy every other night.

Whom ever has the hot hand between Zaza ,Marvin, Chill, Lue etc.

[Packfill]

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I Say Speedy or Law.

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Couldn't agree more. Steady point guard play (both offensively and defensively) will have a huge impact on the Hawks ability to be competitive.