Isn't it funny?

[TheTrueSiete]

Isn't it funny how our nightmare comes to real life ON FRIDAY THE 13TH! Just wondering, since everyone seems to have different opinions (except towards Woody), what does everyone see happening next season? Give it some thought...

7

[Swish]

Ironic isn't it.

I don't know, I'm one of the outcasts who doesn't think Woodson is that bad; I mean, he could do a better job with Smoove, obviously, but really, he hasn't had a PG or good big man till really the second half of this season, and they did as well as we can expect, really. Playoffs, took the world's best basketball team outside Team USA to seven games, etc. I mean, if he has Horf and Bibby for a full season and we sign one more guy, I really believe we're looking at the three or four seed. I think we can win a playoff series next year. And I'm really not being that optimistic; if we traded for Camby or Jefferson, or etc., we're talking East Finals. Woodson has improved steadily, and I don't think anyone could be expected to win with just JJ and Smoove, which is basically what he had for two seasons. Call me crazy.

[frosgrim]

For me I see the club winning around 45 games next season.

With a better coach they could approach 50.

All these estimates are made with a +/- 3 games. They also assume:

no additions

no injuries

both Joshes are resigned

All of the above are big assumptions. If one is not met, then the predictions are null and void.

Now that Woodson is onboard, Sund must make some moves to get more vets on the team since Woodson appears to have real problems with the younger guys.

Sund, has strike 1 against him, its now time to drive in that critical run and get us another shooter. Sund then has to come to bat again and get us another big man.

[macdaddy]

I'm still optimistic about the team. I think we saw what they can accomplish. I think they could do more with a better coach. I just hope Smoove doesn't try to get out of here now. I assume Sund talked to the key players prior to extending Woody, but with this group i never want to assume.

It will be frustrating though if we continue our same ways of disorganized offense and horrible player rotations. The bar is set so low on this franchise that despite being blown off the court and embarrassed in game 7 (and most of the other games in boston) the series is seen as a major accomplishment for Woody. Bringing back our core with fresh leadership i think would have given the players and fans an additional shot of optimism.

Didn't answer the question. Sorry. I'm still thinking we're fighting to get in the playoffs again this year.

[AtLaS]

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Playoffs, took the world's best basketball team outside Team USA to seven games, etc.

Woodson didn't do that. The fact that Josh Smith was on a 3pt spree in game 3 propelled us, and he was also hitting tons of jumpers in game 4 that he should've never been taking in the first place. Also JJ absolutely dominating the 4th quarter in game 4, that's not coaching.

I've just seen enough the past 4 years to know that the guy is incompetent. It's pretty obvious if you pay attention without shaded glasses.

[Admin]

At least we can take comfort in the fact that Sund does notice deficiencies in rosters and tries to correct them, judging by how hard he tried to get centers while with the Sonics. Hopefully he will realize that we need help on the bench and that those players need to be vets, since as you have said (and I agree with) Woody tends to trust vets more than he does questionable young guys.

[Admin]

Oh please, the same could be said of any playoff game/series when players take over.

Does Doc Rivers get no credit for the Celtics win last night because Paul Pierce took over the game on both ends in the 2nd half?

[AtLaS]

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Oh please, the same could be said of any playoff game/series when players take over.

Does Doc Rivers get no credit for the Celtics win last night because Paul Pierce took over the game on both ends in the 2nd half?

No, because Pierce is a player you want to take those shots. In games 3 and 4 Smith shot tons of jumpers and just got lucky and made them. That was the key to us winning, as was JJ's insane 4th quarter.

[Admin]

Why was Smith lucky to make them? He has games where he hits shots and he proved over the course of the season that he can make big jump shots when he is focused.

You absolutely cannot remove all credit from Woody for us winning unless you remove all blame for the losses. It simply doesn't work like that.

[AtLaS]

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Why was Smith lucky to make them? He has games where he hits shots and he proved over the course of the season that he can make big jump shots when he is focused.

Smith is one of the worst shooters in the NBA. Why would we want him taking tons of jumpers in a playoff game? LUCKILY he made them, even though he never should've been shooting them in the first place.

And yes, he's made clutch jumpers, but most of the ones in the playoffs weren't clutch. Most of them were early in the game, early in the shot clock.

[Admin]

How many games did you watch this year? I'm not going to go back through the game logs to prove this but there were several instances where Smith made big jumpers at clutch moments. I think in the Toronto game he made 2 3pt shots at the end. He isn't a consistent shooter, but when he focuses he is a much better shooter than his overall numbers dictate.

The bottom line is that if nobody else is hitting and JJ is doubled, SOMEBODY has to step up and take the big shots and if they leave Smith open he absolutely has to make them pay for it.

[AtLaS]

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How many games did you watch this year? I'm not going to go back through the game logs to prove this but there were several instances where Smith made big jumpers at clutch moments. I think in the Toronto game he made 2 3pt shots at the end. He isn't a consistent shooter, but when he focuses he is a much better shooter than his overall numbers dictate.

Where did I say Smith wasn't a clutch shooter? You just misinterpreted my quote. You said he is a clutch shooter, I said yes, but that most of the jumpers he took in the playoffs WEREN'T clutch. Most of his made jumpers came in the first 3 quarters. He shot a lot more that didn't go in. He should never be shooting during that time unless the shot clock is winding down or he is just unbelievably wide open.

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The bottom line is that if nobody else is hitting and JJ is doubled, SOMEBODY has to step up and take the big shots and if they leave Smith open he absolutely has to make them pay for it.

If they leave Smith open, than there is a lane to drive and he should take it, collapse the D, and then kick out to an open guy who CAN make a shot.

[Packfill]

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Isn't it funny how our nightmare comes to real life ON FRIDAY THE 13TH! Just wondering, since everyone seems to have different opinions (except towards Woody), what does everyone see happening next season? Give it some thought...

7

The Friday the 13th thing is quite ironic.

As for your question about what happens next season, I am not sure. Hopefully the team can overcome Woody's deficiencies. I think any improvement will be as a result of the natural maturation of the young players. Hopefully some of them can start developing some consistency. It would be nice if the franchise brought in some solid vets to provide minutes of the bench but I don't think there is enough money available for those types of players.

[Admin]

I'm sorry I guess I did. Sometimes that happens when trying to post here while at work. Perhaps I should re-design this site to look like Google or something LOL.

Anyways, back to the point, I agree that unless there is no other option Smith shouldn't be taking long jumpers and that he should drive to the basket ... unless he puts in a lot of work on his jumper in the offseason. I'm sure none of us would mind if he pulled a Gerald Wallace and went from being a poor outside shooter to one that had to be respected.

[sturt]

Assuming that the average number of jump shots taken per game were similar, seems reasonable to look at a comparison b/t Smith's season FG% and playoffs FG%, doesn't it?

[AtLaS]

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Anyways, back to the point, I agree that unless there is no other option Smith shouldn't be taking long jumpers and that he should drive to the basket ... unless he puts in a lot of work on his jumper in the offseason. I'm sure none of us would mind if he pulled a Gerald Wallace and went from being a poor outside shooter to one that had to be respected.

I agree, I definitely want Smith to work on his jumper. Because if he develops that, he will be a force in this league offensively. But as of right now, he shouldn't take as many as he does.

[AHF]

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Assuming that the average number of jump shots taken per game were similar, seems reasonable to look at a comparison b/t Smith's season FG% and playoffs FG%, doesn't it?

Regular Season Jump Shots: eFG% - 30.7%

Post-season Jump Shots: eFG% - 32.4%

It was generally not a good idea for Josh to shoot jumpers in the regular season or post-season.

[exodus]

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Assuming that the average number of jump shots taken per game were similar, seems reasonable to look at a comparison b/t Smith's season FG% and playoffs FG%, doesn't it?

Regular Season Jump Shots: eFG% - 30.7%

Post-season Jump Shots: eFG% - 32.4%

It was generally not a good idea for Josh to shoot jumpers in the regular season or post-season.

it is inevitable that Smith will make some jump shots in the clutch simply because the defense leaves him wide open and he isn't shy.

[sturt]

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Assuming that the average number of jump shots taken per game were similar, seems reasonable to look at a comparison b/t Smith's season FG% and playoffs FG%, doesn't it?

Regular Season Jump Shots: eFG% - 30.7%

Post-season Jump Shots: eFG% - 32.4%

It was generally not a good idea for Josh to shoot jumpers in the regular season or post-season.

Would like to bookmark that source if you can pass it along, AHF.

But I guess I should have prefaced that I was keying on the idea that Smith was "LUCKY" to have made the shots that he did... looks like he was not much more "lucky" than he ever is otherwise.

Also, it would be useful to put that stat in some context... how does this compare with all jump shots?... and, with all jump shooting by PFs...? Is that readily available somewhere?

[exodus]

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Also, it would be useful to put that stat in some context... how does this compare with all jump shots?... and, with all jump shooting by PFs...? Is that readily available somewhere?

Sortable jump shooting of all players is right here.

http://www.82games.com/FGSORT7.HTM

Smiths jump shooting in the playoffs.

http://www.82games.com/0708/playoffs/07ATL9A.HTM

regular season

http://www.82games.com/0708/07ATL11A.HTM

FYI EFG% includes 3s.