Smoove injury may be blessing in disguise

[BusBoyIsBack]

I think it's safe to say this wasn't a blessing in disguise. We can't even beat a garbage team like OKC without Josh.

We are in a helluva lot of trouble for the end of this month. That's just like this cursed franchise. Finally something going right and our 2nd best player gets hurt.

We are going to lose a helluva lot of games without Smoove

it may take us a game of two to make some adjustments. We just came out flat tonight . . . . and I guess we were due for one.

Blessing in disguise my ass! He is the 2nd most important player on our squad. I pray that he comes back early.

LOL or maybe some of us responded to this just a tad too quick. How the heck did we pull this off????

Wow imagine if this does end up being a showcase for guys like Solo and we can actually continue to win?

Edited November 10, 2008 by BusBoyIsBack

[crimedog]

With Josh out we should still be able to beat teams like OKC, Minny, NJ, LAC, etc.; I'd even like to see us handle teams like Chi and Mil with Josh on the bench. Even without JS playing, our starting lineup has 4 top 10 picks (Bibby, Marv, and Al were all top 3 picks). There is no reason we shouldn't have more talent than most of the teams we play even without Josh.

The problem, as we saw last night, is that it just won't be as easy and the team will have to work harder to stay intense. We'll miss Josh's toughness and heart as much as his dunks and blocks.

[Johnnybravo4]

With Smoove we probably go on a better run in the first and beat OKC by 20

[BusBoyIsBack]

With Josh out we should still be able to beat teams like OKC, Minny, NJ, LAC, etc.; I'd even like to see us handle teams like Chi and Mil with Josh on the bench. Even without JS playing, our starting lineup has 4 top 10 picks (Bibby, Marv, and Al were all top 3 picks). There is no reason we shouldn't have more talent than most of the teams we play even without Josh.

The problem, as we saw last night, is that it just won't be as easy and the team will have to work harder to stay intense. We'll miss Josh's toughness and heart as much as his dunks and blocks.

I agree. If we stay focused we can beat teams like that although it still won't be with the greatest of ease.

I think we have no shot at a team like Boston and honestly the rematch against Toronto doesn't look that good either.

I just hope this team can weather the storm. Sure we aren't going to stay undefeated but if we can stay at .500 or above without Smoove then that is huge.

[exodus]

The Hawks aren't going to shoot 37% that often. Every team has nights like that sometimes. That is how a team like the Bobcats can beat Detroit.

[crimedog]

The Hawks aren't going to shoot 37% that often. Every team has nights like that sometimes. That is how a team like the Bobcats can beat Detroit.

Indeed, Bibby isn't gonna got 5-7 from deep every game like against the Raps but we won't have to worry about JJ going 9-25 for 25 points most games either.

For the 4 weeks after Smith's injury we have:

@Chi

@Bos

@NJ

NJ

@Ind

Wash

Char (2 weeks)

@Cle

Mil

@Tor (3 weeks)

@Wash

Mem

NY (4 weeks)

I'd hope for 3 more wins if Smith makes his return at the absolute earliest projected (playing at home v. Charlotte. If he misses the 2 weeks and splits the difference returning at Toronto, I'd expect Ws against Char and Mil anyway and a loss to T.O. anyway, and if he waits 4 weeks, I think the 3 post-Toronto games are winnable regardless.

Realistically, if he misses all 4 weeks I think we 9 winnable games out of 13 but a lot on the road so I think we'd go either 6-7 or 7-6, with Smith I could see us going 10-3 over that stretch but more realisticall 9-4. So I think it would be a 2/3 game swing.

Maybe I'm being too optimistic but like I said, even now we have a starting line with 4 top 10 picks and 3 top 3 picks; we should (and do) have more talent than teams like NJ, Mil, or Was in their current states.