Hawks sure looked better w/o Smoove on the floor

[gsuteke]

You are speaking clearly! Stop it because we on Hawksquawk don't undertand that rebounding matters and that your starting power forward should be the one getting them!

Changing your username is a big step.

Some HS members may be faced with a dillema.

[hawkman]

i thought he had a flat game tonight. or maybe i was expecting a zaza type of energy.

i don't get it sometimes, why does it have to be josh had a bad game(a few games actually) we now need to trade him or somthing like that? zaza had a better game but that's why we had a bench and that's what the bench for.

Don't sweat it. The only guys who say stuff like that have an agenda anyway. They probably never liked the guy. Smoove was big for us early on, but Zaza matched up better so he got the nod for the rest of the game. Smith has been playing better as of late and really gets the crowd into the game with his highlight reel blocks and dunks. Consistency is his only issue, but you could say the same about EVERY player on our roster.

[Peoriabird]

Changing your username is a big step.

Some HS members may be faced with a dillema.

Maybe I'll change it to smooveisnotthefuture!

[crimedog]

The Hawks came back and took the lead because they fixed their deficiencies on the boards.

Al Horford is a better player when pushed to his natural position of the 4 because he takes care of the glass.

Their defense improved as well. Not to mention the sporadic bone head jump shot from 24 feet.

I love Smoove - but I wonder if it's more for his "highlights" or his overall impact on winning ballgames.

Big 3 Marvin!

I hate to break it to you but we were down by one when Smith left the game and we lost by 1. Call it whatever you want it but the team wasn't obviously better or worse either way. Saying that we would have won if Smith was in there is conjecture but saying that we would have lost either way is just as blatantly biased. The only hard evidence that we have about Smith's presence on the court (the numbers) is that he is in fact EXTREMELY important to our team's success. Anything else (ie. "the team seems to play better when he's out") is factually incorrect unless playing better means giving up more points and scoring fewer.

[HawkNJersey]

I hate to break it to you but we were down by one when Smith left the game and we lost by 1. Call it whatever you want it but the team wasn't obviously better or worse either way. Saying that we would have won if Smith was in there is conjecture but saying that we would have lost either way is just as blatantly biased. The only hard evidence that we have about Smith's presence on the court (the numbers) is that he is in fact EXTREMELY important to our team's success. Anything else (ie. "the team seems to play better when he's out") is factually incorrect unless playing better means giving up more points and scoring fewer.

He made an argument in the chat, that we were down 10...when Smoove left the game. I tried to follow up with him, but I'm not sure I got a response. Zaza played a great game, noone can deny that. But to act like we played "so much better" without Smoove is local opinion only. The score doesn't support that, especially our offense "looking so much better" considering our offense scored 1pt more in the 2nd half..than we did in the 1st. And thats with Smoove playing all but 1 or 2 min in the 1st half.

If Smoove isn't that valuable or that good of a basketball player, trade him. It should be easy to get equal or better talent for him.

[5ATL15]

i wanted josh to get back on but zaza was getting all the offencive boards...so it was a good play....BUT my question is why did zaza get replaced in the last 40seconds for "he hasent eatin in 3 days, has the flu, isnt feeling good" mike bibby??? i knew jj was gona shoot the ball on that posetion...i was SCREAMING at my TV sumbody get the rebounds....everybody isolated and AL was alone with 4 defenders....zaza OR josh could have been there for the bords...IM SO PISSED OF A WOODSON JUST ON THAT POINT!!!

other wise good game...played really strong D...

we have the most home games left from all the teams....hope we can protect it and keep the 4th spot

[frosgrim]

Smith can and should be the best rebounder on the team.

Woodson, FINALLY, showed some forethought and benched Smith. Hopefully, Smith gets the message that rebounding is a critical skill that he needs to excel in. There is no way that Varejao should be outplaying Smith, but he did. Nor should Zaza Pechulia, but he did. I expect/hope that Smith commits himself to rebounding going forward. If he doesn't, he should expect to have a long March sitting on the bench.

My solution for Smith: He needs to sit down and watch 12 hours of Dennis Rodman and pattern his game after the Worm. Simple as that.

[HawkNJersey]

When did Varejao outplay Smoove?

[Wurider05]

Zaza was playing well but you dont play your supposed 2nd best player the guy u just gave 11 million dollars to be your cornerstone for the entire that is a slap to the face and disrespect. He is our best shot blocker and defender inside on that last possession where lebron got fouled why was not in the game to try to alter the shot its just awful coaching by an awful coach. You play a backup center who should really be 3rd string over your supposed 2nd/3rd best player its a bunch of BS I would have gave him props if it worked but they lost and it backfired in his face which is bs we should never lose a game like that esp at home and nationally tv.

The coaches job is to win. He found a better lineup that worked for us. Smoove can't play the 4 effectively and he can't play the 3 effectively. He is a good weak side shot blocker. What else does he bring to the table other than that a a few highlights. Last year it was MArvin who was on the bench in crunch time now it is Smoove. The question is whether or not Smoove gets it and understands why he wasn't in the game.

[Kimsey]

Woodson did you lose the game last night. Zaza played possibly his best 3rd quarter of his career. His play was tailing off considerably in the 4th. Zaza hits the offensive boards well but smith is a better defensive rebounder. In the 4th, they gave up numerous second chance points and and 1s.

6:41 72-77 Zaza Pachulia offensive foul (Mo Williams draws the foul)

6:41 72-77 Zaza Pachulia turnover

6:24 LeBron James misses 3-foot two point shot 72-77

6:22 72-77 Al Horford defensive rebound

6:20 72-77 Ronald Murray misses two point shot

6:18 72-79 Joe Johnson makes tip shot

6:18 72-79 Joe Johnson offensive rebound

6:18 Cleveland full timeout

6:18 Cleveland 20 Sec. timeout

5:52 Marvin Williams blocks Delonte West's 12-foot jumper 72-79

5:50 72-79 Marvin Williams defensive rebound

5:31 72-79 Joe Johnson misses 10-foot running jumper

5:30 Anderson Varejao defensive rebound 72-79

5:20 Zydrunas Ilgauskas makes 18-foot jumper (LeBron James assists) 74-79

4:56 74-81 Ronald Murray makes 11-foot two point shot (Joe Johnson assists)

4:41 74-81 Ronald Murray shooting foul (LeBron James draws the foul)

4:41 LeBron James misses free throw 1 of 2 74-81

4:41 Cleveland offensive rebound 74-81

4:41 LeBron James makes free throw 2 of 2 75-81

4:24 Mo Williams shooting foul (Ronald Murray draws the foul) 75-81

4:24 75-81 Ronald Murray misses free throw 1 of 2

4:24 75-81 Atlanta offensive rebound

4:24 75-82 Ronald Murray makes free throw 2 of 2

4:05 Anderson Varejao makes 16-foot two point shot 77-82

3:40 77-82 Zaza Pachulia offensive foul (Anderson Varejao draws the foul)

3:40 77-82 Zaza Pachulia turnover

3:31 Anderson Varejao makes two point shot (LeBron James assists) 79-82

3:31 79-82 Zaza Pachulia shooting foul (Anderson Varejao draws the foul)

3:31 Anderson Varejao makes free throw 1 of 1 80-82

3:31 Atlanta full timeout

3:15 80-84 Joe Johnson makes 16-foot jumper

2:47 shot clock violation 80-84

2:29 80-84 Ronald Murray misses 20-foot jumper

2:28 80-84 Al Horford offensive rebound

2:23 80-84 Marvin Williams loose ball foul (Anderson Varejao draws the foul)

2:23 80-84 Marvin Williams turnover

2:05 80-84 Al Horford personal foul (Zydrunas Ilgauskas draws the foul)

2:05 Zydrunas Ilgauskas makes free throw 1 of 2 81-84

2:05 Atlanta full timeout

2:05 Zydrunas Ilgauskas makes free throw 2 of 2 82-84

1:43 82-84 Joe Johnson misses driving dunk

1:42 82-84 Marvin Williams offensive rebound

1:42 82-87 Marvin Williams makes 30-foot three point jumper

1:23 Delonte West makes 20-foot jumper (LeBron James assists) 84-87

1:01 84-87 Ronald Murray misses 18-foot jumper

1:00 LeBron James defensive rebound 84-87

0:49 Ronald Murray blocks LeBron James's driving layup 84-87

0:48 LeBron James offensive rebound 84-87

0:47 Mo Williams makes 24-foot three point jumper (LeBron James assists) 87-87

0:40 Atlanta full timeout

0:40 87-87 Mike Bibby enters the game for Zaza Pachulia

0:25 87-87 Joe Johnson misses 6-foot two point shot

0:23 Delonte West defensive rebound 87-87

0:01 87-87 Al Horford shooting foul (LeBron James draws the foul)

0:01 LeBron James misses free throw 1 of 2 87-87

0:01 Cleveland offensive rebound 87-87

0:01 LeBron James makes free throw 2 of 2 88-87

0:01 Atlanta 20 Sec. timeout

0:00 88-87 Joe Johnson misses 18-foot jumper

0:00 88-87 Atlanta offensive rebound

0:00 End of the 4th Quarter

0:00 End Game

[HawkNJersey]

Thats not the sequence of events, that some of these posters seem to remember....

We sure look better, giving up more points and scoring less...with Smoove on the bench.

Edited March 2, 2009 by HawkNJersey

[frosgrim]

When did Varejao outplay Smoove?

The fourth quarter

(tic)

In all seriouness. Anderson was trusted to make the right plays and hustle by his team. Smith has not been doing that since the All-Star break. Hence, Anderson outplayed Smith. Its a team game and Smith hasn't been playing his best team basketball.

Again, I hope this lights a fire under Smith and he starts to play at a higher level than he has been over the past few weeks.

[thecampster]

Thats not the sequence of events, that some of these posters seem to remember....

We sure look better, giving up more points and scoring less...with Smoove on the bench.

Ok. For all that said "we were better without Josh on the floor". Let me show you the + / - numbers for last night

Johnson -1

Bibby -11

Horford -4

Williams -1

Smith +2

Murray even

Pachulia +4

Evans +6

Those are you plus minus numbers for last night.

Given those numbers, your most effective players on the court, in order were Evans, Pachulia, Smith, Murray and (johnson, Williams).

[AHF]

Thats not the sequence of events, that some of these posters seem to remember....

We sure look better, giving up more points and scoring less...with Smoove on the bench.

See my earlier post. The reason was:

Smith 3 rebounds in 34 minutes

Zaza 8 rebounds in 24 minutes

Marvin and Horford 10 rebounds

[Guest]

Woodson did you lose the game last night. Zaza played possibly his best 3rd quarter of his career. His play was tailing off considerably in the 4th. Zaza hits the offensive boards well but smith is a better defensive rebounder. In the 4th, they gave up numerous second chance points and and 1s.

Zaza is the better defensive rebounder of the two. Smoove "hits" the boards at 5.3 D per 36. Z is actually hitting the boards with 6.2 D per 36. Z also knows how to box out, Smoove just tries to time the ball off the rim and get it at his peak. His timing isn't that great and he is exposing himself for others to snatch the rebound by him not positioning himself.

[HawkNJersey]

The fourth quarter

(tic)

In all seriouness. Anderson was trusted to make the right plays and hustle by his team. Smith has not been doing that since the All-Star break. Hence, Anderson outplayed Smith. Its a team game and Smith hasn't been playing his best team basketball.

Again, I hope this lights a fire under Smith and he starts to play at a higher level than he has been over the past few weeks.

Anderson had 2pts...when Smith was in the game...

He went on a personal 5 pt run in the 4th, when Smoove was out. He ended with 7. If thats being outplayed, I agree..

[HawkNJersey]

See my earlier post. The reason was:

Smith 3 rebounds in 34 minutes

Zaza 8 rebounds in 24 minutes

Marvin and Horford 10 rebounds

That's cool...but when it counted in the 4th, what did Zaza provide? I know what led to Zaza being on the floor. But his run was over, midway thru the 4th.

[Traceman]

Anderson had 2pts...when Smith was in the game...

He went on a personal 5 pt run in the 4th, when Smoove was out. He ended with 7. If thats being outplayed, I agree..

Zaza was in to deal with Ilgauskas, not Varejao. Zaza got caught with Varejao on a couple of switches but he was in the game because of Ilgauskas. It was Horford's inability to guard Big Z (Big Z is just too big for him) that made Zaza's presence on the floor necessary. If Smoove should have come back for ANYBODY, it should have been Big Al but I can't blame Woody for sticking with Al over Smoove right now because Al is rebounding FAR better and he is simply playing better consistently.

[macdaddy]

I was giving Woody kudos for sticking with the lineup that was working. But I didn't expect him to stick with it FOREVER. Smoove should have come back and he could have made a difference. Woody mentioned in the post game that he should have managed the game better. Zaza and Al played great but I think Smoove would have been good the last 5 minutes. He would have been well rested and could have done some damage inside.

[Traceman]

I was giving Woody kudos for sticking with the lineup that was working. But I didn't expect him to stick with it FOREVER. Smoove should have come back and he could have made a difference. Woody mentioned in the post game that he should have managed the game better. Zaza and Al played great but I think Smoove would have been good the last 5 minutes. He would have been well rested and could have done some damage inside.

Maybe. He also may have come in and taken one of his patented ill-advised jumpers and continued to not rebound as he had in his first 34 minutes. If Zaza or Al had been struggling, I could have seen taking one of them out but both guys were in there scrapping, rebounding and playing good D.

Zaza made a couple of mistakes down the stretch but they were errors of comission not omission. In addition, the later it got in the game, the more risky it was putting Smoove in because of his struggles at the FT line. Both Al and Zaza hit big FTs down the stretch. I sure as heck would not want Smoove shooting clutch FT down the stretch right now.

Bottom line, if Smoove wants to play down the stretch, he needs to make sure that he is producing early in the game. A rebound every 11 minutes from your PF is simply not acceptable.