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Merged: Ex-Hawk Josh Smith not miffed by benching

iDash

By iDash
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http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/mark-bradley/2013/nov/13/josh-smith-benched-game-7-piston/

Mark Bradley

That didn't take long. Josh Smith, who left the Atlanta Hawks to sign with Detroit for $54 million as a free agent, was benched in his seventh game as a Piston. He started against Golden State on Tuesday but played only 19 minutes. He was removed with 1:39 remaining in the first quarter. He returned with 5:25 left in the third period. He finished with two points and no rebounds.

According to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press, Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks denied that he was, in the vernacular, trying to send a message: "Not at all. It's about trying to change some things up."

The 19 minutes marked the first time as a Piston that Smith hadn't played at least 33. A byproduct of his reduced court time was that he could manage only two 3-point shots Tuesday; in six previous games, he'd tried an average of 6.3 treys. (He has made 11 of 40 on the season, or 27.5 percent.)

As a Hawk last season, Smith tried an average of 3.3 treys. It would seem that he has taken his new contract as a license to hoist even more. From his benching, it would seem that his new employers aren't terribly enthused.

The Pistons are 2-5 and rank last in the NBA in field-goal percentage defense. Smith is third on the team in scoring (15.3 points), third in rebounding (5.4) and third in assists (2.7). He has made 41.6 percent of his shots, which would mark a career worst by a wide margin.

The Hawks, meanwhile, are 4-3 and are very happy with Paul Millsap, who signed at a bargain price and who is averaging 18.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He has made 55.9 percent of his shots. Heck, he has even made 5 of 11 treys.

6.3 treys a game = 516 treys taken. Take control yes; but Josh was more out of control than at any time during his career as a Hawk.

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Josh will now decide to play inside and smart for the next 4-5 games then revert to 'Jack 'em up Josh'. we've seen it and experienced it all before - the roller coaster that is Josh Smith!

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benhillboy Grand Master

benhillboy

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Knee-jerk reaction. I take it more as a self-indicment of the State of The Pistons than of Josh. Every intelligent, knowledgable basketball fan knows how he gets down. To put Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith on the same squad and even remotely expect them to compete against the basketball IQs of Curry, Igoudala, Thompson, and Lee is downright ridiculous, even with 2 young monsters up front in Drummond and Monroe, who I feel very sorry for. Contending teams would salivate over both, but they're learning how to lose at such a rapid rate, eroding their potential. Josh was supposed to show them how to be part of the best defensive froncourt in the land. They're one of the worst. $55 mil don't get you what it used to, especially if you have no idea how to spend it. I can't believe we endured that kid for so long.

Edited by benhillboy
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