The person now in the spotlight is...

[skaughtybee]

...Mike Woodson.

My take on the Hawks "plan" is that BK believes that with enough athleticism and a couple solid shooters that the offense will take care of itself. He is now putting the expectations upon Woodson to take the appropriate physical tools and apply them into a solid defensive core. Long arms tend to serve playing some zone.

There are elements of Phoenix (run-n-gun) and Detroit (long and athletic with key shooters) in what BK has built.

Whether we get Hunter or Zsa Zsa wwill go a long way in seeing whether BK thinks we are more a Phx or a Det-like team.

[swolehawk2]

Yeah until BK gets Mike some solid tough big men....defensively Mike's hands are tied.

[RAHMOR]

I agree. I gave Woodson a pass last season because of the lack of talent we had. We have made great strides in talent this year. The major problem we had last year was the droughts in scoring, especially in the 3rd and 4th quarter and total lack of interior defense as well as trouble stopping penetration. I will judge him on what type of offense he rolls out and the defensive scheme he puts together to slow pentration.

With JJ, the draft and whatever center it be Curry or Za Za, Billy Knight has earned his money and his pass for the season IMO.

I won't argue the point because we've been beating the holy mother of jesus freaking crap out of dead horses around here, but I will also be keeping a close eye on Marvin Williams.

[chillzatl]

He needs another year after this before any real expectations should be placed on him. I do expect improvement. But this team is going to be so young and still have several new, key players. It's impossible to expect too much.

[KB21]

I agree.

A .500 record likely gets you in the playoffs in the East. That's 42 wins. IMO, despite the addition of Joe Johnson and further development of the players we currently have, expecting a 29-30 game turnaround is a little unrealistic.

I think the Hawks will be showing great improvment if they can get to 25-30 wins, for this year. Another semi high lotto pick and another solid free agent acquisition could be enough to get the team the 12-15 extra wins they will need in 2006-2007 to compete for a playoff spot.

[skaughtybee]

Quote:

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I agree.

A .500 record likely gets you in the playoffs in the East. That's 42 wins. IMO, despite the addition of Joe Johnson and further development of the players we currently have, expecting a 29-30 game turnaround is a little unrealistic.

I think the Hawks will be showing great improvment if they can get to 25-30 wins, for this year. Another semi high lotto pick and another solid free agent acquisition could be enough to get the team the 12-15 extra wins they will need in 2006-2007 to compete for a playoff spot.

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Just b/c I said the spotlight is on Woodson doesn't mean I implied "he'd better make this a playoff team this year". I simply wanted to point out that BK can only do so much, and that there is the need for Woodson to do what he is known for...teach some defense to some players with the tools to play funadmentally sound and beyond.

[KB21]

A .500 team is 41 wins, not 42 wins.