BEHIND THE MICROPHONE

ON JOSH SMITH

CHICAGO--You know it. I know it. Larry Drew knows it. And, deep down, Josh Smith has to now know it.
The knowledge is this: that when Smith, the Atlanta Hawks mercurial power forward, plays like he played Sunday night at Philips Arena, there is no power forward in the NBA that can stop him.
Slow him down, perhaps, with superior length in close to the hoop. But stop him? No way.
Smith played his best game of these playoffs, and arguably the best of his career in leading the Hawks to a must-win, 100-88 victory over the Chicago Bulls that evened the best of seven Eastern Conference semi-final series at two games apiece.
if Josh hadn't heard enough from the fans during Game Three, he certainly heard it from his head coach the next day. Coach Drew laid it all out for Josh. Showed him the stats, the percentages, and then rolled the video to hammer home the point: quit taking ill-timed, low percentage shots from the perimeter.
Instead, go do what you do so well, namely punish people with your off the chart athleticism. Josh in the paint is unstoppable, when playing at a high energy level.
You don't destroy a great defensive team like the Bulls like he did without that kind of ability: 23 points, 16 boards, eight assists, and two more blocks, brining his series total against the Bulls to 14.
(An aside here, Bulls fans: spare me the chatter about how the Bulls "didn't play their game" or "we Got happy after the Game Three win" as Joakim Noah would lead you to believe. this game was tied with four minutes left, and Josh did his damage all night long).
Smith has this kind of ability. The question is: will he play to his strengths consistently? if he can stay focused, the Hawks can win this series. yes, they can upset the Bulls.
As I checked in at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport this morning, the Delta Skycaps said to me "that's Josh's game! in the paint!".
On the train to the A33 gate, a gentleman who watched the game from his suite said to me, "Josh was amazing!"
Yes he was. it was great to see.
When Josh Smith operates in the paint, good things happen.
Everybody knows it now.

A GREAT WIN FOR THE HAWKS IN CHICAGO

When the 1969 New York Mets were making their improbable run to baseball’s World Championship, reliever Tug McGraw coined the phrase, “Ya Gotta Believe!”.
Who would have thought that the miserable Mets, losers of 120 games in their inaugural season just seven years previous, would supplant the Chicago Cubs, win the National League East, and go on to win the World Series.
OK, be honest. How many of you believed the Atlanta Hawks had any chance of winning game one in Chicago last night?
That’s what I thought.
OK, now, this morning…how many of you believe, just a little bit?
The Hawks last night maintained their post-season momentum with a well-played, 103-95 win over the Bulls, and captured home-court advantage in this Eastern Conference semi-final series.
Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford combined for 56 points. The man of the hour was Jeff Teague, who took over the point guard duties for the injured Kirk Hinrich, and played the best game of his career, considering the circumstances. Teague committed only one turnover in nearly 45 minutes of action, scored 10 points and had five assists. He did his best in limiting the Bulls Derrick Rose.
It’s interesting to listen to the “experts” who last week questioned “what is wrong with the Magic?” as they fell to the Hawks, and now their question is “what is wrong with the Bulls?”.
It’s high time the elitist NBA experts give the Hawks a little bit of credit.
Folks, it’s a basketball game. Hustle, play smart, and see what happens. The Hawks have shown a much better determination and grittiness in the playoffs than they ever showed during the regular season.
And that’s a sign of a team growing and maturing. It’s hard to grow without pain in the pro game. The Hawks suffered a very painful exit last year against the Magic. It has fueled them this post-season. Remember, it took a ton of frustration and losing for Michael Jordan and the Bulls to finally get past Detroit back in the day.
Will the Hawks win the series? Why not? All they have to do now is hold serve at the Highlight Factory. Easier said than done, but…
Ya Gotta Believe!