Need More Granny Shot

Buzzsaw — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:09:54 -0000

Josh Smith has been very ridiculous this year. Probably the best player in the league so far this season. I don't want to be greedy, given that he's already mercifully stopped shooting threes, but he's only got one more glaring flaw, free throw shooting. As he's taking over this team, he's going to end up on the line at the end of games, it's going to lose us games. He needs to make a change, he needs to embrace the Granny Shot.

Why the Granny shot?

1) RIck Barry- Career 90% free throw shooter. One season, he missed only 9 free throws. Josh Smith had missed 9 free throws by game 6. I refuse to believe Rick Barry is better than Josh Smith at anything athletic, Smoove just needs to find the right strategy.

2) Math- Math is smart. Smarter than me. Smarter than you. Math tells me that the Granny Shot is the most effective way to shoot a free throw. You're being paid 10 million dollars to play a game. Why wouldn't you play it as effectively as possible. I couldn't care less what type of shot looks cool. Josh Smith is terrible at free throws, it's been confirmed. The team could use 3.5 more points per game. Suck it up.

3) Endorsements- Americans love sequels. Americans loves their grandma. America needs more Grandmama. Smoove is awesome, and has more highlights than anyone, but he has somehow been unable to maximize his marketing potential. Grandmama is the answer. It didn't make Larry Johnson any less bad ass.

What do you guys think? I expect 100% agreement.

Hawks Future PG

Buzzsaw — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:12:43 -0000

I'm surprised I haven't heard that much talk about the future of the Hawks at the point guard position. I love Bibby this year, don't get me wrong, but we can't be having an old PG that plays no defense when Marvin, Josh Smith, and Horford are entering their prime. I think all but one of us would agree that Acie Law is not the answer, so, let's look at next year's free agents.

Steve Nash- Everything I said about old PG's that play no defense? Forget it. The Suns have a team option on him for 13 million, but they're cheap and have no future. They've also got Leandro Barbosa behind him who needs a shot at starting. Nash would be perfect for the Hawks, assuming he doesn't completely fall off a cliff physically. If anyone could force the Hawks into the running offense we all crave, it's him. Alas, if he is let go, he's probably going to end up with the New York Pants.

Allen Iverson- Another old PG that plays no defense. Hmmm, I'm noticing a trend. Could the 2009 FA class and 2010 FA class be any different? I don't think so. Anyway, the Pistons aren't resigning him, and I think he'd be a perfect fit in Atlanta. Iverson is still one of the most popular players in the NBA, and he could add some much needed personality to this team. ESPN and TNT would no longer be able to deny the Hawks their coveted national TV spots. He'd also help from a basketball standpoint because, unlike Bibby, Iverson can still create his shot with the best of them. This will open up Joe Johnson and would leave one of the most athletic trios in the league, Marvin, Josh, and Horford, to clean up their scraps. I'm actually getting pretty excited about this possibility.

Andre Miller- An old PG that DOES play defense. This is truly and odd species, and should be cherished. Now that I think about it, I don't mind the "old" part of any of these guys, we actually need a veteran PG with this group. If you haven't noticed, Andre Miller has been playing out of his mind lately. He's also played in more consecutive games than anyone, over 500 in a row. I don't think the Sixers are going to let him go, but if they do, it'd be great if the Hawks got him. He's an unbelievable passer and would be smart enough to never pass it to Josh Smith outside the foul line.

Jason Kidd- Attack of the elderly point guards! This is getting weird. What's gonna happen when all these guys retire? Will there be anyone left to distribute basketballs? This worries me. When I'm not thinking about basketball Armageddon, I'm dreaming about Jason Kidd only taking good shots, getting 6+ rebounds a game, and passing the ball to a cutting Josh Smith. Mark Cuban already said he was planning on resigning Kidd, so it probably won't work out, and I'm OK with that.

Raymond Felton- Finally, a young guy. He's a restricted FA, but the Bobcats are probably going to let him go with DJ Augustin ready to start. I'm actually shocked that they didn't trade him, but, that's the Bobcats. They're mortgaging their future to make the playoffs. They're like the Celtics, but with low self-esteem. MJ sure has lowered his standards. Anyway, Felton would be nice, but I'd be a little worried about bringing in another streaky shooter. Kidd can at least hit threes consistently. We'd have to give Felton a longer contract, so, I'd rather give one of the vets a shorter deal.

Those are the guys that I'd rather have than Bibby for next year. I'm confident they will all fit within the Hawks budget, even after re-signing Marvin. What do you guys think is the Hawks' best option next year?

SB Nation User Blog: Buzzsaw

Need More Granny Shot

Hawks Future PG