Pharzeone wrote:To me it's not about Joe Johnson's playoff performance but his time in Atlanta as a whole. This is about Joe Johnson and what he has done since his departure from Phoenix. I guess what the article that the OP tries to put some of the blame on Woodson's shoulders but I don't buy it. Joe Johnson has been a bad volume shooter meaning that he is going to get his no matter what. In and outside the flow of the game. If that means holding the ball for 12 secs to decide whether he wants to take his guy off the dribble or pull up for a shot. I seen games where he jacks up shots while Williams has his hands extended or Horford has to reposition himself in and out of the lane. He gets pissed when Josh blows him off because hey Josh knows the deal. 22 points on 42% shooting, playing 39 minutes a game while only dishing out 4 assists. If Chandler or Harrington for that matter put up those stats we would be blasting worse than we currently are.On the playoffs that people like to throw around. When will be acknowledge that the Hawks making the playoffs, has more to do with the maturity of Smith and Horford. When Joe was given the sole keys to team. The Hawks were in the lottery. I remember the Atlanta sport talk shows when people who constantly called up to bitch about Joe and this isn't the player they thought they were getting. As the the team pulled back from the next year, low and behold they had to fight for the last spot in the east but it was more of a team effort. And now this year in the playoffs where they say ok Joe you run the show, he has been to look even less than worthy of his current contract and making Carter look like a player reborn and Jennings look like an all-star. Joe is still getting his bad shots but they have been magnified in these two series.
Do I think Joe Johnson is a 1st team all NBA players absolutely not but do I think he's an all-star caliber player. Do I think he would be more suited in the role of a 2nd, 3rd option player yes. But does any of this negate the success he has had and remember he was solid contributor to that Phoenix team a team that was vastly more talented than Atlanta. But the real problem is the NBA they've created a system where there is no distinction btw all-star caliber vs MVP caliber players because both sets are getting paid similar salaries and they both are being handed over the reigns of their organizations. We've seen this time and time again in the NBA. Now for some reason fans bought into this falsehood that Joe Johnson was suppose to be an MVP type player and that reality has set-in they want tear him down. The organization has laid it his feet to put up big numbers so what he does he do? He shoots regardless if it's a good shot or a bad shot because guess what he's their so-called franchise player. Atlanta committed to him and now they are just rolling with the punches.
Joe Johnson is meeting expectation just like the Hawks are meeting expectations. I never thought he was better than All-Star caliber player just like I never thought the Hawks were better than a 2nd round exit. Whereas I don't think Chandler has shown himself to be no better than a solid 3rd, 4th option and he's totally unproven and thus far hasn't had good success. Is Chandler better than Ariza, AI, Tayshun Prince, Luol Deng, Jeff Green, Gerald Wallace, John Salmons, I just named 7 guys who weren't even all-stars this year who are comparable if not better than Chandler.
Chandler: nice role player
Joe Johnson: all-star
5/10/2010 2:43 PM