Game 5, Heat vs. Hawks and Josh Smith goes in for a fancy dunk with a between the legs move and misses. It was bad. He was all alone and just blew it.

So that is that and lesson learned, right? Not for Josh Smith. He plans on trying it again and claims that next time it will go down. He is even confident enough to do it in game 7, which is where the Hawks are heading.

Check out this YouTube of the dunk and make your own assessment.

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks or soon the Memphis Grizzlies?

In a surprise move, one of the only teams left with money, the Memphis Grizzlies, have signed Josh Smith to an offer sheet of 58 million dollars for 5 years.

Hawks management had said they would match any offer. They have seven short days to do it.

Josh Smith averaged over 17 points and 8 rebounds last year and is a key part of the playoff Atlanta Hawks team.

Atlanta recently lost 6th man Josh Howard to Greece.

Before losing Josh Howard the Hawks led the league in Josh’s with Josh Childress also on the team.

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

Joe Johnson had 20 in the 4th quarter

Image details: Boston Celtics v Atlanta Hawks – Game Three served by picapp.com

You must admit it.

You did not see this coming.

Atlanta has taken both of their home games and now the series with the Boston Celtics is tied at 2 to 2.

Game 5 is back in Boston.

So how did Atlanta do it?
Well, it may have started with the trade for Mike Bibby.

Oh, you want to know what happened in the game?

After starting the game on a 16-3 run, the Celtics cooled down as Atlanta secured a 97-92 home win in Game 4 on Monday.

On an off night for rookie Al Horford, Joe Johnson and Josh Smith combined for Atlanta’s final 34 points. Johnson led the way with 35 points and six assists, while Smith chipped in 28 points, six rebounds and seven blocks.

source

This is a Hawks team that now believes that they can win. Sure, the Hawks know that Kevin Garnett is a great player, and so is Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, but they can be beaten!

The game was still close going into the fourth quarter when Joe Johnson took over and left the Celtics wondering what happened.

The credit for this Atlanta stunner goes largely to Johnson, who took control in the final quarter. After Smith’s jumper put the Hawks ahead to stay 81-79, Johnson scored nine straight points to keep the Celtics on the ropes.

The knockout came when Paul Pierce drove to the hoop and left it short, then tumbled over a cameraman alongside the basket. When the Boston star finally climbed back to his feet, he had a look of disbelief—which pretty much sums up the way the Celtics are feeling about this series.

source

You have to wonder if any Boston fans bought game 5 tickets. They had to be sure this series would be over in 4 games.

NBA Basketball special comment Will Atlanta win this series? No, but they have acquired a huge dose of confidence and experience that has to pay dividends.

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

Mike Bibby will bring shooting and poise to the Hawks

On the surface, most fans are saying, “So what.”

Mike Bibby gets traded from one under .500 team to another under .500 team.

But there is more here than meets the eye.

In the Western Conference, to be under .500 is to be out of the playoff race. In the Eastern Conference, only 5 teams are above .500. That is right, only 5 teams.

Atlanta is still in it.

The Hawks played my Pistons the other night in a nothing pre-All-Star-time game and took Detroit down to the wire.

Now admittedly the Pistons were having a tough time staying interested in that game and needed a Rasheed Wallace referee blowup to get excited, but Atlanta was busy showing off young talent at the same time.

You have a team with Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, Josh Childress, Al Horford, Marvin Williams and, lo and behold, no point guard. That is until now.

Hawks coach Mike Woodson said Bibby, acquired from the Sacramento Kings for four players on Saturday, will provide scoring help for Joe Johnson. Atlanta’s All-Star shooting guard often faces gimmick defenses because he’s the team’s only outside shooting threat.

“There’s another option now,” Woodson said. “It’ll be like a one-two punch in the backcourt.” source

And Sacramento?

Don’t kid yourself about these deals. Sacramento picked up a bunch of expiring or almost expiring contracts and probably nothing more. They just want cash space in the off season to pursue players.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Can Mike Bibby ignite the Hawks?

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

Visit my companion blog on the NFL at Squibkick.com

Ben Gordon shooting the lights out!

The NBA draft class of 2004 has their contracts coming up for renewal.

In the NBA, this is the first of the great Promises, like a strong spring breeze after a long cold winter; it brings with it many new riches.

This time period, 3 years after your initial contract, is the reason that so many undernourished, undereducated, immature lanky, talented basketball players leave College early to go to the Pros.

You see, it is not the NBA come calling, it is the after 3 years free agent or renegotiate that they hear so loudly.

The class of 2004, including Ben Gordon, may face the harsh reality of being drafted at the wrong time.

With only a few teams expected to be under the salary cap next summer, there probably won’t be a big market for free agents. Most teams are going to drive a hard bargain with their ‘04 rookies right now. Because any contract they sign would be guaranteed, those players are going to be asked to give up some money in return for the security of a longer-term deal. source

The teams have until Oct 31st and only 3 players have signed on the dotted line; Dwight Howard, Devin Harris and Kevin Martin.

If they don’t sign before Oct 31, then next year they can test the Free Agent waters.

Here are some of the players from the class of 2004:

Emeka Okafor, Bobcats, No. 2 pick
Bobcats co-owner Michael Jordan has said he wants to re-sign the 6-10 forward/center, the 2005 Rookie of the Year, but so far no deal has been reached. Will the Bobcats be willing to go into the $70 to $75 million range for a player with Okafor’s history of injuries?

Ben Gordon, Bulls, No. 3
The 6-2 guard and former Sixth Man Award winner has blossomed into a 20-point scorer, meaning he probably wants a deal better than the five-year, $47.5 million package Kirk Hinrich signed a year ago. More likely, it will take something similar to that of Sacramento’s Martin. But with teammate Luol Deng (see below) also due for a hefty extension, can the Bulls afford both?

Al Jefferson, Timberwolves, No. 15
He could be in for a near max deal after averaging 16 points and 11 boards last season. Plus, as the main piece in the Kevin Garnett trade, Wolves vice president Kevin McHale can’t afford to let the 6-10 power forward get away.

Others include:

Shaun Livingston, Clippers – injured

Josh Childress, Hawks – probably headed for free agency

Luol Deng, Bulls – looking at a huge payday, but will it be the Bulls?

Andrew Iquodala, 76ers – possible free agent

Josh Smith, Hawks – maybe free agent

Jameer Nelson, Magic – undecided by the Magic

Yes, Ben Gordon and the class of 2004 may have to live on only 7 or 8 million a year a piece. How will they manage?

NBA Basketball Fan Question Which of these free agents would you want the most?

Visit my companion blog on the NFL at Squibkick.com

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed