Hawks

By JMar

April 6, 2006 03:37 PM | Link to this

I think Boris Diaw is as much a lock for most improved as Paul is for ROY.

By sultan

April 6, 2006 04:05 PM | Link to this

Vince Carter for MVP Paul rookie of the year most improved Diaw

By Steve B.

April 6, 2006 04:17 PM | Link to this

I think Lebron will get A lot of votes but Nash will win his 2nd MVP. I’D like to see Lebron or Wade get it but the award isn’t for the best player just for MV. Rookie of the year is the only easy one Chris Paul. I don’t think Diaw a lock for most improved. The voters will look at the FACT that he is a role player on a very good offensive team so his numbers are a little over rated. I go with Joe Johnson. Diaw has been impressive as a role player but Joe’s been more impressive because he’s the MAN.

By Basketball Princess

April 6, 2006 04:22 PM | Link to this

I say everyone has a deadline to submitt their mock draft prospects and to whose team they go, and we all meet up at the ESPN zone and watch together. Oh, gotta jump on this conference call further details to follow…..

By clyde

April 6, 2006 04:40 PM | Link to this

Lebron James for MVP, Boris Diaw and Josh Smith for most improved, Rookie of the year Villanueva. FIRE BILLY AND WOODY

By buddy

April 6, 2006 04:51 PM | Link to this

Ok are we just going to do lottery picks? Just the first round?

Nash for MVP… he did it again this year without Amare.

By Sekou K. Smith

April 6, 2006 05:34 PM | Link to this

First round only for the Blog Mock Draft and do we have any suggestions for the date?

By HB Ando

April 6, 2006 05:40 PM | Link to this

I’ll take Paul, as I did before the season started, as ROY. And Diaw is a no-brainer for most improved. Over 6 boards and 6 assists a game, from a small forward, who also had to play center this season and defended opposing big men quite well. Let’s just be honest and admit that the Hawks dropped the ball on Diaw. We can chalk it up to Woody’s learning curve as a head coach. But the responsibility to bring out Diaw’s obvious versatile talents, when playing here at ages 19 and 20 have to go on the coaching staff. Calling Diaw a role player, when he has averaged 35 minutes a game, is just plain inaccurate. If you mean he’s so versatile that functions in multiple roles, that’s no knock, just confirmation of his value to a team that lost Johnson, Richardson and Stoudemire, and still ended up with one of the best records in the league.

Nash and LeBron are easy selections as favorites, so I’ll go with a guy that can’t win, but deserves absolute consideration: Elton Brand. I mean the Clippers are in the playoffs (as long as they don’t lose their last 8, and see NO/OK City win their last 8). 25 points, 10 boards and 2.5 blocks? He’s been sick the whole way. He’s the best undersized power forward since Barkley. He’s exactly the kind of player that the Hawks need to find for their post needs.

By thecamera

April 6, 2006 05:42 PM | Link to this

after a month, i’m back.

ROY - chris paul MIP - david west MVP - lebron james COY - avery johnson

early in the season when everyone was dogging josh smith, i hoped (and wrote) that with a lot of work he could turn into ben wallace with a jump shot. he has and is. i think everyone should take a moment to praise him for his work and improvement. if the most improved player award was for in-season improvement, i think smith would be the winner.

i’d also like to credit mike woodson for keeping the team playing hard. also, i like the game josh childress is developing. and if the hawks had won 42 games this year i think joe johnson would be in the mvp talk.

with that being said, johnson, smith, childress and zaza pachulia form a nice core. with al harrington’s future uncertian and with marvin williams still being a couple of years away, i hope the hawks draft a three or four year college senior that can come in an play now.

they need toughness and rebounding and there are several of those guys in the draft. the best idea might be trading down several spots (depending on where they pick and who the early entries are).

through free agency and trades i hope the hawks get a vet. point guard and physical center. while i’d love mike james or sam cassell, brevin knight would be a solid - although small - fit.

anyway, i think this season has been a success based on the realistic expecations for a team and young as the hawks. with the right moves this team should win 35-40 games next season, which should get them in the playoff conversation. AND hopefully get that pick going to the suns out of the lottery.

By HB Ando

April 6, 2006 05:44 PM | Link to this

On the mock draft, I agree, first round (or even lottery), and we have to wait until all the underclassmen and Euro’s have announced. Pointless to predict when you’re ranking players that might not end up in the draft. Maybe we should have all submissions in the day after the early entry deadline. That way we al have to go out on a collective limb, and not rely on last second experts’ predictions. And I’m definitely down for getting the gang together for ESPN Zone. Watched last season’s draft there with my wife (she was bored).

By buddy

April 6, 2006 05:59 PM | Link to this

The early entry deadline is April 22 and the draft lottery is May 23. Then June 18 is the early entry withdrawal deadline.

So Sunday June 18 is the withdrawal deadline when we’ll know which players are eligible. The draft is Wednesday, June 28. So the contest will have to be in between those two dates.

By The Flash

April 6, 2006 06:06 PM | Link to this

In addition to the belabored need for a point and a big, I think that this team really needs an infusion of new concepts regarding the offensive game. Not saying that that means a change at the top, but Woodson is a defense first coach and there seems to be an unnecessary lumbering quality to the play that seems geared to keeping scoring on both sides down.

When I listen to some of these coaches answer questions in those post-game sessions I realize how little I actually know. That said, I’d like to see new concepts with more vitality and openness on the court. As TB has stated quite clearly if not at length, the guys really have made a lot of progress. It might well be time to speed and open things up a bit.

The Z man shouldn’t win it, but, when you talk of people who have improved, and you are looking at this team, you got to take your hat off to him. Most improved on this team, Z, hands down.

By buddy

April 6, 2006 06:12 PM | Link to this

Here’s a suggestion for a scoring system:

You get 5 points for every pick you are correct on. But if a player goes sooner or later than you picked, you lose points based on how far off you were.

For instance, if I have Tyrus Thomas going at #2 and that’s where he ends up going, I get 5 points. If he goes number one or number three, I was one pick off, so I only get 4 points. If he went #4 I get three points, #5 I get two points, #6 I get one point and #7 or later I get no points. So your penalized for each player you overrate or underrate depending on how far off you are.

You add up point totals for the complete first round, and if there is a tie in points the tie breaker could be which of the finalists have the most consecutive correct picks starting with pick #1.

By Samuel

April 6, 2006 07:11 PM | Link to this

I agree that we need to wait until the early outs have declared. We also need to wait until the lotto order is set. That will better determine who will go where.

Awards: MVP- Nash. Kobe close second ROY- Paul. Nobody else even close. MIP- I really can’t say yet. I’m still trying to decide between Diaw and JJ. D. Howard also needs to get some votes. Eventhough he was good last year he moved to the top tier this year. COY- A. Johnson. D’Antoni(runner up) 6th MOY- A. McDyess Defensive Player of Year- B. Wallace All NBA 1st Team C- Duncan PF- Brand SF- James SG- Bryant PG- Nash

2nd Team C- Rasheed Wallace PF- Nowitzki SF- Marion SG- Wade PG- Billips

By Tyger

April 6, 2006 07:15 PM | Link to this

Cant see giving awards out before playoffs, except, Rookie of the Year and agreed, it should be Chris Paul. However, that doesnt equate to we shouldve drafted Paul over Marvin either.

Marvin was drafted to replace/supplement the loss of Big Al, and has anyone noticed besides me, that we WIN when Al doesnt play.

That JSmoove is putting up better numbers than Harrington? Defense, rebounding, ball movement, shot selection, rotations all improve when Al is out. A preview of next season.

By Dennis

April 6, 2006 08:14 PM | Link to this

Paul, ROY; D’Antoni COY; Lebron MPV; our Joe J MIP.

On draft, after final date when pool of players is set.

By Young Jeezy

April 6, 2006 09:03 PM | Link to this

Does Darko qualify for Most Improved? Going from a scrub who gets 30 seconds a game to a guy averaging over 2 blocks per game over the last month should put him in the running shouldn’t it? Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhhhh.

MVP’s Nash, Coach of the Year’s D’Antoni. The Suns lost their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best player from last year and didn’t miss a beat.

By The Flash

April 6, 2006 10:36 PM | Link to this

Sorry Sekou, but I think you’re going to have to hold 2 drafts. One for everybody and a second for TB. TB won’t actually make any picks, he’ll just explain what’s wrong with the rest of ours. Sorry TB, NBL, we all got our roles. Yours is now officially, the cryptic critic.

By Melvin

April 6, 2006 10:36 PM | Link to this

i think we should do the mock draft after the lotto order is set.

ROY- Paul MVP- Nash (i think Brand deserve serious consideration) MIP- Diaw COY- D’Antoni

By Kappy

April 6, 2006 11:50 PM | Link to this

ANDO — Draft parties are sweet. i remember attending my first draft party at the cnn center the year we drafted alan henderson. Cant remember who we passed up that year, but i remember all 75 people that were there were p** we picked henderson. Id definetly be down with meeting us fellow bloggers for the draft.

As for the mock draft, we should definetly wait until we get a list of draft entrants. Then, its on.

By A Thinking Fan

April 7, 2006 07:14 AM | Link to this

Nice article on our $70M MAN JJ You JJ haters should work as hard and be as dedicated on your own job as he is on his…

By buddy

April 7, 2006 07:28 AM | Link to this

Kappy,

I was one of those p** off people because I wanted Bob Sura, who went the pick after Henderson to the Cavs at 17. Shows the ACC bias I guess. The really interesting misses from that draft, however, were Theo Ratliff who went #18 to Detroit and Michael Finley who went #21 to the Suns. That’s also the draft where Joe Smith, McDyess, Stackhouse and Sheed all went ahead of KG.

By Traceman

April 7, 2006 10:02 AM | Link to this

I agree with Buddy’s suggestion for doing the mock sometime between June 19 and June 27. I also agree with his idea for a scoring system.

As for the awards, I’d go with:

Kobe for MVP. Nobody is doing more with less around him.

Diaw (for MIP. NOBODY expected this much from him in Phoenix.

D’Antoni for COY. Winning that many games after losing JJ and Q Rich in trades and after losing Stoudemire to injury is incredible.

Artest for DPY. He made the Kings go from losers who couldn’t defend to a possible playoff nightmare for a high seed IMMEDIATELY after his arrival.

Mike Miller for 6MOY. 14/6/3 off the bench for a playoff team.

All NBA First Team:

Bryant/Wade/James/Marion/Brand

All NBA Second Team:

Iverson/Nash/Nowitski/Garnett/Duncan

By Kappy

April 7, 2006 10:05 AM | Link to this

Buddy — I just did a little research on the 1995 nba draft. there were some awful 1st round picks. Check out picks 8-14, before the hawks drafted henderson: Shawn Respert, Ed O’Bannon, Kurt Thomas, Gary Trent, Cherokee Parks, Corliss Williamson, Eric Williams.

Just awful. Travis Best did go 5 picks after the hawks pikced, and im pretty sure thats who the cnn center faithful wanted for our hawks.

By Steve B.

April 7, 2006 10:37 AM | Link to this

Nice try but for anybody to say Boris is more than A role player is inaccurate. In the NBA you have Stars and role players Boris is A good role player but he’s still A role player. Most team have A role player or two that play 30 plus min. A game. I watch some of PHX games. I see the way Boris plays and if you want to give him MIP ok but don’t bring up the 6 asst. It’s not like he’s picking teams apart with his passing he throws 3 to 4 backdoor lobs every game to Shawn for easy asst. His 6 reb a game great #’s but it may be that other teams are to bussy trying to box out that guy that get’s 12 rebs A game. Thats Shawn grabbing the 12. I give Borris his due he may be the one player no exspected to play this well. But his numbers are inflated because of the great offensive team he’s on and he is A role player.

By HB Ando

April 7, 2006 10:42 AM | Link to this

Steve, why are all of you A’s always capitalized?

By HB Ando

April 7, 2006 10:57 AM | Link to this

Anybody know much about this guy as a possible second-round choice?

“There wasn’t much more that Jose Juan Barea could have done to impress the scouts today, except maybe grow another 3 inches while out on the floor. He was easily the most impressive guard in the camp today and the most talked about player after the games. It’s rare to see a player be such an excellent passer and scorer at the same time, as well as have such a massive heart. He helped his cause to get drafted quite a bit, and might be able to start thinking about the early 2nd round or better if he keeps this up.”

And I’ve seen a couple of mock drafts that have us taking Paul Davis with our second rounder. If he falls that far, he would be an intriguing pick that late.

By Basketball Princess

April 7, 2006 11:38 AM | Link to this

If I remember correctly havn’t I been SCREAMING Paul Davis since I first sat on this blog throne? I mean no disrespect to you ANDO but watch all the bandwagon hoppers are going to be all for Mr. Davis now that King Ando has spoken his name.

Anyway I dig the scoring system buddy, and really would love to do my suggestion of us getting together at the ESPN Zone to watch together. That would be so freakin cool man!

I will take Chauncey Billups as my MVP pick. I think that he will put up big numbers during the finals. He seems to really step up his game during the final’s

I will agree with the Boris vote for MIP.

Oh, guess who I had the pleasure of meeting and engaging in sports talk with yesterday afternoon? Mr TNT/Hall of Famer himself “Charles Barkely”. Great guy and very helpful to a young sista!

By The Flash

April 7, 2006 11:40 AM | Link to this

For those of you who gave me all that grief about Etan, check out the game tonight. He’s starting now. The guy on the outs, who has really been clashing with coach EJ and might be available, is Hayward.

There is a longstanding rap against him for not playing “hard” all the time. While not completely undeserved, much of that is overblown. Product of (1) having broken in under the MJ regime in which anybody but MJ was trashed by Collins and(2) playing in what the Zards call their “big three” offense, and then blaming the bigs for not getting it done? The Zards are trying now at long last to share the ball more, give everyone meaningful roles at the offensive end.

Take a good look at Hayward; not ideal, but they don’t teach 7 feet and the guy has shown in spots. The thing I like least about him is how he goes about catching and passing. For a guy as fluid and coordinated as he is, there is something tentative and awkward that is troublesome.

By Basketball Princess

April 7, 2006 11:53 AM | Link to this

Oh, and great article on Joe SS. He is a very dedicated individual to ballin. You must be when you’ll get up at 2AM in the morning to go work out

By Young Jeezy

April 7, 2006 12:02 PM | Link to this

The Hawks need someone who plays down low and intimidates people trying to come into the lane, not Raef… I mean Paul Davis.

By HB Ando

April 7, 2006 12:33 PM | Link to this

No doubt, BP, you and others have been mentioning Davis all year. I didn’t think he was good enough to make the conversations related to our first round pick. The fact that he’s now projected by a couple of mock draft websites as a possibility as our SECOND rounder only confirms my earlier assessment of his abilities. But I absolutely did not mean to take away your rightful credit for his name being brought up here on the blog.

By Hal

April 7, 2006 12:41 PM | Link to this

Samuel, once again you’ve beaten me to the punch. I have to agree on every single pick for the awards. I do however have a beef with Kobe as the close second at MVP. I would have to throw in Dirk, Duncan or even Billups as the players to possibly unseat Nash as the run away MVP.

By Basketball Princess

April 7, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this

Ando, your right about him not being a 1st rounder, but he is def someone that we can use if we decide to draft PG 1st roung instead of BG. I had felt in no way that you were taking credit for something. You should no me by now! If I did you know I would have went off on a respectful (cuz you’re King Ando) tyrant (spelling) LOL!!!!!

By Basketball Princess

April 7, 2006 12:51 PM | Link to this

Does any one read Dime Magazine? It a BBall mag? Just courious.

By HB Ando

April 7, 2006 02:16 PM | Link to this

I check Dime Smack on the Fox Sports website. I’ve had many an occassion to steal their “I’m out like” lines to finish my posts. Never read the mag, though. Fellas are always on point. Good stuff.

BP, think I should change my handle to King Ando? Man, that would p** off some of my critics (of which there are a few).

By Basketball Princess

April 7, 2006 04:56 PM | Link to this

Ando, yes! Like NIKE says, “Just do it”.

By buddy

April 7, 2006 05:02 PM | Link to this

Yeah Kappy, it was just a miserable draft. I hope this year’s draft has more impact players than that one. Ando, I hadn’t heard of the guy until I read the same report you read. Sounds like somebody BK needs to look at if he falls into the second round.