Josh Smith looking to curtail long range shots and attack the rim next season – NBA News
As the Atlanta Hawks look towards next season after failing in their attempts to land All Star centre Dwight Howard during the summer, they know this is one more offseason in which they were unable to make a noteworthy addition
to their roster, the kind that would take them to the next tier in the Eastern Conference and help them move past the first or second round in the playoffs. The Hawks made some decent additions to the roster, including Kyle Korver from the Chicago Bulls, but
are still deficient in the firepower that would make them a top tier team in the NBA of today.
In a situation like this, the Hawks will once again look to their unsung hero and one of the most under-rated players in the NBA, Josh Smith. The Hawks traded Joe Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets in the offseason to clear up some cap
space as they thought that Johnson was overpaid. However, his absence in the front court will have to be made up by Smith as well. Smith averaged 18.8 points and 9.6 rebounds for the Hawks last season, being one of their top players. He also had 1.7 blocks
per game, making him an effective force on the defence as well as the offence. However, the concern for Smith has been his shooting, particularly his long range shooting.
Smith shot 25.7 percent from three point range last season, well below what is considered a good percentile. He was much better from other areas of the court, shooting 45.8 percent from the field over the course of the season.
And Smith is planning on holding back the jumpers and attacking the rim more this time around.
“You haven’t seen the roster? We’ve got Kyle Korver, Devin Harris, Louis Williams, Anthony Morrow, Anthony Tolliver. Am I missing anyone? Jeff Teague. So there we go. That answers that question. I didn’t even say my name did I?
Call me mid-range shawty,” said Smith in response to a question by a reporter about his long range shooting, as reported by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
With Kyle Korver in the line-up for next season, Atlanta’s long range shooting woes will somewhat be reduced. Smith now needs to concentrate on attacking the rim more and taking high percentage shots, so that he can get his numbers
up and become the All Star player he has the calibre to become. The Atlanta Hawks need a leader to carry them forward and Smith can be that leader. He is only a few steps short the way it stands at the moment.
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