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Is Larry Drew gonna actually be a good coach?

From what I've been reading about predicting the Hawks 2010-2011 performances, everyone is counting on (and assuming with 100% confidence) that LD is going to actually take the inefficient isos away. He promised that he would run an better offense with more ball movement, but only when Michael Cunningham basically asked to his face if he would or not, and he had no choice but to say that he would to appease our blogosphere. But whenever he talks about his vision (without being put into a corner during an interview) and is just speaking freely, he tends to say good things but be very vague in my opinion.

Assumptions we are making about Drew:

1. Iso-Joe/Jamal is gone, and every play is going to create the most recommended shot and we are going to go from top 5 in offensive efficiency to #1. 

2. This relates to assumption 1, that he starts Teague from day 1 and doesn't look back. Firstly, if he does I think it's for the best, but our offensive efficiency will go down initially because Teague is a turnover machine (though he's probably an ok defender), both unlike Bibby. Secondly, Teague is going to inevitably struggle since Woodson didn't give him any real chances. Exhibit A: Summer league. Exhibit B: all of February and March of 2009 at Wake Forest (formerly ranked #1 team gets a first round exit against Cleveland State). Thirdly, Drew is only guaranteed this coming season and then the next one. He has no margin for error if he wants an extension and may have a lot of scheme switches and second doubts about our rotation. He'll have Bibby off the bench asking to be put in and he'll have maxed out Joe asking for 1-on-5 near the end of games. I'm willing to bet that he gives into temptation to keep a 40+-win team alive, and we don't truly improve.

3. He gets a good rotation out of Al Horford and Zaza, while not inhibiting potential all star Josh Smith, and gets more out of Collins and Powell than Woodson got out of Joe Smith, Collins, and RandMo.

Sorry that this wasn't very organized, but I hope you get my point that we need to establish what standards we hold LD by: how much do we expect and how much flexibility does he get, before we potentially decide he's really no better than Woodson. 

We did good to let woodson go, but then the ASG sharted in our pants by making a cheap hire. If he's anything like his son is at UNC, I say don't expect much. 

Poll
What do you realistically expect from the cheapest coach in the NBA?
Home run hire: no isos and great tutor on future all-star PG Teague
19 votes
Tries to be different for a while, then breaks down and is the same old bad coach
12 votes
No different than Woody: cheap hire, yeah, but sweep in 2nd round at best again
5 votes

36 votes | Poll has closed

A FanPost expresses the opinion of the community member who wrote it and not that of the blog management.

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It's more on Teague than LD

Good points here.

If Teague can get a reliable jump shot so that teams won’t leave him as well as limit turnovers then I think LD’s job will be safe. And the hawks will improve this season. If he turns about to be a flop and JC2 is able to start in his place then LD will be in trouble.

With bibby in the starting lineup, joe has to stick opposing PG. Anytime you have to defend another player that is a lot quicker than you, you score less points because you are trying to rest on offense. I think Joe’s offense this season depends on the PG being able to defend other point guards. Everyone has to remember that Joe Johnson is 6’7" and 245. He shouldn’t be ask to score 30 ppg while guarding Aaron Brooks, Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Jordan didn’t do it, Kobe either. How can we expect that from Joe?

by Kinnis Gosha on Aug 9, 2010 11:11 PM EDT reply actions  

I agree 100% with this

You said all I was gonna say

IF YOU CANT ACCEPT LOSING, YOU CANT WIN.

by Hawksgirl on Aug 10, 2010 8:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions  

I don’t think isos will be totally gone; they just won’t be the default offense on nearly every possession like under Woody.

Starting Teague is for sure a gamble, but a motion offense seems well suited for his skills. Plus you’d rather have Bibby coming off the bench as a sharp shooter than have him starting and failing to defend anybody.

Woodson played Collins and Joe Smith about the right amount. Drew needs to keep in mind that Collins and Powell suck and are just on the roster because 13 players are required. Don’t put them in during meaningful minutes and the rest of the rotation shouldn’t be hard to figure out.

No mention of whether Drew will put together a team defense that is more effective than Woody’s always switch one trick pony? That will probably be more important to the team’s success than any of the other things you mention.

by redwards95 on Aug 10, 2010 10:06 AM EDT reply actions  

Thats a good point I forgot how we expect a lot from Drew on the defensive end too

I think the Michael Cunningham article on the motion offense helps with some of my anxieties but I guess it’ll really take about 10 games into the reg season for me to decide if I’m a Larry Drew supporter or not

by coachkcastellon on Aug 12, 2010 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions  

It’s hard to beleive that Drew is going to be exactly the same as Woodson. I’d say more but i don’t like arguing with make beleive.

by thirdfALCON on Aug 11, 2010 6:43 PM EDT reply actions  

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