Yes!
I normally don't blog previews but this is the game of the return of Josh Smith! we are all very excited, for the Hawks went 10-6 the first month of the season, and 6-6 the 12 games Smith was out, now with Smith back in the lineup, let's see what kind of defensive difference that makes in the play-by-play situations that occur. You know, people have been getting Smith's 08-09 season stats wrong. Everything says Smith averages 12.5 ppg 8.5 rpg 2.5 blks 2.5 stls (which is still very good) but in that average calculation, they are counting the game he got injured in, where he played 11 minutes before his injury, so OUTSIDE of that game in those 1st 3 games Josh Smith was averaging
40 mpg 14.2 ppg 10.4 rpg 3.3 bpg 3.0 spg 60.5% FGs 33.3% 3pt FGs 57.1% FTs
While we all know Smith won't come back and average anywhere near 40 minutes, its important to see this as a new beginning for Smith and the Hawks. Smith, who has never been out for 12 games in ANY season, and the Hawks who had not been without Smith for any extended period of time, and the Hawks certainly haven't even been winning the way the way we have been recently in the Josh Smith era of the Atlanta Hawks, so this was a learning, growing experience on both sides. Now, when u add the defensive force and offensive firepower of a player like Josh Smith to the winning performance the Hawks have been displaying lately, it will be interesting to see the result of that, which we will first, tonight, which is really just practice, warm-up for Smith, he wont really be unleashed until Friday against New York, which also happens to be Josh Smith's 23rd Birthday. I bet he will have a hell of a game, its starts now.
Hawks 105 Grizzlies 95
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