If I were Hawks management reviewing this tape, I wouldn't give a damn about the foul (Williams at least shows some spirit and strength), here is what I would be concerned about:
1) The Hawks regularly get situations where they either move the ball well or get a loose ball or get an offensive rebound. Unfortunately the ball often ends up in the hands of Marvin Williams for a WIDE open 17 footer (see film). He can't consistently make wide open shots between 15 and 18 feet. While Williams was 13th amongst Eastern Conference forwards in shooting %, he was 24th in 2-point shooting percentage (he took 10 threes on the year, making 1).
What HAS improved about Williams' game is that he goes to the hoop well, shoots 5 free throws a game and rebounds at a decent rate for a small forward (5.7). But can you really play a guy at small forward who can't ever make a 3 and who struggles to make wide open jumpers? His assist-to-turnover ratio is about 1 to 1. Not horrible, but certainly not where you want an elite small forward to be.
I think the answer is a pretty clear "no." So that makes Williams at his current skill level either a bench player or a possible power forward.
2) Watch Rondo coming down the floor on the youtube video. Williams outruns him. Williams is 6'8+, Rondo is 6'2", maybe. So does Williams go up aggressively for the block? Um, no. Why? Because Marvin Williams blocked a TOTAL of 33 shots this year. Yep, 33. 80 games, 33 blocks. So, as a defensive player, he is akin to Mike Dunleavy and Antawn Jamison.
You really can't play a guy at power forward who is going to get 1 steal+block for every two fouls and one block every 7 fouls (Wally Szczerbiak is 1 per every 8, and HE can knock down open shots, but no one would ever consider playing him at power forward).
So, summary -- Marvin either needs to become a more consistent shooter and expand his range, or he needs to become a far more productive defender. Otherwise, he may end up as a sixth man somewhere, rather than an all-star level performer (as I am sure the Hawks would prefer).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aigS_kxrePo
Monday, May 05, 2008
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1 comments:
hey I'll tell ya, I was never more impressed with Childress than in this series, so many intangibles.
He's never going to be a monster underneath, but his slim frame allows his to get in for offensive boards and go baseline.
Anytime one speaks of Marvin, all I see is Paul and JJ in an Atlanta backcourt...
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