Big-Game Joe

by Stephen Expat on Apr 29, 2008 10:13 AM CDT in Basketball Comment 4 comments

I expect the Rapture to begin any second now. Or a meteor to smash into Earth. Or maybe the Cubs will finally win the World Series.

What has me feeling this way? The Atlanta Hawks — sporting the worst record of any of this year's NBA playoff teams and arguably the most pitiful professional sports franchise over the last decade — beat top-seeded Boston last night, 97-92, to even their first-round series against the Celtics at two games apiece. Boston won 66 games during the regular season, the Hawks 37.

What does this have to do with a Razorback blog? Well, former Hog and current Hawk Joe Johnson had the game of his life last night, scoring 35 points — including 20 in the fourth quarter, when he looked virtually unstoppable and uncorked several Jordanesque drives to the basket.

I live in Atlanta, and the sports-talk-radio rap on Joe is that he is an immensely talented player who doesn't have enough alpha male in him to be The Man in crunch time. For one night, at least, it was nice to see him prove his critics wrong.

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Don’t forget about everyone’s favorite JUCO transfer who is also making a name for himself in playoffs. (Again)

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=280425006

by The Hog Blogger on Apr 29, 2008 11:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hog Blogger,

Thanks for the link. I’ll admit to being pretty amazed by Jannero’s NBA success. He was a solid college player, but I never, ever dreamed he had this kind of an NBA career in him.

by Stephen on Apr 29, 2008 11:25 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Johnson’s performance last night was reminiscent of his Razorback days. When he was at Arkansas, the game would be going along and all of a sudden it would occur to him, “Hey, I can score anytime I want to” and he would proceed to do just that.

Mrs. Knight, who works with Joe’s aunt, wants to know if he still sucks on his shirt. That used to drive her crazy.

by Whit E. Knight on Apr 29, 2008 12:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Whit,

I agree, but last night, it was the HOW that was so shocking.

JJ was never the pure scorer at Arkansas that he’s become in the NBA. The slash, the step-back, the tough finish, all of these are things he’s developed in his time in the NBA that he never had here.

At Arkansas, he was primarily a shooter, and last night, the nation got their first look at how far he’s come since he left Phoenix.

I was definitely among those who called him foolish for leaving an ideal spot in Phoenix as an above-average role player to become a below-average leading man on a terrible, terrible team.

Sure enough, Phoenix is all but out of the playoffs, and Joe is leading his team in a fight for its life against a 60-win team.

Who knew?

by The Hog Blogger on Apr 29, 2008 1:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs