Did Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks Cross the Line?
The Atlanta Hawks intended to make a statement in Game Five of the first round playoff series against the Miami Heat. Playing before a raucous crowd at Philips Arena in Atlanta, the Hawks jumped on the Heat early by building a lead of more than 20 points in the fourth quarter. But with 4:16 left in the game, Hawks’ player Josh Smith decided to do an experiment in mid-air.
Moments after a missed shot by the Heat, Smith raced ahead of every player on the court. Fans, anticipating another awe-inspiring dunk from the uber-athletic forward, stood in silence. Hoping to satisfy the home crowd, Smith elevated several feet away from the basket, placed the basketball between his legs and attempted to dunk the ball with his left hand. Unfortunately for Smith, the ball bounced off of the rim and landed near the half court line. To some, the Hawks’ thrashing of the Heat became a mockery in that moment.
“There at the end it turned into a highlight show,” said Heats’ coach Erik Spoelstra following the game. “[The Hawks] were really trying to embarrass us. We’ve played five games against each other. I don’t think anybody on either side likes each other anymore.”
Heat starting player, Dwyane Wade echoed Spoelstra’s statement by simply saying, “We were very insulted by it.”
Smith who was drafted by the Hawks with the 17th pick in 2004, has been an enigma. Blessed with superior athleticism, he is one of the best dunkers to have ever played in the NBA. However, his confrontations with coach Mike Woodson and sporadic play have left many to wonder if Smith will ever reach his full potential as a player.
At age 23, Smith has yet to reach the maturity level required to become a superstar. But the fact that he attempted such a dunk proves that he is willing to attempt the impossible. He is capable of going above and beyond to make a point.
The Hawks organization should not be upset that he tried a circus dunk in a playoff game, but they should be concerned if Smith doesn’t cross the line to become the player that he has the potential to be. –amir shaw
