NBA / Apr 28, 2009 / 9:00 am

Joe Johnson is “good, not great”

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Joe Johnson, Dime #37

Joe Johnson, Dime #37

That was according to Charles Barkley, leading up to yesterday’s Hawks/Heat game. Recapping Joe Johnson‘s subpar showing in the series’ first three games, Barkley blurted out, “He can’t be the best player on a team.” As Kenny Smith was fixing his mouth for a nice way to ask Chuck, “The hell are you talking about?” Barkley clarified that he thinks J.J. is better suited as a complimentary player (like he was in Phoenix) rather than a franchise guy. While you can win with guys like Joe on your roster, you’re not gonna win if he’s The Guy.

Can’t say I agree. These aren’t the pre-2008 Hawks, the Lottery regulars for whom Joe was all set to go down as another Mitch Richmond (23 career playoff games). In Atlanta’s back-to-back playoff runs in ’08 and ’09, Joe has — short of actually, you know, advancing in the playoffs — done his job as the Franchise Guy for a team nobody ever expects to do anything. True, he’s struggled in this Miami series (13.7 ppg, 37% FG, 52% FT), but don’t forget how close J.J. had the Hawks to upsetting the Celtics last year (20.0 ppg, 40% FG, 90% FT), don’t forget that Atlanta wouldn’t have won 47 games or secured a 4-seed this year without J.J. taking them there, and don’t forget he’s still 27 years old and leading a young team with a thin bench and Mike Woodson for a coach.

Is Joe Johnson Top-10 in the League? No. He’s well behind Kobe, Wade, LeBron, Pierce, Duncan, CP3, Chauncey, Dirk, Parker, Nash and Deron; but he’s at least on a pretty even plane with Brandon Roy, (healthy) Arenas, Bosh, Carmelo, Yao, Dwight, Vince and Iguodala: Franchise Guys who have proven they can win, just haven’t taken it to that next-next level on a championship-caliber squad.

You could see the flaws last night. In a game where Wade was just bad and the Heat struggled all night to generate offense, the Hawks — and specifically Joe — took too long to put them away. After Miami cut the lead to three late in the third quarter, Johnson (14 pts, 5-12 FG) had a chance to deliver one of those crowd-killing daggers that Top-10 guys make out of habit and the Second-Tier guys make less frequently. Joe promptly fired a pass to the Miami bench. And as Atlanta held off the Heat down the stretch, J.J. did pick up some assists, but left the clutch shot-making to Mike Bibby and Flip Murray.

But with the series tied at 2-2 and going back to Atlanta, Johnson has ample opportunity to start making that leap into the top tier. Taking down Wade in Round 1 would be a start, then he’ll get tested against LeBron in Round 2. As he learned last year against Boston, win or lose, you need to be tested against the top tier before you can join the ranks.

Is Joe Johnson a great player, or just a good player? Can he be the best player on a championship team?

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  • ctkennedy

    no wing player in the league can win a title without the big men to get it done the only player in nba history to do it is jordan but he still had the best player in the league at his position at the time in pippen remember kobe have never won 50 games in a season without gasol but gasol have without kobe

  • T.J.

    I’ve watched JJ ever since he’s got to Atlanta and I know for a fact he’s underrated. If you ask any Hawks player the key to the team is JJ. Just because he has one series (that isn’t even over) where he’s not murdering the other team doesn’t mean we should discredit all the work he puts in throughtout the season. Watching his progression over the years theres no way I could say he wasn’t better then at least Roy and Nash. JJ gets treated like crap by the media all the time.

    Could someone please compare the amount of games played nationwide between the Hawks and the other teams we’ve been mentioning. I wouldn’t say he could lead a team to a championship because not many championships are won were the credit is given to one player alone. (Ex. MJ had Pippen, Dwade had Shaq, TP had TD, Paul Pierce had KG and Ray) Championships are usually won by teams that have more than one all-star. (If you toss Dwight or Amare on our team you couldn’t say we couldn’t contend for a championship) I’m a big fan of JJ and I don’t believe half the stuff Chuck says anyway so we should all see more of JJ before we judge him. (BTW He could make HOF! I figure anythings possible if you put in the work to achieve it)

  • mcbeeef

    jj has some of the sickest handle in the league at the sg spot in the league, great change of pace and very strong. people forget how good a shooter he is too, he’s REALLY good. although he has a bit of that big man thing where they’re great shooters in the 1st quarter but get progressively wore as they get more tired.

    anyway i have a feeling that a coach who utilised him better would bring the superstar out in joe johnson, and if they had a go-to big man in the post atlanta would be at another level. bibby is hurting that team way more than anyone realises, although hes getting away with it vs chambers

  • DPGC

    If Joe Johnson isn’t a great player, then why does he get double-teamed every time he touches the ball?

  • Ekstor

    Ian,

    You can reread my statement if you like, but I neither said that Kobe was the best player NOR did I say he’s carrying scrubs. In fact, my statement shows that of the three teams (Lakers, Cavs, Heat), the Lakers would be the strongest of the three after replacing them with JJ. Whether they’re still championship contenders is a matter of debate.

  • Jim

    What Barkley says is really debatable. You can make an argument that CP3, Deron Williams, Dwight Howard, Carmelo, and any other superstar who hasn’t made the NBA Finals are in the same category. Even when it comes to Wade, Kobe, Lebron, which of them has actually won a title without another superstar? None! It’s proven that NBA champions have a well rounded team with role players that step up in big moments. Fact is Joe Johnson may be in between a great player and a really good player. All I know is I’ve seen him in clutch situations (last year vs. Celtics for instance) where he does take over games. But when their team is getting blown out by 20-30, how do you judge him? Is it his fault they get blown out?

  • VCFanInToronto

    I do think JJ has a chance to be a great player…probably won’t get into the Hall but he’s gonna be something to remember when its all said and done. A lot of these players you mentioned are great players no doubt but in order to win, you need a solid TEAM regardless. Individuals don’t win championships, teams do. Every team that has won with a superstar on their roster still needed other guys to step up and hit shots, play defense etc etc…So sure the Hawks could eventually win something if you have a solid TEAM around Joe Johnson. Bulls, great team…Miami 06, great team and the list goes on.

  • Hoops88

    Umn, Joe Johnson is better than Tony Parker, Chauncey Billups, and Andre Iguodala is not great, he’s just really good. Tony Parker hasn’t proven to be great, but in the 08-09 season was his first season that he may have been a great player. Chauncey Billups is not great, he’s just really good.
    You’re only a great player if you’re a great scorer that can be a franchise player or if you’re a great point guard like Steve Nash, John Stockton, and Jason Kidd who aren’t great scorers. If Dennis Rodman makes the hall of fame, then I guess also if you’re freakishly great in a stat like he was.
    I don’t agree or disagree with Chuck. In the 06-07 season Joe avg’d 25ppg, but that doesn’t mean he’s a great player though. Latrell Sprewell once avg’d 24ppg but he’s clearly not great, he’s just really good. Spre wasn’t like Peja who was just surrounded by great passers, Sprewell can actually create his own shots. As of right now, I’ll say I dk.

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