It’s almost too perfect that the undisputed highlight of Joe Johnson’s career is a first round playoff exit.
Johnson’s NBA life never saw a higher high than April 28th 2008. He had led his Hawks to their first playoff appearance in nine years, albeit as an eighth seed with a 37-45 record. Their opponents were the top seeded Boston Celtics, who were coming off a historically dominant 66-16 season, the first of the Garnett-Pierce-Allen era.
After expectedly getting crushed in the first two games by a combined 42 points, the Hawks shockingly won Game 3 on their own court. However, in game four the Celtics took a lead into the fourth quarter and looked set to effectively end the series.
Then Joe Johnson happened.
Johnson outscored Boston 20-17 by himself in the fourth quarter, leading the Hawks to the most improbable of victories. Johnson had ice water in his veins that night, calmly drilling pull up threes with his trademark expressionless face, getting to the line and sinking clutch free throws like he was in an empty gym.
While Boston would eventually win the series in seven, Johnson and the Hawks claimed the moral victory, forever endearing themselves to their city and the NBA public with an underdog display for the ages.
Joe Johnson was 26 during that series. He was coming off back-to-back All-Star appearances, averaging an efficient 22 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds while playing strong defence. The Boston series felt like it was the glimpse of a star, the platform from which Johnson would emerge as a top ten player in the league.
Alongside young guns Josh Smith and Al Horford, Johnson could be the leader of a trio that could legitimately compete for a title. Everything was set.
And then, well… Joe Johnson happened.
It’s not that Johnson ever got worse, it’s just that he remained abnormally, distressingly the same. Every season between 2008 and 2012 Johnson averaged between 18.2 and 21.4 points, shot between 43.7per cent and 45.8per cent from the floor, and had a usage rate between 24.9 per cent and 26.6per cent.
His Hawks became more proficient in the regular season but never threatened in the playoffs, eternally playing the backdrop to their opponent’s much more interesting, purposeful story.
The heroic Johnson that put the Hawks on his back against Boston was never seen again either. In the eight playoff elimination games that Johnson played as a Hawk he averaged a meagre 17.6 points on 38 per cent shooting.
The perceived fundamental problem of Johnson is that he’s never been a leader. There’s an expectation in the NBA that when you’re a 20-point-per-game scorer on a $123.7 million contract, your team needs to take on your personality.
Unfortunately for Johnson, he’s never had a personality. He’s painfully passive, someone who drifts out of games with a regularity that defies his talent.
When his Atlanta team collapsed in sweeps in back to back years against Cleveland and Orlando in the playoffs, Johnson was a meek bystander.
In the latter series in particular, when the Hawks were visibly and disgustingly quitting on their coach (the fully fit Hawks lost all four games by 14 points or more), Johnson was leading the apathetic charge, shooting a ghastly 29.8 per cent for the series (17.6% from three though!).
Nothing has changed in Brooklyn. In 2013 the Nets had the most atrocious playoff loss in recent memory, losing a game seven at home to a Chicago team whose second best player was Nate Robinson. Johnson was the worst player on the court that game, contriving to shoot an impressively awful 2 for 14, finishing the biggest game of the season with six points.
Good players have bad games and terrible shooting nights. Kobe Bryant shot 6 for 24 in game seven of the finals, it’s fine. The problem is that while one gets the sense that every bad game that Kobe has keeps him awake at night, it’s not clear whether Johnson cares in the slightest.
All we have with Johnson is his blank, vague, expressionless face. There’s no fire, nor even the hint of the match to ignite something, anything. In 15 years in the NBA Johnson has amassed 13 technical fouls total. Russell Westbrook had 15 this year alone.
There’s nothing really antagonistic about Joe Johnson. He’s not overly selfish or petulant or recalcitrant. He just is. He’s become antagonistic purely for the fact that there’s nothing antagonistic about him. He’s an empty product, someone who just exists, wasting away in a waveless sea of I-guess-that’s-OKmid-range jump-shots.
Johnson turns 34 in June and for the first time we might be reaching an exciting turning point in his career – he might be becoming bad at basketball. After a quietly remarkable playoff run last year, Johnson has abjectly stunk in the first four games of this year’s playoffs.
He’s shooting an abysmal 33.3 per cent and playing terrible defence. He’s old, struggling through injuries and coming off a mediocre season.
With Amar’e Stoudemire’s inferno of uninsured dollars coming off the books this year, at $24.9 million Johnson’s only competition for ‘worst contract in the NBA’ is the guy who shares his backcourt.
Remarkably, Deron Williams is also Johnson’s best case for optimism right now. Two days ago Williams was even more maligned than Johnson, someone whose ineptitude was reaching historical levels.
In games two and three, Williams combined for five points total on 2 for 15 shooting. Then in game four, Williams caught fire, winding back the clock to 2008 and dropping a game-winning 35 points off the back of some celestial threes and deliciously ungodly crossovers.
The beauty and tragedy of sports is that everyone has a short memory. All that we can think about with Deron Williams right now is his array of stunning moves at Barclays; his 2 for 15 is a distant memory.
Joe Johnson can re-write his own script too.
The Hawks are there for the taking. Millsap and Horford are banged up, Korver is ice cold, the bench is deplorable and coach Budenholzer is choking on the sideline. Brooklyn can legitimately win this series.
Seven years ago Joe Johnson’s career seemed to kick-start with a heroic performance in a first round Eastern conference series between the 1 and 8 seeds, featuring the Atlanta Hawks and a veteran-laden team from the northeast.
In 2015 the scenario is the same, with Johnson on the other side this time. With one or two big shots, Johnson can forever change his legacy. He can beat the 1 seed that he couldn’t in 2008, and find redemption in the process. That’s the irrational magic of sport.
In a split second, with one roll of the wrist, Joe Johnson could erase the past seven years of mediocrity, apathy, disappointment and nothingness. Does he deserve it? Probably not. But it might finally bring a smile to that expressionless face of his.
Nikhil
Guest
This article is such a simplistic view of his career, in a way you put how the media portrays into this article, just because he isn't some elite player or personality people use it to degrade him, joe is one of the best swingman in the nba just because of how important he is to his team. He's a player that his team will trust to come up big whenever they need him most. Don't ever degrade joe for not being someone you want him to be.
Jay Croucher
Expert
Renan, of course two bad games in a six game series prejudice the numbers, but so do four decent games in a six game series. That's the entire point, we take the series in its entirety and look back at the numbers which give us a representation of everything that took place. If one bad game out of six is enough to make your overall numbers for the series look bad (as it does), then that tells you that the other five games weren't that special. Basic math. If LeBron scores 30 in 5 games and then scores just 10 in the sixth, he still averaged 27 points for the series. That's not nearly the case with JJ v. Orlando. You're saying you're pointing games out where Johnson put the team on his back like the Boston game. Where? You're mentioning games where he scored 23 and 25 points, congrats, Monta Ellis does that 50 times a season. Johnson was FANTASTIC in game one against Chicago 2011 and the entire 2014 playoffs, but those examples form a minority in the context of his career. Your argument re him playing hurt is totally nonsensical. OK, he took responsibility for how bad he played, that changes nothing about the fact that HE PLAYED BAD. He actively killed the team against Chicago in 2013, the RESPONSIBLE thing would have been to sit out and give his team a better chance of winning. It's laughable to assert that I 'hate' Joe Johnson. I couldn't care less either way about Joe Johnson, in fact, I was hoping he'd play great in the last two games against Atlanta because it would be a nice story.
Renan
Guest
U said: "The heroic Johnson that put the Hawks on his back against Boston was never seen again either", I prove to you that your phrase is a BS. I showed to you MANY games that this heroic johnson was seen again. and now, the "impassioned" Jay says: "A little selective with the games though, it’s easy to pick out individual games to build an argument. " Wtf?? I picked some bad games too, bro...read again. U said: "You can’t just write off Game 5 2011 against Orlando, that’s why we have averages, to get a broad sample size. He shot 39.6% against Orlando in that series, he wasn’t efficient." Hello, wake up, bro. Those Fg % and ppg were prejudicated by THAT NIGHT. Can u understand that in a six game one or two bad nights breaks the Averages? This is why good analysts talks about what they SEE, not what the decontextualized numbers tells them.. About double team..., drew words: “The one thing I see him doing much more different than in the past is his willingness to give up the ball in double-teams,’’ Drew said. “Usually in the past, Joe put it upon himself to carry this team, to lead this team, and would try to beat the double team. “He has the ability to do that, but there are also times when he can’t do that. He’s had to trust his teammates and that’s what he’s doing now. “Joe has really elevated his game in that area.’’ In addition , I recommend watching the games.. Here, "impassioned" jay, strikes again: "He was not good at all in his first year in the playoffs with the Nets, with or without the injury (if the injury forced him to play that badly then he shouldn’t have been playing)" Pearl!! Recommend: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/nets/joe-find-footing-nets-article-1.1479134 http://snynets.com/nets/joe-johnson-ruptured-his-plantar-fasciitis-twice-in-playoffs/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RseJOcYHSr0 (1:12 he shoots and limping) Information is everything for an aspiring writer.. About he played hurt, some guys does not escape from their responsabilities.. Regards from Brazil.. For Official Joe's hater.
Greg Taz
Guest
Their is some fierce defence in here. Don't be too harsh on jay. I am a big nba fan and i have never thought of joe Johnson as a hall of famer.
Jay Croucher
Expert
Appreciate the impassioned response Renan. A little selective with the games though, it's easy to pick out individual games to build an argument. How about Game 7 vs. Milwaukee in 2010 where he scored 8 points on 4 for 14 shooting? Or the entire 2010 Orlando series where he never cracked 20 points and never had more than 5 assists while shooting 29.8%? You can't just write off Game 5 2011 against Orlando, that's why we have averages, to get a broad sample size. He shot 39.6% against Orlando in that series, he wasn't efficient. Game 1 against Chicago is probably the best I've ever seen Johnson play, he was masterful that night, I'll happily concede that. Johnson was great in the 2005 playoffs too - but this article is about his play post-2008. He was not good at all in his first year in the playoffs with the Nets, with or without the injury (if the injury forced him to play that badly then he shouldn't have been playing). He shot 2 for 14 in Game 7 against the Bulls, settling for 9 threes and hitting only 1 of them, he was the biggest reason they lost the match and the series. I'm not sure where this 'always double teaming JJ' thing came from, even expresstexas said that wasn't the case.
Renan
Guest
Yeah, u are right, 2011 not 2010. Reading Box Score...? Ok, lets talk about numbers and context. (decontextualized numbers are worthless) He played almost all playoffs of his career double teamed (except in Suns) In 2011.Joe puts 6 games os 20+., 1 game of 30 +. 2011 vs MAGIC: In the Game 1, @Orlando, WIN FOR HOME COURT - He crushed Magic..25/5/5, (good?) In Game 3 , to confirm Home Court - 21/5/5 In game 4, to retain the Home Court (KEY GAME)- He Put 10 pts in last 3 minutes (one of the most clutch players of his generation, do u agree?), and Hawks Won. In Game 6, to Close the series - 23/10/4..(do u like this line?) Oh, how about averages? In game 5, Hawks dont play well, Joe Too, put only 5 pts..in a bad night. Explained why the low average ? 2011 vs BULLS (one of best defenses of this century): Game 1 @CHICAGO- Hawks Get the Home court advantage- WITHOUT HINRICH to defend Rose, Teague In (until that day was a unknow player) Joe put 34 points (5/5 3pt). Game 2- Joe puts 16 (47 %fg) , with 5 steals..and rest of team, but teague, was a garbage. In game 3- Joe had a rough game against Deng, only 12 FGA and Chicago break a Win at Atlanta.. Game 4- he came back and put 24 pts..Hawks Won.. But the Bulls lockdown defense decided that series (they outscored hawks by 42 pts)....Joe hadnt support cast in that series...Teague put good numbers, but was a Rucker Park Baller at that time...couldnt defend rose..Horford was a non factor...jamaal had a poor serie.... Ah, in that bad first year with Nets, even with plantar fasciti, he put some clutch shots, not? Oh, u forgot 2005, do u have something to say about that year? Regards from brazil.
Jay Croucher
Expert
I assume you mean 2011 not 2010. Joe averaged 18 points, 4 boards and 3 assists on 43.9% shooting in the 2011 playoffs against Orlando and Chicago, down on his season averages, not sure how that's torching them? He was excellent in 2014, no question.
Renan
Guest
bad Defense?? Did u see the games ??? He destroyed Millsap when called to play at PF!! He makes a bad shooting series, but how about the rest of line? Ah, Hollins words: He's battled through knee and ankle tendinitis and still logged a team-high 2,791 minutes. No other Net has more than 2,241. "Joe's year is categorized in one word: warrior," coach Lionel Hollins said. "Just quiet, does his job, very professional. He never complains. I have to take him out of the game and give him some extra rest. I have to make him not practice sometimes. He just comes and does his job. It's just been a pleasure coaching him." He was Injured all year long. How about 7.7 Rpg/ 4.8 apg / 1.2 spg?? Did u count that? Great player makes happenin other sections of the game! When u talk about chicago series in 2013, forgot that he was injred, plantar fascitis, one of the worst painfull injures in the game.. How about 2014 playoffs? He carrier vs Raptors and Heat. (Where's Pierce? Destroyed by Lebron) How About 2004 playoffs shooting over 50% on 3 pt line? How about 2010 when he torched Magic and Bulls (they lost 4-2 for chicago because Hinrich was injured in the last game vs Magic)? so...you just forgot....
express34texas
Guest
Kind of funny coming from Pierce. Pierce has never been an elite player, making only 1 2nd team all-nba and 3 3rd team all-nba. He's needed a wheelchair to be taken off the court, which he wasn't so injured that he needed. He also led his team to 24 wins in 07 before getting KG/Allen to save him in 08. Sure, Pierce was better than JJ, but almost everything you and others are saying poorly about JJ, the same could be said about Pierce. JJ isn't the benchmark lowest HOFer ever, and let's wait til his career is over as well. Rodman only made 2 AS team, Richmond is in, I'm sure there's other guys JJ matches up extremely well with to get in. Amare could have a strong case. He was at least on the fence of being an elite player for several years, and injuries took that away from him. Marion is highly underrated and also has a strong case. Chandler/Jermaine, not really. Mcgrady and Grant Hill will probably make it. They both better certainly at their peaks than JJ, but looking at all their careers overall, JJ matches up well with them and other HOFers to get in.
Jay Croucher
Expert
Agree 100% astro. If you let JJ into the HoF then it's a revolving door.
Jay Croucher
Expert
Thank you for the constructive feedback Kameron, I appreciate it and will take it on board accordingly.
astro
Guest
Paul Pierce said it all: “Joe is quiet. He doesn't want much attention. He doesn't say much. There’s a lot of secondary guys on that team. KG and I went there looking at them as the main guys who would push us, because we were advancing in years. But we ended up doing all the pushing.’’ To me, that defines JJ. Should have been a top tier/elite level player, as evidenced by his run in the mid 2000s with the Hawks, but ultimately seemed happier being a 2nd or 3rd banana. Not sure if that equals 'mediocrity' as much as just lacking a killer instinct, but to me, he shouldn't be a HOFer. That's not to say he won't be...they just put Mitch Richmond in, so if he's there then JJ may well be also. JJ is an above average guard...Made 7 All-Stars, but only 1 All NBA 3rd team. Here's a comp for you...If JJ makes it, then Amare, Shawn Marion and even guys like Ty Chandler and Jermaine O'Neal, should also get in. Are all those guys really HOFers?
Kameron
Guest
You should stick to cricket pal.
Kameron
Guest
Wow... So that is the reason "rookie" is next to your picture... Because you obviously don't have clue what you are talking about. Study the game a lot more before you make ridiculous claims such as the many you have made in this article as well as in the comments. Rook.
Jay Croucher
Expert
'jay' please find me a single video clip of Atlanta doubling Joe Johnson in this series, he shot 36.2%, he was awful. I think you're confusing the difference between trapping the pick and roll and double-teaming someone, totally different concepts. Woodson went to the Knicks and made them a #2 seed, higher than Atlanta ever finished, and with a weaker group of players?
Jay Croucher
Expert
I'm bringing up the 09 and 10 series because they were totally non-competitive, Johnson was apathetic to the result. It's one thing to be outplayed, it's another to be violently indifferent to the outcome. Johnson averaged 12 points a game on 29% shooting against Orlando in the playoffs in 2010, that's beyond a farce. Watching those games I vividly remembering him and that entire team just quitting, they lost every game by 14 or more, it was a disgrace. Against Cleveland in 09 he averaged a meek 15 points on bad percentages, down 6.3 points from his regular season scoring. It's not one or two series either, he's been terrible in the playoffs in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015. He was fantastic in 2008 and 2014, that should be the benchmark, but in the context of his career it's an aberration.
express34texas
Guest
No, what needs to stop is you. Yes, the Eastern conf. is almost always weaker, but unless you're a feel-good story like Korver this year, Eastern AS are still at worst top 35 players in the league. Some amazing Western AS in recent year include David Lee with GS, Mehmet Okur, Rashard Lewis, David West, Carlos Boozer, Chris Kaman, and Andrew Bynum. Not exactly anything to get excited about. These 1-2x AS players all had good season, maybe AS-level seasons but maybe not, but all still borderline AS at worst for that year. James has wilted lots of times in the playoffs. He's obviously better than JJ, but the wilting or not wilting argument isn't very good. Every top player has had a not-so-great series at some point. A lot more to his career than that. ATL was abysmal before JJ arrived, and he's the main reason why they became relevant. And none of his teams were even remotely champ. caliber either. What do you expect? You keep bringing up 09/10. There's no possible way ATL beats 66-win CLE in the 2nd round. And ORL was clearly the better team with the best player as well in 2010. Yea, he didn't have good series, but unless he puts up amazing performances, which would still likely result in defeat, his teams had no chance. If he can play another 2-3 years at relatively his current rate, he'll likely make the HOF. But, even if he doesn't, he's right on the fence. No idea what his salary has to do with anything. That's the way the nba works. He was clearly a star at the time he signed his big contract. Yes, it was too much, but another team would've done the same if ATL doesn't offer it. Just because bonehead Simmons says something, doesn't mean it's true or even remotely accurate, which most of the stuff he says isn't. Even if we say he's right that Webber is a top 75 player all-time and had a disappointing career, that doesn't mean he's mediocre, that doesn't even make sense. I could say the same about Wilt having a disappointing career for various reasons, and he's arguably the GOAT.
pete bloor
Guest
Mediocrity is relative, it is relative to his peers so the only way you can claim some one of Johnston's ilk is mediocre is to put up a ridiculously elite peer group which in and of itself is acknowledging his standing
jay
Guest
Croucher u haven't watched this series then because has been double teamed by the hawks. When he hasn't been he has made a play. No he isn't a vocal leader. I agree with that but sometimes its ur action. I am tired of people blaming him all of the time. It was all coaching. If those teams had budenholzer they would be a championship team. U see Woodson went to the knocks and used the same offense there and look at them. Plus al horford was hurt one year during the playoffs. But it was all coaching.
Jay Croucher
Expert
The 7 x All-Star defence of Joe Johnson needs to stop. He's playing in the worst conference in NBA history. His 2014 All-Star selection was, as was spoken about ad nauseam at the time, a total joke. Here are some of the guys that Johnson played in All-Star games with: Devin Harris, Jrue Holiday, David Lee, Jameer Nelson and Mo Williams. Thank you Leastern Conference. As I said in the above comment, mediocrity is relative. Like Bill Simmons has spoken about, Chris Webber is one of the 75 greatest basketball players of all time and had a disappointing career. In a nutshell, Joe Johnson had an excellent, decorated NBA career. I don't think he's a Hall of Famer, nor do I think he's 'probable' for the Hall of Fame (Basketball Reference has him at a 49% statistical likelihood, so borderline). But when you're paid $123 million to the be the leader of a team, you can't just not show up for the playoffs and wilt like Johnson did time and time again in Atlanta, especially in 2009 and 2010. Is it his fault that Atlanta stupidly gave him a max contract? No, but when you're paid that much there are expectations and Johnson's output in the face of them was mediocre. And no Joe, in no universe has Johnson 'always been double teamed' in the playoffs. I've watched every playoff series he's ever been a part of, he was briefly double teamed in the Toronto series last year because they had no sizable wing defenders, but that's it.