Look, I am an unabashed Joe Johnson fan.
A seven-time All-Star that is overrated and at the same time underrated, Johnson’s pure existence in NBA lure is a complicated one.
Not for me.
Johnson’s career has always been compared to his contracts. Unfairly criticized for not living up to his contracts in Atlanta as if it was his fault the Hawks drafted Marvin Williams instead of Chris Paul and Deron Williams in 2005. Meanwhile Joe just did his job, which was to get buckets.
The term “Iso Joe” was first dubbed during his Atlanta years because former coach Mike Woodson’s awful offenses would grind to a halt and it basically became “Pass it to Joe and let him go Iso on his defender” and it worked.
It wasn’t aesthetically pleasing but it worked and that very same skill he possesses has helped every team he’s played on win huge playoff games.
Remember Game 7 in 2014 vs Toronto….on the road?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hpBRIx-iRg
How about how he went right at Miami’s Big Three in the next round, albeit in a losing effort?
What we are witnessing in this series vs the Los Angeles Clippers is sort of amazing but if you’ve followed his career trajectory, its not surprising in the least.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9htaTM5wtc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBIsldZFSkQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFl8CwGh6MM
In the immortal words of the great Gus Johnson…COLD BLOODED!
This dude has doubled his scoring output from the regular season at the age of 35 (18.2 per in the playoffs vs 9.2 in the regular season) and 15 years in the NBA. It’s amazing and the best story of the playoffs so far, and its not even close.
I’m now hoping for a Utah/Golden State matchup in round 2 so bad, because who is a better “big shot” maker in the league today than Iso Joe?
Maybe we will find out next week.
