New line up growing on me

[Ghost Kat]

I've heard alot of people saying Bell isn't in his prime and Diaw is soft. I don't like getting rid of J-rich but with the type of basketball the cats play this might work out after all. Bell doesn't need to be a Kobe stopper everynight. He just need to play good defense, hit open shots, and play smart. He does all those things and he plays hard. Diaw I haven't seen play in a while but he's probably the best low post man we have. As long as he hustles he should have a a good end to this season. With Diaw in the low post that puts Wallace back at SF. Thats best for the team since Wallace can play off the ball a little more , get a few steals or blocks. This team is a defensive team and i think this makes us a little better.

[Ampsportsduo]

One thing that should be noted about Diaw too, is not only was 2005-06 (his best year) a contract year, but it was also the year that Amare wasn't there. He had consistent minutes and the offense was tailored to his abilities rather than Amare's. The comment that he made about not being a standard PF, was not a way of saying that he couldn't play PF, it was perhaps a thinly veiled slight at the less versatile Amare. Diaw brings a unique skill set that should compliment the other players.

Someone wrote on these boards a week or so ago (I apologize for not rememebering who) that perhaps Emeka had never been taught how to defend the PF position. I'd not given that much consideration before it was brought up, but it seems to have some validity. After watching last night I'm not sold that he couldn't learn. He certainly made some mistakes, but he also did a great job at times contesting Dirk's shots. I'm curious what others felt about his performance last night at the PF position.

If the team was to add a true center and move Mek to PF, the team would be able to play several different looks in the frontcourt, a luxury the team has not previously had.

[coordinator0]

It's also growing on me, I am starting to really like this trade. As Amp said he was getting consistent minutes in 05-06, which he will almost certainly get here. His extremely unique skill-set will not only help Okafor get open shots down low, I think it will also take a ton of pressure of our PG's. I'm still not sold on Bell but he is a better defender than what we have got now. ILBIT, for now.

[BRNC]

One thing that should be noted about Diaw too, is not only was 2005-06 (his best year) a contract year, but it was also the year that Amare wasn't there. He had consistent minutes and the offense was tailored to his abilities rather than Amare's. The comment that he made about not being a standard PF, was not a way of saying that he couldn't play PF, it was perhaps a thinly veiled slight at the less versatile Amare. Diaw brings a unique skill set that should compliment the other players.

Someone wrote on these boards a week or so ago (I apologize for not rememebering who) that perhaps Emeka had never been taught how to defend the PF position. I'd not given that much consideration before it was brought up, but it seems to have some validity. After watching last night I'm not sold that he couldn't learn. He certainly made some mistakes, but he also did a great job at times contesting Dirk's shots. I'm curious what others felt about his performance last night at the PF position.

If the team was to add a true center and move Mek to PF, the team would be able to play several different looks in the frontcourt, a luxury the team has not previously had.

Amp I love this post...and it illustrates how on too many occasions we underestimate/undervalue our own players...this team has frankly speaking Never had a solid NBA coach before now...and coaching is an undervalued commodity...LB is a very good coach/teacher and this staff can take talented players (and we do have talent) and make these guys better players...thing is LB will pick and choose who he wants...but the talent is (at least when the season began) here...EO50 is a very underrated talent and if we continue to use him properly he will be a beast IMO...

[Ampsportsduo]

Amp I love this post...

Thank you :biggrin:


EO50 is a very underrated talent and if we continue to use him properly he will be a beast IMO...

I hope that one of the coaches is in his ear telling him that this is his team. The difference between the SLAM he threw down last night and his dunk shots of a week ago is something we've longed for. I like Emeka, but he's seemed too passive at times. With JRich's departure, I hope he becomes the monster we've seen in spurts. If he does move to PF, it may help with some of the blocked shots we've seen because he's been going against bigger players.

[BRNC]

I think having Ryan at center helped him a lot...and those were monster blocks like I love to see him get...

[mrtarheel]

I like this trade. I loved J Rich but out of this we get two players with experiece and talent who know how to win. On a good night J Rich would get you avg 20 ppg, 7 reb. 5 ast 2 stl. If Diaw gets us 14 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2stls then Bell gets us 10 pts, 4 reb. 4ast, and 2 stls we get a total of 24pts 9rebs, 7ast, 4stls plus Okafor having the luxury of roming around the basket with people occupied with Diaw this is a win win situation. The only problem I see with this trade is the addition of Singletary. This seems to me to be the sign that Felts is gone. DJ has been playing descent and with Felts I'm sure we could get

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=3195~3005~2794~2753~3016~1994~ 2754~2015&teams=22~30~22~29~29~30~30~29&te=&cash=

or

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=1994~2754~2015~2753~3016&teams=30~30~30~22~22&te=&cash=
adding Hollins into this trade makes it work.

[Keetch]

I loved the matchups and rotation that LB used against the Mavs. I've been hoping to see a Hollins/Okafor front line for a looonnng time. Putting Hollins on Dampier was a great thing to do. In my opinion Dampier is a thuggish player. Hollins isn't that, but the way he throws himself around, he's close. Hollins won't back down from anybody. I bet Okafor HATES playing Dampier.

Putting Okafor on Nowitzki was awesome. Okafor did a fine job, he's tougher than Dirk.

Then LB rotated in Nazr and Ajinca and always kept us with adequate matchups underneath.

I thought the Augustin/Felton backcourt was comparable enough to Kidd/Barea too; leaving Carroll/Ammo on Devean George, who was no threat to exploit their poor defense.

With those rotations, were we REALLY such an overmatched team last night? Hell, without Howard (but we didn't have Wallace so?) I thought from the get-go that we had them matched up very well.

I think the difference was the Mavs had Jason Terry off the bench, while we had Shannon Brown :(

[BRNC]

I loved the matchups and rotation that LB used against the Mavs. I've been hoping to see a Hollins/Okafor front line for a looonnng time. Putting Hollins on Dampier was a great thing to do. In my opinion Dampier is a thuggish player. Hollins isn't that, but the way he throws himself around, he's close. Hollins won't back down from anybody. I bet Okafor HATES playing Dampier.

Putting Okafor on Nowitzki was awesome. Okafor did a fine job, he's tougher than Dirk.

Then LB rotated in Nazr and Ajinca and always kept us with adequate matchups underneath.

I thought the Augustin/Felton backcourt was comparable enough to Kidd/Barea too; leaving Carroll/Ammo on Devean George, who was no threat to exploit their poor defense.

With those rotations, were we REALLY such an overmatched team last night? Hell, without Howard (but we didn't have Wallace so?) I thought from the get-go that we had them matched up very well.

I think the difference was the Mavs had Jason Terry off the bench, while we had Shannon Brown :(

Begs the question of why it has taken so long to come up with this brain thrust..actually using the bigs we already have...:g:

[davcbow]

Begs the question of why it has taken so long to come up with this brain thrust..actually using the bigs we already have...:g:

I ask the same question.... from last season they called Hollins too little, isnt that good, need to let him go, ect. This season Lex they say he is inexperienced, too thin (I agree but he is getting better), ect. Nazr they say he has lost a step, cant pass, has lost his touch, ect. and they say all 3 are too soft. Myself I feel Hollins and Lex will get better and better, Hollins is getting better everytime I see him play same with Lex....Nazr? I really dont know what to think about him...So I think they want a good experienced C to come in and assume the starting roll and teach the others until Hollins and Lex get to where they can handle their own.... Until they do that trade for a center we should see more and more of Hollins and Lex playing and some of Nazr too. Right now Nazr is the most experienced with Mek playing the 4 spot. At least I hope they try it that way......:cool:

[Muttley]

Putting Okafor on Nowitzki was awesome. Okafor did a fine job, he's tougher than Dirk.

Oh man, I couldn't watch the game last night, but Oak guarded Dirk and did well? I'd have killed to see that. That's awesome!

I did check the box score and noticed that Oak had another monster game. I also saw that Hollins was playing with him a good bit, which is fantastic, in my opinion. Your mini-recap was great, as it usually is.

I'm starting to warm up to the trade. Truth be told, I never hated the trade. The first I'd heard of it was on a text message from ESPN. It was sitting on the coffee table, I'm in the kitchen, and I hear my girlfriend yell to me, "You're gonna wanna come in here. You're getting a text from ESPN, and I think it's about the Bobcats. Something big happened." (love that girl, by the way) In any case, my first thought was, "where's Gerald going to?" I was relieved to find out that GW wasn't traded, but I really hate to see JRich and Duds go. But, it really does balance out our roster a little better, especially with the Howard signing.

[Ampsportsduo]

Oak guarded Dirk and did well?

There was some sagging towards the middle that gave Dirk some open looks, including the nail at the end of the game. For a first effort and albeit not against the most mobile of PFs, I thought he did well.

His slam dunk was great. He attacked the rim instead of floating in like he was landing a plane. He also shot well from 15' in, hitting shots from the elbow and the baseline which was nice to see.

[Muttley]

There was some sagging towards the middle that gave Dirk some open looks, including the nail at the end of the game. For a first effort and albeit not against the most mobile of PFs, I thought he did well.

His slam dunk was great. He attacked the rim instead of floating in like he was landing a plane. He also shot well from 15' in, hitting shots from the elbow and the baseline which was nice to see.
Another good analogy.

Why does it seem like he's trying really hard to ease the ball right into the hoop? Lately he's done a better job of introducing the ball to the bottom of the net as quickly as possible, which is great. He's rebounding like a beast as well, and he's been gradually taking shots from further and further out. Continuing that progress is immense for the team.

[TheBeagle]

I could be uber delusional here, but I think Juwan will help Mek develop even more. From what I've read, Juwan is a good team guy and I think he'll push and motivate and hopefully bond with Mek making him even more confident and competent with the ball in his hands. Plus, it has to be fun playing for a coach like Larry who has taken an active interest in his developement as opposed to the nightmare year he, more than any other player I think, had to endure under the Biscuit.

I've been outspoken here (and there and everywhere) about my enthusiasm with the trade (and possible moves to come) so I can't add anything else about it.

Muttley, you definitely have a keeper in that girl of yours. Whether or not she gives a shit about your sports teams, the fact that she at least humours you makes her a saint in my book! Alas, the Beagle has never known that luxury (lost a girl in college because I told her to "give me a fucking break" when she said we were going to salsa lessons the night of the Carolina/Duke game; a woman must respect a man and his sports is the lesson of this anecdote...at least that's what I tell myself on cold, lonely nights ;)). Get a ring on her finger, ASAP!

Very excited about going to the game tomorrow....something I never thought I'd be after last week's game!

[BRNC]

Guys I'll be at the game and I wish I was as excited as most of you seem to be...apprehension is the best I can come up with...I've made my peace with this trade ('cause it is a done deal and I've never cried over spilled anything...well maybe if I ever spilled my Guinness I might but I'd never do that so) is over and now I'll give it the games I feel it deserves to make a fair evaluation (before I really decide we were beaten and robbed...LOL) because that is what I think even those of us that hate the trade should try to do...

If it makes the team better I will be all for it...but it will take some serious convincing, (and a heck of a lot better trades from my view) and some better game coaching from LB, to convince me blowing up a 4/5 built house is better than adding another 1/5 and tweaking as you go...particularly since we did not address (even LB said this) that 1/5...

I am keeping my expectations reasonable but I know the difference from a path that takes me some where I want to go from a chaotic maze to no where...and I'm smart enough to see which of these two LB chooses...:cool: