Zaza and Dirk

[Johnnybravo4]

I have been looking at Dirk's game during the playoffs and I think that with a little seasoning, Zaza can have a game similar to Dirks.

Before you throw your day planner at the computer screen hear me out.

They both can put the ball on the floor. For the most part, Zaza beats his man off of the dribble, especially when he does that pump fake that for some reason fools everyone.

Zaza also has a developing post game. While not quite at Dirk's level, Zaza has developed a couple of nice spin moves off of the low post towards the baseline.

The biggest difference between Zaza and Dirk is that Dirk has a lights out jumpshot. Zaza has a nice jumpshot but he has about 0% confidence in it. He would much rather drive the ball rather than take a wide open jumpshot. If he could ever develop confidence in his jumper and develop his post game, he could become a poor man's Dirk Nowitski.

[Packfill]

Put the bottle down.

[Johnnybravo4]

Ok. I am handing it back to yo momma.

[AHF]

Zaza = Poor Man's Dirk

as

Kirk Snyder = Poor Man's Dwayne Wade

[Johnnybravo4]

AHF=Poorman's ahole

[exodus]

I think the Hawks should enter Zaza in the 3 pt shooting competition next year.

And that post move where he dives into a defender and throws the ball up from his him is certainly vintage Dirk.

[AHF]

I like Zaza, but come on.

[Johnnybravo4]

I said that he could become. He is only 21 years old. You all act as if Dirk came into the league as the player he is now. He actually had to develop as well. I swear you guys are more myopic than Mr. Magoo.

[Plainview1981]

Quote:

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I have been looking at Dirk's game during the playoffs and I think that with a little seasoning, Zaza can have a game similar to Dirks.

Before you throw your day planner at the computer screen hear me out.

They both can put the ball on the floor. For the most part, Zaza beats his man off of the dribble, especially when he does that pump fake that for some reason fools everyone.

Zaza also has a developing post game. While not quite at Dirk's level, Zaza has developed a couple of nice spin moves off of the low post towards the baseline.

The biggest difference between Zaza and Dirk is that Dirk has a lights out jumpshot. Zaza has a nice jumpshot but he has about 0% confidence in it. He would much rather drive the ball rather than take a wide open jumpshot. If he could ever develop confidence in his jumper and develop his post game, he could become a poor man's Dirk Nowitski.

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ZaZa doesn't have as good of handles as Dirk, as good of shooting, nowhere near the range, he's not as big as Dirk. He does nothing aswell as Dirk.

[Johnnybravo4]

Well at least hotlanta you brought up an argument that we can debate on. The other azzholes on here can do nothing more than make lame azz quips.

This is why I say poor man's. He'd never have quite the handles (although they are not bad) and he'd probably never have quite the jumpshot. But he could be a big man who could score by putting the ball on the floor or shooting from outside, or from the post. He can also rebound. In that respect he is a poor man's Dirk. As opposed to maybe a poor man's Z. That is all that I am saying.

[Lascar78]

Zaza just finished his 3rd season and averaged 11.7/7.9 on .451 FG%, .000 3PT%, .735 FT%.

Dirk was ths same age in just his 2nd NBA season and averaged 17.5/6.5 on .461FG%, .379 3PT%, .830% FT%

Their games couldn't be more dissimilar. Zaza will never be anything like Dirk.

[exodus]

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Actually I heard that Zaza does a pretty good Hasselhoff impression, so he does that better than Dirk.

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He also picks up a lot more offensive fouls than Dirk, and gets his shot blocked way more than Dirk.

Of course Dirk made 50% of his jumpers and Zaza only 32%, but i think Zaza could close that gap with a little practice.

[Lascar78]

If you mean a big man with a half-decent jumpshot, at least half of the league's PF/C's are poor men's dirks

[Johnnybravo4]

Decent jumpshot that can blow past 5's and most big 4's.

For example, the Elite versions of this type of player is

Garnett

O'neal

Dirk

Poor man's

Zaza

Krstic

Howard

Radmonvic

Short list but you get what I am saying.

[DJlaysitup]

I don't think Zaza can really improve his offensive game until he starts hitting those midrange to longer jumpers. When that happens the defender will have to come out on him further and he can get a better first step on a drive to the basket.

[Johnnybravo4]

I agree, and his jumper was decent when he took it, but too often he would settle on driving into the lane. I think with time he will develop the jumper. Basically our whole squad with the exception of JJ should be in the summer league. Our summer league squad should be

Foye

Childress

Dsmith

Josh Smith

Esteban

Because of Zaza's money he probably gets a pass, but he should volunteer

[Packfill]

Zaza and Dirk are completely different players. Zaza is an interior player - he does not have a reliable jumper, he does not handle the ball particularly well, and he is not likely to "blow-by" the vast majority of starting power forwards in the NBA.

He is a nice young player with limitations, nothing more.

[AHF]

Quote:

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Decent jumpshot that can blow past 5's and most big 4's.

For example, the Elite versions of this type of player is

Garnett

O'neal

Dirk

Poor man's

Zaza

Krstic

Howard

Radmonvic

Short list but you get what I am saying.

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Radmanovic and Zaza are almost opposites as players, IMO. One gets down and dirty in the post for rebounds and offense and the other floats around on the perimeter shooting 3s.

That was my point in the post.

Zaza is more of a poor man's Tim Duncan than he is a poor man's Dirk, IMO. Their games are so very dissimilar at this point in their career, IMO.

[Johnnybravo4]

I think Zaza is quicker off of the dribble than Duncan which is why I compare him more to Dirk than Duncan. Of course he doesn't have all of the tools that Dirk has, but I think with some seasoning he can be similar.

[AHF]

Quote:

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I think Zaza is quicker off of the dribble than Duncan which is why I compare him more to Dirk than Duncan. Of course he doesn't have all of the tools that Dirk has, but I think with some seasoning he can be similar.

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The thing about it is that I see Dirk's jumper being the centerpiece of his game. Any player that gets labelled a poor man's Dirk needs to have that jumper element to his game. I see someone like Elton Brand even being close in terms of game (although not body type) to Zaza at this point.

I just see Zaza as someone whose home is really on the interior and that being fundamentally differnet from someone who does as much on the perimeter as Dirk does.

I was trying to pick someone out who I thought was similarly dissimiliar in Snyder from another stud player in Wade.

Dirk without a good jumper just isn't Dirk, IMO.