Why the Indy Deal May Be Best for Us

[mrhonline]

Quote:

---

And I am still waiting for any suggestion from you as to how the Hawks can get a center who is a strong defender without paying more than the MLE.

---

I'm still struggling to understand why that strong defender has to be a center. Could he not be a recently drafted PF?

[exodus]

Quote:

---

I'm still struggling to understand why that strong defender has to be a center

---

Do you want a title contender or a team that just makes the playoffs and then exits in the first or second round?

If you want a title contender then you have to visualize a team getting past Lebron and Wade, both of who are among the league leaders in pts in the paint and getting to the line. They are the best in the league at breaking down the defensive and attacking the rim.

Do you think a center combo of Zaza/Wright (with Shelden alongside them) will be any kind of deterrent to Wade and Lebron?

[mrhonline]

Quote:

---

Do you think a center combo of Zaza/Wright (with Shelden alongside them) will be any kind of deterrent to Wade and Lebron?

---

I don't think any player on the market would be a deterrent to Wade or Lebron but Ben Wallace.

But yes, I think a Shelden/Zaza interior would be as successful as Josh Smith/Pryz. Joel is even more unathletic than Williams.

[exodus]

Quote:

---

But yes, I think a Shelden/Zaza interior would be as successful as Josh Smith/Pryz

---

LOL OMG you can't be serious. Smith and Prz are both in the top 7 in the league in blocks. Zaza can't even slow down average guards driving the lane.

That is just plain nuts. For every shot blocked there are several altered. Considering Shelden's reach is shorter than Smith and his vertical is over 6" shorter I seriously doubt he will challenge shots as effectively as Smith.

Smith has already had memorable blocks on Wade. Even Miami fans have commented about this. Zaza couldn't get a block on Wade unless he had a ladder or a tennis racket.

[Lascar78]

Quote:

---

He wasn't on the market for the Hawks. You think he would choose us over the Bulls?

---

All reports are that he didn't want to come back here after we let him go. I know you think he would have changed his opinion for money, but that's your opinion in contradiction to reports. For all practical purposes, neither joel nor wallace were available to us.

[Lascar78]

I could be wrong but I think he means as effective overall, not just on D. As in they'd be worse on D but better on offense.

[exodus]

Quote:

---

but that's your opinion in contradiction to reports

---

And what reports are those? All I have seen are opinions.

As far as quotes from Joel I have seen nothing about Atlanta.I have seen quotes from him, on the first day of free agency, saying he was looking to get paid.

[mrhonline]

Exodus, blocks are about as relevant to interior defense as shoe size. (Okay, that's exaggerating things, but you get my point). Don't you remember how pathetic Theo Ratliff was in the post in his time in Atlanta (the second time)?

Josh Smith cannot yet guard PF's. He can block like crazy, but his sense of interior defense is underdeveloped at this point in his young career.

Yes, they would get more blocks, but a Przy/Smith post tandem would be no more effective on an up-tempo team than a Shelden/Zaza tandem. (Of course, that's assuming Shelden becomes the player they expect him to be).

[mrhonline]

Quote:

---

I could be wrong but I think he means as effective overall, not just on D. As in they'd be worse on D but better on offense.

---

You are right. I have this stubborn belief that basketball involves both offense and defense. I also believe that certain players will be ineffective in certain styles of play.

[exodus]

Quote:

---

I could be wrong but I think he means as effective overall, not just on D

---

if that is true then he was simply dodging the question.

[Lascar78]

not direct quotes, reports, as in rumors from people who have heard from him. I'm not going to look them up, because honestly I don't care about Joel P, he's a subpar big man who is a good shot blocker. Yes we could use him, but I'm not crying over him.

I think it is very consistent that he wanted to stay in Portland but he talked the talk so that they'd adress their issues and give him a decent paycheck. I don't think he was looking to leave unless they screwed up.

[mrhonline]

Quote:

---

if that is true then he was simply dodging the question.

---

No, I answered your question. I said that Joel P. would not be a significant deterrent to Wade and LeBron. I've seen him play and you overrate him.

However, you have yet to answer my question: Why does the shotblocker and/or post defender have to be the center? Isn't it just as feasible for the PF to be that player?

[exodus]

Quote:

---

Exodus, blocks are about as relevant to interior defense as shoe size. (Okay, that's exaggerating things, but you get my point). Don't you remember how pathetic Theo Ratliff was in the post in his time in Atlanta (the second time)?

Josh Smith cannot yet guard PF's. He can block like crazy, but his sense of interior defense is underdeveloped at this point in his young career.

---

Maybe you should check and see the PER that opponents had against Prz and get back to me.

And you still haven't answered my question about Wade and Lebron. I wonder why.

I'll repost it in case you missed it.

Quote:

---

Do you think a center combo of Zaza/Wright (with Shelden alongside them) will be any kind of deterrent to Wade and Lebron?

---

[AHF]

Quote:

---

And you still haven't answered my question about Wade and Lebron. I wonder why.

---

Why get esoteric here? Just look at how much Pryzbilla checked James and Wade.

James:

27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists

29 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists

Wade:

31 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists

19 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists

[exodus]

Quote:

---

Why get esoteric here? Just look at how much Pryzbilla checked James and Wade.

---

You do realize that Portland had the worst record in the league. They were also extemely short.

[exodus]

Quote:

---

But yes, I think a Shelden/Zaza interior would be as successful as Josh Smith/Pryz.

---

So if the Hawks signed Prz then Shelden would magically disappear.

[DJlaysitup]

Quote:

---

...I have this stubborn belief that basketball involves both offense and defense...

---

I have a stubborn belief that offensive stats are more than just points and rebounds per game. A key statistic for me (that I believe has more impact as far as wins and losses go for the team) is shooting percentage. I remember being a Bird/Celtics fan long ago (when all we had to read was box scores in the paper), and checking team FG% and thinking to myself "we don't have to really worry about the Hawks and Dominique because they can't keep up FG%-wise..our inside game will usually kill them).

Of course since Bird retired I've ditched the Celtics and then moved to ATL.

But getting back to the present...Zaza has a terrible FG% for a center. That puts our team behind the 8-ball on offense as well as his poor defense hurting us against the likes of Wade and Lebron. I'm not saying the guys a bum, but he needs to hit a higher %age of his shots and contend more of the other teams' shots for us to be competitive in the paint.

[mrhonline]

Quote:

---

So if the Hawks signed Prz then Shelden would magically disappear.

---

The Hawks know who they want to pursue in free agency by the draft, so, yes. Shelden + Przybilla would have been redundant.

[exodus]

FYI Shelden is a power forward, Prz is a center.

And you still haven't answered the Lebron/Wade question.

[mrhonline]

Quote:

---

FYI Shelden is a power forward, Prz is a center.

---

Where's that captain obvious picture?

Quote:

---

Zaza has a terrible FG% for a center. That puts our team behind the 8-ball on offense as well as his poor defense hurting us against the likes of Wade and Lebron. I'm not saying the guys a bum, but he needs to hit a higher %age of his shots and contend more of the other teams' shots for us to be competitive in the paint.

---

I would agree with that. The good news is that a good percentage of his misses he rebounds himself. He's young and shoot improve in both areas.

Still, Zaza is a bargain for his price and good enough to make overspending for an average big like Joel P. unnecessary.