Re: Karl Malone

["Dan Mackie" <dan.mackie@valley.net>]

About your several points:

I don't recall McHale ever being ineffective offensively for very long. He
was 6-11, had truly great post moves and extra long arms.


I think Rodman was pretty good defensively against Bird, but, of course,
McHale and Parish had good offensive games, too, and the team had reasonably
good scoring from the guards, with guys like Dennis Johnson seeming to
actually shoot better in pressure situations.

I think Rodman would try to slow down McHale sometimes, but he couldn't. I
don't think the refs let him do his drape-himself-all-over-the-other-guy
stuff, either, though he was known as kind of a dirty player even then.

Actually, the best defender against Bird was Michael Cooper of the Lakers,
if I remember correctly. He really gave Bird problems. He was quick, didn't
take his fakes and I guess was strong enough to defend Bird inside.


However, Bird could shoot 5-16, but have 14 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals,
hit 8 of 9 free throws and get the job done even when he was being hounded.
Iif he hit a cold streak on his jumpers, he would take the ball to the hole,
and score or get fouled, even though he couldn't jump.

He was just so much more mentally tough and multi-talented than Malone
appears to be, despite being a physical specimen.

-Dan M.


-----Original Message-----
From: Kenneth Mattina <mattinak@teleport.com>
To: Celtics@igtc.COM <Celtics@igtc.COM>
Date: Thursday, June 11, 1998 3:53 PM
Subject: Karl Malone


>Hi Everyone,
>
>I figured it was time to make my yearly contribution to discussion. ;-)
>
>I am pretty amazed at how poorly Karl Malone is playing in this series.
>Dennis
>Rodman has pretty much gotten into his head and under his skin and
completely
>psyched him out.  I mean, all through his career, I can remember seeing
>Malone getting the ball near the basket and crashing into a defender for
>the three point play.  Has that happened once in this series?
>
>I thought he was supposed to be the greatest power forward in the history
>of the game?  Where is his mental toughness?
>
>Of course, we all know who the best power forward who ever played was.  It
>seems to me that Kevin McHale played better on one foot than Malone is
>playing on two healthy ones.  Can anyone confirm that?
>
>Also, it seems like I remember Isiah Thomas saying something about Rodman
>shutting down Larry Bird.  Is this modern myth making?  Anyone remember
>remember those games against Detroit better than I do?
>
>Ken
>
>mattinak@teleport.com
>mattinak@ohsu.edu
>
>
>
>