Re: Tony Battie

["Cecil Wright" <cecil@hfx.andara.com>]

The whole height thing is not really this issue when discussing big men.  It
is positioning, reaction, and desire.  That is why men like Cowens, Unseld,
Willis Reed and Moses Malone were such great players.  How many of the are
HOFers?  In fact, on some of the Cowens teams, Paul Silas guarded the
opposing center and he was all of 6'7".

If Battie is the active defensive presence that some people think he is,
that is more important than his height.

I have my rose colored glasses on when I say this, but I really like our
offensive potential with KA kicking it out to a wingman named Mercer on one
side and Pierce on the other.  With Toine down on the blocks, he should
increase his shooting percentage substantially, if he shoots less from
outside.  We may take some lumps from the real slow methodical plodding
teams at times.  The teams who will exploit the press and trap will cause
headaches at times.  So perhaps RP will take the press of in those instances
and just make the guards work harder to get the ball into a scoring area.

Who would you prefer, Knight with his contract, or Shintzu at considerably
less?  I might take Knight if I felt we were going to get a reasonable
return on the investment.

Cecil (When are they gonna settle this CBA thing and start working out?)
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Meninno <jim_meninno@hotmail.com>
To: giants@eisa.net.au <giants@eisa.net.au>; eestes@kearney.net
<eestes@kearney.net>
Cc: Celtics@igtc.com <Celtics@igtc.com>
Date: Tuesday, January 19, 1999 4:16 PM
Subject: Re: Tony Battie


>OK, let's not get carried away with what Tony Battie is.  He has grown
>since entering college, but not that much.  Here's a bio written after
>he was drafted by the Nuggets.  For the whole thing, check out
>http://www.nba.com/nuggets/00387363.html.  How much he has grown since
>then, I don't know.
>
>The first thing you need to know about Tony Battie, the player, is that
>he is not a 7-footer. He's not even 6-11 ... or 6-10.
>      "I'd say he's maybe a hair under 6-10," Nuggets coach Bill Hanzlik
>acknowledged.
>      Know this, as well: Hanzlik doesn't care, even if Battie ends up
>starting at the center spot, opposite David Robinson, in the Oct. 31
>regular-season opener against San Antonio.
>      "The thing we like most about Tony is his athleticism," Hanzlik
>said. "In our system, you've got to be able to run the court. To be
>effective, you need four or five guys running the floor every time, and
>I think he can do that. He's quick, he can jump. OK, he's not a
>7-footer, but he's almost 6-10, and he's just got loads of potential.
>We'll have to see what we can get out of him.
>      "He will at times guard centers, but to classify him as a classic
>center, I don't look at him like that."
>      The Nuggets are going back to the system that produced good
>results in the Doug Moe era of the 1980s, playing a motion offense and
>fast breaking at every opportunity. Classic centers need not apply.
>Smaller, athletic pivots should expect to thrive.
>      "He's certainly going to be able to play center against maybe half
>the league," Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Allan
>Bristow said, "as far as being able to hold his own. There will be times
>he can be utilized at the four spot, too. A lot depends on the style of
>play. Just him getting comfortable in the system will determine where he
>plays. The center spot would be the easiest for him to learn right now,
>and he'll find it easier to get his shot off against centers, and he
>should be able to beat most centers down the floor.
>      "His quickness and running speed for a big man are excellent. In
>an up-tempo game he should be able utilize that to advantage. And he can
>shoot the ball from 10 to 14 feet. He's got shot blocking ability, too.
>Physically, he's only got one way to go, and that's to get stronger. The
>way he has improved the last two years, if he continues at that growth
>curve, and his learning curve, learning the game, he should be a very
>good player in the NBA."
>      Battie was recruited to Texas Tech as a 6-7 small forward. As
>such, he had focused on his ballhandling and shooting skills, aware of
>the small forward's role.
>      By the time he reported to his first practice session at Tech, he
>was a tad taller than 6-8.
>      "I just had a late growth spurt," Battie said. "But I had the same
>skills I had as a small forward, even though I was bigger."
>      Today, he isn't entirely sure he has stopped growing. Certainly,
>he can carry more weight on his skinny frame.
>
>
>>From: eestes@kearney.net (Erik Estes)
>>To: "Warwick" <giants@eisa.net.au>
>>Cc: <Celtics@igtc.com>
>>Subject: Tony Battie
>>Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 13:32:46 -0600
>>
>> Did you all know that Battie went to Texas Tech as a guard??  He was
>>something like 6'3" (give or take a few inches) when he entered
>college.
>>He then grew to be in the 6'10" range.  And became a force in the
>middle.
>>With great rebounding and shot blocking ability.
>> My point is that if Battie is still growing to be in the 7'0" range,
>then
>>he still hasn't even totally grown into his body.  And when he does...I
>>hope the C's are the team that has him!!  He will be a stud in the
>future.
>>A big center who plays great defense, will develop even better inside
>>skills and will run the court like most small forwards.  If we get
>Battie,
>>then the future is very bright!!!     Erik Estes
>>
>>C- Battie
>>PF-  Walker
>>SF-  Pierce
>>SG-  Mercer
>>PG-  Anderson
>>
>
>
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