Re: Post scoring?

[Josh Ozersky <josh_ozersky@yahoo.com>]

Well, Alex is smart, but he's wrong on this.  It's a
mistake to suppose you need an all-star center to run
an offense through.  That is the essential part of the
center's role as the game is meant to be played.  Even
if you center is Acie Earl, you should be moving a
halfcourt offense through him.  He shouldn't be
passing only on double teams, and he doesn't have to
be a dominant scorer.  But he is like the catcher in
baseball, and controls a major part of the action. 
Vitaly is wasted just being used as horsemeat/goon
work.  He needs touches more than most players, and he
is very unselfish.  Watch how Anthony Mason passes out
of the post, or Hakeem Olajuwon, and you will see what
I mean.  If only a Sabonis can pass from the center
position, then basketball is doomed.  

--- Alex Wang <awang@mit.edu> wrote:
> 
> > This is the one point where I absolutely think the
> > coaching staff has its head up its ass.  Vitaly
> > Potapenko should never be more than five feet from
> the
> > basket.  I have no idea why he is floating around
> the
> > perimeter, setting picks, and receiving passes. 
> The
> > halfcourt offense should totally be run through
> him. 
> > He's the kind of player who needs lots of touches
> in
> > his comfort zone, and he's damned effective when
> he
> > gets them.  You don't have to be the best player
> to
> > have the offense run through you -- I hope that's
> > something that Russell lets Pitino know.  
> 
> I don't know if Vitaly really has the hands, vision,
> or
> passing ability to deserve having the entire
> halfcourt
> offense run through him. And what's wrong with
> having him
> set picks on the perimeter? This is the job of tough
> 
> brutish players like Potapenko. It helps the team by
> 
> freeing up the perimeter players to get an open shot
> or
> cut to the basket and also creates opportunities for
> 
> Potapenko to roll for a shot or cut. 
> 
> I don't think the Celtics are going to be an
> effective 
> team by throwing the ball into Potapenko every time 
> (although I think it should be one of their plays)
> and 
> waiting for the double team or letting him take his
> man 
> one on one. He's not a passer on the level of
> Sabonis or 
> Divacs or Mason, nor a scoring machine on the level 
> of Olajuwon or Barkley. It's also not the best use
> of 
> the remaining personnel, who would presumably spot
> up
> behind the three point line.
> 
> I think we have to accept Potapenko for what he is: 
> someone who can play man-to-man defense on the big 
> centers in this league, a big body to block out, and
> enough of an offensive threat to keep the opposing
> center honest. He'll be an option on offense that 
> will sometimes be able to get his defender in foul 
> trouble, or give you 15 points. But I don't think 
> that any NBA team runs its offense through him. 
> 
> Alex
> 


=====

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com