Re: One thing missing

[opi@unesco.org]

    McHale exploited very broad but perfectly legal pivot steps off the basic
initial head fake to create stunningly easy openings for layups. Watch
Potapenko and he shows similar footwork and body balance, yet tends to take
relatively baby stutter steps while setting up his shot. I'm still not sure
if McHale just made it all look easy or if his technique is transferable. Off
of the pivot and initial turnaround jumpshot headfake, he'd take that long
stride underneath his defender and find a lot of daylight to convert the easy
layup without even jumping.

    People boast about Larry Legend adding a new move to his arsenal every
summer but the same is quite true of McHale, who increased his scoring
average for something like 7 straight seasons. As a rookie, Kevin McHale had
very few post moves. If you watch any of the  games from the 1981
Boston-Philly series (where our youthful Celts stormed back from the
desperate 3-1 deficit by winning back-to-back-to-back 1 or 2 point victories,
after having been overwhelmed by the same veteran Philly club 4-games-to-1
the previous year) you will notice that McHale had nothing but great hustle
plus a basic turnaround jumper in his arsenal. You could tell he was
something special, but not really. He was a sleeker, less clutzy version of
Rick Robey.

Joe

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Elgin W Booth wrote:

> I'd say another thing missing is someone with low-post moves who can be a
> reliable inside scorer.  Most of V's points are mid-range jump shots, and
> most of Tony's points are short jumpers or dunks.  I would love to have
> someone who could score with their back to the basket.  Seems to be more
> and more rare these days.
>
> Hell, bring in McHale to teach these guys some low-post moves.  That
> probably won't happen while he's with the T'Wolves.