Re: European Centers??? forget it...

["Jaims" <jaims@impactnet.com>]

You're right, Joe.  Sabonis and Vlade and even Smits are all in the "very
good" category among centers in the NBA...but that's when they're healthy
and when they were young.

My only point here is that I've never seen a Euro player(Center) that has
defensive instincts of a Mourning or David Robinson or Mutombo...it's always
how good a passer they are or how far their shooting range is... it's always
on the offensive side, that is and to which we really don't need right now.
Maybe if Tsak is a 4-5 blocks per game of a player then I'm all out in favor
to get him for the Celts because that's what we are needing desperately, a
shotblocking force in the paint.  Otherwise, if he's just gonna be a 7
footer with good offensive skills, then just forget it guys.  Stick with
Vitaly and go for a scoring 2 guard or a defensive minded 3 or 4 or simply
get the best talent available.

Sorry, guys, I guess I'm just really frustrated to see the Lakers winning it
all because they have a really great center in Shaq (7'1 and over
300lbs)...it's just so hard to imagine ourselves pitting our "centers"
against these immovable forces (Duncan, Mourning, Rasheed Wallace, Chris
Webber...)  sheeeesh... are there any big (i mean BIG) high schoolers out
there jumping to the NBA next year that we should be goin after???
but I guess we should really forget about it, if and only if we get to go
into the playoffs...with Pitino still around...who knows?

Thanks Joe.

Jaims

----- Original Message -----
From: Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>
To: <danextbestthing2000@earthlink.net>; <celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2000 6:54 PM
Subject: Re: European Centers??? forget it...


> You could make a case for Vlade Divac for his passing and smarts. But I
admit it
> took him years to become an above-average center. Rik "Dutch Boy in the
Paint"
> Smits has flirted with All Star status as well.
>
> It is true Sabonis arrived very late in his career to the NBA, and a bit
thicker
> and slower. From the little I remember, he had a little Bill Walton in
him.
> Maybe not the younger Walton who could swat shots 14 feet off the ground,
but at
> least a late-career (but healthy) version of Walton who could make great
passes,
> rebound, shoot and was immoveable and heads-up in the paint.
>
> ****
> danextbestthing2000@earthlink.net wrote:
>
> > Sabonis is a very good center and dominant in the floor. It would of
been
> > even better of seen him in the NBA 10 years ago.
> >
> > > [Original Message]
> > > From: Jaims <jaims@impactnet.com>
> > > To: Celtics <celtics@igtc.com>
> > > Date: 6/15/00 7:29:10 PM
> > > Subject: European Centers??? forget it...
> > >
> > > I don't know guys.  But I can't recall a european center ever being
> > dominant
> > > or threatening in the NBA...never ever.  Sabonis?  sheesh runs like a
log
> > > and gets blocked a lot despite being 7'3 and over 300 lbs....
Ilgauskas
> > was
> > > almost the one who'd jinx that stigma about european players but he's
too
> > > injury prone.  So why are we even considering a gamble on an unknown
Greek
> > > player(Tsak)?
> > >
> > > No offense to them but they are simply too soft and too scared to bang
and
> > > get pushed.  I know they are capable scorers and outside shooters but
was
> > > there ever a Euro player named into the all defensive team?
> > >
> > > If we are to take Tsak at the 11th spot, I'd say that it's a waste.
Why
> > > fill up the need for a center when the one you are taking in is an
unknown
> > > talent?  I don't get it!  All we have to do is get the best talent
> > available
> > > regardless of position and decide from there on.  Would you take a Sam
> > Bowie
> > > again over a Jordan if lightning strikes the second time???
> > >
> > >
> > > Jaims
> > >
> >
> > DaNBT2000
>
>