Re: The Sundov article

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm hoping Bruno eventually makes Battie expendable. The fact is we're stuck
with Baker and Antoine isn't going anywhere, so if Bruno is going to find
minutes, they're going to be at Battie's expense.

Battie provides a lot in Harter's trap-the-pick-and-roll defense. He's one
of the few big men who can move quickly enough laterally to effectively trap
point guards. This was his chief asset last season and the reason I'm hoping
he continues to start (alongside Baker) this season. But if last season is
the best we're going to get from Battie, and it probably is, then you're
left with a big guy who only gives you 6 points and 6 rebounds per game
(although at a better rate per minute than Baker). Again, I'm not
discounting the defense, but if you can find a good team defender who can
bring additional scoring and rebounding-not to mention passing, not a Battie
strong suit-then you're talking about a nice upgrade. That's what I'm hoping
Bruno eventually can do-be an effective team defender while being a positive
on the offensive end (something Battie isn't).

Anyway, I laugh at the talk about Sundov being effective in the high post
and finding cutters and blah, blah, blah... Those of us who actually watch
the team know he'll only be stationed at the three-point line on the
opposite side of the floor of one of the captains. It would be great if they
used him like they used Battie-for elbow and baseline jumpers-but since he
CAN shoot the 3-pointer, I have no doubt Obie will instruct him to do so. It
would be so nice, however, to have someone on this team make something
approaching half his shots.

Anyway, we keep hearing Wallace say these new big guys can shoot the
three-first Sundov, now Ruben W.-but he never says they can rebound.
Rebounding was a big problem last year, and Baker alone doesn't fix it,
especially if he and Battie just split time. I don't know... I just don't
think a lack of three-point shooting from the center spot was a glaring
weakness.

I'll hold off on my prediction until just before the opener. I'm hoping for
a revelation from Shammond Williams and that Baker found the fountain of
youth (and maybe the Sprinkler of Toughness) on his way home from Seattle.

Mark