Re: Kedrick

[Tammo29@xxxxxxx]

>>>Kedrick, for all his passiveness so
far, at least doesn't NEGATIVELY affect the game).  <<<

I would have to disagree with that.  I think any time a player isn't making 
his mark on the game in some way, be it shooting, rebounding, defending, 
whatever, he is negatively affecting the game.  You can't just sleep walk through 
the game without it affecting your teammates.  Someone has to pick up the slack.
There was one time last game where the ball was worked around to a wide open 
Kedrick and he absolutely froze.  He ended up throwing the ball to Pierce who 
was about 2 feet beyond the three point line with one-second on the shot 
clock.  That's not good.  And it's nothing new.  I remember complaining about the 
same thing his rookie year.


>>One other thing:  Some have wondered out loud why
Kedrick isn't getting that many rebounds.  Well, he
plays the other teams' best wing player, thus keeping
him on the perimeter more often than not. 
Furthermore, he usually is running the break instead
of coming back to garner the rebound.  Lastly, on
offense, he's often protecting against the other
teams' fast break and is unable to get any offensive
rebounds.  <<

I don't know.  These sound like excuses to me.  Pierce has all the same 
responsibilities yet he had 10 rebounds the last game to Kedricks 3.  Is Eddie 
Jones any more of a perimeter player than Dwayne Wade?  Is Posey any more of a 
perimeter player than Miller?  Paul spent a significant amount of time guarding 
both Wesley and Davis last game because the Hornets went small a lot.
  You could point to playing time, but that doesn't really explain it either. 
 Pierce is averaging 39 minutes 8.3 rebounds.  Kedrick is averaging 23 
minutes, 2.0 rebounds.
To me it looks like Kedricks main problems in rebounding are twofold.  He 
doesn't anticipate very well (this has been Battie's biggest problem as well), 
and he doesn't fight for position. If the ball comes right to where he happens 
to be, he's just fine.  Unfortunately that doesn't happen very often in the 
pro's. 
 I think these both stem from his being able to just out "athlete" players 
all of his life.  He's finding he can't do that now and he's not adjusting well 
so far.
These are fundamental things that can be learned if a player wants to take 
the time to learn them and has the discipline to use them.


TAM