Are pure shooting Euros "changing the league" ... Really, Fran?

So you're saying that Euro's are having no impact on the league?

 

I think the lack of good shooter has put a premium on good shooters and most of the good shooters are Euro's.

Cerainly Peja was the key player for the Kings earlier in the season when Webber went out. Hedo has stepped up big time for Peja in the play offs so loosing Pefa was managable even against LAL.

All things considered I think the way Bibby is playing in the play offs is a much better guage of what the NBA should be. He is playing good defense, driving the ball to the basket and hitting his free throws. Bibby's game has been complete IMO. Webber has been outstanding but he has missed too many free throws and clearly not wanted the ball in the closing minutes.

I am very interested in seeing how Jeri Welsch fares in the league. He is the first Euro I can remember that is suppose to play good defense.

 

I might be wrong but I did not take HP's post to mean that at all. Unless I am wrong I took it to mean that the new fad Euro's still have deficincies in their games that should not be overlooked when comparing them to other players. I don't think there is any denying Pejas and Dirks impacts in the league.

 

Also, I wouldn't call Hedo a "pure-shooting Euro."

He is certainly a good shooter, but I don't think he is near the shooter that Peja, Dirk, etc... are.

 

<text color=orange><B><I>Hidayet,</i></b></text>just a pure shooter and nothing else?
At <I>times</i> it seems like you're saying these Euro player's can't do anything but shoot. But If I recall from a few games back, <I>Hedo</i> can drive and get the job done.

These players may not present themselves as "power dunkers" or "inside-out players" but I assure you I've seen enough minutes of them in action to be calling them, "Outside-in players."

The Kings don't exactly need a "outside-in player" as they already have those type of players in Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, and Lawrence Funderburke. Chris Webber gets enough heat from the Sacramento/World media about his play.
<I>But I see Predrag as a perfect fit in Sacramento's lineup</i>

As for Dirk, I've seen about 25-30 games of him this past season, and hundreds more season's past, and I've seen Dirk post it up,
get the job do, as well as having some extra time to hit some three's. All-Star's aren't named in this league for no reason. He can do just about anything <i><I>even play D.</i></I>

 

No one on the Mavericks plays even mediocre defense, and that includes Nowitzki.

 

Najera, Griffin and Buckner are all pretty good defensive players. Finley was know as a defensive player when he first came into the league.

 

I disagree.

Adrian Griffin is a very good defensive player. Can guard a 1, 2 or 3 and have seen him guard a 4 a few times this past season.

 

Don't forget Bradley.

 

I think the term "changing the game" has gotten a little carried away in this thread. Foreign players are changing the game because they are being noticed now. Sure, Dirk can't play defense (actualy goes by IRK cause he's got no D) but that doesn't change the fact that he is in the top 10 in scoring, FG%, and rebounding. For a "Euro" to break the top 10 in the NBA as quick as Dirk has having no college experience while playing most of his life against much inferior talent, I would say that is changing the game. It sounds to me like some on this thread are just upset about it.