Frankly, the question to me is - is this all there is or is there something to be mined over time because he has the head, heart and coaches? I'm not rushing to judgment. I'm hoping tho not holding my breath. Let's go 'hope'!
While his baskets were dunks setup by someone passing him the ball while he stood under the basket, he still looked ok out there. On the D end, he did make someone shoot a very high floater. He still made it but he turned did make him work for it.
That is what was so special about his scores last night. He wasn't standing under the basket when he got those passes. He was on the move both times, cutting to the basket.
There was 1 time where he cut and they found him but there was at least one other basket that I remember that he was just standing there and they fed it right to him. Hey I really want this to happen but the 3-3 in 4 minutes is a little misleading. No MVP chants just yet. Still don't want to take away from overall 4 minutes though because he did play ok on both ends.
He scored 2 of his baskets on pick and rolls, and another off an offensive rebound and put back. He looked pretty good, and yes it was garbage time, but then Morris played garbage time too, and he was 1-4, but that doesn't mean he sucks...nor does 3-3 mean Hasheem is great. But it is a nice start. DD
Combine that pick-and-roll move with 3% bodyfat and knowledge of 5 languages, and we've got a potential starting C on our hands.
I love his ability to catch that pass over the defender's head, over his shoulder and relatively quick slam!
Why argue about a player on the team who according to the coach has earned playing time ? Be happy for the guy and support him please, no matter how you feel about him. I judged him earlier as well because he looks lazy, even in the practice videos but if McHale says he worked his but off, we have to take his word and be happy he's active instead of Adrien. Seriously, who would you rather have playing a few minutes: foul prone, trying to block impossible shots, undersized Adrien or big ass, hard working, 7'3 with some potential Thabeet ?