I will say that as someone who's watched D-Mo quite a bit, while I like him a lot of as a player/prospect, I certainly don't expect him to come in and set this league on fire. It will take a while for him to adjust. He is very talented and does a lot of good things, but there are still some glaring holes in his game and it would be unfair to expect him to be difference maker in year one. Hill's problems more than anything are mental. I don't think D-Mo has anywhere near the same mental make-up.
Patterson problem is not size in fact. As Worrell very well says, he plays too small. Needs to change some habits. Difficult.
Also, the Rocket's lack of a true center allowing Hill to move to his natural 4 position really hindered his development. But yes, when he was mentally there he was a double double hustle player.
Which I hope isn't the downfall of DMo. Seems like he should be a 4 and not forced to play the 5 unless for matchup purposes. Not sure if I'm right on that account though. What would you say HMMMHMM?
Yes. Without question. I've said so many times. He's as pure as a (modern) power forward as you'll find. Playing him more than situational minutes at center would be a mistake IMO.
Blaming Jordan Hill's performance on having to play center doesn't make that much sense to me. First, every PF on the roster, including Hayes, Scola and Patterson, has had to play some center. Hill was not the only one who had to play center. However, his performance was the worst (or, to put it kindly, the most inconsistent). The team often got killed when he's on the court (especially in 2010-11). Second, much of his struggles had nothing to do with not being big enough or strong enough to play against centers-- they are missed rotation-type errors that left his man wide open for a layup/dunk. Third, his lack of offensive skills made it difficult to pair him with many of the 7-foot centers in the NBA. Hill's offensive arsenal are mostly layups/dunks off the catch or off the rebound and a not-so-great jump shot. He's also a poor passer. Basically, he is a poor man's Dalembert. Many of the "true centers" in the league are rebound/defense guys who don't really score. It's pretty hard putting Hill next to such a player. Puts your team in a hole offensively unless you have just awesome perimeter scoring. This is why Adelman tried playing Hill next to the more offensive minded Brad Miller back in 2010-11.
Makes about as much sense as comparing Isiah Thomas' definition of "high upside" to Morey's definition of "high upside."
Wow, DD is now upgraded to GM-level status. He should be pretty pround. But my fault for forgetting that Hill was taken during Walsh's regime... Wow, the Knicks suck at drafting.
Agreed that blaming the lack of a center for his performance is a weak argument but I do believe it hurt his overall development more than it helped. That along with his mental lapses on defense as you mentioned were what made his performance inconsistent. Like I said, I only saw him as a double double (10 pts 10rebs) type player through hustle. IMO Adelman used him correctly with an offensive center because his goal then was to just out hustle his man for rebs and putbacks, which he only could do every other 3rd game.
My issue with Lowry is his earthboundness (is that a word?) he is not an elite athlete, he is a guy that is an elite competitor, but his athleticism will always stop him from reaching that star level. I just don't think he is quick enough, and that may be the same for Morris, though it is really hard to tell...both of them are not all that quick laterally, and to me, that is one of the biggest things an elite player or star player needs, a quick first step. There are very few average athletes that become stars....some do, like Stockton and Bird, but most elite players are also elite athletes. That is why I am keen to trade Lowry and why I liked Brooks more than him, still do, give me speed and quickness every day of the week. DD
Not by me - I always figured he was Mikka Moore - but did like some of his attributes. Still think he can be a starting caliber PF at some point, he needs work and he needs to dedicate to his craft. He has good height, good leaping, just needs to adjust his motor. Having him play center was a detriment to his game, he does not have a low enough center of gravity, nor enough bulk to hold his position and because of that, he loses on the offensive end due to fatigue as well. DD
I couldnt find this anywhere, but does anyone know if they named a Polish finals MVP? I would assume that would have to go to D-Mo?
Threads wander - and I do think D-Mo has great athleticism for his size....it will be interesting to see how he does against other like ability athletes in the NBA. His being left handed is a MAJOR advantage. DD
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wlsnYTxfkpU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JbisRtXj0qM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7nECXgGpbJU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I totally agree. The Rockets haven't had a player this interesting in quite awhile. Hopefully he's more "interesting" than T-Will turned out to be. Oh Jesus, what did I just do? Pretty sure thats a thread Derailer right there.
