He's the best backup to a starting center. For a 36-year-old, I would really like to know what's he juicing on to be so active.
If anyone was at the Celtics game in section 112 (on my 21st bday no less) I was the guy in the blue Yao jersey who wouldn't shut up about benching C-Spoon. Celtics game on my birthday! Geez! We lost last year when I went to the Celts game too! Oh well, at least I stayed for the whole game. The bandwagoners all streamed out pretty early, so I yelled at them too. "Go ahead leave, we don't need you anyway" Even though I think C-Spoon is ineffective at the 4 at his age, Deke is one of the most crucial pieces on our team. We're going to lose alot when he retires. I hope that's no time soon. Keep him fresh off the bench.
deke should start at center maybe, but not PF. Spoon did ok last night, I was at the game, he banged around down low and made some things happen. YAO looked scared, lol.
Howard has been playing great for us, and gives us a player other than Yao and T-Mac that can create his own shots. I don't want to tire Mutombo, either. If you're talking about starting him until Howard gets back, that makes some sense. I'd rather have him as the backup center than having himself get worn out, and not having a backup center.
P1,S2, of course you'd like Yao to backup. You'd like Yao to be traded too but fortunately we havn't heard that tired spiel for a couple of weeks.
I am uber-pleasantly suprised at how good Deke has been. Yet another reason why CD should be GM of the year. Everyone else is right, he needs to keep his minutes down, he would slow us down as a starter, and we are saving him for the playoffs. Deke gets my 6th man of the year vote, in fact. J
Deke has been an extremely pleasant surprise in a season of pleasant surprises. Still, a front court of Yao and Deke would be tremendously slow. You possibly could have done it last night a bit, but only because of the lane-clogging Shaq. People forget, though, that Deke has a lot of flaws. Yes, he rebounds and blocks shots well. But his offense is terrible. He has trouble even with basic put-backs and lay-ups (although his jump hook is good for someone who can't hit most other shots...same with his FT's...odd). So, let's be glad that we have a really, really, really terrific back-up center. Definitely the best in the league. But leave it at that.
Honestly, JVG has his reasons for NOT using Mutombo in certain situations, just as much as he DOES use him in others. Since JVG knows what he's doing, you're seeing the benefits of having him out there, at those certain moments. That doesn't mean it would work for the majority of a game, or for most teams.
