I read this a lot about many players who are labeled as all-offense/no-defense. Players like Martin or Amare. It makes absolutely no sense if you watch basketball games and actually think for a moment. But a lot of people like to say these cliches like they're common sense.
majority of Rockets fans? yes Me? I did, but not anymore. He is a quiet scorer. I'm always shocked at how many points he ends up with at the end of the game. He's a good guy too. For Martin fans, here are some kind of cool knock off Rockets jerseys on eBay I've been eyeing. The first is a really neat spin off on the alternate. Spoiler http://cgi.ebay.com/KEVIN-MARTIN-STITCH-JERSEY-HOUSTON-ROCKETS-SIZE-XL-/320586129643? Spoiler pt=US_Basketball_Fan_Shop&hash=item4aa46c20eb#ht_3489wt_1527 http://cgi.ebay.com/KEVIN-MARTIN-STITCH-JERSEY-HOUSTON-ROCKETS-SIZE-LARGE-/320586131319?pt=US_Basketball_Fan_Shop&hash=item4aa46c2777#ht_3490wt_1527
My only knock on Martin is his durability. He's also been labeled as a player who doesn't play defense either. He may not be a great defender, but he's not exactly a dead weight on defense either. Besides, you're not going to have great defenders at every position on the floor. But I love his scoring efficiency and his ability to get to the line and actually make free throws. He seems like he has a high basketball IQ as well. Not saying I wouldn't trade him, but only if the right deal came along. Otherwise, I like having him as a Rocket.
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LjWFQgJsk6g?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LjWFQgJsk6g?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> 'nuff said
Just wondering how effective he would be coming season if he works hard on the defensive end as per what he said during a recent interview.
Because he's somewhat one- dimensional. He's not a good defender, he doesn't handle the ball particularly well, he's not a great passer. He's not a do-it-all type like TMac. Also, Kings fans felt he really wasn't a legit "closer" at the end of games. That said, he's worth every penny.
Great thread however showing facts, figures and stats won't appeal to the "We want Melo" peanut gallery. Any cursory statistical analysis will show that Melo is one of worst bang-for-your-buck max FAs in the league, however the melo fanatics just can't seem to that.
I think most people value AB more because he's younger. Ab's a nice piece around to build for the future, while you expect Martin to already be in his prime now and start declining a few years later. I actually value AB more than Kmart because AB give you something to build on after Yao has retired. Good pgs are harder to come by than good wings.
Based on his age and how long he has been in the league I think it's unrealistic to expect him to come in and be a better individual defender than he has been in the previous few seasons. Don't expect this rumored added muscle mass either and if he does have some extra bulk at the beginning of the season you can expect he will burn that muscle off within the first two months of the season. My point is that he is what he is and that is good enough.
If you think about it..6th most efficient guard in NBA history is pretty damn good. I would have everyone on that list other than Brent Barry also, but that's besides the point.
imho this board doesn't underrate ANY rocket player...esp relative to how ppl who aren't from houston rate them
In his 2nd and 3rd year in Sacramento, Kevin Martin was a respectable defender. His defense went down significantly as his usage rate went up. You're right that in terms of defensive skills, Martin likely will not get better. But if he can devote more effort to defense because he doesn't have to carry the team anymore, then he's capable of playing better on that end. That said, I agree with your point that Martin is good enough as he is. What he provides on offense is far more than what he gives up on defense.
The one thing I hate, hate about him is his D, or lack of; couple that we're playing him with Brooks. Either of those has to go or should not grace the floor at the same time.
I agree. I guess my point was not to expect him to make great strides defensively. I do think Yao's presence along with more energy to devote on defense will certainly help but I'm afraid people have unrealistic expectations of him based on some comments I have read.
He's not flashy. He could score 30 points in a game and we didn't even notice he's on a tear. In an earlier article, he said that he could play better defense if he didn't have to exert on offense so much. We have enough scoring options and with Adelman's offensive philosophy, Martin won't be heavily relied on to score. Besides, defense has a lot to do with the team. Not being a good 1-on-1 defender doesn't mean you can't be a decent team defender. People don't realize that playing defense needs as least as much IQ as physical talent.
