Dennis Rodman's contribution to the Bulls second 3-peat was often understated, IMHO. He protected the paint and crashed the board for MJ and Pip. The amazing part of Rodman's game is his strong desire and pride in getting the ball. Rodman was indeed a star player in his own right. Den Wallace is a bigger and stronger Dennis Rodman. My favorite quote is "Everyone knows this is my ball...... You want a ball, there's another over there if you want to mess around with one. This one is mine." With Hamilton and Billups plus a bunch of scubs, Detroit has a winning record against the West teams at this point. Ben Wallace has developed the Rodman model to the new height. Eddie Griffin can be a poor man's Ben Wallace for the Rockets, IMHO. His beggist weakness is his desire, or lack there of. His second weakness is his deffense. For the moment, I attribute these traits to youth and inexperience. They can be changed with heavy doses of coaching. I think he has all the tools. If, somehow someway, Eddie is convinced to be a new kind of star players like Rodman and Wallace, the Rockets can be an instant contender with a seasoned Posey and an active Nachbar. With Cato and Taylor backing up the front court, it will be virtually guaranteed the ball will be in our hands. 3-pointer and power forward are oxymorons. A poor man's Wallace will give the Rockets new dimensions at both offensive and defensive ends. More patience?
Even though Ben Wallace is a heck of rebounder, I still don't think he's in Rodman's league yet. Cato is a fine rebounder, but Taylor? Anyway, I'd be satisfied if Griffin becomes a poor man's Wallace.
It is a crime to compare Eddie to the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year even in futuristic rockets science fiction talk. Eddie biggest weakness is his <b>defense</b>, and second to that is he simply does not know how to play the game, bumps into people, can't dribble, and can't/won't pass worth a lick. I consider him one of the most overrated defenders in the league. Eddie is a poor man's LaFrentz or Kirilenko. We only hope we can use him in the same breath as Ben Wallace someday.
I think Wallace is on the same level of Rodman, without Rodman's dirtiness and stinky personality. Griffin will never become that type of player. It's all about mentality, not about talent. BTW, when people say Griffin is the poor man's Wallace, they are usually thinking about Rasheed.
Really? How about Rasheed Wallace, Antoine Walker, & Pat Garrity? How about when Fox and Horry are on the court with Shaq? How about when Radomanovic is on the court with Rashard? How about Tim Thomas or Kenny Thomas? You may find it interesting that Kenyon Martin and SAR have shot more 3's than Glen Rice. Both Martin and SAR are in the top for 3pt atttempts for both PF & SF. It's still a game of matchups.
Griffin does not have the desire. You want the future Rodman, or Wallace, take a look out west in Phoenix at Stoudemire, he is the next big rebounding monster. Amare will be a beast. DD
EG's problems are two fold. The first problem is that he is just too young. He hasn't learned how to play the game in the NBA and his body just cannot handle bigger stronger 4s yet. I hope that one day in the not too distant future EG will tip the scales at the 250 mark. Give EG a body as big as Dream and a couple of seasons to find his game and we'll see what happens. Secondly, EG is probably the biggest loser in the Yao acquisition. We now have a different direction to go in the frontcourt. We are not trying to develop EG at the rate we did last season b/c Yao is the focal point of our post O. Basically what I am saying is that EG is much more Sheed like than Ben like. All of the HS kids from last year (I am including EG since he had 1 year of college ball) are struggling pretty awful. It has been mentioned that EG's struggles could very well be a godsent b/c he won't have reached his potential by the time he re-signs and so we can sign him for less than what his market value might be in a couple of more seasons.
To have a tough rebounding desire there has to be a willingness to want to get "physical." Eddie is "athletic" but not "physical." Being physical is someone that is willing to get into the paint and bump and bang all night long. Ron Artest is another example of someone that doesn't mind getting physical. On the Rockets in my estimation the players willing to get physical are Posey, Cato and Francis. Jermaine O'neal (despite his wirey body) plays physical when I see him play. If Jermaine can do it, Eddie can do. It is all about wanting to get down and dirty. Chris
GREAT POINT! I have been meaning to bring this up in one of the million "Eddie is a disappointment" threads. Before we got Yao, Eddie was supposed to be our low post player. HE was supposed to be the guy we would pass the ball down to with Francis and Mobley out at the top. Now that we have Yao, Eddie is kind of lost. We can't forget about our original plan to work with Eddie to make him a decent low post player. Just because we have Yao we should not abandon our plans to work with Eddie in his low post game. Eddie SHOULD still get touches in the post. We can't always go down low to Yao. Eddie has to be a secondary low post option! The Pacers have a nice combo of Jermaine Oneal and Brad Miller. The Rockets should have the same type of scenario with Yao Ming and Eddie Griffin. Two solid low post players. Chris
You've heard Calvin talk about a Big man who likes to play like a big man? That ain't Eddie he's talking 'bout.
My concern is: Eddie developed his game in his 3rd or 4th season. Because of the role changing on this team, will he sign an extension with Rockets? If not, that's like Rockets developed a player for another team, something Clips usually does.
I just wish Eddie had some explosiveness. He plays like his feet are glued to the floor. If he was even remotely explosive and aggressive, it would be a huge change. Maybe dive on the floor for a loose ball. Maybe try to block a shot with his left hand. Maybe study Kevin Garnett's tapes all of this summer. It'd be nice to see some emotion, but seeing Duncan, that is not necessary.
Wow, ya'll are actually having a discussion about Rodman v. Wallace. Not exactly on the level of 'Bird or Magic?', is it? Oh, I have much higher expectations for Eddie than that! Otherwise, let's just trade him now. (I like 'Big Ben', but in the West, and on every team not in Houston or with legitimate playoff hopes, he wouldn't even start.)
Rodman's career: 13.2rpg, 7.5 ppg,1.78apg ,0.59bpg 18.7 rpg career high, 6 seasons with at least 15 rpg. Wallace's career:9.8rpg, 5.4ppg, 1.0apg, 2.1 bpg 13 rpg career high,( this year he's 14.7 rpg) . And Rodman played in an era when there were more better big men than today. Without his on court and off court behavior, Rodman should be a 1st ballot HOF. I believe Ben Wallace is not there yet, but his career is not finished, he still has chance to get there.
So, what is EG's future 'role' with Rox (or anywhere)? Is he to be a LaFrentz-type? Can he becoming a rebounding fool? Can and will Eddie learn the court sense and gain the court maturity to justify the high hopes I, for one, hold out for him? He just does not seem to have grasped Hoops 101 or higher.
Do you have higher expectations for his defense and rebounding? man, don't dis Ben! Ben Wallace would start on every team in the league, either as PF or C. Freaking best defender and hands down best rebounder in the league. The guy must be on the court. His team has the best record in the East for a reason. What team would Wallace not start on?? So, if you don't believe Rodman is a HOFer or Wallace is playing at HOFer levels, how do you feel about the man with the lowest PPG in the Basketball Hall of Fame, Wes Unseld? give me that ball!! <img src="http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/img/wesunseld3.JPG"> Trivia time: name the only person in NBA history to be awarded ROY and MVP in the same season besides Wilt.
You have a picture of Wes Unseld. Awesome. I was about 7 when I watched the Supersonics and Washington Bullets play in the NBA finals. My first interest in professional b-ball was that series. I loved Unseld. He was like a big bull. Super aggressive, super smart, super leader. Him, the Big E, Bobby Dandridge, Kevin Grevey. I lost $5 to my mom who took the Supersonics. The Bullets had a 1-0 lead and proceeded to lose the next 4 games. I hated Jack Sickma, Downtown Freddy Brown, Lonnie Shelton, Gus Williams and and the whole lot. I wish we had Unseld to teach Yao. One of the smallest Centers and top rebounders in the history of the NBA. We need Wes!
