Can some one tell me what Eddie Griffen is good for?

hikanoo49, since you obviously know that Griffin will always suck,...

...what are Wednesday's lotto numbers?

 

My question for Eddie Griffin is that why did it take him this long to start playing "down low" and taking more mid range jumpers? This is my beef with him and the coaches. This is what I thought should have been done sooner instead allow him to indiscriminately jack up those line drive 3-pointers. Smae goes for Cato.

Eddie needs to also fight the urge of jacking up every shot in sight. I encourage every player to take the "open" shot but it looks like Eddie is over doing it. He also needs to continue working on his shooting form and defensive positioning.

 

You have to talk to Rudy. The plays the Roz run put EG at the 3pt line. He does what he is told. Until recently, it looks like there was no play for him to post up. The post used to belong to Yao and Mo only. If you have tapes of ealier games, you would see sometimes EG ran down court first, got down low, nothing developed and then a play was called and he had to move off the post.

 

I agree with you. That is why I included the coaches in my blame "pool". I believe coaches play a big role in a players development. Calvin "elloquently" put it in the best way - his theory (or maybe hypothesis) states that Every team is NOT for Every player. I hope this the right team for Eddie because I believe he has the tools to be favorably complementary to Yao and Steve.

 

What is Moochie good for again?

 

I dunno wut to say! Juss give him time! can he first be legal to drink! Instead of worring bout Eddie ya'll need to start talkin bout Jason Colliers Fat a**! The Rockets are payin him to play garbage time when hes off the IL which is not that often!!!
ALSO why did Moochie get paid so much he is too inconsistent he'll be good one game and totally f*** up another game!

 

Eddie will only be good once he gets a fire under his butt. He has all the talent he needs right now, he just doesn't seem to have fun when he plays-- Would it kill him to crack a smile? He needs to develop mentally, then he will be a good player. Right now, he needs to be sitting the bench.

 

I agree wit u except for the part of him sitting on the bench! I think it's juss fine the way its going Mo can be a spark off the bench! PLUS they both end up splittin the min. and Mo plays on the most important part of the game the 4th quater! How often do u see Eddie in the 4th quater!
LOL He do need to smile its not like he have a bad smile! or have that ugly a** mouth piece JP alwayz got on look like somebody made him bleed!Oh and about the part of gettin somebody fire under his butt u mean juss like Cato!

 

I really did not like the trade when it happen. Now that Jefferson
will be a allstar next year or so . I really hate we traded the picks.
Don't get me wrong I think Eddie will be a good player one day
I just don't think it will be with the rockets. He just does not
play like a Rocket beside the jacking of the 3 every time.

 

The thing I never liked about Eddie was how smarmy he is....I mean always sucking up to June Cleaver. You just knew that he was really just saying all those nice things to her to get his way.

Very smarmy, Ward should have taken him out behind the house and introduced him to the Beaver.

DD

 

Personally I still like Eddie. I don't see him becoming a star, and in a way I hope he doesn't because like hikanoo says we'll lose him.
What hikanoo says makes some sense, but then I can say what veteran player would we get who wouldn't just go for "the easy ring" and sign with Lakers or Sacramento? It's easy to say sure we'll sign a good veteran player to lead us, but so far we've only been able to sign over-priced and past prime veterans. I don't see appeal to that.
I stated in another thread that I think Eddie is like Atlanta's Ratliff, and I'm hoping it's something he'll become. I want him to develope a post game, but these days NBA players are trying to be "versatile" that it's hard to ask for everything.
Oh and that quote about Curry and Chandler, I have a nice story about them and their relationships with players from EPSN's magazine of March 31st.
"Here, everything is different. Earlier this season Williams called for a huddle, just like he did back at Duke, and not a single Bulls player took a step. An opposing coach says Williams yelled instructions at Bulls center Eddy Curry during an early season game, and Curry, more than a year younger than the rookie point guard, told him, 'Shut the f--- up.' So much for togetherness."

 

LOL... I wouldn't listen to Jay Williams and his sorry Dukie a$$ either.

 

1. I can name many PFs with better game and potential. See below.

2. I am talking about "upside potential" but you're talking about what EG can do now.

3. And some of you talked EG improving his game in the summer. But let's look at it statistically and compared him to other highschoolers/early entries (2 years stats).

Eddie Griffin
YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
01-02 HOU 73 24 26.0 .366 .330 .744 1.60 4.10 5.70 .7 .23 1.84 .64 1.60 8.8
02-03 HOU 66 57 24.9 .402 .344 .618 1.80 4.20 6.00 1.1 .67 1.58 1.05 1.90 8.8

Eddy Curry:
YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
01-02 CHI 72 31 16.0 .501 .000 .656 1.50 2.20 3.80 .3 .22 .74 .96 2.40 6.7
02-03 CHI 70 37 17.5 .568 .000 .627 1.40 2.50 3.90 .4 .17 .69 1.56 2.50 9.0

Tyson Chandler:
YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
01-02 CHI 71 31 19.6 .497 .000 .604 1.60 3.20 4.80 .8 .39 1.31 1.39 2.50 6.1
02-03 CHI 70 63 24.5 .542 .000 .607 2.20 4.60 6.80 1.0 .49 1.37 1.84 2.90 9.5

Kwame Brown:
YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
01-02 WAS 57 3 14.3 .387 .000 .707 1.10 2.40 3.50 .8 .28 .46 .75 1.80 4.5
02-03 WAS 67 16 21.5 .450 .000 .680 1.60 3.60 5.30 .8 .60 1.06 1.34 2.00 7.1

Zach Randolph:
YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
01-02 POR 41 0 5.8 .449 .000 .667 .80 .90 1.70 .3 .17 .10 .37 .70 2.8
02-03 POR 66 8 16.2 .500 .000 .777 1.60 2.40 4.00 .5 .50 .17 .70 1.80 7.8

Kevin Garnett:
YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
95-96 MIN 80 43 28.7 .491 .286 .705 2.20 4.10 6.30 1.8 1.08 1.64 1.38 2.40 10.4
96-97 MIN 77 77 38.9 .499 .286 .754 2.50 5.60 8.00 3.1 1.36 2.12 2.27 2.60 17.0

Kobe Bryant:
YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
96-97 LAL 71 6 15.5 .417 .375 .819 .70 1.20 1.90 1.3 .69 .32 1.58 1.40 7.6
97-98 LAL 79 1 26.0 .428 .341 .794 1.00 2.10 3.10 2.5 .94 .51 1.99 2.30 15.4

Tracy McGardy:
YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
97-98 TOR 64 17 18.4 .450 .341 .712 1.60 2.60 4.20 1.5 .77 .95 1.03 1.30 7.0
98-99 TOR 49 2 22.6 .436 .229 .726 2.40 3.20 5.70 2.3 1.06 1.35 1.63 1.90 9.3

Rashard Lewis:
YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
98-99 SEA 20 7 7.3 .365 .167 .571 .70 .60 1.30 .2 .40 .05 1.00 1.00 2.4
99-00 SEA 82 8 19.2 .486 .333 .683 1.50 2.50 4.10 .9 .76 .44 .95 2.00 8.2

Jermaine O'Neal
YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
96-97 POR 45 0 10.2 .451 .000 .603 .90 1.90 2.80 .2 .04 .58 .60 1.00 4.1
97-98 POR 60 9 13.5 .485 .000 .506 1.30 2.00 3.40 .3 .25 .97 .92 1.70 4.5

It appeared to me that all other players improved their stats from 1st year to 2nd year while EG stood still. Isn't this a bit worry for you?

4. Just those type of qualites you mentioned made you think he's decent now then in years he will be great? No doubt he can improve (like getting stronger, becoming more experienced etc) but let's see your analysis of his strengths:

Decent defender/rebounder/shot blocker: No doubt he can become stronger and better in all these areas but can he ever be athletic and strong enough to defend the likes of KG and Duncan or quick enough for the likes of Dirk?

Post moves: Well if he has, he surely hasn't shown it very often.

Range: Does it really matter? 3 pt shooting should be irrelevant for any PFs. PF is supposed to live in the low post and be an inside presence. Also there are lots of PFs who become more perimeter-oriented as they get older but when do you ever see a perimeter player successfully move inside?

In short, does EG have what it takes to become great for us to compete in the Western Conference???

Also let's do a research here.

PFs I think are better than EG right now.

TD
Dirk
Webber
KG
Jamison
Malone
Antoine Walker
JO
Gasol
SAR
Ben Wallace
Rasheed Wallace
Kenyon Martin
Howard
Tim Thomas
Amare
Gooden
Harrington
Troy Murphy
PJ Brown
Clifford Robinson
Jerome Williams
Elton Brand
Marshall
Kurt Thomas
Brian Grant

So PFs I think will still be better than EG in 3-5 years (i.e. the time we hope we will make a title run). I am assuming all the young players' potential pans out. I know it's a big if but we also assume EG's potential pans out which is aslo a big if in itself.

TD (I can't see EG ever being able to match up with TD)
Dirk (See above)
KG (See above)
Jamison (Jamison's just better than EG at everything now and he's only young too)
JO (JO's only 24. He can improve too)
Gasol (Gasol's young too)
Amare (I think Amare has better potential because he will always be more athletic and stronger than EG)
Brand (Brand's only 23 and is already a 20/10/3 player. I can't see him getting worse)
Maybe some other young players like Randolph, Swift, Chandler, Kwame Brown (I think they are similar to EG right now but I think their raw potential is greater because they appear to be better athletes for me)
Some players currently not in the NBA (e.g. that Darko Milicic guy)

So can EG hold up with all these guys now and in the future?
And I read some of you said that we don't need our PF to be great for us to win blah blah blah but it's not true. All these PFs will stand in our way to our big prize. I can't see us somehow get away with a not-so-great PF to win the championship. Lakers might get away with Horry. But our Yao and Francis are also no Shaq and Kobe. Also we used 3 1st draft picks on a Horry???

Sorry I am just not that high on EG's "upside potential". I can see some of his potential but those potential isn't any special for me. And yeah, please stop calling me a hater because my opinion happens to differ with yours. I will admit it when I am proved wrong but I just can't see EG being very special as some of you think. Feel free to convince me if you want. I feel very tired to post this post now.

 

Well, in my mind Griffin still has potential. I don't know I guess everyone takes what they can out of what they see. I don't get to watch many games of the other rookies or sophmores so I can't really go there.
Well, I don't expect Griffin to be able to go head to head against the likes of Tim Duncan and all the PF stars that the West holds.
What most teams do try I think is to make sure those all-star PF don't get career games on them. Just like Shaq, Nowitzki, Duncan, Garnett, etc will get theirs. It's whether or not it's within the game or forced. If Eddie can somehow be a team defender by blocking or altering shots while not giving the opposing PF a career night then I'd take that. Like you said not many teams have a Shaq and Kobe so it'll be hard for one or even two stars to hold up a team.
Jamison is around 27 yrs old and Eddie is 20yrs old. Jamison maybe better, but he's older and that's expected. Amare was a great steal, I have to admit for Phoenix, but Amare was in this year's draft and not last year. I take Yao over Amare in this draft.
I know it's hard to be patient, we've got a nice tandem in Yao and Francis. In the end in any case, Griffin's contract will be played and the Rockets will see in the end if/will they sign him to another. What can we do now anyway? If another trade is coming it'll have to wait til offseason.

 

I have not given up on Eddie Griffin. But I will say this, this summer will be absolutely HUGE for him. Griffin has to make decent strides this summer (as well as Nachbar).

Next year we have to see Griffin's post up game and jump hook, more comfortable handles to allow him to take the ball to the basket, better position defense, a better arch on his shot, and of course add around 12 more lbs to his 232 frame. Oviously that is a lot. But that's what we need from Eddie and what he needs to do to BEGIN to fulfil his potential.

 

Sorry, I have to rant here...

One David Robinson retires, will the NBA officially change Tim Duncan's position to Center, like it should be?

 

Newgirl,
Very good ananlysis. I can not dispute any of it.
What I do see now is more of a difference in expectation we have of EG. There are many monster PFs in the NBA. In 2, 3 yrs, if EG can put up a decent fight, hold them to their average while getting, let's say 12-15pt, 7,8 rebs a game, I will be happy. You seem to expect EG to become a 20pt, 10 reb guy and it's almost impossible for him to get with the players we have.

 

1. Griffin's the only one of the 4 named that starts, i.e. sees major minutes against starting PFs. And he's doing it as the 5th option on offense.

2. & 3. Of the young PFs listed, (and I'm speaking of Brown, Chandler, Griffin, Radolph, Stoudemire, and Curry) Chandler's the only one I can say that's shown appreciably more progress than Griffin has. However, he's doing it on a bad team, i.e. less pressure. But you have a point, if you had to rank each on "potential":

a. (Tie) Brown & Chandler
b. Stoudemire
c. Curry (as a C)
d. Griffin
e. Randolph

Griffin has actually done as well as you can on both Duncan & KG (Hint: He was here before Yao became a Rocket). And granted, Dirk has eaten his lunch, tough matchup for Griffin (and the other 27 teams in the league for that matter).

I think you answered this here:

And speaking of post moves, Griffin actually has more than Brown, Chandler, and Dirk (Cumulatively, this trio has 1 legit post move), namely an improving turnaround and a jump-hook that Eddie needs to develop confidence in.

Tell that to Dirk.

Dirk (oops, still waiting for him to step inside the paint consistently), KG, 'Sheed, to name a few.

Size, athleticism, touch, solid rebounder and shot-blocker, but totally lost and inexperienced right now...

We'll see.

And once again, Griffin has had some solid performances against Duncan and KG during his brief time in the league.

Dirk and Gasol have given Griffin trouble, granted, but their skill-level and length make them tough for anyone to stop. The key for Eddie is to make them play defense, which they're both weak at. Hopefully, in time, Eddie will be able to put offensive pressure on them.

Ditto for the "Bulls", Brand & Randolph.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

Relax! Houston is the second youngest team in the leauge. There are going to be a couple of years before they are contenders anyway.
Eddie Griffin is going to be great player for the Rockets in the future. He has already shown flashes of brilliance (blocking shots, rebounding, scoring from the inside and the outside).Eddie Griffin is a special multi-talented player.
Look at Jermaine O'Neal, it can take time to develop to be a force in the NBA. It's the same with many other young players in this league Curry, Chandler and Kwame Brown, they need time develop. And the best way of getting them to develop fast, is by playing them.
I have a lot of confidence in Griffin. Continue to play Griffin in the starting lineup, and by two years he is a great player for the Rockets. Just wait and see.