(According to a Clippers fan, here is his response to a question about Pike's strength's & weaknesses.) In no way, shape or form is Pike a SF. He is a 100% shooting guard. His strength is his range. He can consistently hit from about 5 feet behind the arc. His shot is textbook perfect. But he can't create his own shot, and he needs 1.5 seconds to get his shot open, so he has to be open. Offensively, he's a 'smart' veteran player. He only attacks the basket in the last 9 games of every season. He cannot play defense. He cannot pass - at all. He can't handle the ball. He has no cajones at all. He won't hit key foul shots. And he'll never hit a key shot at the end of a game (despite the lucky shot that Yao goal-tended last year). He's a great, great guy. Truly a class act. His role should be playing about 15-18 minutes a game off the bench in a run and gun offense hitting open shots. That's his role and he could excel in that role. But a SF? Never. http://boards.espn.go.com/cgi/nba/request.dll?MESSAGE&room=nba_lac&id=84993&move=nextThread
Huh? You mean that old, boring, post up the big man, wait for the double, and swing it back out and around the horn for the open 3 offense? That offense that we ran when Hakeem was here? That old offense that is out of date!!!!!!! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! What goes around..............comes around...........again. And it still works because it is about fundamental basketball and high percentage shooting, not dribble drive 1 on 4 and off balance 20 footers with the shot clock running out and everybody watching the dribbler.
Yep, the Clippers will have another "lottery" season, meanwhile Pike will be playing in the playoffs!
<i>Huh? You mean that old, boring, post up the big man, wait for the double, and swing it back out and around the horn for the open 3 offense? That offense that we ran when Hakeem was here? That old offense that is out of date!!!!!!!</i> The Lakers won 3 NBA titles with that offense so it can't be that out of date.
Here's how I see it... C - Yao / Cato PF - MoT / Eddie / ??? SF - Rice / Pike / Hawk / Boki SG - Cat / (Pike) / (Stevie) PG - Stevie / Mooch / ??? After (if) we sign Pike, I figure we still need a PF and a PG. We need a PF to fill our need for a tough banger. We need an enforcer for Yao since our team seems to be a bunch of timid whimpering girl-scouts. We need a PG to fill our need for a true point guard. A playmaker to help us improve our piss-poor assist ranking and help build around Yao. Another PG would also allow Steve to switch between the 1 and 2. Our team is young, so we need veterans... And we can't spend a lot of money... So my FA candidates (humbly) are... PF Kevin Willis - He's still effective, and he's familiar with the team. will sign for the minimum. Charles Oakley - I know I know, this guy is a vicious b*stard, but he'd be on our side...and that's a good thing. veteran's minimum. The Worm - Again I know i know, but c'mon, you don't think he'd be more of asset than a liability? (hmm, that's a tough one actually). he would make us much tougher, boost our energy level, and bring D and Rebs. We would be feared. Shouldn't ask for too much, seemed really eager to play. PG Mark Jackson - 2nd all-time assists. Veteran, smart playmaker. Would teach Steve a thing or two. Vet's min. Tim Hardaway - (not sure he's available) Solid player, playmaker. Averages 18/8 career. Shouldn't cost much since he's pretty old. Mateen Cleaves - Not a veteran, sat on the bench two years. But a playmaking PG who led Michigan State to the Title and Final 4. Shouldn't be worth that much on the market with so little playing time. Damn, that took too long!
There were 7 teams after him, the main ones being the Rockets, Lakers and Cavs. Teams WERE knocking each other over trying to get him.
Of course, PIKE is a downgrade from POSEY and SWIMTRUNKS are a downgrade from a $3000 SUIT....BUT.....if you're at a pool party, which one do you need? In other words, we don't have a shooter - this team needs an outside shot more than it needs a runner...or should I say a $12million runner.
He's a great shooter, damned fine guy (who could put up with the Paper Clips for as long as he has and not gone a shooting spree?) and will make the Rox a much more dangerous club. They needed a marksman of his capabilities. Good pickup, guys.
Piatowski and Posey two very different types of players. Pia will play more like Mario, spotting up and shooting 'Threes'. Posey was a poor three point shooter.
I'm reminded of a drinking game I used to play in college. You put a full glass of beer on the table, and everyone took turns trying to pour one more drop into the glass without causing the glass to overflow.
i remember that guy was playing PG one game against us this year, and moochie was too small to contain him
NOw all we have to do is get Tmo back and we will be all set. Ming/Cato/BAD EG/MoT/ Rice/Boki/Tmo Mobley/Pike/Hawk Wink/Moochie/
When you look at last season, our INEPT OFFENSE let us down over and over again. ** Witness the poor team shooting % ** Witness the teams even worse shooting% without Yao ** Time and again we just missed open shot after open shot Pike should be a great boost for the offense. I remember JVG saying sometime recently " you've got to make the other team pay for double teaming (Yao)." In the last couple of years we inevitably won when Rice or the Wizard was "on." We gotta have somebody who is automatic out there. Here's hoping JVG's emphasis on team/individual defense helps minimize Pike's defensive deficiencies. I like the move, and have a feeling one more is in the offing. D R
In my opinion we now have one of the best shooting teams in the league. Griffin is the only problem. And it's not like he was terrible in college. This is as good as we could have done.
one weakness gone, 2 to go.....got the shooter, need banger and pg......call raja bell. Then either stick it out w/ Mo and Eddie or make B. Grant happen. Off season over
This isn't a very glamorous signing, but I think it's a really good fit for a need on this team. As others pointed out, missing open shots last year was a huge problem - and a big reason why we missed the playoffs. We need guys who can hit the open shot. Now if they sign Mark Jackson for the vet minimum, that would make for a pretty good offseason. We've got a lot of pieces in place and this is the kind of tweaking it will take to get over the hump. I liked Posey a lot, but he was still a role player and can be replaced. cheaper.
I agree with you here, but I would much rather get B. Grant. MoT and EG are too inconsistent to rely on. The Rockets need a PF who doesn't mind getting in there and doing a little garbage work.
It would be awesome if Cato continues his aggressive play from last year. He is a banger when he is putting out the effort. How many times did he get down and fight for rebounds- alot last season. They might experiment with Yao and Cato playing some together. If Cato improves at all... look out he go form the doghouse to the penthouse on the bbs
