It was actually the Big 3- Mutombo, Pack, and Brian Williams (R.I.P.). Williams killed them in that series, too.
Does anyone else find it impossible not to use mutombo's voice when you read his quotes in the paper? I'm glad he's back! We have a lot of hungry vets on this team!
I came into this thread to say "god bless". We NEED Mutombo. Screw getting players that "fit" the Adelman system. Mutombo is a top backup C period. We need him, especially considering Yao's recent history. BUT... I was derailed. By much needed praise for Robert Pack and Brian Williams. Two guys that don't get nearly enough credit. Pack could pass and Williams was the best center in Bulls championship era history. Thats right. I said it...
Besides Zo, name me a better defensive Backup center then Moutombo?. once he is gone then we'll realiaze how good this guy still is at age 41. at one stage he was avge 15 boards in yao's absence.
Great news. Morey has done a superb job adding pieces, let's see how he does trimming the roster. I'm thinking: PG - Francis, James, Brooks SG - Bonzi, Head SF - T-Mac, Battier PF - Scola, Hayes, Butler C - Yao, Deke D-League - Novak, Landry and Reed and/or Harris if they are eligible. A year under Deke's tutelage should do wonders for Butler. That lineup is so sick, the back of the bench would be our 6th man from last year, Butler and the most outstanding rookie from summer league.
A backup center that can enforce the paint like Mutombo does is welcome on any Adelman team....Adelman likes defense too and Pollard was hardly an offensive machine. We're so darn lucky to have Yao and then Mutombo backing him up. He's probably the best backup center in the league and could start on half the teams out there. Mutombo will not only allow Yao a breather, but he'll also help out Scola and the rest of the team as the last line of defense. Everyone can be more aggressive on the ball defending knowing that a finger-waving 7'2 sharp-elbowed cookie monster is back there. By the way, I do remember that Deke had a little offense back in his Nugget days...what happened to those hook shots and the up and under moves that he used to do? By the way, I always thought that Brian Williams was insanely talented....too bad he had those personal problems...but when he was on.....dang, what a talent. That series was thrilling just like the Golden State--Maverick series....I just love watching an underdog with heart achieve the impossible.
Can Butler really learn to play defense? He averaged 0 blocks 2 out of 3 years...and in his best year he only averaged .6 blocks per game. Not to mention that Spurs coaches says he misses defesnive assignments and is not great with his help defense...... thank god, we don't have to worry about depending on him....now that Deke is back.
It's good that someone gives credit to Pack & Williams in that series because most of us only remember the picture of a laughing Deke lying on the floor with the ball after getting the final rebound as time expired.
Mutombo/Nuggets playoff history thread now They had a decent core of young players from what I remember - Mutombo, Laphonso Ellis & Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, that was the regular season real big 3 and a potentially very good one. Then nice role player scorers like Reggie Williams and Bryant Stith, with Pack Man and Brian Williams off the bench and some occasional Rodney Rogers tossed in. Heck Mutombo was probably the oldest in age of that group. I know, cuz I used to whoop my friends with that team on the NBA Live 95 back in the day Particular friend used to rave on and on about how badass Robert Horry was (the young dunking Horry) and how he's the next big star or whatever. I'd purposely contend with how Rodney Rogers has all the offensive tools and was ready for the big breakout, just to get under his skin. And I'd put him in the starting lineup as my Horry stopper (And it helped that he did make something of himself later in his career). Fun times... For real, I was PISSED when the Bulls got Williams/Bison Dele on their team. He was the definition of good NBA center when healthy. He actually didnt play much for the Bulls but overall talent wise way more impact on the court than Longley or Wennington. Pack was another guy that just could not play a full season But when he was, the Pack Attack wasnt no joke <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n9MMZzzbufQ"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n9MMZzzbufQ" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> (An oh yeah, Welcome back to the Rockets, Deke )
"Win it for Deke" -- That idea seemed to work out well for my Steelers in '05. Roethlisberger told Jerome Bettis if he came back for one more year he would win him a Super Bowl. P.S. 19 players under contract now!
