http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-070111 i noticed this play too.. it definately took a lot of quick thinking, quick reflexes, smarts and reaction that he pulled off... shane is just awesome and plays the game right.. anyways great win tonight!
It's the little things. Of course, I think his play in the finals seconds against Chicago was better. Clean running block on Gordon and then an incredible tip-toe save falling out of bounds.
And respect to Hakeem in the same article too. Rockets getting some love on ESPN, Hakeem on the all-time perfect team. Has hell frozen over?
yeah the block on gordon and staying in bounds and immediately passing it back in was great. the block was easy thanks to hayes, but knowing where you are and quickly thinking of and making the pass back in are just things few people can do. i always thought watching him at duke that he was the smartest and best college defender i had ever seen (granted i only go back to about 1993) and i had always hoped he would be a rocket. but after not seeing him for so many years playing in memphis, i had forgotten just how smart, fundamentally sound, and brilliant he was on defense. he may not shut anyone down one on one, but you can put him on a wide variety of guys and get a good result. a few plays before blocking gordon he got iso'd on gordon up top and forced i think an airball. he can guard the post. he strips it down low, he has good timing on blocks (and in college when guys were closer to him height and athleticism-wise he was great at blocking shots), he has amazing body control on blocks that allows him to not foul while still affecting the shot, he's about 2 steps ahead of everyone else on the court (he picked up a charge on a i think rudy gay where he barely was ahead of him on a fastbreak and just figured out what move gay would make and cut it off perfectly), he knows how to help, he draws more chargest than anyone i've ever seen, etc etc. it's cliche to call him smart and often times people just say that when a guy plays hard but isn't really that good, but he just does so many things where you can tell he has it all figured out and is ahead of the action that it's undeniable. now that his 3 point shot is falling at a high percentage he's not just being an intangible guy either.
On NBA.com, the Rockets have the block of the day (Mutombo), the steal of the day (Battier) and the dunk of the day (Head). Hell hath definitely froze over.
Shane's Skills Did anyone catch this? I think I saw it on the NBATV highlights. It's the little things that matter.
we totally jobbed Jerry West... funny thing is.. he probably thought the same thing. Unfortunately for them.. Shane was more important to them than what the statline showed.
we didnt screw jerry west. u cant screw a guy as smart as he is. he was looking at the future. in 5 years rudy will be an all-star and shane will always be a role player.
Speaking of Shane in a Rockets uniform, where and how can I purchase a youth XL-sized Battier jersey? Are they available in the Swingman style, I hope? BattiersBaby.
