1 more thing Bonzi has as motivation...prove JVG was wrong for not playing him. I think he'd love to prove that JVG was the fool (even though I think Bonzi brought it on himself but what I think and what Bonzi think are most likely 2 different things). Bonzi had a few good seasons and one outstanding series. I'll take 1 good season and a few really good playoff games. The one I hold out the least amount of hope for is SF. Fat and happy are not good motivation tools. I'm afraid he thinks coming back home will be just like old times, but times have changed and so have the team and the coach.
someone think of a funny photoshop involving bonzi and the house of pies. lol, i need a good laugh. lol ANYWAYS all jokes aside ive heard house of pies is closing down because bonzi is on a diet and has lost 35 pounds.
I think this post is right on the money with regard to Bonzi. It amazes me how people seem to ordain this fatty based on one playoff series against the Spurs and are so quick to dismiss his complete disregard to come into camp in some semblence of shape last year resulting in his total lack of contribution to the team. If Bonzi is THE 3rd option on this Rockets team then I think we are in trouble. The Rockets really need someone to step up as the PG on this team, Rafer clearly couldn't get it done-- no matter what some of you think-- he is HORRIBLE! And many of the same Bonzi lovers are Rafer lovers too, but shooting in the 30s%, turning the ball over at critical times, getting destroyed on the defensive end by opposing PGs all seems to be washed away with anecdotal, isolated examples of Rafer And-1 flashes.
Franchise will top the chart of rebounding players (of the three mentioned Rockets). several stat guys, including Morey, have mentioned that, if yah factor out injury and reduced minutes, Stevie's figures are not far away from his peak years. it'll be fun to review some of the opinions here throughout the season. i hope time allows Bonzi has great upside but the questions surrounding his dedication are bigger than any SF3 issue. Mike James? pshaw ... if my boy Stevie is topped it'll be by Brooks late in the season. from Nostradamus' lips through ico's keyboard straight to clutchfans.
In Memphis he was a bench player. he played a tottal of 21 minutes a game and still putup 11 points 3 boards 44%. thats not bad considering how little he played. Here are all of the games where he played over 25 minutes a game off the bench in memphis 19 points 9-17 52% 4 boards 2 assists 15 points 4-10 40% 4 boards 4 steals in 26 minutes 13 points 6-13 46% 6 boards 4 assists 30 points 12 20 60% 8 boards 2 assists 2 steals in 30 minutes 25 points 11-18 61% 4 boards 4 assists in 24 minutes 26 points 10-17 58% 2 boards 3 steals in 28 minutes 16 points 6-12 50% 4 boards 3 assists 3 steals 18 points 8-13 61% 3 boards 4 steals in 18 MINUTES 18 points 7-17 41% 2 boards 3 steals in 25 minutes 23 points 9-15 60% 3 boards 3 assists 2 steals 18 points 7-13 53% 8 boards 4 assists 3 steals in 19 MINUTES 20 points 7-12 58% 6 boards 3 assists 3 steals 21 points 8-14 57% 4 boards 2 assists 16 points 7-14 50% 9 boards 2 assists 20 points 5-10 50% 11 boards 4 assists in 21 minutes 21 points 6-11 54% 9 boards 4 assists In sacramento where he played 25 minutes or over 22 points 9-16 56 % 18 REBOUNDS 2 steals on us In houston 16 points 7-12 58% 9 boards 4 steals 15 points 6-9 60% 11 boards 5 assists 3 steals in 28 minutes 18 points 8-19 40% 14 BOARDS 5 STEALS 4 assists 23 points 7-16 43% 9 boards 6 STEALS 3 assists 18 points 7-14 50% 9 boards 4 assists 23 points 9-16 56% 8 boards 6 assists 3 steals 31 points 13-22 59% 8 boards 4 assists 19 points 8-11 72% 12 boards 6 assists 21 points 8-13 61% 5 boards 6 assists 20 points 8-16 50% 7 boards 6 assists 19 points 7-14 50% 11 boards 5 assists 16 points 7-16 46% 14 boards 6 assists 10 points 5-16 31% 17 BOARDS 4 assists in 29 minutes 23 points 9-16 56% 8 boards 5 steals 3 assists 22 points 9-16 56% 9 boards 2 assists 30 points 10-18 55%7 boards 5 assists 4 steals in 32 minutes 19 points 8-13 63% 8 boards 6 assists 5 steals 10 points 4-11 36% 12 boards 3 steals 1 assist 18 points 6-9 77% 8 boards 23 points 8-16 50% 9 boards 3 assists 3 steals in 19 minutes 16 points 8-13 63% 16 BOARDS 5 assists 3 steals in 17 MINUTES That was every game he played 25 minutes or more. those are hardly mediacore numbers. it helps to do some research before making outlandish comments. BTW, he did miss 32 games that year due to injuries. Playoffs 12 points 4-9 44% 6 board 28 points 12-17 70% 12 boards 19 points 9-21 42% 14 boards 25 points 9-11 81% 17 BOARDS 3 steals 38 POINTS 13-20 65% 12 boards 17 points 6-9 66 % 11 boards Bonzi has allways been a big playoffs performer. he had a 45 points game performance against dallas. as the numbers show, when he got 25 minutes or more, he performed very, very well. What strikes out to me is those steal numbers.
If Wells is not in injured trouble, I am sure he will have a rebounding season under Rick. In Wells's eyes, Rick is a nice coach, he will become submissive not like playing under VGD with harden and serious.
Morey must have seen those numbers and put it in his moneyball formulas too and decided to give him another shot. I always had that impression of Bonzi too...that he can really play....it's something that you have to see in a game rather than just go by his reputation. I'm most impressed by his games where he had 25-30 points and that 18 rebound game (is that a misprint?) 18 rebounds.... wow.
I remember at the beginning of that season in Sac-town, Brad Miller was playing point center and putting up crazy assist numbers while Bonzi was dominating the boards. Everybody was like wtf is wrong with the Kings?? The point I'm making is that Rick Adelman saw Bonzi's strength, which was post play and boards and put him in a position where he would succeed. He also put Miller at the high post, where he was most effective at. I honestly believe he will bring that out of Bonzi again this season as well as SF and MJ.
Yes. he had a few 18 , 17, 16 boards type games. he is easily the best rebounding swingman in the game. what impressed me the most was the amount of steals he was getting. regulary he was getting 5, 6, 3, 4, 5 typ of games.
Exactly. bonzi's great strength is he's low post game. he will absloutly thrive in the 2nd unit as the sole low post player. i love to see him with scola. put scola in the high post and let him with he's great passing ability setup bonzi.
Bonzi's greatest strength is that he can let a 300lb chick sit on his leg without so much as a grimace on his face. How in the world can you guys defend Bonzi after all the stupid excuses he gave last year for not playing. The guy wouldn't get in shape and at one point said since he was not getting as much money as he felt he deserved that he was going to give the Rockets as much as they actually paid for.
I'm willing to let that go. My point is many here have Bonzi high on a pedestal that he doesn't deserve to be on. He's just a career 13/5 guy (and a headcase since his days in Portland) who is going to be 31 years old soon. When it comes to Bonzi's potential upside, GATER said it best. The Bonzi of the 6 game fluke against the Spurs is gone. That was once in a lifetime for him. If it weren't for those 6 games, the expectations for him here would be reduced for a lot of folks on the forum.
Because if he comes to training camp fit and rummor is he is and fit and happy, he is clearly our 3rd best player. the guy was messed up for numerios reasons last seasons. but to say he's been mediacore prior to coming houston is just plain wrong. and if you look at he's numbers in sacramento during the regular season, he was'nt mediacore where he played substantial minutes. People are acting like he only had one good playoffs series. against the mavs as a blazer he had 45 points and almost led the blazers over the then fully stacked mavs. just look at he's regular season numbers in memphis where he played 25 minutes and more. same with sacramento. he had some huge games. it was'nt just the playoffs that made bonzi.
Bonzi'a a lot older and fatter now, so I am NOT saying this as in terms of now, BUT that posts is misleading. Do you remember the 2000 Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and the Blazers? Stats can be misleading. I would have to look but I know his stats wouldn't be that impressive because he was just a young and minor bench player then on a ridiculously deep team. But I remember well that all of a sudden the Blazers realized it would be smart to Bonzi come off the bench and guard Kobe, rather than keep having old-man Pippen try to do so. Bonzi was amazing on defense against Kobe. Of course Kobe was not as good then as he is now, but still. Bonzi was a hell of a physical defensive player. I doubt he can do that now with any shooting guards because he's slower and bigger. However if he is around 6-5 235 now versus the 6-5 250 he was last year when he finally started playing, then where last year he could not stay in front of SF's at 250, I think this year at 235 he will be able to if he maintains his weight. And of course his height and wingspan wouldn't make him as fearsome on D to a SF as a SG, BUT you have to watch Bonzi, his post defense can be absolutely outstanding. When he was younger he had to post SG's, but now he's big enough to post SF's too. Also you have to remember when Bonzi played later at Portland. Dude could flat out light it up in scoring. It is very true he averages 13 points in his career, however in 26 minutes so he's good points per minute. Career-wise that's 18 points in 36 minutes. He can score. The thing with Bonzi is he's always been a volume scorer. What you say is true about his scoring averages. However the typical 13 points in 26 minutes, or 18 points in 36 minutes player doesn't have the ability to explode for huge volumes of points in bunches. Bonzi does. He can score in bunches and bunches and just get hot and dominate a team. He's a career 13 point scorer, but he is an atypical career 13 point scorer. To imply he is a typical one is misleading. Rafer Alston has averaged 14.6 points, 12.1 points, and 13.3 points the last 3 years. To just put Bonzi as a 13 point scorer implies he is on par with Rafer Alston in scoring. That is absolutely absurd. So although I understand what you are saying and it is true, you are also failing to realize that Bonzi is atypical of the 13 point career scorer mold.
AMEN. I'm thinking Bonzi will have a great bounce back year. I'm lookin for him to be a spark off the bench as he was for Memphis a few years ago. <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B5zIIYtIeMk"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B5zIIYtIeMk" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
Bonzi said a lot of crap last year that he didn't live up to. He needs to prove himself to be trustworthy before I believe any rumors about that knucklehead. He doesn't deserve any respect at this point, quitting on the team because you do not like the coach is total nonsense.
Bonzi had a bounceback year last year. Every time he would move his ass would bounceback over his pants.
my Bounce back defination: Steve Francis: 18 6 6 Mike James: 15 3 5 43% Bonzi Wells: 13 5 2 chances are (if they are given their normal minutes): SF (5%) MJ (30%) Bonzi (65%) --------------------- "We fired you because you digged too many holes while what we want is just Wells with output." ---------Morey to JVG, (May 18, 2007).
