Battier at the 2 is not his position. He should strictly be considered as a 3-4. Battier is our new starting 4, who stretches defenses and plays very good defense. Yes, his lateral movement is bad, and that is why we don't want him out on the perimeter too much defensively. But he is a very good post defender and an excellent team defender. Should we have gotten more for Rudy Gay and Swift? Definitely, but we still don't know all the details.
Thanks for the report, Memphis. Do you think anyone over there would be upset if we go ahead and back out of the deal?
You are correct. We had Pau. We did not have a T Mac to go with him. We were not on a championship course and that was made plain by Dallas. As of right now, I do not think we are a playoff team. We will be battling New Orleans to stay out of the cellar of the SW Division. I hope our next move is to clear some cap room for 2007 and take a dip into the lottery with about the same record as Houston in 2006 and pick up our 3rd and 4th parts to the championship puzzle. We can then work from there. Did one year in the lottery destroy the Rockets? Nope. It is a step back to take two steps forward.
I see you choose to address the lazyness opinion from my post instead of the question about how an average player can have a +8.5 plus minus ratio. Oh and let me translate your flowery explanation of the "draftniks" opinion, Gay is not lazy, its much worse.... he has no heart.
when the coach of uconn , jim calhoun is quoted as saying "its hard to get him to do things" you know there is a problem and a reason why he dropped. thanks memphis!
Let me get this straight, Battier can't guard elite 2s? He can't guard Kobe? Wade? Allen? Carter? Uhh...who can? Those guys regularly torch Bowen and Artest. No one can shut those guys down consistently. That's why they get double-teamed. Battier is a 3 who is versatile enough that he can guard some 2s and 4s. He won't be guarding Duncan alone, or Dirk, or Kobe. I haven't seen enough of Battier since coming to the NBA to opine with any authority, but I trust Hollinger and Simmons and some others (even Rosen loves him, and he hates everyone) over the observations of someone without a known track-record. No disrespect Memphis; I appreciate your opinion, but I don't have any way of judging your observations—yet. Let's talk in a few months.
That's the dumbest thing I've heard yet. It's more like Gay is 3 months off from being able to give any team he's on any type of help. Just because the kid is 19 does not mean he won't contribute. I'm sure that given similar minutes to Battier, Rudy could put up at least 10 and 5 (if not better), in addition to being younger, quicker, more athletic and a much cheaper contract. We basically signed Battier instead of Swift (making this team slower) and gave away our lottery pick while only adding a slow college 3 point shooter and a guy that probably won't see the NBA for a few years (if ever).
I've read a few of your posts and they are fairly well thought out. But I've watch the Grizz a lot and I'll tell you first hand Battier can't guard PF's. He did not play PF at Duke and Gasol and Lo Wright get the PF minutes at MEM. If you are expecting VG to suddenly create a version of the PHX Suns around Yao, you will be sadly mistaken. MemphisX's scouting report is very accurate IMHO.
He spend the majority of his minutes guarding 2's in the 04-05 season, 1 year ago: http://www.82games.com/04MEM7C.HTM But yeah, he should NOT be guarding 2's with the Rockets. He is our PF solution, not our wing solution. Small ball is here to stay.
hmmmm... I disagree. Luther Head "helped" us last year, didn't he? If Head could help us last yr, Gay could certainly help this year. If TMac goes down, Gay would certainly be able to "help", yes? Gay may be 3 years away from stardom or maybe even a starting position, but he can help, or, rather, he could have helped, IMO...
Memphis - Is there any truth to the suggestions that West may have colluded with Portland to sabatoge our draft?
here we go, the stats vs. a guy who actually watches his team play. classic, i'm going with the guy who watched. he can actually give me an opinion on someone's lateral quickness. i'm not trying to discount 82games.com its good for me doing my own evaluation of a player I hardly watch.
Sounds like we could have kept Gay, and just snatched up Adrian Griffin for another stint for what we are getting in Battier. Yippee....look out West (as in Western Conference), here come the Rockets.
I have only watched a few games with Battier but MemphisX's analysis rings true to me. He doesn't seem particulary quick or athletic. I sure we aren't hoping to have him guard quick forwards and guards.
The most accurate part is Battier's lack of foot speed. He is not a shut down defender by any means. But he is a very strong player with quick hands who uses his basketball IQ to defend 4's, and does a pretty damn good job. I don't expect him to guard the Tim Duncan's and Kevin Garnett's much, but that is where he can switch to the 3 with McGrady at the 4. JVG isn't the right coach for brilliant individual talent like Yao and Tracy, but he does understand Yao needs space to work with in the post to play efficiently. We saw first hand how wide open Haslem was the entire playoffs with defenses collapsing on Shaq. The need for a mobile PF has been stressed all summer and the trade for Battier accomplishes just that. He isn't the perfect solution, but it works.
Let me give you the scouting report on the VanMemphis Grizzlies: Futility Year Lg W-L Regular Season Playoffs 2006 NBA 49-33 3rd, Southwest Division Lost West Conf 1st Rd 2005 NBA 45-37 4th, Southwest Division Lost West Conf 1st Rd 2004 NBA 50-32 4th, Midwest Division Lost West Conf 1st Rd 2003 NBA 28-54 6th, Midwest Division 2002 NBA 23-59 7th, Midwest Division 2001 NBA 23-59 7th, Midwest Division 2000 NBA 22-60 7th, Midwest Division 1999 NBA 8-42 7th, Midwest Division 1998 NBA 19-63 6th, Midwest Division 1997 NBA 14-68 7th, Midwest Division 1996 NBA 15-67 7th, Midwest Division How does it feel to be a fan of a perennially losing franchise? How does it feel to be a fan of a team whose playoff record is 0-12 lifetime? And it's not as if you're playing the 27 Yankees every year. Boy, I'll tell you - I'm bummed at the Rockets for picking a low ceiling like Battier, I guess that's how I'd feel if i was a Grizzly fan I'd know all about ceilings. As soon as the playoff lights go on, that "thud" is the latest mediocre Grizzly squad thumping into the roof, and then falling back to earth to the tune of a tremendous annual 0-4 SPLAT! Talk about a team that's on a treadmill..... The great thing about MemphisX is that he submerges and surfaces at opportune times. I guess you'll be around again till May 2007 then....Awwooogah, Aawoogah DIVE DIVE!
