Ezeli vs... Biedrins

[sjballer03]

Biedrins was awesome when he actually wanted to be. Good hands, good finisher, good passer, and a great rebounder. He would be an ideal center in todays game.

This is exactly what I was thinking. He was a devastating roll man and he provided good rim protection and super solid rebounding. I'd take Biedrins in his prime over Ezeli. However, Biedrins's also had the character strength of a piñata, hence the quote in my sig.

I have had this thought many times and debated this with a few friends. In a hypothetical situation where Biedrins stays healthy and doesn't have his psyche ruined by Don Nelson/free throw shooting, we would have had little need for Bogut. Biedrins would have been an incredible pick and roll partner for Steph. His passing out of the high post was starting to get quite decent in his short lived prime and Biedrins would have been the rare center that could keep up with the Warriors hyper-switching defense.

I realize Nellie was probably the worst type of coach to have for a young player, but I'm curious to know what exactly he did in the case of Biedrins.

[Mylie10]

Biedrins had a misdiagnosed injury. They thought it was a groin injury, but it was actually a hernia, I think and much more serious than first thought. Nellie thought Biedrins was using it as an excuse, and I believe began to question his tohgness.

Nellie was also incredibly tough on Biedrins, some legit, some not so legit.

Otherwise may have more info, but it wrecked the already fragile Andris.

[rcfc1]

There's no way Festus will have a mental breakdown when it comes to the game like Biedrins did. Andy just gave up after a while. You thought Bogut passes up some looks inside in favor of passing, Biedrins was so scared of being fouled at the end.

It's really sad, because at one time Biedrins was a perfect fit with a four out lineup. If he never melted down, we'd probably still have him here getting double doubles. He just fell in love with the life style and lost any passion he had for the game.

To bad, because Biedrins would love playing for Kerr.

Mark Jackson made him brake down. You never know what hits a guy.

[likashing]

There's no way Festus will have a mental breakdown when it comes to the game like Biedrins did. Andy just gave up after a while. You thought Bogut passes up some looks inside in favor of passing, Biedrins was so scared of being fouled at the end.

It's really sad, because at one time Biedrins was a perfect fit with a four out lineup. If he never melted down, we'd probably still have him here getting double doubles. He just fell in love with the life style and lost any passion he had for the game.

To bad, because Biedrins would love playing for Kerr.

Mark Jackson made him brake down. You never know what hits a guy.

Somehow I considered Ezeli weak for crying because of it. I would have given Ezeli more toughness points if he confronted The Caterpillar directly in the locker room about it or even Sprewell'd him.

I mean, the dude said you hoped your team would lose behind your back, and your response was crying? Be a man and go in the locker room and tell him not to make up stuff and talk behind your back.

Or just a simple, "coach. Please don't make shyt up and talk behind my back. I want my team to win as much as anyone in this room. " Crying? This is not junior high.

Bogut never backed down from The Caterpillar's jabs even when he was still the coach. See who turns out to be the smarter dude now.

[East Bay Sports]

There's no way Festus will have a mental breakdown when it comes to the game like Biedrins did. Andy just gave up after a while. You thought Bogut passes up some looks inside in favor of passing, Biedrins was so scared of being fouled at the end.

It's really sad, because at one time Biedrins was a perfect fit with a four out lineup. If he never melted down, we'd probably still have him here getting double doubles. He just fell in love with the life style and lost any passion he had for the game.

To bad, because Biedrins would love playing for Kerr.

Gross. We probably don't have a championship on the mantle if we had Beans on the roster instead of Bogut.

[tasball]

There's no way Festus will have a mental breakdown when it comes to the game like Biedrins did. Andy just gave up after a while. You thought Bogut passes up some looks inside in favor of passing, Biedrins was so scared of being fouled at the end.

It's really sad, because at one time Biedrins was a perfect fit with a four out lineup. If he never melted down, we'd probably still have him here getting double doubles. He just fell in love with the life style and lost any passion he had for the game.

To bad, because Biedrins would love playing for Kerr.

Gross. We probably don't have a championship on the mantle if we had Beans on the roster instead of Bogut.

Yes.

PLease don't put the name of a battle-hardened warrior like Bogut in with name of a soft-cock like Biedrins.

[Warriors Analyst]

Biedrins had a misdiagnosed injury. They thought it was a groin injury, but it was actually a hernia, I think and much more serious than first thought. Nellie thought Biedrins was using it as an excuse, and I believe began to question his tohgness.

Nellie was also incredibly tough on Biedrins, some legit, some not so legit.

Otherwise may have more info, but it wrecked the already fragile Andris.

I once had a conversation with an ex-Warrior player who shall remain unnamed, but he relayed to me a few anecdotes regarding Biedrins and Nellie.

1. Nellie did, indeed, drink on game days and often coached a little drunk. This same player complained that Nellie put no effort into coaching defense.

2. When Biedrins was a rookie, our unnamed player sent his personal chef to Biedrins to give the rookie a helping hand in acclimating to the league. Upon his return, the chef told the unnamed player that the only thing Biedrins had in his fridge were bottles of vodka.

3. When I said something to the effect of, "lots of people claim that Biedrins had a partying problem and drank too much/did coke, he didn't exactly deny it.

[JohnWillow]

Few things about Beans he stated from early age, that he just wants to play ball till he is not over 30 years old... he was a beast back in 06/07 till 08/09, you have to remember he was 20-21 years old when he averaged almost a double double per game, he was at top 3 if I remember correctly in Most Improved player award in that 06/07 season when he was just 20 years old... and he was in the following season named co-captain of team at age of 22... in my opinion why he went down was a little bit because of Donny Nelson, cause he loved Keith Smart who was after Nelson... Donny Nelson got from him a lot in those seasons, but Beans was just injury prone at that time, I remember when Lee was injured in that 2010/2011 season Biedrins put up a monster games, I remember against Grizzlies where he had 28 points and 21 rebound game and then those stupid ankle injuries, but I think those thinks happened because, as Isiah Thomas said on open court, when he decided to retire he didn't want to play basketball, and in his mind he was done and then few weeks before reg season ended he got that big injury, same with Biedrins in my opinion, but right now Biedrins have a son he is back in Latvia, and doesn't party at all last few years.

Still I remember this dunk on Nene as it was yesterday.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNOANsTJnHY[/youtube]

[jamesnamida]

there was one dunk in the 07 playoffs.
beans was 18 ft out with the ball vs dirk. sized him up, blew past him and dunked with his ball hand out stretched over his head the whole time. never found a video of it.