Moses Malone's offensive game?

[ceiling raiser]

Can anybody who's seen a lot of him describe his play on that end? A few questions:

• What were his go-to moves in the low post? Notable counters?
• How big a part of his scoring was his offensive rebounding? Did he kick it out often, or generally go for the putback?
• How involved was Moses in the transition game (outlet passing and getting out front to score)?
• How was his passing?
• What about his screen-setting? How was he in the PnR?

[DQuinn1575]

Moses was the hardest working big man ever on the offensive boards.
I go back to 71, so that is late Wilt,early Kareem (Alcindor) for reference.
Not a great leaper, just worked the boards so hard.
Was known 1st as a great offensive rebounder before he was a great player.

Moses would do some pump fake moves in the post, but was mostly power and offensive boards.
He'd miss, get the rebound, miss, get the rebound and put it in.
His game was pretty raw really, as (everyone knows) he went straight from high school to pro.
There was no AAU circuit then, so he didn't really face much competition until he went to the ABA.

Didn't run the break much - especially for the 6ers.

Not really a great outlet passer.
Not really a great passer either.

A lot less pick n roll now then back in the 80s. He really didn't have big hands, either, so not a lot of pick n roll.

Just relentless.

[MisterHibachi]

I watched a few games of his for the draft. His post passing wasn't very great. He would purposely miss sometimes to get his own rebound for an easier follow up shot. Energy, energy energy tho.

[MisterWestside]

Not a whole lot of footage on the old-timers (a couple games here and there, some highlight reels, etc.), so I'll refrain from comment.

I have him ranked as a +6 in my global ability rankings. Subject to perpetual revision, of course.

[Clyde Frazier]

tap rebound tap rebound tap score!

[Quotatious]

He's like the greatest hustler ever - not supremely talented as a pure basketball player, but very dependable on the offensive end, showed up to play every night, and played with a ton of heart and passion. Very good free throw shooter for a center, with excellent ability to draw fouls due to his physically punishing style of play. Below average defender for a center, although quite solid man to man - it was his poor team/help defense and defensive awareness that held him back in this regard. Stepped up big in 1983 on D though, and propelled them to an NBA title that year, also due to his defense, as surprising as it may sound.

Great athlete with excellent physical strength (especially after he bulked up to about 250-260 lbs around 1983 or 1984, or so), and a bruiser who liked physical play with a lot of contact - very aggressive, not afraid to throw elbows, and often purposefully threw his body on opponents on offense to get to the line.

Like others noted, he had a pump fake, and a pretty good right hook. It was interesting how he got his hook shot off - he kind of covered the ball with his wide shoulders, making it almost impossible to block.

[ronnymac2]

He combined a power game with a shockingly impressive second, third, and fourth jump. Barkley-like — it was apt they played together.

Moses is basically a smaller-yet-no-less-aggressive version of Shaquille O'Neal with a Barkley-esque ability to jump up again after landing the first time. Good touch around the basket, could knock down the occasional jump shot. Good free throw shooter.

With his ability to pin down players inside with his strength for quick-hitting baskets and his GOAT offensive rebounding, he's in contention for GOAT off-ball player.

[Dipper 13]

• How involved was Moses in the transition game (outlet passing and getting out front to score)?

Sports Illustrated - Feb 28, 1983

As a practical matter, Malone's presence has enabled the Sixers to transform what had been a good running game into an exceptional one. "With Moses we anticipate we're going to get every rebound," Cheeks says. "So we start the break higher. And when we get a step on most teams, we're gone."

One of Malone's greatest admirers is Irv Kosloff, who owned the team from the time of its transfer from Syracuse, in 1963, until 1976 and remains close to the 76er scene. "Moses reminds me a lot of Wilt when we won the title in 1967," Kosloff says. "Wilt hadn't won a title, and he worked hard for it. Moses hasn't won one either, and he works so hard that he makes the other players feel guilty if they don't put out as much effort."

I have him ranked as a +6 in my global ability rankings. Subject to perpetual revision, of course.

Among MVP winners since 2001, only LeBron, Dirk, and Nash have had a higher consecutive 4 year average in Net ORtg. To see the flaming disrespect towards Malone's (offensive) game on this forum in the past several years has been disappointing.


viewtopic.php?f=64&t=1343246&start=140

On/Off Net ORtg

1983: +8.2
1984: +10.4
1985: +18.8
1986: +8.9

4 Year Average: +11.6

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

With Moses I sort of feel like you should take away some of his offensive rebounds and increase his fg percentage because the way he shot and rebounded it was as if he was passing to himself rather than shooting.

Moses puts up a shot over his defender and then pushes his defender under the rim and grabs the offensive rebound and puts it back in. It was not unusual to see Moses rebound his own missed shots twice in a row before scoring. So Moses stat line would show 2 missed shots, 2 offensive rebounds and a made shot and maybe an and one free throw in a 2 second post up.

What Moses did worked very well. Moses knew the rebounds were his so he did not have to worry too much about getting the first shot to fall.

Once Moses started into his scoring moves he would rarely kick the ball it out.

[Warspite]

Can anybody who's seen a lot of him describe his play on that end? A few questions:

• What were his go-to moves in the low post? Notable counters?
• How big a part of his scoring was his offensive rebounding? Did he kick it out often, or generally go for the putback?
• How involved was Moses in the transition game (outlet passing and getting out front to score)?
• How was his passing?
• What about his screen-setting? How was he in the PnR?

1. spin move, baby hook. power moves much like Shaq but quicker more athletic.
2. he almost never kicked it out. His O rebs were either put backs, misses, TOs
3. Early he was a very mobile big who liked to get out in transition or early offense.
4. Moses was the finisher not the creator. The point of the offense was to get him then ball and get out of the way. He was to quick for Cs and to strong for PFs. Very good handles for a big man.
5. I dont recall Moses setting screens or PnR. He was a iso player that untill 83 never played with a decent PG and outside of an old Rick Barry no real wing scorers.

[Exodus]

His speed and physicality was just about it. He was like Dwight Howard offensively but more ferocious but not as athletic, stronger base.

[CaliBullsFan]

His most effective move was to face up two power dribbles and then go up and draw contact

[Dipper 13]

The only weakness of his game was his passing or rather an unwillingness to pass, at times he would force up some low percentage shots. But he was so effective at drawing fouls inside. He also had an excellent drop step, as Barkley credits him for below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6kkeH6sUHU&t=2m37s