RealGM

I know he's been talked about in other threads pretty regularly, but his performance lately deserves it's own thread.

I know his numbers have really taken off in the absence of Al Jefferson, but could he sustain this TO AN EXTENT next season with Jefferson back?
Gomes in March:
20.9 ppg
4.3 rpg
2.0 apg
49.2% FG
40.6% 3FG
92.3% FT

He's been so consistent and has been scoring so convincingly, that he really looks like he could be taking his game to the next level. In the past the offense has been too stagnant with Jefferson in, just tossing him the ball and then watching. Hopefully with the emergence of players like Gomes, Foye and Love the offense will flow a little smoother and Jefferson's points won't be on iso plays as much. Gomes doesn't seem to have that edge to be a go too scorer, but he just won't stop scoring lately, it seems. Could he be like a 15 ppg guy?

*shrug* well i wouldn't blame Jefferson for bogging down the offense. Shaq's teams have all had mostly the same theory, dump the ball to him and let the rest work itself out. Gomes would be a great 6th man, think Corliss Williamson with a little less low post, little more outside game. I'd say 15 a game is very easily attainable by him, if not more.

He's pretty much been the only consistent performer on this team since the Jefferson injury. Love and Randy have been good, but they haven't been as consistent. Those stats say it all, 50/40/90% shooting is incredible for the nba.

I think he could be a 15ppg player, even if he loses minutes playing with Brewer and Carney behind him next season. He's coming into his prime, and with what he's shown lately, he'll be a big part of the offense even when we're at full strength.

I went to last nights game and I noticed more then ever how often he pump fakes. I truly can not remember a shot he took that not start out as a pump fake.

He reminds me of a larger Brandon Roy. In the sense he is not the quickest guy but always has an idea of where he wants to go with his shot. Also, the defense doesn't know if he will drive it to the hoop or pull up and take the j, but they know he can do both effectively.

Based on the first two months of the season, I would guess the answer to the OP's question is no. Actually, this is the second year in a row where he's started off the season playing horribly, but once the play-offs became eliminated and the games didn't matter he started playing well. So perhaps he just has to be kept in isolation during non-game times and told the games don't matter.

nope, I'm going to have to say the numbers Gomes (and Miller for that matter) are producing are directly related to Jefferson's absence.

Maybe I'm too optimistic, but I don't want to write him off so quickly. Yes, he sort of did this last season. Yes, Jefferson is out. But i think because the rest of our team is so young it's easy to forget that Gomes is still a young player as well and could still be coming into his own, and adjusting to his teammates.

I still see him as I always have. A perfect 7th man in a solid 9 an rotation. He can play 15-25 minutes a game, punish the other teams weaker (and smaller) bench players as well as providing a steadying veteren presence off the bench.

I relly hope we still have him in the role above when Love/Jefferson/Foye mature abit

The inconsistency will always make him a good bench player, but a below avg starter. Starts need to be consistent.

Are you saying Gomes is inconsistent?

Before Jefferson left with injury, Gomes was definitely inconsistent.

Gomes need to have his role defined and then left alone. He bounces back and forth between being a starter and a bench guy so often, I think he struggles sometimes with what he's supposed to be.

Make him the 2nd guy off the bench next year and leave him there, we'll see a drastic improvement I think in his game.

john2jer wrote:Make him the 2nd guy off the bench next year and leave him there, we'll see a drastic improvement I think in his game.

Bingo... exactly what I said in my above post, hes almost too perfect a fit for a 7th man

john2jer wrote:Make him the 2nd guy off the bench next year and leave him there, we'll see a drastic improvement I think in his game.

I disagree. He has been the only consistant player since Al's injury. If he continues to average 20+ points a game for the last 16 games, do you guys really want to have him coming 2nd off the bench? To me that warrants a starting position. Besides that I think it would send the wrong message if a player steps up after the star on the team is injured, but next season starts on the bench.

He'd have to be our starting 3, if he's going to start, and there's no way he's putting up 20 a game if we're completely healthy.

Keep in mind Mike James put 20+ a game for Toronto. Doesn't mean he was good. Just means the team sucked and they lacked options.

Right now we lack options.

john2jer wrote:He'd have to be our starting 3, if he's going to start, and there's no way he's putting up 20 a game if we're completely healthy.

Keep in mind Mike James put 20+ a game for Toronto. Doesn't mean he was good. Just means the team sucked and they lacked options.

Right now we lack options.

You make a great point on Mike James. I do not think he will be averaging 20 next season. But I personally would like to see him start at the 3. I just do not see it sending the right message benching a player that played the best for you when your star was out.

I wouldn't call it benching. He's still get 20-25 minutes a game, if not more. Manu Ginobili doesn't start.

9 man rotation of
Jefferson
Love
Miller
Foye
Telfair
Our pick
Miami pick/Cookie
Brewer
Gomes

Deep bench
Madsen
Cardinal
Boston pick
Brown
2nd round picks

john2jer wrote:I wouldn't call it benching. He's still get 20-25 minutes a game, if not more. Manu Ginobili doesn't start.

Another great point. Granted we do not have many options, but I think Ryan has flourished more as a starter then coming off the bench. A week or so in an interview he said he was being more aggressive with taking his shots and will continue doing so into next season. I think him starting and having this opportunity has done him good.

I love Mike Miller, but I think he would be better suited coming off the bench next season. He has shown he can be both and be as productive. Via 6th man award and his strong season last year as a starter. This year has been full of injuries which has slowed him down a bit.

I guess a lot of it depends on how the draft goes and if we sign anyone in free agency or make trades.

If we end up with a long, athletic, shot blocking SF, there's your starter, as that's what we need with Jefferson and Love. If we still have the back-court of Foye and Telfair, Miller might need to be the starter, but if we end up with a legit PG, then I can see Gomes starting just fine, assuming we don't find a top flight SF before next season.

So really I don't think we can even think about Gomes's role until we get to training camp because trades, free agency, and the draft are what will decide who needs to start.

-If we draft Rubio, we start Gomes.
-If we draft Holiday or Evans or no PG we start Miller. Just because Miller helps with handling the ball, running the offense, and plays a little point forward. That will definitely be needed for a rookie PG who's still transitioning to a full time point.

I think it all depends on the make up of the team going forward. Gomes has shown he can score and is a good player. He was our 2nd best player last year. Granted with the lack of options we have that might not mean a lot, but he's always impressed me.

Whether he's a starter or 6/7th man depends on the rest of the team. If we upgrade at PG and C then he's probably fine as a starter, if we upgrade at SF than he's a great bench player. Right now if everyone is healthy I like him starting with Telfair, Foye, Love, and Jefferson. All his play has done is make it that SF with Gomes, Miller, Brewer (going forward) and possibly Carney if he comes back isn't one of our more glaring needs.