AK at the 4

[ColdBlue]

Well there are some good points all around. I'm thinking that AK might not get abused as horribly as I originally thought, but I am getting the consensus that AK at the 4 is hardly the solution.

I think if we lost Booze, then AK might be a finger in the leaking dike, but it would hardly be something we aspire to achieve and actively put AK at the 4.

Also, about Booze and defense. Booze is definitely a better on the man defender than AK, and vice versa for help defense.

[hoops4life]

Well there are some good points all around. I'm thinking that AK might not get abused as horribly as I originally thought, but I am getting the consensus that AK at the 4 is hardly the solution.

Where are you getting this consensus from? It seems closer to half and half to me.

Can we add a poll to this thread?

[JStockLivesOn]

Boozer is a fantastic finisher around the basket with BOTH hands, and a superior Rebounder.

I think it is the responsibility of the coaching staff to get his D to an acceptable level.

Not true.

When given time at the 4 AK has proven to be a 8 RPG+ guy. And he's also good for about 17 PPG. That's only 2 RPG and 4 PPG less per game. Now think that AK would easily equate to 4 less points at the hoop on the defensive end and honestly the difference is negligible.

You yourself acknowledge that AK, at his best, is an 8 RPG guy (for his career, it's 6), and that Boozer is a 10 RPG guy. Statistically, it's clear that Boozer has been the superior rebounder of the two thus far in their respective career. You can argue that the difference is negligible or inconsequential, but them's just the facts.

[JStockLivesOn]

So did Kyle Korver, tankster.

Okur isn't as atrocious on rotations and defensive IQ as Boozer, though, and he plays with infinitely more effort on the defensive end.

Well, it doesn't matter a hell of a lot but you might do well to check your figures. All the web stats show CB leading everyone on the Jazz in blocks except AK and Milsap.

As far as his IQ is concerned, I'd check my figures there also, were I you. He carried over a 3.0 GPA all through high school and graduated from Duke in three years. If your IQ matches Boozer's, I'd say you were most fortunate.

I didn't claim otherwise. I just said that Kyle Korver has more blocks than Memo too. My point is that Memo may have fewer blocks than Boozer, but he is less of a defensive liability.

As for IQ, I said defensive IQ. As in, you know... basketball smarts on one end of the floor? He's clearly not an idiot intellectually.

Seems I'm not the only one who would be lucky to have Boozer's IQ (or reading comprehension skills).

[cjs55]

You can argue that the difference is negligible or inconsequential, but them's just the facts.

Crash rebounds well. And if Milsap gets more minutes, he rebounds just as well as Boozer. And Okur has been a beast on the boards since Boozer started to suck in the 2nd half of the season. Considering those factors I don't think we'd be a worse rebounding team...besides, half of Boozer's rebounds come from his poor help defense due to just camping out in his position.

[kebutah]

You are undervaluing how important the interior scoring is in Sloan's system. AK cannot replace Boozer offensively. Plus he is a below avergage on ball defender which opens the middle up for the bigs on other teams. AK is at his best off ball where he can roam and create havok, which can't be done when you are guarding the hoop.

[cjs55]

umm...the reason people want AK to play the 4 is because in a post up situation he is actually a very good man defender. He's only poor on the perimeter against quick slashing players.

[ColdBlue]

Well there are some good points all around. I'm thinking that AK might not get abused as horribly as I originally thought, but I am getting the consensus that AK at the 4 is hardly the solution.

Where are you getting this consensus from? It seems closer to half and half to me.

Can we add a poll to this thread?

I got that from the AK proponents and what they are saying. Most of it is equating AK's defense to Booze, which is hardly a standard.