Who is the best big on the team? Who starts at C oct 27?

wiff · Post #1 » by **wiff** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 3:29 am

So who is the best big on the team going into this season?
Who is starting at C opening night?
Who you'd like to see start.

I'll be back, it's dinner time.

Best Big is Collison. His D is great he bring everything on D but shot blocking. The guy is always hitting the floor, setting picks and rebounding his butt off. High BBIQ, low hops. I really like Nick and I hope the Thunder see him pass this coming season. He has been part of this francise for a long tme and he deserves to play on a good team. I hope they find a win win. I will take the guy who damn near leads the league in charges on my team anyday.

Post #2 » by **slick_watts** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:02 am

I think the PF / C positions on this team are linked. Whoever starts at PF will affect who you can put at C. If the team is bent on starting Green at PF then I don't think you can start Ibaka, and probably not Collison though I'm not sure. If they want to give Ibaka a shot at PF, then you probably look at Collison more.

Collison is probably our most effective big man overall but his productivity has been in decline for a few years and this is the third season in a row that he's started out with an injury.

Last season our best PF / C combination was Ibaka / Collison. I don't think we start the season with that because of Collison's injury. I'd stick with Krstic / Green for the time being assuming Krstic gets healthy in time, and as the season goes monitor Ibaka / Collison / Aldrich and stick some combination of those three in there.

I think Krstic is underrated on this site.

Post #3 » by **sonictecture** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 2:48 am

I suppose Krstic is underrated by Sam Presti as well. Something has to explain the compulsion to draft Ibaka, Mullens and Aldrich in consecutive years.

The idea that Krstic is somehow the only center on the roster that can effectively pair with Green seems absurd. The are too many dynamics in play to assume that last years numbers should be the sole barometer for this season.

I want Ibaka to start at center on October 27, 2010, because I believe the player who starts the first regular season game will start in the playoffs. I want Ibaka's athleticism, fearlessness, rebounding and shot blocking in the line up. I'm optimistic that statistically Ibaka and Green would be better than in Ibaka's rookie season. In a worse case scenario Ibaka makes too many team defense errors and Krstic is available to step in.

JoeyGsShoulders · Post #4 » by **JoeyGsShoulders** » Fri Oct 22, 2010 5:58 am

Sorry guy's I'm just creeping here, I was curious abour how Cole Aldrich is doing? His stats aren't impressive yet but he's been hurt so I was just wondering if, from what you've seen, he can play Center? Does he look outmaned or outmatched anymore or less than most rookie c's? Are his rotations ok on help etc?

lol I know its a little ridiculous to assume anyone has seen this in the amount he's played but I was just hoping for some prelimary opinions

Jeff23 · Post #5 » by **Jeff23** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 2:12 pm

JoeyGsShoulders wrote:Sorry guy's I'm just creeping here, I was curious abour how Cole Aldrich is doing? His stats aren't impressive yet but he's been hurt so I was just wondering if, from what you've seen, he can play Center? Does he look outmaned or outmatched anymore or less than most rookie c's? Are his rotations ok on help etc?

lol I know its a little ridiculous to assume anyone has seen this in the amount he's played but I was just hoping for some prelimary opinions

I saw him vs the heat and he's a really big paint protector. Good shot-blocker. He reminds me a lot of Andrew Bynum.

wiff · Post #6 » by **wiff** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 3:44 pm

Ok I finally have time to get back to this thread I started.

Best big Collison.

Then honestly probably Nonads, although I don't care for him and have always viewed him as a short term stop gap until this team finally manages to land a real center. But he can shoot the ball ball and although he is limited defensively he is a big body.

Ibaka is a great perimeter defender, needs to develop a post game. Brooks isn't doing him ANY favors by playing him at C.

Aldrich Solid rebound and shot blocker. I hope by the All Star break both Cole and Serge are starting at the 4 and 5 and are the best bigs on the team with out any doubt.

Who starts at C? Looks like it's going to be Nonads. I'm not really thrilled by this. Looks like Brooks is going with the "if it's not broke don't fix it" theory. Can't fault him but lets help Cole out plays him.

I'd like to see Nick start at C. I think Cole plays a similar game to Nick and I'd like to see Nick start then Cole take his place and not have to deal with growing pains.

sonictecture wrote:I want Ibaka to start at center on October 27, 2010, because I believe the player who starts the first regular season game will start in the playoffs. I want Ibaka's athleticism, fearlessness, rebounding and shot blocking in the line up. I'm optimistic that statistically Ibaka and Green would be better than in Ibaka's rookie season. In a worse case scenario Ibaka makes too many team defense errors and Krstic is available to step in.

I 'm a little shocked that you want Ibaka to start at Center? I was even more shocked that you liked the line up of Ibaka, Green, Durant, Harden and Westbrook.

Ibaka and Green up front don't have the size to hang with "GOOD" teams front line. Sure they can hang with the Golden State's of the league but come playoffs when you are facing a good team they would get chewed up and spit out. David West abuses Green every time they meet and West isn't even considered to be all that great.

I just can't figure out why Brooks is going to trot out Jeff Green at PF again? Especially starting. Makes way more sense to me to bring him in off the bench and go up against teams second big.

Post #7 » by **slick_watts** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 3:58 pm

Krstic looked great in the last preseason game. Hopefully Cole Aldrich can perform over the course of the season to supplant him, but Krstic is clearly the best option to start at center right now on this team.

Post #8 » by **sonictecture** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 5:38 pm

Krstic is still the stop gap. If Krstic is starting at center at the end of the year, then Presti hasn't done his job, which is to upgrade the position.

It makes so sense to me to start Krstic now, if the intent is to start someone else by the end of the season or next season. Get the young players time now, let them learn through playing. Krstic is not good enough, that taking him out of the starting lineup hurts the team significantly.

The future is now.

Post #9 » by **slick_watts** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 6:32 pm

I don't see how Krstic being a stop gap matters. What are the options besides him? Collison is hurt. Aldrich can't stay on the court yet due to foul trouble. You seem to like the idea of Ibaka at center, but Ibaka-Green has generally been a poor performing tandem with the exception of the garbage time in the Spurs game.

It makes sense to start Krstic because he's the best fit at the position, currently, and it allows players like Ibaka and Aldrich to develop at their positions of strength (Aldrich off the bench initially, Ibaka mostly at PF ideally). In fact, with Collison hurt to start the year, it's a wonderful chance to get Ibaka minutes at PF and Aldrich minutes at C.

Maybe Aldrich or Ibaka develop into the starting role as the season progresses but there's been nothing evidenced in the preseason that indicates to me either one of them is ready to start at center for an NBA team, especially one with aspirations of playoff success. Honestly, I think Krstic at center works out a lot better for the team than Green at power forward. I'd switch out Green for Ibaka before I switched out Krstic for Ibaka.

wiff · Post #10 » by **wiff** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 11:07 pm

I would rather take out Green over Krstic for Ibaka too.

I'm not sold at all that Ibaka is a Center. At least not at this point. Maybe in a small ball line up but not to start.

Envelopes · Post #11 » by **Envelopes** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 2:04 am

Does Mullens yet get in the conversation? I think he has shown alot this preseason.

jaybound · Post #12 » by **jaybound** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 2:18 am

Envelopes wrote:Does Mullens yet get in the conversation? I think he has shown alot this preseason.

The only thing Mullens has shown is that he wants to be some fake pf jump shooter. He was almost NEVER in position and when he was, he was either easily boxed out or didn't time his jumps right.

Clangus · Post #13 » by **Clangus** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 6:35 am

jaybound wrote:
Envelopes wrote:Does Mullens yet get in the conversation? I think he has shown alot this preseason.

The only thing Mullens has shown is that he wants to be some fake pf jump shooter. He was almost NEVER in position and when he was, he was either easily boxed out or didn't time his jumps right.

Mullens Showed more than Aldrich IMO

HeartSouloma · Post #14 » by **HeartSouloma** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 3:56 pm

Clangus wrote:
jaybound wrote:
Envelopes wrote:Does Mullens yet get in the conversation? I think he has shown alot this preseason.

The only thing Mullens has shown is that he wants to be some fake pf jump shooter. He was almost NEVER in position and when he was, he was either easily boxed out or didn't time his jumps right.

Mullens Showed more than Aldrich IMO

I agree Mullens has improve during the season. He gets my vote to start a bit. I remember when he put up 14 points and grab 5 rebounds i think. Thats when we face denver right?