"No No No, Don't Shoot" - The Byron Mullens Thread

[amcoolio]

Happy to have him back. Once he gets to full strength, should try him, Adrien, and Biyombo together on the floor at once with two guards. Lord knows it can't hurt anything

[HornetJail]

Rick Bonnell ‏@rick_bonnell

Byron Mullens told me post-game he intends to play Monday in Miami. He's been out since before Christmas with that sprained left ankle.

Of course it's the game MKG goes out.

Happy to have him back. Once he gets to full strength, should try him, Adrien, and Biyombo together on the floor at once with two guards. Lord knows it can't hurt anything

We would be the only team in the league with a 7'0+ small forward.

[amcoolio]

Have Adrian guard the SF on defense. It would either cause a mismatch in Adrian or Mullens' favor on offense. Adrien would be able to bully someone his size or smaller in the post

[catch20two]

Rick Bonnell ‏@rick_bonnell

Byron Mullens told me post-game he intends to play Monday in Miami. He's been out since before Christmas with that sprained left ankle.

I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be mulling over Mullens. I hope his return doesn't decrease Adrien's minutes. Meanwhile I wouldn't mind seeing less of Haywood, Tyrus, and Warrick.

[catch20two]

‏@byron22mullens
I'm back!!!! Can't wait to put that jersey on again! It's been awhile, hope I'm not to rusty.

7 Feet of Smooth is playing tonight. If Mullens' presence help us beat the cHeat then he's unofficially the Bobcats MVP of this year.

[fatlever]

so if an in form mullens shoots 37% from the field, what does rusty mullens shoot?

[catch20two]

so if an in form mullens shoots 37% from the field, what does rusty mullens shoot?

23% (3 for 13 shooting)

[James Gatz]

so if an in form mullens shoots 37% from the field, what does rusty mullens shoot?

23% (3 for 13 shooting)

1 for 7 from 3pt. The one make coming in garbage time.

[HornetJail]

so if an in form mullens shoots 37% from the field, what does rusty mullens shoot?

14-16 from the field. 13-15 from downtown. The one inside shot was a three with his foot on the line.

[catch20two]

I have a feeling that rusty Mullens might be better than typical Mullens, like reverse psychology. They say at the pro level that basketball is more so mental than physical.

[Snidely FC]

Can't believe some people are missing Mully. We need him to stretch the floor as a 30% 3 pt shooter? There's a dozen guys in D league who could do that. Seriously, give the ball to Hendo and let him jack up 8 treys, at least he's making 40% of em. I wish Dunlop would make Mullens stay low post where he can be useful. And you'll all quickly be reminded why he's one of the Oklahoma Turnstiles.

[fatlever]

[catch20two]

5 for 14 shooting seemed more like typical Mullens to me so I guess he wasn't rusty after all. All in all though I like his presence on the floor for our team since he's a big that's not afraid to shoot and has some ability. Imagine how good we would be if Mullens was efficient at it. Hopefully he'll improve in that area because he has the skill.

[BigSlam]

5 for 14 shooting seemed more like typical Mullens to me so I guess he wasn't rusty after all. All in all though I like his presence on the floor for our team since he's a big that's not afraid to shoot and has some ability. Imagine how good we would be if Mullens was efficient at it. Hopefully he'll improve in that area because he has the skill.

Hopefully him being healthy stops Cho from making a stupid trade that brings us Bargnani because once you take skill set, age and $$$$ Mully >>>>>> Bargnani.

[fatlever]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/0 ... llens.html

Then Monday night, with a career-high 18 rebounds, he looked like something else entirely in a victory over the Boston Celtics.

“He put his nose in there a lot,” coach Mike Dunlap said of Mullens’ rebounding. “He’s been accused of not being a blood-and-guts kind of guy.”

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/0 ... rylink=cpy

“I told everybody I’d be so much faster because of fresh legs,” Mullens described Tuesday.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/0 ... rylink=cpy

The Dunlap-Mullens relationship is intriguing; Dunlap joked earlier this season that Mullens responds well to “threats.” There’s truth embedded in that humor.

“I’m able to tell him things he doesn’t like to hear. There’s a trust there,” Dunlap said.

An example Dunlap cited after the Celtics game: “You’ll get your touches, but you’ve got to get your back to the basket.”

Mullens tends to default to long jump shots. He hit four of five 3-pointers Monday. Dunlap demands that Mullens post up more, in part because it broadens his skills, in part because he’s the best offensive big man the Bobcats have.

Tuesday, after most players left practice, Dunlap took Mullens to a basket and spent 30 minutes drilling him on post moves, forcing Mullens to dribble in traffic against smaller men.

How’s that coming?

“It’s getting better. I’m learning to deal with strong guys like (Metta) World Peace or Garnett,” Mullens said. “It’s getting low and staying patient …”

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/0 ... rylink=cpy

dunlaps coaching may leave a lot to be desired, primarily the zone defense and odd sub patterns, but you cant deny the impact he has had so far on kemba and mullens.

[HornetJail]

I think he has been huge for our team in the mental aspect. Makes me wonder what he could've done as Larry Brown's replacement for DJ.

[thruthefire]

Mullens is playing far less around the rim this season than last, so I take it Dunlap has a different idea of what responding to someone's threats looks like than I do. He's also putting up almost identical per-minute numbers to 2012, when he averaged 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds as a starter. The only major positive change in his game is that he's dropped chucking so many long twos for threes instead. He had a 31/14 game last year that I'm sure Bonnell delivered a similar fluff piece for...

[catch20two]

Mullens is playing far less around the rim this season than last, so I take it Dunlap has a different idea of what responding to someone's threats looks like than I do. He's also putting up almost identical per-minute numbers to 2012, when he averaged 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds as a starter. The only major positive change in his game is that he's dropped chucking so many long twos for threes instead. He had a 31/14 game last year that I'm sure Bonnell delivered a similar fluff piece for...

This is my reasoning for thinking that Dunlap hasn't done anything to develop our young core beyond turning the other cheek to their inexperience and giving them more playing time.

Staying on topic, it's a pleasant sight to see Mullens on the floor with this roster than not due to his unconscious nature and innate ability to shoot the ball.

[LamarMatic7]

By the way, if you haven't already seen it - I made a highlight reel of Mullens's 25 point game. It's up on the youtube thread.

[fatlever]

Mullens is playing far less around the rim this season than last, so I take it Dunlap has a different idea of what responding to someone's threats looks like than I do. He's also putting up almost identical per-minute numbers to 2012, when he averaged 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds as a starter. The only major positive change in his game is that he's dropped chucking so many long twos for threes instead. He had a 31/14 game last year that I'm sure Bonnell delivered a similar fluff piece for...

mullens is a much better defender this year. for me, that is the most noticeable improvement. he is still a poor defender but he is no longer the worst big man defender i have ever seen not named dj white. he moves his feet much better on defense. he mixes it up in the paint more. he rebounds in traffic better. he covers in space better. he also seems to have improved his triple threat game. i think he is also a smarter passer this year.