When?....Dwight...

[theTHIEF]

when is he going to start pumping his team up on the court? you know, down 5, slamming it home and coming down the court screaming to shift moral?

when will he stop arguing every call?

when will he start staying focused on "the win"?

when will he hold the team accountable?

when will he remain calm under pressure?

when will he learn to hold the ball in the double team and let the pass come to him?

[Happyfoosball]

dwights honestly not the reason this team is losing. he does so much. it's the guys around him, it's the coach to some extent. The team really seems to have almost no focus on detail and very little defensive itensity.

[theTHIEF]

i didnt say he's the reason we're losing...but, he is THE LEADER of this team....he's the main man, the head Indian, the sheriff, the captain...so please...read my post again...these are just quirks about him that really do need to be addressed before he can reach the next level...and once he reaches that level he will have more things that need attention...

[Happyfoosball]

i didnt say he's the reason we're losing...but, he is THE LEADER of this team....he's the main man, the head Indian, the sheriff, the captain...so please...read my post again...these are just nuances about him that really do need to be addressed before he can reach the next level...and once he reaches that level he will have more things that need attention...

I feel just like you do. I want Dwight to dominate games and win them on his own despite the lack of quality around him. And he has the athletic ability to do it. But honestly. He's giving more then we have a right to expect given his age and expeirence. I mean 22-23 and 15 a game is a lot from a 22 year old. He also is probably the best defender on the team most of the time. It's ridiculous. If the guys around him could just play a little better and set a few more screens the team would be so much farther along.

[theTHIEF]

well performance wise, we cant really ask him to do too much more today, just keep moving forward, stay the course you're doing a fine job young man...

but if you notice, many of these points are unrelated to actual performance...many are attitude, and leadership qualities that he SHOULD have like, right now, instantly the light should click on...Ewing has got to be stressing to him these details...he should grasp the opportunity now...so that in 3 years...there isnt a single guy out there that has one knock for him...instead of 5 years getting 90% praise and 10% knock...

he needs to step up that mental game and help his team out with the body language and his presence...KG?

[Happyfoosball]

well performance wise, we cant really ask him to do too much more today, just keep moving forward, stay the course you're doing a fine job young man...

but if you notice, many of these points are unrelated to actual performance...many are attitude, and leadership qualities that he SHOULD have like, right now, instantly the light should click on...Ewing has got to be stressing to him these details...he should grasp the opportunity now...so that in 3 years...there isnt a single guy out there that has one knock for him...instead of 5 years getting 90% praise and 10% knock...

he needs to step up that mental game and help his team out with the body language and his presence...KG?

But those are the things that are going to improve his performance more then anything else. I mean yeah he'll improve his jumpshot and free throw shooting but it's those entangables that will make him an ever better player. Right now he's probably near his peak of athletic ability. I can't imagine he'll get that much better physically. Jebers i'm stoned. I'm gonna go to sleep sad the Magic can't win no more.

[theTHIEF]

i dont follow...and im not stoned...hmmm

[karizma87]

you're right, he needs to improve his passing in the post, yes. he also needs to hit his damn FT's, especially in the 4th. but I don't think running down the court screaming like an animal means good leadership...

[theTHIEF]

you're failing to see the point...it's an example...there are many ways to rally your team...and, in that regard, you are wrong...a young team? thats the kind of stuff they feed off of...

not to mention you misunderstood...i didnt say come running down like an animal...but, it's whatever...

[lovehoops01]

You know, Thief, and I'm surprised you haven't noticed this, but the vocal leaders on teams often are not their best players.

And generally when that is the case, that player is a guard, not a big man.

Patrick, David Robinson, even Tim Duncan....Those guys tended to lead by example. Avery Johnson was the vocal leader on the Spurs team that first won the title. The return of Derek Fisher to the Lakers helped settle down the team. Chauncey Billups is considered the leader on the Pistons, even though Rasheed Wallace clearly is the player who helped make them champs. Yao and Tracy are the stars of the Rockets, but Shane Battier is the vocal leader.

I think Dwight does his share of leadership at this point. He and Jameer often pull the team together to talk about stuff coming out of timeouts, etc. He's just learning this stuff, and working on his game comes first. He just turned 22, and he never played college ball. This would have been Shaq's first season in the league age-wise. And centers do seem to peak at an older age than most players.

One thing about the Magic, too....they have a lot of guys who outwardly at least are kind of quiet. When you watch their timeouts, though, the players do look as if they're providing input to what's going on.

We all want Dwight to be able to do everything perfect, but I really can't think of one guy in this league that did all those things that you said you want Dwight to do and also scored and rebounded as well as him. It's really not fair to expect that much of one person. You have exceptionally high standards for him -- maybe even unachievable ones.

Honestly, I think the team defense and the opponents' second-chance points as a whole have been its problem, not the play of any one player. And Dwight generally gets his hands on an awful lot of rebounds. Many times when he doesn't, it's because two players on the other team are keeping him from getting to the basket.

[CourtsideTV]

he needs to go to kg 101.

[The Letter J]

he needs to step up that mental game and help his team out with the body language and his presence...KG?

You know, it's funny. After reading what you wrote on your first post in this thread I thought about KG.

Then I laughed because KG did all of those things in MIN and the team was still terrible. You can't win without a good team and we don't have a good team. We're missing too many pieces.

[Typhoon20]

When will Dwight stop clowning around ?
Especially when we're losing.

He doesn't have that killer instinct.

[MoGrAdY]

I agree with everything you said and ecspecially when it comes to keeping his damn mouth shut. Its one thing to disagree with a call, its another thing to whine and bitch about it every time you miss a shot. Ive even noticed times where he doesnt get back on defense right away jus so he can get in a few more words with the ref. Yes he does get hammered in the paint but hes startin to remind me of Rasheed Wallace. Id love nothing more then for him to keep his mouth shut and then next time down the floor take his anger out on the rim.

[magicmamma]

Dwight is struggling to do without his on-floor mentors, and is far from ready to lead. Last year he had Tony and Grant to keep him focused, now he has neither. When he would get worked up over a call, Grant would come over, touch his shoulder, say just a word or two, and you could see Dwight relax and get back into the game. Tony would sometimes even deliver a little pay-back to the guys who abused his boy. Jameer has tried to take over this role, but Dwight needs someone bigger and older. The only guy we have is Adonal, and he rarely plays with Dwight.

Dwight's biggest maturity problem is his inability to keep his focus after he's been abused. This abuse is not going to go away. Ask Shaq. Ask Yao. We all learn that you aren't supposed to pick on guys that are smaller than you. No rules about the bigger guys. He will overcome this eventually, but the coaches could speed his development by adopting a no-tolerance policy on reacting to calls/no calls. If Dwight makes any reaction to a call at all - even making a face - Adonal is in. He'd learn self control in a hurry. SVG has said that he doesn't want them reacting to ref's calls, and Dwight seems to be the only one who isn't listening. Make him listen. Once he learns how to shut up and stop making faces like a whiny teenager, he might get a little respect from the refs. I think they actually prefer Sheed's tantrums to the whining.

[magicman123]

this team is more talented then the ones we had recently, but we dont have leadership right now. dwight doesnt look ready to be the leader or doesnt want to right now..someone mentioned duncan..duncan leads by example, he doesnt cry and complain every 2 seconds..dwight needs to get away from that..i dont think anyone is knocking dwight performances...yes we are young, but almost every team has a leader, we have no clue who ours is..its prolly battie, but hes at home resting an injury

[Optimus_Steel]

this team is more talented then the ones we had recently, but we dont have leadership right now. dwight doesnt look ready to be the leader or doesnt want to right now..someone mentioned duncan..duncan leads by example, he doesnt cry and complain every 2 seconds..dwight needs to get away from that..i dont think anyone is knocking dwight performances...yes we are young, but almost every team has a leader, we have no clue who ours is..its prolly battie, but hes at home resting an injury

Duncan whines and complains all the time.

[magicman123]

-= original quote snipped =-



Duncan whines and complains all the time.

not while a fastbreak is going on and hes standing there talking..of course duncan does it, but i mean there is a time to do it and a time not too

[MagicNolesFSU]

rofl your crazy Duncan is constantly whining. like non-stop.