Talking Points

[Left*My*Heart]

There are some real conversation starters in this one.

http://www.mercextra.com/blogs/kawakami ... k-tonight/

And when I asked Nelson what he could do to fix the defense of Monta Ellis and Baron Davis, this is what popped out of his mouth:

[Left*My*Heart]

I think part of the issue with Nellie and Biedrins, is how teams don't neccessarily fear going into the paint on us. Biedrins is good when providing weak side support, shot blocks and altering shots more than when playing his own man. I also think that Biedrins doesn't elevate quickly enough to alter a lot of shots either.

Biedrins could really benefit playing along side Wright for instance. Biedrins is normally our only inside presence and with Al in there along side of him, he is the only shot blocker in the game. If Biedrins had support inside, I think his shot blocking numbers would go up.

It is too bad that POB was given up on so soon. Mullin had pretty much tossed him aside after his rookie season and never changed his mind on him.

[Hopper15]

Nellie's been saying that for a long time. It's kind of turned into a self fulfilling prophecy. Nellie says he's not a shotblocker, so now he blocks less shots.

[Sleepy51]

I think it comes back to the double standard. There are very few things a big man does that Nellie gives due credit for, unless they are an absolute juggernaught.

Dre is a shotblocker. He's not the best shotblocker in the league, but he his as much of a shotblocker as say, Baron is a "good defender." But in Nellie's view, the ups and downs in a guard or wing player's game are much more acceptable and forgivable than the ups and downs in a big man's game.

The guards are allowed to just keep playing until they make plays. Nellie is willing to live or die with thier peaks and valleys (on both ends.) With big men, he is overly reactionary to the valleys. Bigs don't get left on the floor to find rythm, or work their way into sync.If a big man doesn't come on like gangbusters they get the hook often too early.

I realize that Dre can put up a genuinnely crappy game necessitating the hook, but Nellie is just too danred quick to make that call too often. Those decisions take our best rebounder off the floor too often for too long.

[Mylie10]

Nellie's best freind Al Cohol, is providing him with the player evaluations.

[warriortone]

At this point I don't believe a single word that comes out of Nellie's mouth. I'm even willing to call the Victor Alexander bathtub story into question.

[turk3d]

Keep in mind that his shotblocking numbers are based on less minutes than he played last season and only about 28 minutes a game. If he played 35-40 a night (which he should be), I'm sure they would be higher (at least 2.0, maybe even as high as 2.5). Also take into account that he's been injured much of the season (even now it is noticeable in his jumping which has been significantly higher.

Notice that it appears that Nellie is finally realizing the need to give AB15 more playing time, because not only does our defense pretty much disintegrate (what little we have of it) when he goes out, but I've noticed something else as of late which I find very interesting, our offense takes a hit when he's not in the game. Whether or not people realize it, Biedrens has become an integral part of our running game (as well as our offense now), in that he is able to run the court on both ends despite being a center. No one (as far as our bigs are concerned) can get up and down the court as quickly as he can.

As much as I've been clamoring for Nellie to play him and Wright together (you talk about quickness in getting up and down the court as well as shot blocking capability), I did notice that he and Cro together did pretty darn good and am probably willing to see that continued at least (since he won't play Wright with him). They were pretty effective running together, one of the few times we had a "conventional" lineup out there for an extended period and it did quite well. No coincidence that we outrebounded Sac by about 17 last night (must have been the biggest rebounding differential we've had all year long).

[Manly35]

I'm a big Nellie fan but I've been saying all season that he has to play his bench more. POB should play more than the last 1:22 of a game. And the same thing for Bellinelli. He tears up the summer league and sits all season ???? It makes no sense. We are at the end of the season and I'm tellin' you our starters are tired and Dre could use a break and POB could step right in if not offensively then defensively and get the job done. He/they just need the chance !

[Head Leader]

we need a shot blocker... meanwhile patrick obryant is simmering in a pot on the bench...

if nothing else that guy can block shots... ive seen it... he has ability to be a very good shot blocker..

this coach is funny... he expects 19-20 year olds to read interviews in the paper and get hints on how to work on their games... just **** tell them what you want them to do you dumb bastard.

[floppymoose]

I'm a big Nellie fan but I've been saying all season that he has to play his bench more. POB should play more than the last 1:22 of a game. And the same thing for Bellinelli. He tears up the summer league and sits all season ???? It makes no sense.

Summer League champ Marcus Banks was getting 15 minutes a night until he decided to miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury. That big p:censored:.

[FNQ]

That's just embarassing... he's not a shot blocker, he just blocks some shots every once in a while.

AJ/Beno/Salmons got around Baron a handful of times each this game.... guaranteed if Monta did it, we'd have our torches ready to chase him out of town

Monta kept Kevin Martin in front of him 90% of the time he was guarding him... forced him to take a lot of contested shots and perimeter, off the dribble shots. He denied K-Mart the ball a lot by pressuring him off the ball... Garcia/Salmons/Hawes were used as much offensively without being able to get an entry in...

But we need to worry about him and not Baron defensively? It's a shame we're reduced to hoping that's a motivational ploy.... if he really sees that, we're in deep for next season.

[Head Leader]

Nwllie seriously baffles me sometimes with the **** he says... andris is no ben walalce/alonzo mourning but to say we dont have a shot blocker is ridiculous.. and demaeaning to andris.

this is the 2nd time hes said this.

meanwhile andris is avg almost 2 blocks per. (in 24-28 mpg).

a softer man may have shrivled up to the lunacy of the coach and whined about nto being used properly.

Andris owns...

Whats next nellie. we need a athletic 6'11 center with great hands that finishes around the basket at greater then 60%?... yea we dont have one of those either. ****.

This is like at your job, your a hot shot financial aid lawyer...and your boss doesnt let you work on the big case, then clamors at executive meetings he wishes he had a lawyer to work with the clients on their financial needs.. ****.

Dear don Nelson,

If you want Andris to become a better shot blocker. Fire Russel Turner... or. Fire the person who is teaching Andris to jump in the air with his hands straight up... you Dumb Bastard.

That is just plain a plain HORRIBLE way to teach a big to contest a shot... and yes, SOMEONE is telling Andris to do that, because Brandan isnt doing it at all, and sometimes Andris doesnt do it.. and then ill see Kieth Smart on the bench telling him TO do it.

it is a vile attempt at altering a shot and it recieves no love from the refs.

[MightyReds2020]

I think Nellie wants a Bill Russell-type - he said it himself, or someone like Marcus Camby or Tyson Chandler of today. Beans is not a shot-blocking presence like those two although he's a darn good one already.

I agreed with Sleepy there's a double-standard right here, I would much rather have Andris "Not-a-shotblocker" Biedrins manning the pain for extra 5 minutes than watching Baron threw up his usual fatigued $hit for 40+ a night.

[Sid the Squid]

Pat O'Bryant averages 4.5 blocks per 48 in the NBA....He averages 3.5 blocks per game in the D League...Too bad Big O ..."doesnt do anything well"... -Don Nelson-

[Hopper15]

I think Nellie wants a Bill Russell-type - he said it himself, or someone like Marcus Camby or Tyson Chandler of today. Beans is not a shot-blocking presence like those two although he's a darn good one already.

Chandler averages less blocks per game in more minutes.

[MightyReds2020]

[quote="Hopper15"]-= original quote snipped =-


I thought Chandler's length bothers players moreso than Beans'. What Beans has is quickness, but when he gets challenged one-on-one he usually lost out.

[GswStorm3]

You had a shot blocker in POB, you didn't play him enough you dumb bastard lol.

[Mylie10]

-= original quote snipped =-


I thought Chandler's length bothers players moreso than Beans'. What Beans has is quickness, but when he gets challenged one-on-one he usually lost out.

If Beans had been playing next to David West all year, I'd bet his shot blocking numbers and shot changing would go way up.

West occupies other bigs. Al is outside for us and Beans has to handle all of the beef most times. If he could roam more ala Chandler, he'd be even more effective.

[crzy]

In the 17 games that Andris Biedrins has played 34+ minutes, he is averaging

14.0 ppg, 13.9 rpg, 1.8 bpg.

Nellie's underutilization of Biedrins is extremely disappointing.

[Sid the Squid]

We all need to not let Nellie's insanity effect our views of individual players...Nellie just throws out crazy comments ..

In Hawaii, "Al Harrington is a dominate player for me."

"Center is my weakest position."

Brandan Wright won't be ready to play this year."

"Patrick O'Bryant doesnt have any skills you can hang your hat on."

"TJ Ford is closest player Ive seen to Steve Nash."

"Dallas is the best team Ive seen."

"We need to give Pietrus more responsibility on offense."

Ive got a ton more left in the vault..From the reason Nellie played Pat Burke so many minutes in preseason, too comment about how our MBENGA is going to really help the team out.