A Defensive 3 on occasion?

elrod enchilada · Post #1 » by **elrod enchilada** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:36 pm

As fate has it, I was only able to watch the Dallas game last night on my DVR. As I knew the outcome, I watched a lot more off the ball than I would during a live telecast.

In the second half a Dallas player, a wing, was running downcourt toward his basket when I saw the Celtics defender moving sideways at the same speed. The defender stayed with him and took him out of the play. Wow, I thought to myself, whoever that was on the Cs sure is a fast and has tremendous foot speed. The camera quickly shifted away to the ball.

I replayed the sequence. It was Big Baby Davis.

That tells me that Big Baby can possibly play the 3 defensively periodically without getting burned. That makes him more valuable than he would be otherwise.

Avalanche · Post #2 » by **Avalanche** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:39 pm

I dont think he can play the 3.. but for his size the guy has some serious speed on occasion, and he has no hesitation in putting his body on the line against bigger guys or diving on loose balls.

He works hard out there the big man

Zin5 · Post #3 » by **Zin5** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:11 pm

This idea was tossed around after we drafted him, right? If we got a big to take some of his minutes and keep him rested, then we could use those extra minutes to give him time at the 3 to guard bigger small forwards. The main problem is he wouldn't be able to run the floor with who he's guarding. If he can get down the court early enough, then he'd be fine, but that would hurt his role on offense.

humblebum · Post #4 » by **humblebum** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:20 pm

Eh, fitting Davis into a Swing Forward role would be quite a stretch. Maybe if he was 30 pounds lighter, sure.

Andrew McCeltic · Post #5 » by **Andrew McCeltic** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:23 pm

Scal for Najera works, if you want a defensive 3.

cisco · Post #6 » by **cisco** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:41 pm

andy582 wrote:Scal for Najera works, if you want a defensive 3.

Can Najera knock down the 3? If so, let's do it! NJ has to be willing though.

threrf23 · Post #7 » by **threrf23** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:48 pm

While I wouldn't mind acquiring a defensive 3 for situational uses at all, I still haven't figured out why KG can't fit the bill every so often.

elrod enchilada · Post #8 » by **elrod enchilada** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:50 am

My point was not that Big Baby is set to be our back-up 3, or that that is his best position. My point was that he can probably stay with more than a few 3s in the league. So defensively he can switch off and we do not get match-up hell.

His footspeed, again, was striking. I thought it was Gabe Pruitt at first -- and I said to myself, wow, Gabe is fast! -- and then I realized Gabe was not in the game at the time.

If Baby makes it in the league, it will be as a much more athletic and talented Scal. Losing 20 pounds would help, but it is not crucial. Skill development and shooting is.