Darko's foul trouble/poor rebounding

[teven_1]

Ok maybe I should take the hint and stop posting topics, but I'm giving it one more go:

Darko's foul trouble perplexes me. It seems like most of his fouls are ticky tack calls where someone drives past his defender and Darko tries to swat his shot.
These fouls are really annoying because you can tell Darko isn't trying to foul, and result in And-1s as a result.
It seems like our porous D is to blame but I've also read he's playing D too much with his hands and not his feet, which one is it? (either answer, includes 20%, refs not giving him respect).
Also, Darkos getting out rebounded by Channing Frye. I know, I know, one of the hazards of playing with Love, and the guy boxes out for other guys to board, but part of it is a lot of times he's just not aggressive enough. Seems like he's afraid of leaving his feet.

what gives?

[shangrila]

His rebounding is fine in my mind. Love gets too many rebounds at this point, he should share the Love (PUN!!!)

His defence is 50-50 between our team and the refs. Ridnour and Flynn get destroyed on the PnRs and so it's up to him to cover them but the refs don't give him a lot of respect either. Guys can just run into him and get calls, it's ridiculous.

But sometimes it's him too. The 3rd San An game he wasn't swiping and he didn't get in foul trouble because of it. So it's a lot of factors I guess.

[Calinks]

Darko needs a lot of work, most of it mental like the majority of our team.

[Klomp]

Darko isn't a guy who wants you to look at his stats in awe. It seems like he doesn't want the attention. He'd much rather tip the ball out to a guard than go up strong for it. Like it or not, thats just who he is.

[teven_1]

Darko isn't a guy who wants you to look at his stats in awe. It seems like he doesn't want the attention. He'd much rather tip the ball out to a guard than go up strong for it. Like it or not, thats just who he is.

that's true but it is a problem when the other team gets the board.
I'm a huge darko supporter but last night he really disappointed me in the 4th quarter. His lack of aggressiveness on boards hurt us (not that it would have made a difference), but still. What pisses me off is, I really feel he would be way further along if he hadn't been injured against NY, he's understandably pensive since then.

Darko's not going to fade from the spot light till he averages something like 12-8, then everyone can stop scrutinizing (his not that offensive) contract.

[Breakdown777]

He's frustrating because we've seen what he can do, like those 20+ points and 12+ rebound and 5 block nights. He's just an up and down guy, and I don't think that will ever change with his confidence issues. Hopefully the injuries and losses stop piling up and he can start to mend his fragile psyche.

[moss_is_1]

I'm thinking Darko will be best as a bench 3rd big. This offseason we should make a SERIOUS run at Marc Gasol/Greg Oden(if the money is right), and see what they can do because I'm growing old of seeing Darko being hot/cold.

I still think the biggest need on this team is an athletic big next to Love, and a scorer at the 2 guard. If we could get Perry Jones and Alec Burks in the draft I'd be estatic. They are my 2 man crushes in this draft for sure. Got to watch Burks tonight, and while he didn't shoot well,(K-state gunned to take him out of the game basically) he has a deadly first stop and some really nice handles. Plus he was doing other things to help out(rebound, played a little d).

[Greco21]

I would prefer Darko to be an 8-12 (points-rebounds) guy rather than a 12-8...

I agree with most that Minnesota Centers often deal with cuts or penetrations that the perimeter allows. That's too often. On the other end having somebody like K-Love on the court forces a center to go after a block rather than trying to secure his position for a block out. Anyhow blocking the ball is not always the deal. He should try to alter shots more than make contact with a guard that is coming full speed.

[shangrila]

8-12 would mean the starting bigs would average 27rpg and the starting frontcourt would average 33. Has that ever been done?

[Greco21]

8-12 would mean the starting bigs would average 27rpg and the starting frontcourt would average 33. Has that ever been done?

I did not state anywhere that Love will or should continue putting crazy numbers I feel like everybody on the team is like "let the guy penetrate Darko is there", "don't care to contest the rebound K-Love is around".

I have stated that K-Loves' most rebounds are contesting ones. The rest of the guys are just grabbing loose balls.

Last but not least i believe that Minnesota has the capacity to lead the NBA in rebounds the next years by far.

[teven_1]

Nah I'm still on the "Darko has beast potential" bandwagon. November wasn't that long ago. This guy needs to get his legs healthy to the point that he's unafraid to leave his feet.

Until then he NEEDS to stay out of foul trouble. A darko with 4 fouls on the court is worse than no Darko at all (he's un-agressive).

We need a way to maximize his shot blocking ability while minimizing his talent for being a foul magnet

[LordBaldric]

You know, Darko has been showcasing his mediocrity for many years in the NBA. He has always had these problems and has always been mentally soft. David Kahn throwing pixie dust in our eyes isn't changing it.

[funkatron101]

You know, Darko has been showcasing his mediocrity for many years in the NBA. He has always had these problems and has always been mentally soft. David Kahn throwing pixie dust in our eyes isn't changing it.

Nu Uh. The Darko fan said "He Comin'!"

[HEKTOR]

If Darko could manage to avg 10ppg, 7rbs by the end of the season, I'd be impressed.

[UK-Wolf]

If Darko could manage to avg 10ppg, 7rbs by the end of the season, I'd be impressed.

Put that up to about 12 and yeah, same.

Darko's an integral part of the team for me, he's one of, if not our most important players on our roster. He gives us so much when on the court, mainly defensively that we lack so so much. I think he's the only guy on our roster average over 1 block for christ sake.

Anyways, back to the OP, though he does give up some silly fouls I think a lot of it is just being unlucky and just very clever Basketball play. Or the refs just being far, far too strict when it comes to contact. The slightest brush off a player and you get whistled these days which isn't great. Darko's always in and around the rim and our only good shot blocker so he's bound to get all these calls against him when he's the only guy contesting. Hence why K-Love hardly gets foul calls, he rarely contests the way Darko does.

As for rebounding, well basically what everyone's already said. Love gobbles up all the defensive boards. With Darko being the one most aggressive contest wise he's going to be out of position for the rebound too thus allowing Love to get them. I'm not entirely bothered about his rebounding. It's the silly TO's and foul call's that bother me.

I'd be over the moon for Darko to average 12 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 blocks and 2 assists. Klomp summed it up perfectly, Darko's stats are never gonna' jump out the paper and he doesn't care that much about it. He gives us far, far more than stats.

[teven_1]

If Darko could manage to avg 10ppg, 7rbs by the end of the season, I'd be impressed.

Put that up to about 12 and yeah, same.
I'd be over the moon for Darko to average 12 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 blocks and 2 assists. Klomp summed it up perfectly, Darko's stats are never gonna' jump out the paper and he doesn't care that much about it. He gives us far, far more than stats.

I disagree, (I would be impressed with a 12-8) but I disagree with the assumption that Darko's numbers cant be eye grabbing.
Just a month ago we were talking about his central role in our offense. Just a month ago we were salivating over what could be. A couple injuries have derailed him but I still think he has the potential to be very, very good (with good numbers as well).

He's getting the touches down low, and when he's hitting them he's going to get doubled and then throw it to the open guy. That's points, assists and most importantly touches.

It's an important role, that he will either do well (and get attention) or do poorly (and fade from the spotlight)

It's a very real issue that he's always in foul trouble. In at least 3 different games I've breathed a sigh of relief when he only had one foul at the end of the 1st qt, get up to get a drink come back and he's on the bench with 3. We can blame the refs if we want, but a lot of his fouls come from trying to contest the shot with his hands instead of his body (usually coming off the weakside, but still). It's annoying and it can't continue.

After boxing out, he could be a little more assertive about going for the board.

[Klomp]

He doesn't need to average 20/10 to be a central point of the offense though, teven. Yes he "could be" a great offensive player, but thats just not his style. He's not an attention-seeker (Maybe thats part of why he trys layups instead of power dunks?). He's the perfect guy to stick in the lineup as a core role player.

[teven_1]

He doesn't need to average 20/10 to be a central point of the offense though, teven. Yes he "could be" a great offensive player, but thats just not his style. He's not an attention-seeker (Maybe thats part of why he trys layups instead of power dunks?). He's the perfect guy to stick in the lineup as a core role player.

you're right. All I'm saying is I do believe he could be way more, but either way I'm happy. My OP though is that regardless he should be more assertive for boards, and try to figure out this foul trouble issue.

Personally, it just seems like he's afraid to leave his feet (doesn't want to run to fast, jump to high) like he's afraid of injury. If that's the case I hope we can solve that.

[shangrila]

We can't all be the Miami Heat. Honestly, if he can get enough touches to be enough of a threat that it opens up his passing game a little more, then I'd count it as a success.

[Greco21]

offense concerning big guys is setting good picks too. He is awesome sometimes but often has to post too much without getting to the foul line as much as he would deserve