Glover vs. Ira.

[Diesel]

Well, I missed that.

However, the point is that Email hasn't shown me ANYthing. if JT goes down, just like in times past, we find a CBAer, sign him to a 10 day contract and let him work out. There has to be some more Cookie Belcher's and Spoonie Penns and even E Rob's in the league. But to pay Email simply because he can dribble the ball up court and chuck a three is ridiculous. Especially, when we are really thin up front (considering our health).

[Guest]

Agreed.I'm sure there is a guy alittle more

talented out there for us to get.Hell if all

else fails we can sign Greg Anthony.

[swolehawk2]

The point is we don't need to cut E mail to bring in another big man. That would leave us with only DD off of the bench to handle the ball. That is not good.

[Diesel]

JT is expected to play at least 36 mpg. How many ballhandlers do we need for those 12 extra minutes?

[swolehawk2]

If DD can get it together then fine....but if JT gets 2 quick fouls in the first quarter...I would like to have some one to put in that can get the ball past half court.

[MoonKnight]

I think many posters are not acknowledging the poor ball handling of both Dion and Ira. I still have a fear that teams will eventually start pressing JT all game long in an effort to wear him down. Neither Ira nor Dion have the handle to help JT on a regular basis bringing the ball off the Court. Email can play good perimeter D and hit the open 3. He also can handle the rock and could occasionally allow JT to run some plays as the 2 guard. Not that I am advocating Email starting the 2 at the start of the season. ( I would start Ira for team chemistry reasons), but I would not be surprised to see Email get major minutes and start at the 2 if the above prediction comes true.

[PoppaFritz]

I agree with a couple people on this post, first e-mail isn't expendable, yet. It is very important to have a 3rd ballhandler. But, diesel is right, he is a cba player. You can't play point in the nba with any significant minutes (e-mail 27.6 min. per game) and average 2.4 assists and 1.86 to's. I don't really see what else he brings to the table other than being a bigger point. If we have to rely on Ira, Dion, and E-mail as secondary ballhandlers were in trouble (combined 5 assists per game). Let's hope DD starts taking care of the ball and things will be fine, he looks like a sure 5 assists per game in half the minutes of these other guys.

[thecampster]

This is the nba, not high school. There are a couple of reasons you don't see the full court press that often and see the half court trap more.

1. The game is longer, meaning more minutes for the starters, The rotations are shorter (8 man rotations on most teams), and the players are older (19 years olds playing 2 games a week have limitless energy compared to 35 year olds playing 4 games in 5 nights). Teams just can't press for long periods of time and keep their legs.

2. The game is quicker than college. In college there are 2 superior athletes on both teams that break or make the press. If the press is broken those players get back quick enough on the scrubs to make a play. In the NBA, if you break the press with a good pass it usually ends in a 3 on 2 at the other end.

3. Big salaries. Pressing creates injuries...turned ankles, player collisions. Few high priced athletes are gonna go for full court pressing more than a couple of times a game. It greatly speeds up the open floor play and has too many big uncoordinated bodies flying around.

4. More shooters in the NBA. The best way to kill a trap is have shooters on the floor (not dribblers). A team will not commit 3 players to pressing the ball as it leaves only 2 men to guard the other end of the floor. 2 men can't guard the Middle and the wings...3 can, 2 can't. All it takes is one shooter who isn't a ball handler (like GDawg) to make a club pay for pressing. In this situation for example, JT and Dion would be in the back court with Dion inbounding to JT...Robinson alone at half court with 2 deep defenders. A defender on the inbounder, 1 on JT and another playing Center Field. If Dion gets the pass in successfully, the man guarding the inbound must decide whether to trap or not. IF he stays with Dion he's left JT 1 on 1 with an NBA point in the open floor. JT and DD win this battle as most PG would. They drive the ball straight up the floor...and because of the intended trap the defense has no time to get set leaving JT time to create on the fly...this is bad basketball. If the man guarding the inbound leaves to trap, it leaves Dion alone to receive a return pass. The third man playing center field then has a choice..confront the new ball handler "Dion" or fall back into a break away zone...confronting the dribbler leaves robinson alone within 15 feet of an easy jumper. Dion just throws it ahead at that point and let's the shooter work.

You see, in college the best shooters are also typically the ball handlers...this is not necessarily the case in the pros where up to 4 people on the floor can typically put the ball on the floor. Dion is a decent ball handler (though awkward) and is a reasonable pinch option....if someone goes on the I.R. we find the talent elsewhere.

But we have 2 roster moves to make here folks, not 1. First, ditch Email. He's slow and not a threat to break anyone down...the offense stagnates under him. Replace him with a player such as "mookie blaylock" or a young player like "Cookie Belcher". 2nd, CC is most probably headed to the injured list to start the season. He will need a roster replacement. So the question of AJJ is do you put the extra Center on the roster freeing Ratliff to play some PF in rotations or keep a player like Rod Grizzard and see if he develops.

[MoonKnight]

Good points, but I don't expect teams to utilize a full court press but simply have their 1 cover JT the length of the court. JT played 38 minutes last year, which is a little on the heavy side. I am concerned that JT (our most clutch player) will be worn down in clutch time. If Ira or Dion were average ball handles we would be fine. But last year they were poor dribblers and the big dawg is not much better. JT is quick enought to break any press if he is fresh. So lets hope you are right that our shooters and JT's skill will cause teams to have second thoughts about pressing JT too much.