My dire prediction about ball handling at....

[MoonKnight]

the two spot is coming true. This summer I posted several times about my fear of the lack of ball handling by our 2 spot guards. Ira is really a 3 who doesn't have the ball handling skills to play the 2. Dion is a 2 who has no fundamental guard skills at all. His ball handling is horrible for a guard (his inconsistancy is driving me crazy). Tonight the Suns (as I thought many teams would do) pressed JT most of the game and especially at crunch time. No other player on the floor helped JT with the press. Even our players at the 3 spot are suspect ball handlers (GRob and Ham). We had countless silly turnovers. This trend could continue and we could lose many more games just like we lost tonight. Lon is going to have to prepare the team for being pressed. Really EMail should get more minutes at the 2 b/c he can handle the rock and we have no other options at the 2 when teams are pressing as much as the Suns did down the stretch. Management had better address this issue soon, either by preparing the team for the press (if this can be done with our personnel) or trade (hopefully Dion) for a more complete 2 guard to help us in thes situations. Thoughts?

[Guest]

I think we are still stuck with a mediocre ball

club that lacks fundamentals and difference

makers.

[DJ_Money]

Unfortunately, I have to agree. We have to get another ballhandler on the floor with JT. As much as I dislike E-Mail, we have no other choice. Newble, Robinson, Glover, and Dickau don't have the skills to break the press.

Cut Harvey, sign a combo PG/SG to help out JT. Call Maloney, Rafer Alston, Omar Cook, George McCloud, Luke Recker...anybody.

[JTFan31]

You are absolutely right DJ. We should cut Harvey, anyways he did not play 1 minute last night, and lets sign a shooting guard that can handle the rock, they are many out there right now. Just to bring him into the game in the 4th quarter, give him a couple of minutes before the 4th to have him a bit warmed up and then put him to start the 4th, BUT it must be a veteran 2 guard, that knows how to handle the pressure. I can't think of a name right now, but I am sure they are many out there.

I really had no idea why Ham was handling the rock, part of emails fault, his duty as a PG, should have been right there to take the ball away from him. We had 4 TO's in a row in 4 possessions, thats absolutely unacceptable. Bad decision by Lon.

[MoonKnight]

before he became a 2/3. He would fit the bill as a 2 who could handle the rock enough to take the pressure off JT. Jim Jackson would fit the bill if he could mend fences with Lon, though he could also be a chemistry killer. Heck, Drew Barry could handle the rock enough to help out against the press. I really hope we address this problem.

[cyman3]

are the only 2 that can handle the rock....

Glover = handles the rock like a SF

Robinson is a SF

Abdur-Rahim handles it like a SF/PF

hmmm... wat can we do?

DICKAU needs to STEP UP and be that player..... but hes only a rookie!!!! hmmm....

[Guest Walter]

When Lamond Murray returns Lindsay Hunter or Voshon Leonard (or Mo Pete?) might be available if they aren't already. Too many swing men, including Jeffries.

McCloud isn't a bad fit.

Still, I think it is a matter of Dickau catching up to the speed of the NBA game, maybe some Email thrown in, ballhandling improvement from Dion/Ira, and perhaps gimmicks such as SAR or BD bringing the ball up on occassion.

W

[Iman]

I think our ballhandling skills will get us by just fine if we just play smarter. I think JT or Email can consistently break the press if encouraged to do so. I think they were told to wait for an outlet pass receiver and no one is coming back. Then if someone does it's Ham, BD, etc and then they really dont seem to know what to do with the ball. Plus I think we just looked tired against the Suns.

I think Ira or Dion can get us down the court but for some reason they weren't coming back like they should...coaching? Dion really seems an enigma to me, he can drive the ball through crowds but can seem to just bring it up court with someone on him. I think he just needs to work on it. Now if DJ were in there I think he's the one with really poor ballhandling skills.

[MoonKnight]

improve. You don't see too many vets whose handles improve as the years go by. We just don't have a traditional 2 guard. Ira is really a pure 3 while Dion is some hybrid 2/3 with poor ball handling skills. This problem hurt us again in the Jazz game and could kill us tonight against the Kings. The Kings love to press and jump the passing lanes on D. I expect Email to play alot more and possibly start at the 2 spot in the near future if things don't improve. What do you think about Ham's play so far? I have been disappointed in his play. As a Buck he was a play maker either by making a key steal, block or dunk that changed momentum. He has done very little so far. CC could push him toward the end of the bench.