Admin chillzatl Posted November 12, 2002 Admin Report Share Posted November 12, 2002 PRO BASKETBALL: 'It's time to let me go out and play' Big steps: Hawks' Ratliff asking for increased minutes. Jeffrey Denberg - Staff Tuesday, November 12, 2002 Los Angeles --- For six games Theo Ratliff worked skimpy minutes. He was in constant foul trouble and his coach and general manager also wanted to protect him from a too rigorous playing regimen after a year and a half away from the game. Ratliff, living with a reputation that says he is fragile and needs coddling, was frustrated and eager to test his wings for the first time as the Atlanta Hawks center. Before the team played Sacramento on Sunday he went to his bosses and begged to be unfettered. They agreed. The results were pleasing. Ratliff had 12 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. He worked 38 minutes, double the combined minutes of his two previous games. "I told coach it's time to let me go out and play," Ratliff said. "When I get winded and need to come out, I'll tell him, but I've got to be able to go out there and get tired if I'm going to build my stamina and really help the team." Ratliff has been away so long he said, it's an effort "for me to get into the flow of the game where I can really help the team, so I've got to play to do that." But for an exhibition and three regular season games last season, Ratliff had not played since he broke a bone in his wrist Feb. 14, 2000, on the eve what was to have been his first All-Star starting assignment. Surgery for a broken hip socket, then a winter and spring of rehab followed. Now, Ratliff wants to find out where his game is. The Hawks would like to know as well, with backup Nazr Mohammed out with a stress fracture. Sunday represented some of Ratliff's best minutes since his return. And it was the aggressive, reasonably well controlled game that will help the Hawks turn around three seasons of utter misery. So, the slender 6-foot-10 Ratliff hopes he is finally on course, with his return as a primary player and with a firm understanding of how he has to play. "Just let me go," is the message he gave his coach. "I'll let him know when I need a break. I was able to get in the flow of the game, be active and help my teammates. They've been trying to monitor my time. "I feel better when I'm on the floor because I get a chance to get loose. But every time I get loose and I have to sit down I stiffen up and when I come back I have to get loose again." He said of his extended minutes, "I felt pretty good and I felt a little winded but that's good for me right now. I'm still in the healing process." Still, the news that Shaquille O'Neal is unlikely to play tonight when the Hawks visit the Los Angeles Lakers did not displease Ratliff in the least. "If he doesn't play, that's a very good thing. I wasn't looking forward to trying to push him with my bad hips." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyman3 Posted November 12, 2002 Report Share Posted November 12, 2002 when he stops fouling.... i know that most of his fouls are very lame (barely a foul, esp in NBA standards).... but he still gotta lay off on being too aggressive.... when he stops fouling, his minutes will increase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaywalker72 Posted November 12, 2002 Report Share Posted November 12, 2002 He needs to more assertive with Lon and tell him that it's his offense. Lon wants a PG who is confident enough to run the offense, and until JT takes the keys from Lon, Lon won't give them up. Good for Theo stepping up, let's hope the rest of the team follows suit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Diesel Posted November 12, 2002 Premium Member Report Share Posted November 12, 2002 Actually, the best thing is to let him foul out a few times. Being on the court helps him get his timing and his basketball sensitivity" back. Soon enough, he'll know when he's about to get a touch foul. The other thing playing him will do is raise his trade value. SO if there's a deal out there to be made, we can make it. For instance, I would like to see if Theo + CC + EMail could get us Dale Davis/Bonzi Wells/Quintyl Woods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 12, 2002 Report Share Posted November 12, 2002 Bonzi Wells???He just got suspend for spitting on Danny Ferry!Bonzi Wells is a cancer more so than Rasheed Wallace.Sorry but spitting on people is nasty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sage11 Posted November 12, 2002 Report Share Posted November 12, 2002 Give the man his minutes and maybe his teammates will play as aggressive as he does. If the Refs are willing to cut him the same breaks they give other players, I think he will do fine. It shows heart to go public with desire to play more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB21 Posted November 13, 2002 Report Share Posted November 13, 2002 Never tell a naturally aggressive player like Theo to tone down his aggressiveness. You take away his aggressiveness, and you will take away what he does best. His shot blocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Walter Posted November 13, 2002 Report Share Posted November 13, 2002 Sure, it'll take more than that to win this game as we are still a turnover machine team, but ya gotta love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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