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Could Curry and Swift be

the next Ricky Davis?

by Chad Ford

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Also Below: Is Curry the next Shaq? | From trade bait to power in the paint | Uncle Cliffy gets his golden parachute | Peep Show

Ricky Davis, you're no Michael Jordan.

But we can understand why former Cavs coach John Lucas got carried away late last season when Davis, a bench warmer for most of the year, went on a late tear, scoring 20 or more points in seven of Cleveland's final 13 games.

"I think he can be the next Michael Jordan if he develops into the great player he has the potential to be," Lucas said at the time. "Davis really can be as good as he wants to be if he continues to work hard and improve. We definitely want to keep him in Cleveland."

Your season's on the rocks. Your fate in the lottery assured. Your season ticket base is on life support.

A coach's job is no longer to sell great basketball. Right now, it's about selling hope.

Davis, as it turns out, wasn't the next Jordan. But he was able to capitalize on a last-minute chance to prove that he can play.

Will the Bulls' Eddy Curry and the Grizzlies' Stromile Swift be this year's Ricky Davis? Insider investigates.

Is Curry the next Shaq?

Shaquille O'Neal sat in the locker room with a wry smile on his face.

Reporters were asking him about Eddy Curry, the Bulls' second-year center who many compared to Shaq coming out of high school two years ago.

Eddy Curry

Forward-Center

Chicago Bulls

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

63 8.1 3.6 0.4 .570 .608

Shaq, ever the diplomat, was polite.

"He's a nice, young, aggressive kid," O'Neal told the Chicago Sun Times before the Lakers' game against the Bulls Tuesday night. "I wish him well."

Shaq is bored. With David Robinson saying his farewells and Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon with both feet in the NBA grave, the Big Aristotle has run out of worthy opponents worthy.

What happened to all the great centers Shaq?

"I killed them," he replied.

While the emergence of Yao Ming has given some hope that Shaq has finally found someone to battle in the paint, a dark horse may be emerging.

With the playoffs out of reach, coach Bill Cartwright finally has turned Curry loose. Tuesday night, Curry dominated Shaq in the paint, finishing with 20 points and six rebounds to Shaq's 13 points and 10 rebounds. Even more surprising, the Bulls walked away with 116-99 victory over the defending world champions.

After the game, Shaq finally seemed interested. He claimed that there were "about two or three legitimate centers," in the entire league -- himself, Yao Ming and ... "Eddy."

"He's only 20 years old," Shaq said of Curry. "He has plenty of time to claim the 'best center' title. Whatever title he wants."

Indeed, lately, Curry has been having his way in the paint. He has scored 20 or more points in his last three games, going for 20 against the Lakers, 26 against the Clippers and 24 against the Warriors. He recently dropped 24 on the Raptors and 26 on the Heat.

Is Curry's latest hot streak just a fluke?

"No, no, no," Cartwright said. "That's the point. Eddy does have all the talent, and he works hard. He's had other good games, you know."

The Bulls have to be drooling at Curry's offensive potential.

"He's probably the most polished scorer in the paint since Shaq," one GM told Insider. "If he gets in shape, works hard on his game and learns to play defense, he'll dominate in the league. Very few big guys have his confidence on the offensive end."

Curry's combination of power dunks, baby hooks and slick moves on the block have given the Bulls a dimension they've missed all season. Cartwright started giving Curry more minutes on Feb. 19 against the Sixers. He has played more than 20 minutes in nine of the Bulls' 11 games since then. His average in those nine games? 19.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg and 1.9 bpg in just under 28 minutes per game.

So why didn't the Bulls unleash Curry sooner? Poor practice habits, bad defense and a tendency to get into quick foul trouble. But lately, Curry has been pouring it on in practice, he's improved his rebounding and shot blocking on the defensive end and, for the most part, he's starting to keep his fouls down.

"My confidence is a lot higher now," Curry said. "I feel I'm on a bit of a roll. I love going up against guys like Shaq to see where I stand. I want to be dominant like him. He overpowers everybody, and I want to develop that."

Told that Shaq is a fan, Curry couldn't help but smile. "If we can do this against a team like the Lakers," young Curry summed up, "we should be able to do it against anybody."

Shaq likes what he sees in Curry

Rick Telander / Chicago Sun-Times

Bulls play beat the champs

Roman Modrowski / Chicago Sun-Times

From trade bait to power in the paint

How could Grizzlies big man Stromile Swift go from trade bait during February to the Grizzlies' power in the paint in March?

Stromile Swift

Forward-Center

Memphis Grizzlies

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

50 8.9 5.3 0.6 .471 .726

Thank Magic GM John Gabriel.

For months Jerry West had been pushing Orlando to accept a package of Swift and Gordan Giricek in return for Mike Miller. Gabriel held out until the Grizzlies finally agreed to part with Drew Gooden instead of Swift.

Before you go and declare the Magic winners in the deal, take a look at this month's stats:

Swift: 19 ppg, 10.3 rpg and 3.5 bpg

Gooden: 15.3 ppg, 10.2 rpg and 0.5 rpg

The Grizzlies have won four straight, in part because of the improved play of Swift in the middle. Swift, who appeared to be in hibernation for the first 2½ years of his career, has plenty of people besides Gabriel to thank for his recent emergence.

Start with the Grizzlies' front office, who made a clandestine visit with one of Swift's relatives during the All-Star break. The message they sent? If Swift doesn't change the way he approaches the game, he'll be out of a job in a year.

According to team sources, Swift came back to the team after the break a changed man. Finally, the Grizzlies are starting to see the kid they thought they were getting when they spent the No. 2 pick on him in 2000.

"He's got the ability to be a dominant player in the league," one Grizzlies source said. "It's all up to Stromile. Right now, he's playing the way we always envisioned he could play. It couldn't have come at a better time. He was running out of chances."

Swift wowed the Grizzlies with his freakish athleticism (he set team records in several vertical jumping drills) and quiet demeanor in pre-draft workouts. While the Grizzlies knew he'd have to fill out to play power forward full time, they were shocked by his lack of work habits and low threshold for pain once he joined the team.

Pau Gasol

Power Forward

Memphis Grizzlies

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

62 19.0 8.8 2.7 .522 .737

Over the past month, however, Swift's practice habits have improved, as has his aggressiveness on the court. Having Miller, Pau Gasol and Wesley Person on the perimiter also has opened things up for Swift in the paint. But he still wouldn't be where he is right now without the direction of Hubie Brown.

"There's no question that we believe in what we're doing a lot more than last year," center Pau Gasol, who also has been on fire of late, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "Everybody knows their role. Everybody knows when they're going to get in the game and leave the game. That gives you confidence, too. We're much more comfortable in this situation, and you can see it on the court. Confidence makes you pay attention to detail. You trust your teammate more and make the extra pass."

Swift claims that the opportunity to play without looking over his shoulder has been the biggest change. "It's a mental thing," said Swift. "I just try to go out and play with energy. Hubie is playing me a little more and I'm just trying to make the best of the my opportunity."

Griz finally jell, meet coach's expectations

Ronald Tillery / Memphis Commercial-Appeal

Late shot gives Griz 4th win in row

Ronald Tillery / Memphis Commercial-Appeal

Uncle Cliffy gets his golden parachute

Pistons fans can forget about talk of cap room or landing a major free agent this summer.

Clifford Robinson

Forward-Center

Detroit Pistons

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

62 12.5 4.0 3.2 .402 .663

The Pistons decision to extend Cliff Robinson for another two years, along with their stated intention to re-sign Richard Hamilton this summer, will lock up their cap for the next two seasons.

"Any cap space we would have had would have been created if we chose not to re-sign Cliff and Rip," John Hammond, vice president of basketball for the Pistons told the Detroit News. "But you would be talking about losing a huge part of our team. Obviously we want to re-sign Rip. We want him here, and we want him here long-term, and we plan on doing so. That will take up our cap space, but no one in this organization is interested in us not re-signing him."

Robinson signed a two year, $10 million extension. Robinson will earn $4.74 million next season and $5.28 million in 2004-05. The team holds an option for a third year.

"Cliff's legacy in this league, I believe, will be as a true winning player," coach Rick Carlisle told the Detroit News. "He has never won fewer than 44 games in a season, and he has never missed the playoffs in his 14 seasons. This sends a clear message that contributions to winning are going to be rewarded by the Detroit Pistons."

"I am pleased that this is done and it's over," Robinson said. "It lets me know they are pleased with what I brought to the team, and they would like to keep me around. I could have played it out, waited and gone into the summer, but I am really excited about the direction this team is going. I weighed all my options, but in the end it just didn't make any sense to go anyplace else. We have started something here, and I want to be part of it when we finish it."

Robinson's signing doesn't mean the Pistons will stand pat this summer, however. The team has two first-round picks (including a potential lottery pick from the Grizzlies) and will be far enough under the luxury tax threshold to make a play for a second-tier free agent with their mid-level exception.

Robinson stays for two years, $10 million

Chris McCosky / Detroit News

Two more years for Pistons' Robinson

Helene St. James / Detroit Free Press

Peep Show

Washington Wizards: Jerry Stackhouse told the Washington Post that despite the criticism he's taken from Michael Jordan and others, he wants to remain a Wizard after this season. Stackhouse can opt out of his contract this summer. "I want to put it on the record that I want to stay here in Washington," Stackhouse told the Washington Post, offering the point unsolicited. Stackhouse said he has no problems with Jordan. "We don't have any problems, no matter what it may seem like. Tonight we were all on the same page. . . . People think because we both played for North Carolina they assume we know a lot about each other. We don't. We're trying to learn enough to build something."

Indiana Pacers: The team has lost 11 of its last 12 after Tuesday night's loss to the Hornets. They're running out of answers. "I don't know what to tell you," Jermaine O'Neal told the Indianapolis Star. "I have no answer. Hopefully as professionals we're thoroughly embarrassed. No more pep talks. No more staying in the locker room for late meetings. It's all us. Everything that's going on within the team as far as differences needs to be handled. I can't understand why as a team we won't put on our jerseys and play hard and play with pride."

New York Knicks: The team's second-round draft pick, Milos Vujanic, continues to give GM Scott Layden a hard time when pressed on whether he'll join the team next season. Vujanic first told Insider, back in December, that he was uncomfortable joining a team with three point guards already on the roster. The Knicks will likely exercise their buyout on Charlie Ward this summer, leaving them with Howard Eisley and rookie Frank Williams. Still, Vujanic doesn't want to come here and just wave towels from the bench. "I want to play in New York, but at this moment I can't guarantee 100%," Vujanic told the N.Y. Daily News. "I'm thinking about my club right now. I'll have to see how things go in New York. My goal is to be in the NBA and play in New York, but right now, I don't know."

Golden State Warriors: Talk about being tough to please. Can you believe local talk show radio hosts are blasting the Warriors (currently 2 1/2 games out of the last playoff spot) for not playing great defense. Coach Eric Musselman can't. "Last year, we held teams under 100 24 times," Musselman told the San Francisco Chronicle. "This year, we're already at 28. In 1999-2000, we held teams under 40 percent shooting seven times . . . in 2001, 10 times . . . in 2002, eight . . . this year, 12. Double-digit losses, in 2000, 41 . . . 2001, 31 . . . last year, 27 . . . this year, 11." The point is that the Warriors are trying. But they probably won't get any better until they make a few personnel moves this summer. Currently, Musselman's team is built for speed, not off-roading. He's going with what works.

Angry Words, Inspired Play

Thomas Boswell / Washington Post

Pacers continue their slide

Mark Montieth / Indianapolis Star

Knicks going the extra Milos

Frank Isola / New York Daily News

Warriors lack defense, but who cares?

Ray Ratto / San Francisco Chronicle

Defending Warriors' defense

Tim Kawakami / San Jose Mercury News