duncan228
03-05-2009, 01:52 AM
Gooden's flaw — a Dallas story (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Goodens_flaw__a_Dallas_story.html)
Buck Harvey
DALLAS — The Spurs would have preferred their prize had been available. Maybe Drew Gooden could have scored on a night when the Spurs got seven points from their bench.
Maybe he would have reduced Tim Duncan's 39 minutes, and maybe Duncan would have been fresher at the end when he made a couple of defensive mistakes. Maybe anything is possible, because Gooden comes with everything the Spurs could have ever hoped for at this time and at this price.
But there's one problem with this no-brainer of a signing, and it's with the brain. Gooden is a bright man, according those who know him, but he's never been known for his basketball IQ.
Can he fit with a coach who has rarely tolerated that?
Wednesday night was not an exhibition of the Spurs' overwhelming intelligence. At times the Mavericks veered through the lane at will.
Duncan took blame afterward for one notable defensive breakdown: Down by only two points, with about a minute left, he didn't rotate as Josh Howard went to the rim.
Maybe Gooden, watching somewhere via television, wondered about his new team.
For a while, at least, Gooden will be treated this kindly. The Spurs will happily introduce a tall, top-four draft pick still in his 20s.
The last time the Spurs had one of these was 2005. When Duncan was 29.
Little wonder the Spurs are excited about Gooden. He has a post-up game, and he can pass. He's a legitimate 6-foot-10, and he has one NBA trait that is undeniable. He rebounds.
For those who have seen the sea creature that has resided on Gooden's chin and what this says about him: He's supposed to be a decent guy and teammate.
His reputation has taken a few hits, however, ever since Jerry West dumped him in his rookie year in Memphis. After that Gooden played for four other teams, and that's never a good sign.
Still, scouts never saw him as a cancer or a loafer. Gooden has worked, and he's been productive, and he's better now at paying attention to details.
But none of that changes his flaw, and there's a story that outlines this. This began in Dallas, too.
Francisco Elson had arrived in San Antonio with similar athletic promise in 2006. He came in a different package than Gooden, at 7-feet and skinny. But when Elson chased Dirk Nowitzki in a win in Dallas early that season, it appeared the Spurs had found an answer for their rival.
Elson wanted to be that, and he tried. But he reacted slowly to the Spurs' defensive switches, when he wasn't busting the play altogether. He started the first playoff game that next spring and blew a few more basic assignments, and Gregg Popovich reacted as he does.
He benched him. Fab Oberto, smarter than he is athletic, started the rest of the way to a championship.
Oberto's opposite on the front line in the NBA Finals: Gooden.
Gooden's stats were better in that series, as they will always be. But Oberto knew how to play, and how to adjust under pressure, and Popovich has another capable big man of doing the same now.
Kurt Thomas. He ended with only four points Wednesday night, but he might have been the most solid Spur outside of a starting backcourt that combined for 60 points.
Popovich will want Gooden to be the same, and he has reason to believe it is possible. Gooden played for Mike Brown in Cleveland, and Gooden knows the system.
The problem? Gooden was known to react poorly in that system.
It can get complicated. Duncan, after all, says he was at fault Wednesday night, and no one follows the Popovich rules as well as Duncan. Malik Hairston botched a few covers early, too, and Popovich sat him the rest of the way.
Popovich will try to remember that, and he will try to be patient with Gooden. He will want to emphasize what Gooden does right, and he will tell himself that Gooden is new to the Spurs.
But in the spring?
Then Popovich likes to play a certain way.
Buck Harvey
DALLAS — The Spurs would have preferred their prize had been available. Maybe Drew Gooden could have scored on a night when the Spurs got seven points from their bench.
Maybe he would have reduced Tim Duncan's 39 minutes, and maybe Duncan would have been fresher at the end when he made a couple of defensive mistakes. Maybe anything is possible, because Gooden comes with everything the Spurs could have ever hoped for at this time and at this price.
But there's one problem with this no-brainer of a signing, and it's with the brain. Gooden is a bright man, according those who know him, but he's never been known for his basketball IQ.
Can he fit with a coach who has rarely tolerated that?
Wednesday night was not an exhibition of the Spurs' overwhelming intelligence. At times the Mavericks veered through the lane at will.
Duncan took blame afterward for one notable defensive breakdown: Down by only two points, with about a minute left, he didn't rotate as Josh Howard went to the rim.
Maybe Gooden, watching somewhere via television, wondered about his new team.
For a while, at least, Gooden will be treated this kindly. The Spurs will happily introduce a tall, top-four draft pick still in his 20s.
The last time the Spurs had one of these was 2005. When Duncan was 29.
Little wonder the Spurs are excited about Gooden. He has a post-up game, and he can pass. He's a legitimate 6-foot-10, and he has one NBA trait that is undeniable. He rebounds.
For those who have seen the sea creature that has resided on Gooden's chin and what this says about him: He's supposed to be a decent guy and teammate.
His reputation has taken a few hits, however, ever since Jerry West dumped him in his rookie year in Memphis. After that Gooden played for four other teams, and that's never a good sign.
Still, scouts never saw him as a cancer or a loafer. Gooden has worked, and he's been productive, and he's better now at paying attention to details.
But none of that changes his flaw, and there's a story that outlines this. This began in Dallas, too.
Francisco Elson had arrived in San Antonio with similar athletic promise in 2006. He came in a different package than Gooden, at 7-feet and skinny. But when Elson chased Dirk Nowitzki in a win in Dallas early that season, it appeared the Spurs had found an answer for their rival.
Elson wanted to be that, and he tried. But he reacted slowly to the Spurs' defensive switches, when he wasn't busting the play altogether. He started the first playoff game that next spring and blew a few more basic assignments, and Gregg Popovich reacted as he does.
He benched him. Fab Oberto, smarter than he is athletic, started the rest of the way to a championship.
Oberto's opposite on the front line in the NBA Finals: Gooden.
Gooden's stats were better in that series, as they will always be. But Oberto knew how to play, and how to adjust under pressure, and Popovich has another capable big man of doing the same now.
Kurt Thomas. He ended with only four points Wednesday night, but he might have been the most solid Spur outside of a starting backcourt that combined for 60 points.
Popovich will want Gooden to be the same, and he has reason to believe it is possible. Gooden played for Mike Brown in Cleveland, and Gooden knows the system.
The problem? Gooden was known to react poorly in that system.
It can get complicated. Duncan, after all, says he was at fault Wednesday night, and no one follows the Popovich rules as well as Duncan. Malik Hairston botched a few covers early, too, and Popovich sat him the rest of the way.
Popovich will try to remember that, and he will try to be patient with Gooden. He will want to emphasize what Gooden does right, and he will tell himself that Gooden is new to the Spurs.
But in the spring?
Then Popovich likes to play a certain way.