tlongII
07-14-2010, 08:57 AM
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/07/the_blazers_dante_cunningham_i.html
http://media.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/photo/dantecunninghamvegasjpeg-a07bae0bac71979d.jpeg
Dante Cunningham is greeted by teammates Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS -- If the Trail Blazers land restricted free agent Wesley Matthews, whom they have signed to an offer sheet, the team will add another defensive standout to a roster that no longer lacks capable defenders.
Marcus Camby is a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Nicolas Batum has said his goal is to be a yearly member of the NBA All-Defensive Team. Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla -- should they return healthy from major knee surgeries -- are imposing defensive presences, and LaMarcus Aldridge has pledged time and time again he will become a two-way threat.
But there's another, less-heralded member of the Blazers who coaches and players think has the desire, makeup and physical abilities to develop into a capable, if not lockdown, defender.
"I think Dante (Cunningham) has a chance to make an impact defensively," Blazers assistant coach Bill Bayno said. "I really think he can be a guy in the NBA who can hang his hat on being a good defender, someone who is able to go in and make it tough on guys to score. And good guys; you can put him on good players."
Cunningham surprisingly became a key reserve last season as a rookie when the Blazers endured a litany of injuries and illnesses. The second-year forward is intent on continuing to overachieve. He's spent a heavy chunk of this offseason expanding his offensive game -- as shown during the Blazers' 81-69 victory over the Hornets on Tuesday night in Las Vegas -- and he has aims on developing into a versatile defender that coach Nate McMillan will find difficult to keep out of the playing rotation next season.
"I feel my defense is something that's definitely going to help me stay on the court a lot longer, give me a little more value," Cunningham said. "Because I can guard twos, threes and fours. That's definitely something I'm focusing on and trying to get better at."
Bayno says the 6-foot-8, 230-pound Cunningham possesses the ideal blend of bulk and athleticism to guard a variety of positions. Cunningham has the footwork and lateral skills to keep perimeter players in front of him and force them to shoot over him. And even though Cunningham is undersized in the key, Bayno says he can front bigger forwards in the post and harass them enough to take them out of their comfort zones.
Bayno says Cunningham also is adept at reading and defending pick-and-rolls on the perimeter.
It's this versatility that could give Cunningham a shot at cracking the rotation, even if the Blazers start the season at full strength. Of course, Cunningham is intent on becoming a versatile player, not just a versatile defender.
Last season, as a second-round draft pick, Cunningham was playing for a contract and used summer league to prove he belonged in the NBA. From the first shot of his first game, he flashed his bread and butter -- the midrange jumper -- and used it throughout his rookie season, when he averaged 3.9 points per game and shot 50 percent from the field.
But NBA scouting reports are thorough and opponents eventually started cheating out to the perimeter to take away Cunningham's jumper. So he's spent this offseason working on ballhandling, driving to the basket and improving his pull-up jumper off the dribble.
"I think the biggest thing with Dante is his drive game, just working on attacking and being able to polish up the left hand so teams can't force him left," Bayno said. "We've worked on that here in the summer league and I'll get with him after summer league and when players (return to Portland) in September. We'll keep it simple, but that will be the focus -- working on attacking off the dribble and adding that to his game."
Cunningham revealed progress against the Hornets, scoring 14 points on 6 of 12 shooting. Early in the first quarter, Cunningham took two left-handed dribbles toward the basket, beat his defender and sunk a pull-up jumper near the rim. Later in the quarter, he hit a left-handed layup after beating his defender with one dribble. By the time the final horn sounded, Cunningham had tried more drives to the basket than midrange jumpers -- a development he says he could get used to.
"It's definitely different at the end of the game having the ball in your hands," he says. "I'm used to working with a guard and setting a screen on him, picking and popping and things like that. But when it comes down to it and you have the ball in your hands, it's definitely a different feeling. It's something I can definitely try to get used to. I definitely like that feeling."
Notes: Former Blazers assistant coach Joe Prunty landed an assistant coaching job with the Cleveland Cavaliers summer league team two days before the event and is with the team in Las Vegas. There is a permanent coaching vacancy with Cleveland next season and Prunty is a candidate. Prunty, who coached for the Blazers each of the last two seasons, was not retained when his contract expired June 30 but spoke positively Tuesday about his time with the Blazers. He said he would let the team's success -- a combined 104 regular-season wins in the past two seasons -- speak for itself. ... The Blazers (2-0) led by as many as 15 points Tuesday night against the Hornets (0-3) and the point guards again had a solid showing as Patty Mills (18 points, three assists and three steals) and Armon Johnson (15 points, five assists and three steals) steered the Blazers to their second consecutive win.
http://media.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/photo/dantecunninghamvegasjpeg-a07bae0bac71979d.jpeg
Dante Cunningham is greeted by teammates Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS -- If the Trail Blazers land restricted free agent Wesley Matthews, whom they have signed to an offer sheet, the team will add another defensive standout to a roster that no longer lacks capable defenders.
Marcus Camby is a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Nicolas Batum has said his goal is to be a yearly member of the NBA All-Defensive Team. Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla -- should they return healthy from major knee surgeries -- are imposing defensive presences, and LaMarcus Aldridge has pledged time and time again he will become a two-way threat.
But there's another, less-heralded member of the Blazers who coaches and players think has the desire, makeup and physical abilities to develop into a capable, if not lockdown, defender.
"I think Dante (Cunningham) has a chance to make an impact defensively," Blazers assistant coach Bill Bayno said. "I really think he can be a guy in the NBA who can hang his hat on being a good defender, someone who is able to go in and make it tough on guys to score. And good guys; you can put him on good players."
Cunningham surprisingly became a key reserve last season as a rookie when the Blazers endured a litany of injuries and illnesses. The second-year forward is intent on continuing to overachieve. He's spent a heavy chunk of this offseason expanding his offensive game -- as shown during the Blazers' 81-69 victory over the Hornets on Tuesday night in Las Vegas -- and he has aims on developing into a versatile defender that coach Nate McMillan will find difficult to keep out of the playing rotation next season.
"I feel my defense is something that's definitely going to help me stay on the court a lot longer, give me a little more value," Cunningham said. "Because I can guard twos, threes and fours. That's definitely something I'm focusing on and trying to get better at."
Bayno says the 6-foot-8, 230-pound Cunningham possesses the ideal blend of bulk and athleticism to guard a variety of positions. Cunningham has the footwork and lateral skills to keep perimeter players in front of him and force them to shoot over him. And even though Cunningham is undersized in the key, Bayno says he can front bigger forwards in the post and harass them enough to take them out of their comfort zones.
Bayno says Cunningham also is adept at reading and defending pick-and-rolls on the perimeter.
It's this versatility that could give Cunningham a shot at cracking the rotation, even if the Blazers start the season at full strength. Of course, Cunningham is intent on becoming a versatile player, not just a versatile defender.
Last season, as a second-round draft pick, Cunningham was playing for a contract and used summer league to prove he belonged in the NBA. From the first shot of his first game, he flashed his bread and butter -- the midrange jumper -- and used it throughout his rookie season, when he averaged 3.9 points per game and shot 50 percent from the field.
But NBA scouting reports are thorough and opponents eventually started cheating out to the perimeter to take away Cunningham's jumper. So he's spent this offseason working on ballhandling, driving to the basket and improving his pull-up jumper off the dribble.
"I think the biggest thing with Dante is his drive game, just working on attacking and being able to polish up the left hand so teams can't force him left," Bayno said. "We've worked on that here in the summer league and I'll get with him after summer league and when players (return to Portland) in September. We'll keep it simple, but that will be the focus -- working on attacking off the dribble and adding that to his game."
Cunningham revealed progress against the Hornets, scoring 14 points on 6 of 12 shooting. Early in the first quarter, Cunningham took two left-handed dribbles toward the basket, beat his defender and sunk a pull-up jumper near the rim. Later in the quarter, he hit a left-handed layup after beating his defender with one dribble. By the time the final horn sounded, Cunningham had tried more drives to the basket than midrange jumpers -- a development he says he could get used to.
"It's definitely different at the end of the game having the ball in your hands," he says. "I'm used to working with a guard and setting a screen on him, picking and popping and things like that. But when it comes down to it and you have the ball in your hands, it's definitely a different feeling. It's something I can definitely try to get used to. I definitely like that feeling."
Notes: Former Blazers assistant coach Joe Prunty landed an assistant coaching job with the Cleveland Cavaliers summer league team two days before the event and is with the team in Las Vegas. There is a permanent coaching vacancy with Cleveland next season and Prunty is a candidate. Prunty, who coached for the Blazers each of the last two seasons, was not retained when his contract expired June 30 but spoke positively Tuesday about his time with the Blazers. He said he would let the team's success -- a combined 104 regular-season wins in the past two seasons -- speak for itself. ... The Blazers (2-0) led by as many as 15 points Tuesday night against the Hornets (0-3) and the point guards again had a solid showing as Patty Mills (18 points, three assists and three steals) and Armon Johnson (15 points, five assists and three steals) steered the Blazers to their second consecutive win.