I love Nazr Mohammed, but.......

[SenorSpur]

He's got the worst hands on the team.

Malik was my boy and I thought his hands were terrible. Looks like Nazr's got him beat a mile.

He gets open in the post a lot. He'd average 10-12 points and the other guys would have more faith in firing passes his way if only he could catch.

They should run him through NFL-type drills to improve his pass catching ability.

[midgetonadonkey]

After he learns to catch the ball, he has to learn how to go straight up with it and not pump fake 13 times.

[nkdlunch]

I actually think, he's got good hands. Barry is gotta have the worst hands in the team.

[ShoogarBear]

It would be one thing if they were halfway-decent upfakes, but Nazr has almost the worst I've ever seen.

If he was yelling aloud "fake . . . fake . . . fake . . . SHOT!", he still couldn't be any more obvious.

[weebo]

A guy that size shouldn't pump fake. Go up strong with two hands and slam it down.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

Lmao^

I think next year after pop has a chance to create some plays to be run for Nazr, and Nazr has a chance to get comfortable with our gaurds in training camp, we should see a much better pass catcher, and he will probably quite with the double clutching because the play wont be spontaneous improvisation.

[Dre_7]

Just give him time! This time next year, he'll be a whole lot better!!!

I still think he is better then Rasho.

[Dre_7]

Lmao^

I think next year after pop has a chance to create some plays to be run for Nazr, and Nazr has a chance to get comfortable with our gaurds in training camp, we should see a much better pass catcher, and he will probably quite with the double clutching because the play wont be spontaneous improvisation.

Yeah, I agree. Give him an offseason and camp with the team, it will work wonders!

[T Park]

Give the guy some time.

If he can average 10 and 10 on the Knicks, imagine what he can do with the Spurs.

[SenorSpur]

No doubt. He's a much better fit as the starting center than Rasho.

What a steal? We should all send Isiah Thomas a big ol' Texas-sized thank you card.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

He's learning. It's not easy for most people in the league to score on the Wallace Boys, cut the guy some slack.

It's not like he can get a call against either of them either, they pretty much just beat up on him with no fear of a whistle.

[timvp]

Nazr's hands make Malik's seem like Tim Duncan. If anyone passes to him, the best they can hope for that he doesn't bobble it too far away and can get it back. Nazr had turned the corner, but in this series he can't even catch the ball and has worse moves around the basket than even Samaki Walker.

I'm counting the days down to Luis Scola. At least he can catch a pass from Manu and comes up big in big games.

[ObiwanGinobili]

i'm expecting better things from Nazr next season.
that said.. he may not be the best ball handler on the team but he is far from the worst. I've been very satisfied with his performance thus far.... but maybe thats caue I'm not expecting him to be Duncanesque. KWIM?

[conversekid]

without nazr, we aren't where we are in the finals.

I agree games 3 and 4 were horrible... he played alright in game 5 (minus the concrete hands on a few plays)... he's young and never been in this kind of situation... considering, I think he's doing alright.. better than what rasho gives us.

[T Park]

timvp

that quick

is back to comparing Nazr to Samaki Walker.

[Dre_7]

Just be patient. Next year this time it will be a different story. He WILL get better. Just watch!

[boutons]

I'll give Nazr 2 excuses:

1. He's not totally confident, at ease with his role on the Spurs, eg, help defense, rotations.

2. It's his first Conf Finals/League Finals. That's a big, bright, intimidating national TV stage first time through. He's probably nervous and tentative.

Both of these excuses should go away next season.

But I'm really dissappointed how weak his fundamentals are, his personal skills, at this mid-point in his career, and I'm not sure we're really going to see a hugely more effective Nazr this autumn. I hope Pop and RC can find a way to keep Rasho around to split the time at Center.

weak blocking out, getting blocked out, getting caught in no man's land
weak on crashing the boards (his NUMBER ONE job as a Spur).
weak finishing around the basket.
slow to come out on the pic'n'roll and switches, AND with his damn hands down.
stupid fouls

I've seen him too many stay a step or two away from a driver rathr than hustle over try to alter/block the shot. Rasho is much more aggressive here.

[TMSKILZ]

Well I Like Nazr but he's been a non-factor these past 3 games. problem with Nazr is he doesn't have a jump shot or hook shot, has bad hands, very bad & as most have pointed out, he pump fakes way too much & is soft @ times under the rim with DEFer's on him.

Nazr & the Spurs staff must I say must work with him on improving his shooting & low post game & his foot & hand work, plus rotating on DEF better.

If Nazr can develop a 7-9 foot jumper it will allow him to be more effective @ not only scoring, but drawing low post DEFers out to him & open things up more for TD down low. As DET has shown, they will crowd & sit in the lane when Nazr is on the court b/c they know he's no threat shooting the ball, makes things harder for TD.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I think Nazr's a bit better than Samaki!

I agree with everyone that he will improve with an offseason under his belt.

Besides the hands though, I am worried by his complete lack of explosiveness! He has gotten offensive rebounds that he should be slamming home, but instead he double and triple pumps and gets stuffed by the Wallaces. I think he's what they call a "slow" or "wind-up" jumper - he can only jump if he bends his knees a lot, which makes the pumps necessary and gets him blocked. he needs to learn to jump with his calves, or tip-in rather than bringing the ball down, or at the very least pass out!

And how do we offload Rasho if we are going to keep Nazr? We chased him, he took less money to play for Pop, but now his contract is an albatross... and besides, Rasho's D is excellent!

Spurs have four tough decisions this offseason - Nazr, Rasho, Brent and Devin.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I am worried by his complete lack of explosiveness!

Go partially tear your calf muscle, then try and jump, then get back to me.

[ducks]

nazr played well tell the finals

I think pistons d has alot to do with his struggles


rember duncan sucked ass 2 games in this series

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I didn't know he tore his calf, Aggie. That explains a lot because I saw him playing for the Knicks earlier this year and he looked a lot more explosive. When?

[ducks]

if tp was passing to nazr and him not catchin the passes then you people would be all over tp not nazr but since alot have came from manu it is all nazr's fault


I do not think both are to blame
they just have not played together as much as the others

rember when manu was a rookie alot of players on the spurs had a probelm with manu's unexpected passes

[E20]

Dude comparing Tim Duncan's ball handling? He has horrible grip on the ball it's almost as worse as Nazrs. :wtf

[midgetonadonkey]

Either way, I like the way he has played while he's been on the squad. I think he can help us in many ways for a fews years, if we can get him signed long-term. Hopefully he can mesh well with the guys and want to stay here.

[SenorSpur]

I don't think there is any doubt about it. Nazr will be resigned as a Spur for years to come. He's the best fit solution at the five position. He's a terror on the glass. He's simply GOT to improve his pass-catching ability and his productivity around the basket.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I still think that Nazr's hands are below average but I am willing to cut him some slack because he's coming from team of guys who don't have any big time passers to a team with guys like Parker, Ginobili, and Barry. He's getting a lot of passes through traffic that I think he's grown accustomed to no one trying to make. Remember when Ginobili was just starting out here? He made some of his crazy circus passes that would drill guys in the numbers and they just wouldn't be ready for him. I doubt there were a lot of folks in SA who thought that Duncan, Robinson, and the rest of the squad had poor hands.

[fraga]

He gets too damn scared under the basket...just take that sh!t and slam it home...dammit...

[Dingle Barry]

Nazr's hands make Malik's seem like Tim Duncan. If anyone passes to him, the best they can hope for that he doesn't bobble it too far away and can get it back. Nazr had turned the corner, but in this series he can't even catch the ball and has worse moves around the basket than even Samaki Walker.

I'm counting the days down to Luis Scola. At least he can catch a pass from Manu and comes up big in big games.

I normally respect your posts, but you're on crack here. No fucking way does Malik have better hands than Nazr. Hell, that's the only thing Nazr has on him other than height, and I hated Malik. Not that that is proof that I am right, but really, its not even close. Look at rebounding ability.

[Solid D]

I actually think, he's got good hands. Barry is gotta have the worst hands in the team.

Remember how Michael Jordan used to say when he was in his "Zone" that everything and everyone around him was in slow motion?

Well...with Nazr, it's the same thing...only opposite. Everything around him is in fast motion and he is in slow motion. The last few games, Nazr has really been in his "Zone". :hat

[Ghost Writer]

You dopes would be pumpfaking, too, if you were 6'10 and trying to score in the post with Ben friggin' Wallace and Rasheed both trying to swat your shot.

And to suggest that Nazr has worst hands than Rose is like saying Al Michaels gives more insight than Hubie Brown.


Get real.

[Extra Stout]

Nazr's hands make Malik's seem like Tim Duncan. If anyone passes to him, the best they can hope for that he doesn't bobble it too far away and can get it back. Nazr had turned the corner, but in this series he can't even catch the ball and has worse moves around the basket than even Samaki Walker.

I'm counting the days down to Luis Scola. At least he can catch a pass from Manu and comes up big in big games.I think the apparent decline in Nazr's game has a hell of a lot to do with the change from being guarded by the likes of Reggie Evans and Shawn Marion to matching up with Ben Wallace.

Big Ben would have had a Malik sandwich for lunch already.

[fraga]

You dopes would be pumpfaking, too, if you were 6'10 and trying to score in the post with Ben friggin' Wallace and Rasheed both trying to swat your shot.

You know what...that's a bunch of sh!t....Amare Stoudamire is 6'10 also, and he'd dunk the f*ck outa that ball over any and everybody....Nazr just needs to take note and go f*cking crazy and just do it and stop being such a scared little puss...