missmyzte
05-11-2006, 10:52 PM
I was right! Reference: http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=927391&postcount=4
Center spectrum keeps getting wider
By David DuPree, USA TODAY
The NBA center is in transition. Defined no longer as simply the biggest guy on the court, today he is the player who is at his best closest to the basket.
The eight starting centers among current playoff teams range from the overpowering 7-1, 300-pound-plus Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat to three-point specialist Robert Horry of the San Antonio Spurs.
The highest-scoring center in the playoffs is listed as a power forward, San Antonio's Tim Duncan. He is averaging 21.1 points — 13th among playoff leaders.
"You can call him whatever you want, but Duncan is their low-post guy who plays in the traditional center position, block to block," says Dallas Mavericks assistant Del Harris.
The Spurs pencil in Horry as the starting center, but he doesn't consider himself one.
"It's just a name," Horry says. "I'm like a guard anyway. I hardly ever go past the three-point line. You just have to know how to get out of the way."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he doesn't call anybody center.
"If I call one of them the center, he'll be mad at me," Popovich says. "They just don't think it's cool. We don't have any plays for the five man — we just say, 'Hey, it's for you, you're the biggest.' " :lol
Phoenix's Boris Diaw, whose natural position is point guard, is that player for the Suns. At 6-8, 203 pounds, he is the only player in the playoffs averaging at least 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and shooting 55%.
"I'm quicker than the big guys and try to get around them," Diaw says of facing bigger players.
"With (Phoenix), you almost have to put your center on him or eliminate your center," says Harris.
Voted the NBA's most improved player this season, Diaw has played all five positions for the Suns.
That's not the only quirk when it comes to centers, who were the heart of the offense in the 1980s and '90s.
Dallas' DeSagana Diop is averaging more than three times as many fouls (4.3) as he is points (1.3). Diop's backup, Erick Dampier, plays more minutes than Diop, but averages only 4.7 points and 3.7 fouls. "Our centers rebound, play defense and set picks," says Harris.
A look at the starting centers for the remaining teams:
• Diaw, Phoenix: He can shoot three-pointers, lead the break as well as finish it, a clever passer.
• Diop, Dallas: Job description says rebound, play defense, set picks and don't save any fouls.
• Duncan, San Antonio: Forget the charades of Horry as the center, even though on paper he replaced Rasho Nesterovic and Nazr Mohammed after the first two games of the playoffs. Duncan is the Spurs real center and the offense runs through him and the defense is directed by him.
•Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland: Tallest center still playing at 7-3. He runs the pick-and-roll very well, has good hands and his turnaround jumper is very effective.
•Nenad Krstic, New Jersey: Not overpowering, but has nice moves inside and can make the medium-range jump shot.
•Chris Kaman, L.A. Clippers: Plays hard and is difficult to keep off of the glass at 7-0 and 265 pounds.
• O'Neal, Miami: The only player still in the playoffs averaging a double-double. He overpowers defenders, but has been called for several offensive fouls in the postseason, forcing him to adjust his game on the block.
•Ben Wallace, Detroit: The top rebounder still playing. Though limited offensively, no one defends — rebounds, steals and blocks shots — like he does.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/playoffs/2006-05-11-centers_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA
Center spectrum keeps getting wider
By David DuPree, USA TODAY
The NBA center is in transition. Defined no longer as simply the biggest guy on the court, today he is the player who is at his best closest to the basket.
The eight starting centers among current playoff teams range from the overpowering 7-1, 300-pound-plus Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat to three-point specialist Robert Horry of the San Antonio Spurs.
The highest-scoring center in the playoffs is listed as a power forward, San Antonio's Tim Duncan. He is averaging 21.1 points — 13th among playoff leaders.
"You can call him whatever you want, but Duncan is their low-post guy who plays in the traditional center position, block to block," says Dallas Mavericks assistant Del Harris.
The Spurs pencil in Horry as the starting center, but he doesn't consider himself one.
"It's just a name," Horry says. "I'm like a guard anyway. I hardly ever go past the three-point line. You just have to know how to get out of the way."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he doesn't call anybody center.
"If I call one of them the center, he'll be mad at me," Popovich says. "They just don't think it's cool. We don't have any plays for the five man — we just say, 'Hey, it's for you, you're the biggest.' " :lol
Phoenix's Boris Diaw, whose natural position is point guard, is that player for the Suns. At 6-8, 203 pounds, he is the only player in the playoffs averaging at least 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and shooting 55%.
"I'm quicker than the big guys and try to get around them," Diaw says of facing bigger players.
"With (Phoenix), you almost have to put your center on him or eliminate your center," says Harris.
Voted the NBA's most improved player this season, Diaw has played all five positions for the Suns.
That's not the only quirk when it comes to centers, who were the heart of the offense in the 1980s and '90s.
Dallas' DeSagana Diop is averaging more than three times as many fouls (4.3) as he is points (1.3). Diop's backup, Erick Dampier, plays more minutes than Diop, but averages only 4.7 points and 3.7 fouls. "Our centers rebound, play defense and set picks," says Harris.
A look at the starting centers for the remaining teams:
• Diaw, Phoenix: He can shoot three-pointers, lead the break as well as finish it, a clever passer.
• Diop, Dallas: Job description says rebound, play defense, set picks and don't save any fouls.
• Duncan, San Antonio: Forget the charades of Horry as the center, even though on paper he replaced Rasho Nesterovic and Nazr Mohammed after the first two games of the playoffs. Duncan is the Spurs real center and the offense runs through him and the defense is directed by him.
•Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland: Tallest center still playing at 7-3. He runs the pick-and-roll very well, has good hands and his turnaround jumper is very effective.
•Nenad Krstic, New Jersey: Not overpowering, but has nice moves inside and can make the medium-range jump shot.
•Chris Kaman, L.A. Clippers: Plays hard and is difficult to keep off of the glass at 7-0 and 265 pounds.
• O'Neal, Miami: The only player still in the playoffs averaging a double-double. He overpowers defenders, but has been called for several offensive fouls in the postseason, forcing him to adjust his game on the block.
•Ben Wallace, Detroit: The top rebounder still playing. Though limited offensively, no one defends — rebounds, steals and blocks shots — like he does.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/playoffs/2006-05-11-centers_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA