ducks
10-14-2006, 08:57 AM
Nesterovic to take pressure off Bosh
Seven-footer may lack a scoring touch, but Raptors like veteran big man's game
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061014.RAPTORS14/TPStory/Sports
TORONTO -- During his first eight years in the National Basketball Association, Rasho Nesterovic was never much of a scorer.
There was that career blip during the 2002-03 regular season when the seven-footer soared to a career high of 11.2 points a game while starting 77 contests for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves, however, weren't so impressed by this offensive surge, allowing the Slovene to become a free agent. Nesterovic left town to sign with the San Antonio Spurs. But, in his three years with the Spurs, Nesterovic's offence tumbled.
Last year, starting 51 games alongside perennial NBA all-star Tim Duncan, Nesterovic's scoring average dipped to 4.5 points, his lowest output since his rookie season in 1998-99. His career average over eight years in the league stands at an even seven points.
He is now with the Toronto Raptors, who secured him over the summer in the trade that sent popular Matt Bonner and the brooding Eric Williams to the Spurs.
And it wasn't Nesterovic's offensive capabilities that the Raptors so coveted. It was his big body -- 270 pounds of imposing muscle that the Raptors hope will act as a security blanket for Chris Bosh, who was required to do much of the heavy lifting at centre last season.
As the season wore on, having to battle players who were often 40 pounds heavier -- or more -- extracted a physical toll on Bosh, who still averaged 22.5 points and 9.2 rebounds and made the NBA all-star team.
"In the fourth quarter, it took his legs away," coach Sam Mitchell said of the pounding Bosh received.
With Nesterovic expected to be pencilled in as the starting centre once the regular season begins early next month, Bosh will be able to concentrate more on his duties at power forward, which is much more suited to his slender 225-pound, 6-foot-10 frame.
"I think for us having Rasho gives us some options," Mitchell said yesterday after practice at the Air Canada Centre. "There are nights we're going to play against, not necessarily a dominating centre, but just a big body. And in the past we didn't have that guy with experience that knows how to play, that can go out there and play that guy.
"And if you watch Rasho, if you watch him on tape, defensively he's where he's supposed to be all the time. He very rarely makes mistakes defensively. He's a good passer. We still believe he's going to be able to score for us some nights."
Nesterovic has yet to display that scoring form. Through Toronto's first two preseason games, while averaging 12 minutes of playing time, he has made only one of six shots.
"This is just the preseason," Nesterovic said. "Coach is trying to find the guys that are going to be able to play during the regular season. Players are trying to find their role within the team."
While in Minnesota, Nesterovic had the opportunity to play alongside Kevin Garnett and in San Antonio with Duncan, considered the two top power forwards in the NBA.
Nesterovic believes Bosh deserves membership in that elite club.
"He's an all-star, he's one of the best guys in the league," Nesterovic said of his new teammate, whose free-flowing style most reminds the big man of Garnett. "If he's going to keep working hard, which he does, he's going to definitely improve even more."
Bosh, who will see more preseason action tomorrow when the Raptors play the New Jersey Nets at the Air Canada Centre, said he is just thankful to have Nesterovic along to take some of the weight off his shoulders.
"He's going to take a lot [of pressure] off," Bosh said. "We're going to run a few plays for him, maybe a lot of plays if he gets going. He might have a lot of nights where he's the low post scorer.
"We just want to take advantage of having a low post body that's experienced down low."
Seven-footer may lack a scoring touch, but Raptors like veteran big man's game
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061014.RAPTORS14/TPStory/Sports
TORONTO -- During his first eight years in the National Basketball Association, Rasho Nesterovic was never much of a scorer.
There was that career blip during the 2002-03 regular season when the seven-footer soared to a career high of 11.2 points a game while starting 77 contests for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves, however, weren't so impressed by this offensive surge, allowing the Slovene to become a free agent. Nesterovic left town to sign with the San Antonio Spurs. But, in his three years with the Spurs, Nesterovic's offence tumbled.
Last year, starting 51 games alongside perennial NBA all-star Tim Duncan, Nesterovic's scoring average dipped to 4.5 points, his lowest output since his rookie season in 1998-99. His career average over eight years in the league stands at an even seven points.
He is now with the Toronto Raptors, who secured him over the summer in the trade that sent popular Matt Bonner and the brooding Eric Williams to the Spurs.
And it wasn't Nesterovic's offensive capabilities that the Raptors so coveted. It was his big body -- 270 pounds of imposing muscle that the Raptors hope will act as a security blanket for Chris Bosh, who was required to do much of the heavy lifting at centre last season.
As the season wore on, having to battle players who were often 40 pounds heavier -- or more -- extracted a physical toll on Bosh, who still averaged 22.5 points and 9.2 rebounds and made the NBA all-star team.
"In the fourth quarter, it took his legs away," coach Sam Mitchell said of the pounding Bosh received.
With Nesterovic expected to be pencilled in as the starting centre once the regular season begins early next month, Bosh will be able to concentrate more on his duties at power forward, which is much more suited to his slender 225-pound, 6-foot-10 frame.
"I think for us having Rasho gives us some options," Mitchell said yesterday after practice at the Air Canada Centre. "There are nights we're going to play against, not necessarily a dominating centre, but just a big body. And in the past we didn't have that guy with experience that knows how to play, that can go out there and play that guy.
"And if you watch Rasho, if you watch him on tape, defensively he's where he's supposed to be all the time. He very rarely makes mistakes defensively. He's a good passer. We still believe he's going to be able to score for us some nights."
Nesterovic has yet to display that scoring form. Through Toronto's first two preseason games, while averaging 12 minutes of playing time, he has made only one of six shots.
"This is just the preseason," Nesterovic said. "Coach is trying to find the guys that are going to be able to play during the regular season. Players are trying to find their role within the team."
While in Minnesota, Nesterovic had the opportunity to play alongside Kevin Garnett and in San Antonio with Duncan, considered the two top power forwards in the NBA.
Nesterovic believes Bosh deserves membership in that elite club.
"He's an all-star, he's one of the best guys in the league," Nesterovic said of his new teammate, whose free-flowing style most reminds the big man of Garnett. "If he's going to keep working hard, which he does, he's going to definitely improve even more."
Bosh, who will see more preseason action tomorrow when the Raptors play the New Jersey Nets at the Air Canada Centre, said he is just thankful to have Nesterovic along to take some of the weight off his shoulders.
"He's going to take a lot [of pressure] off," Bosh said. "We're going to run a few plays for him, maybe a lot of plays if he gets going. He might have a lot of nights where he's the low post scorer.
"We just want to take advantage of having a low post body that's experienced down low."