wow. that article makes rasho seem like a nba center
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/servl...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 Mitc 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," Mitc 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."
wow. that article makes rasho seem like a nba center
The only way he can take pressure off people is if he starts trying 3s. And dunking the ball. And improving free throws. And getting stronger. And many other things,.
Spoken like a true Spurs fan, I know, but it amazes me how much people underestimate the value of defense.
And Beno should leave too. Definitely.
"allowing the Slovene to become a free agent. Nesterovic left town"
huh? The contract expiration made Rasho a free agent, not the Twolves. IIRC, MIN offered him more money than the Spurs and were surprised when he left.
"270 pounds of imposing muscle"
muscle? Rasho looks like he's never been in a weight room.
imposing? with his chin tucked into his chest?
Fixed."255* pounds of imposing muscle"
*According to the roster.
Yes, Minn offered Rasho 7 years and $52M and were ready to go higher to get him to stay. Rasho told McHale that at that point it wasn't about wanting more money but what was the best place for him to be.
I know that Spurs fans will just want to trash Rasho, but for what Toronto needs- I would think that some fans would understand the value to them of having a true center- especially when they have a power forward who actually wants to be a PF. Plus, they are in the financial situation to afford that luxury because Bosh, Ford, and Bargnani are all under rookie contracts-- like Manu and Tony were when Rasho came to the Spurs.
Also, for all of fans' underestimation of Rasho, it sure is interesting how two of the best players in the game wanted his big body acquired when they were getting ready to sign big, long, new contracts. People forget-- 3 years ago Tim wanted someone to "replace" David's role (and not himself)- and Bosh wanted a big body to spare him the wear and tear. We will see this season how Tim fairs without it-- because he has never been without.
"And if you watch Rasho, if you watch him on tape, defensively he's where he's supposed to be all the time."
For a team that needed a big jumpstart defensively this is why he is there-- position defense. Check the stats sometime and see who had the best stats last season for the Spurs-- defensive points allowed per 100 possessions.
I think Rasho will thrive in Toronto. He's in the east, expectations are not as high as in SA. He's a smart guy that can play defense and he can be part of the offense but in our line up he was only ahead of Bowen in ranking of offensive options and Bruce would often try to take it to the rack anyway and be more of the offense.
Nesterovic a big relief
Other than a sore foot, Chris Bosh is feeling pretty good about himself these days. And his team.
The Raptors are 2-0 in pre-season play, the depth off the bench has been greatly upgraded, and the pressure of being the one legitimate big man on the team has been alleviated with the arrival of centre Rasho Nesterovic.
"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 and he might have a lot of nights where he's the low-post scorer. We want to take advantage of having a big body (who has experience) down low.
"He knows how to play defence, he talks, he does a lot of little things that will help us," Bosh said.
Head coach Sam Mitc said there were numerous times last season when Bosh ran out of gas late in games simply because he had to carry too much of the load in the low post.
"Having Rasho give us some options," Mitc said. "There are going to be some nights when 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 the experience that knows how to play that can go out and play that guy."
Mitc said that while the 7-foot, 270-pound Nesterovic is not flashy, he is a good passer and rarely out of position.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Basketball...24848-sun.html
Nesterovic is only relieved as in he need to be relieved of being the starting center for any team he's on. He is no defensive monster like this article makes him out to be. Having Duncan took pressure off of Nesterovic on defense. Bosh isn't the same as Duncan.
How is this Spurs related???
People just love Rasho too much to put it in the NBA Forum. I don't know why.
DUCKS started this thread. We have kept our Rasho talk in the NBA Forum- unlike the numerous threads I have read in the past few years on Jax, Speedy, Malik, Devin and Nazr-- including two RIGHT NOW!!
I already posted this in the NBA forum early this morning in the Raptors news thread.
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