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At this point his rebounding and garbage points will be just fine. Bonner at the 3? Um, no.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/bal...urn=nba,145697
Drew Gooden on the Spurs? It could work
By Kelly Dwyer
This is going to sound very strange.
Drew Gooden can really help the San Antonio Spurs. Like, championship-help. I mean that.
This is assuming, of course, that his groin injury isn't too serious. Now, all we've heard about the guy recently is that his groin injury is quite serious, serious enough to keep him out for the rest of the year, but let's work as if he should be at full strength by the weekend.
With all things equal on the health front, regardless of how healthy he actually is, let's try to crack this nut. And he is a nutter. Boy, is he ever.
Gooden works hard. And just because he's about to join his sixth team in a seven-year career, it doesn't mean he needs to be riled into contributing. Motivation, in whatever form, is not the issue. The question that keeps popping up is whether or not Gooden is cerebral enough to make a positive contribution to a good or great team. Or even a bad team.
And that's because the guy makes odd, odd mistakes. He's not lazy, but he does look the part at times, whiffing defensively over and over again. And yet, he'll put up 20 and 13 every so often while utilizing an undersized frame that shouldn't be tall or strong enough to compile those numbers. To say nothing of his limited athleticism.
So how is this overachiever constantly underachieving? Is it smarts, or motivation?
Well, and I'm truly sorry for going down this path, he does constantly look the part of a guy who wants to help, but can't fully grasp the entire plan of attack. Especially defensively. Gooden is constantly out of position defensively, his work with the Bulls earlier this season (in spite of his "glue guy" rep) was a huge hindrance to the team, mainly because he was constantly hurting Chicago on that end both in terms of one-on-one matchups and weak side work.
But how does that explain the way he was able to pile up points and boards in limited minutes, with few plays called for him, and with bigger and stronger bigs in his way? How does that explain the way he's able to use his head in piling up the points and caroms, without having his number called, while appearing to not take his team out of its planned offensive flow?
Again, the effort was there. Yes, he was shooting for a contract. Literally, as the 20-footers kept clanging and clanging. It was a horrible, low-percentage shot that rarely went in and always hurt Chicago, partially because it meant Gooden never got to the free throw line.
But he never acted the part of a basketball dope, saying the right things in the locker room, dressing well, essentially blowing away the image of the rookie who -- in 2002 -- seemed unaware that Memphis was actually in the state of Tennessee.
Dopes don't usually dress as intriguingly as he does, or as fashionably. And eccentrics don't don the sort of facial hair he does. Nor do fashionistas. Because, while his goatee may seem strange or unorthodox, it seems more in common with a bored frat boy than a crazed boffin, two steps away from a cure for cancer.
In fact, the only sorts that tend to utilize that sort of "I've let it go this far, pay attention to me, please" facial hair tend to be swilling Pepsi in front of a computer screen, too unimaginative to cut it but too keen to not look like their boss. While they plunk away at some online shoot ‘em up video contest.
So we've spent nearly 600 words detailing how much we don't know about Drew Gooden, yay internet, but what can he do with the Spurs?
Well, assuming he can play at full strength, he can help this team to another championship. Seriously.
Gooden can score in the low post. And Tim Duncan really hasn't had a guy like that alongside him, ever. The closest he ever had was Nazr Mohammed, in the 2005 championship run, and I'm aware that Duncan played alongside David Robinson from 1997 to 2003.
Robinson, you'll hopefully remember, was pretty inefficient as a low post guy following the broken foot that kept him out of nearly the entire 1996-97 season. Though the Spurs tried to force feed him the ball down there during Duncan's rookie year, he was essentially a high post demon and defensive mainstay for the remainder of his career. And when the Spurs realized this during the lockout year, treating Duncan as the offensive star, the championships starting piling up.
Duncan's older now, and though he's still a far more preferable option in the low post than someone like Drew Gooden, he could still use a break now and again. And that break can come with Duncan on the court, mind you, playing Robinson's old role. While Gooden hooks (not the shot, but the illegal arm move) his way to quick position and a series of interior scores.
Assuming he's healthy. Assuming his head's on straight. Assuming his defense doesn't drive Coach Pop mad. Assuming he's not trying to reverse roles, head to the high post, and ignore Duncan in the post while he chucks up a low percentage jumper from the top of the key. And assuming Coach Pop plays the guy over Matt Bonner for long stretches, a move that could really help his team.
Gregg Popovich doesn't even need to sit Bonner. San Antonio's defense is stout enough, so run Bonner at small forward for stretches, keep him on the strong side with Gooden in the low post, and help him defensively. This could work. This, with Ginobili eventually returning and Duncan's brilliance keeping everything together, could be huge.
I mean that. Gooden has all the tools to be the sort of player that could push this team over the top. And his low post abilities and rebounding give the Spurs an option that they've just never had around Duncan. Guys like Bonner (shooting) or Fabricio Oberto (high post passing, defense) or Rasho Nesterovic (underrated defense, passing) were fantastic in their role as "center," but Gooden can bring something completely different.
Winning-different.
It's up to Drew. He has the talent and the touch to be a missing piece, and he's proven he can come through with the effort needed to stay on the court for 40 minutes. It's up to him to keep his game consistent, and play like a Spur.
At this point his rebounding and garbage points will be just fine. Bonner at the 3? Um, no.
duncan better watch out gooden might take his starting job
So when do we find out if he is healthy???
Would the Spurs be signing him if he his injury would require a while to heal?
Exactly. People in here want Gooden to be a 20-10 guy by shooting mid-range shots and by slashing to the basket to dunk. The Spurs don't need him to be that. He needs to go after the rebounds and score when open or score off of putbacks. Nothing more. Yes his defense is suspect, but then again Orberto, Bonner, Nazr, aren't or weren't that good to begin with.
They already knew of his injury and Pop said he could take as much time as he needed to heal. He is a Spur now so i'm pulling for him. He's in a good situation here where he is gonna have a chance to show what he has left or where he is headed(careerwise). I believe. Thats what us Spurs fans do well right "Believe".
My guess is that this groin/hernia thing isn't that big of a deal. If it was, the Spurs wouldn't be signing him.
It's clear the hernia thing is just another CIA Pop ploy
I don't know if its CIA POP because he missed time because of an injury before being bought out. He's missed playing time even in Chicago because of this injury if I'm correct.
Key phrase - play like a Spur. If he can do anything close to that then we've got a better shot at a ring than before his signing.
How will he fit into the system? It's nice that he played under Brown on the Cavs which means he will have some feel for our system since both are relatively similar. Can he focus on his defensive positioning rather than not?
Lots of ifs but if he can come throught to any degree then I like our chances.
And the groin thing - how serious is it? Duno and so far nobody has really nailed that down so it's a wait and see on that.
Let's get something straight. Gooden doesn't put the Spurs over the top. Gooden will solidify the team and give us other options to put on the floor IF he is healthy.
We're winning this ing thing with him or without him. A healthy Manu Ginobili puts the Spurs over the top...this year and last year.
Bonner at the 3 would be a big joke. He will not be able to guard opposing 3's. I know he added SOME driving to the basket to his game, but c'mon.
If you or I or anyone in here was forced to play for the Bulls or Kings, you would have a Groin Injury too.
I think that playing for Pop and with Tim will light a fire under his ass. I really think the Big 3, most notably Timmy, have made all the players around them better the past couple years. Gooden will be fine, we just need someone who can score on the block here and there, rebound, and bring hustle and energy.
This makes the Spurs front line huge! Duncan, Bonner, Gooden.
Bonner at the 5 is kind of a joke also. It's not like he's great defending anyone, really. He gets pushed around by post players and can't rebound.
If anything, he has more quickness than strength and so yes I would agree with Dwyer and experiment with Bonner at the 3 to see what happens. Pop experiments with every other lineup so I don't see why he shouldn't experiment with this one. It's not like we have a true 3 that's getting many minutes at the moment.
this article is condescending. the author is essentially saying "poor gooden, he wants to help so much but he just can't figure it out." gooden can become like odom next to duncan. without gasol, odom always struggled as the second scoring option on the lakers. but with gasol, he becomes a rebounding machine that scores when needed. gooden has always been the primary low post scoring option. now that gooden has duncan, he can remove the pressure from himself and fit into a better role.
we all know that Duncan is actually our 5, even if he's listed at PF..
Bonner could work at the 3, but only depending on the matchup..we would have to zone it up, or mask him by covering an offensive liability on the other team..
True. Odem is no rocket scientist either. We saw what happened when Gasol wasn't around. They were not contending at this current level at all.
How about against Ariza?
lol...I was thinking about that last night. I was wondering if it was possible that it was done to keep other teams from pulling the trigger.
Shouldn't these people actually have to watch the games before writing articles like this?
1. All the 20 footers clanging and clanging? He's put up 13.8 FGA/36 this season. Last season he put up 14.0, and his career average is 13.1. Doesn't look like he's been a shot-hog this season.
2. The horrible, low-percentage shots? His FG% this season is .460. Last season it was .449, and his career FG% is .470. Doesn't look like he is shooting a lot worse this season. It's possible to miss all your 20-footers, but make up the shooting percentage near the basket. But not without a lot more attempts. See #1 above.
3. He never got to the free throw line? His FTA/36 this season is 3.8. Last season it was 3.6, and the season before it was 3.2. His career average is 4.0 FTA/36. Doesn't look like he has had trouble getting to the line this season. Oh, and by the way... his FT% this season is .869, compared to his career average of .730.
It's funny - all of Gooden's numbers are at, or slightly above his career averages. Meanwhile, back in Chicago: Joakim Noah's numbers are off. Luol Deng's numbers are off. Nocioni's numbers were off. Ben Gordon's scoring is down. Salmons' numbers have taken a hit since he went to Chicago. I wonder if any of the problems in Chicago might be related to having a rookie point guard, and that self-absorbed headcase Noah in the middle?
When the writer can't get the obvious stuff right, it makes me question the rest. I know he has his troubles defensively, but he's also played on several crappy teams. And even though Cleveland is a good team with LBJ, Mike Brown isn't exactly the defensive mastermind that Pop is. We'll see what Gooden can do in a defensive system. I have my doubts, but not because of this dip article.
Last edited by GSH; 03-04-2009 at 04:35 PM.
I believe in fate and destiny.
A move like this makes me feel like the Spurs are destined to win the championship this year.
Or maybe its just wishful thinking.....
drew gooden knows his going to get paid no matter what happens end of this season campaign.....
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