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Not a bad article. I find it amazing that people who have played basketball for so long have so much trouble with fundemental defensive sets, however. He never played help defense before????
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....1c9629e5.html
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
MIAMI — The Los Angeles Lakers were in town, but to Nazr Mohammed that meant only another night of cheerleading.
A third-year center with Philadelphia, Mohammed hadn't played in nearly a month. With little reason for that to end, he made sure to get in a hard workout before the game.
As Mohammed returned to the locker room, 76ers coach Larry Brown told him the NBA had suspended Matt Geiger for a steroid violation. Theo Ratliff was already out with a wrist injury.
Not only was Mohammed starting, but he also would be needed to guard Shaquille O'Neal for the first time.
"I was already dripping with sweat," Mohammed said. "I felt set up."
Mohammed scored 12 points in the 76ers' victory. He also learned that no matter the cir stances, he had better be ready to play each night.
Almost five years later, Mohammed continues to adhere to that. With O'Neal and the Miami Heat waiting at American Airlines Arena tonight and Robert Horry likely missing his second consecutive game with a lower abdominal strain, Mohammed figures Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will call on him. When, or for how long, remains to be seen.
After starting every playoff game in the Spurs' 2005 championship drive, Mohammed's place in the rotation has been anything but consistent this season. Rasho Nesterovic's improved play, Mohammed's own struggles and the tendency by teams to use smaller lineups have dropped his minutes to an average of 12.7 per game.
"It's extremely tough, but what can you do about it?" Mohammed said. "The last thing you want to happen is have the opportunity come and not be prepared for it."
Mohammed realized that last season. Acquired from New York for Malik Rose at the trade deadline, he played sparingly until Nesterovic sprained his left ankle in April. Mohammed averaged 7.1 points and 6.7 rebounds in the playoffs as a starter.
The Spurs figured Mohammed would begin this season as he ended last. But after his wife and newborn son became ill during training camp, he missed two weeks of workouts. His conditioning was further set back because he fasted in observance of Ramadan.
Mohammed has worked his way into shape, but his time on the court has remained limited.
In Wednesday's victory over Milwaukee, Mohammed had two points and five rebounds in 24 minutes, his most action in almost two months. His performance was much like his season: productive at times but not error-free. After Bucks center Jamaal Magloire broke loose for a dunk in the fourth quarter, Mohammed unsuccessfully tried to force a pass into Michael Finley.
"As a starter, you have to really mess up in order to come out before four minutes," Mohammed said. "When you're coming off the bench and you try to go out there and make a spark, and it doesn't work, you're coming out of the game."
Though Mohammed is a better rebounder, he lacks Nesterovic's awareness of where to be in the Spurs' defensive sets. Nesterovic may not be athletic enough to make some plays but rarely is caught out of position.
"With some things, like trapping baseline on the post, it takes a second to click because I've never done that," Mohammed said. "But the more I'm here, the more I'm learning."
Mohammed is glad Popovich has evaluated him on how he's performed and not on his overall stats. That included a compliment Monday after four points, two rebounds and two blocks in 15 minutes against Memphis.
"If I was him, I'd be frustrated," Popovich said. "But this guy comes to practice every day and busts his (butt). I have to take my hat off to him. It's a tough situation he's in."
That Mohammed is in the last season of his contract only complicates matters. The Spurs discussed an extension with him over the summer, but he decided to table talks until the end of the season when he'll become a free agent and be eligible for a five-year contract. Under NBA rules, the maximum extension he could have received last summer was four years, $28 million.
Mohammed, who said he's at the point where contract length matters more than annual salary, remains hopeful of staying.
"I'm trying to impress coach and let them know what I can do and how I want to be here for the long run," Mohammed said. "But at the same time I don't want to do anything out of the ordinary that can hurt the team."
Mohammed's size and contract have attracted interest from teams in need of a big man before the trade deadline.
The Spurs are assessing their options, but any improvement may need to come internally: Tim Duncan, whose sore right foot has hindered his ability to defend and rebound, and Horry will have to play better if the team is going to defend its le. Athletic rebounders available via trade, like Seattle's Reggie Evans, would struggle taking minutes from Duncan, Horry and the team's centers.
Of course, if the Spurs desire more rebounding, Mohammed thinks he can help. His most frustrating moment came in the second half of last week's loss to Detroit when he remained on the bench while the Spurs were mauled on the offensive boards.
"Everybody is going to have to do their part for us to repeat," he said. "And at some point, I'm going to have to do mine."
Last edited by Bruno; 01-20-2006 at 05:38 AM.
Not a bad article. I find it amazing that people who have played basketball for so long have so much trouble with fundemental defensive sets, however. He never played help defense before????
"have so much trouble with fundemental defensive sets"
Nazr just isn't very basketball smart and has weak fundamentals.
If he were a foot shorter, he'd would be working as .... ?
I wish I could be so mediocre at my job and make so many $Ms.
Last edited by boutons_; 01-20-2006 at 09:35 AM.
I for one am still not sold that for his faults Nazr may not still be the better option - either to start or at least get some more minutes from Rasho.
Nazr does give up some missed defensive shots which drives Pop made but also gets extra possessons! I also see players get around Rasho all the time and his continued "softness" drives me crazy. At least Nazr played hard.
Rasho will have an occassional game with some points and some blocks and some rebounds but how often does he ever have a big game? Contrast that with what was said on these same forums about Nazr last year and with good reason. The Spurs looked darn good with him in there year at times and he had some productive board games and also some games where we actually had a center Sometimes (that is all I ask) give us more than 10 points and/or 10 boards in 20 plus minutes. Duncan and him in tandem (with an assist from Horry) outrebounded rebound the Wallaces in last years finals. (Heck Duncan almost did it alone 14-16 RBG)
Many NBA experts applauded the Spurs "steal of Nazr" and now he sits (and in favor of the "great" Rasho and the need to limit Duncan's minutes?) when the most maddening thing about this Spurs team this year to me is not skill but energy.
I just wonder if Pop should not have given this guy a 20 game stretch this year as the starter, as Rasho also at times has looked better with Duncan out, and see what happened - surely worst case I believe the Spurs record would have been about the same. If he had floppped in a starting or at least considerable minute roll this year I would personally be a lot more sold on Rasho as the answer.
Right now I am not.
Last edited by Rummpd; 01-20-2006 at 09:37 AM.
having a team be able to score inside on nazr constantly is not worth 2-3 offensive rebounds per game.
This team could use a guy like Evans. The one thing the Spurs have missed this season was a big other than TD who will attack the glass and mix it up inside. Evans is averaging 3.4 more boards per night than Nesterovic in the same number of minutes (21.6).
Start Mohammed and bring Evans off the bench after Horry. The Spurs need that type of spark, perfect sets be damned.
All Nazr has to do is play better. Finley's move back to the bench is a signal that the time for welfare minutes has passed. Make the most of the time you get, Nazr -- especially now that Horry is out.
I understand that the Sonics are trying to move a couple guys (likely Evans and maybe Flip Murray). I think they both have to approve their trades (because they are on one year deals?). Hill isn't happy with Evans and I'm sure he wants out. Allen and Lewis don't like Murray. So we'll see what happens.
I don't want Rasho to go to Seattle... or Dallas, or Houston, or out of state.
hummm
spurs wanted narz extended nice to know they did try
Evans appears to be on a minimum or close to it contract ($850K).
Sorry! I must still be traumatized from all the trade rasho threads this summer.
Proceed!
No way Evans approves a trade to play Nazr's current minutes.
If Spurs trade Nazr for Evans, another player should be included for Sonics to match salaries (Potapenko seems a logical choice with maybe a third team like Hornets taking him).
The guy I like to have in a trade with Seattle is Gelabale.
Sounds a lot like what Pop used to say about Malik."If I was him, I'd be frustrated," Popovich said. "But this guy comes to practice every day and busts his (butt). I have to take my hat off to him. It's a tough situation he's in."
Interesting.
Before he traded him?
Is this supposed to be the "equal time" article for the previous day's?
Yeah, I guess the Oberto and Marks articles will round out "Why Our Centers Suck" week at the E-N.
And Spurs are still around $700k over the luxury tax, we should keep in mind that going under the threshold is still a goal for Spurs.
Tonight Nazr did not help me make his case, I admit he is on a downhill course right now seemingly.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailyd...dime-060121-22
The Sonics are indeed fielding trade calls on rebounding specialist Reggie Evans, according to NBA front-office sources, and there is no shortage of interest despite Evans' recent expulsion from Seattle's rotation by new coach Bob Hill.
Remember, though, that Evans -- like teammates Vladimir Radmanovic and Flip Murray -- signed a one-year tender for this season and thus has the authority to veto any deal.
The Sonics, furthermore, see Evans as one of their best trade assets, but his low salary ($1.1 million) makes it difficult to get anything meaningful in return.
He would definitely help the Spurs in the one area they seem to be weak in - rebounding - specifically offensive rebounding.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports...-4941717c.html
Agent wants Evans to be traded
The News Tribune
Published: January 23rd, 2006 02:30 AM
PHOENIX – The agent for Seattle SuperSonics forward Reggie Evans has asked general manager Rick Sund to trade his client. Dan Fegan, at Sunday’s game against Phoenix at US Airways Arena, said that since new Sonics coach Bob Hill does not want to play Evans, he recently approached Sund and asked that his client be dealt to a team that could better use his services.
“Reggie wants to stay in Seattle, he likes Seattle,” Fegan said. “But clearly there is not a role for Reggie on this team. With that said, we would prefer the team trade him to a place that can better utilize his skills.”
Sund, on the trip with the team, confirmed that Fegan had made the request but declined to comment further.
Evans started the first 23 games of the season for Seattle, averaging 7.1 points and 7.6 rebounds in 21.7 minutes. He leads the league in rebounds per minute.
But when Bob Weiss was fired as coach and Hill took over, Hill told Evans the team needed to make a change at the position because it was not winning. Hill inserted Vladimir Radmanovic into the lineup.
Evans was a restricted free agent this past summer, signing a one-year tender offer for $1 million after turning down a two-year, $4 million offer.
He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, meaning he can sign with any team.
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