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nice at ude. keep it up. hope he brings it for the playoffs
Mohammed grabs rebounding role
Web Posted: 04/13/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Mike Finger
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...1d115eeb5.html
Nazr Mohammed has a checklist when it comes to rebounding, and grabbing the ball isn't the only desired result on it.
Sometimes, shots carom off the other side of the rim where he can't reach them. That's when he has to get creative.
"When I don't get them," Mohammed said, "I like to cause a little ruckus so my teammates can get there."
In the Spurs' 95-89 victory over Portland at the SBC Center on Tuesday, Mohammed's rebound-grabbing and ruckus-raising skills were in peak form. He finished with 14 rebounds seven on offense and caused enough mayhem to help the Spurs out-rebound the Trail Blazers 51-38.
Mohammed's 12 first-half boards were as many as Rasho Nesterovic the injured center he replaced in the Spurs' lineup had collected in any full game this season. In two games as a starter, Mohammed has racked up 29 rebounds, with 17 on the offensive end.
"We brought him in to rebound, and that's what he's doing," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's starting to feel comfortable in his role."
Some of that comfort has been due to his increased minutes. With Nesterovic out with a sprained ankle, Mohammed is seeing the most playing time he's had since being traded to the Spurs from the Knicks on Feb. 24.
After playing 34 minutes at Golden State on Sunday, he played 31 against Portland. Teammate Tony Massenburg said it's no coincidence that Mohammed is enjoying some of his best performances with the Spurs.
"All he needed was minutes," Massenburg said. "Basketball's a rhythm game, whether it's shooting, rebounding, defending, whatever. He's getting his rhythm back."
Mohammed said he knows he's in for a good night when he gets a few offensive rebounds early. That happened Tuesday, when he put back his miss with a dunk in the first quarter, then grabbed four more offensive boards in the first half.
"I'm one of those few guys who has a knack for where the ball is going to come off, especially offensive rebounds," Mohammed said. "Once I get a few of those, I get into a rhythm where everything else gets a lot easier."
But not necessarily his scoring touch. Mohammed, a 53-percent field-goal shooter this season with the Knicks, has made fewer than 40 percent of his shots with the Spurs.
On Tuesday, he scored 10 points but went only 5 of 14 from the field.
"I've been kind of disappointed in how I'm shooting the ball," Mohammed said. "I'm usually a high-percentage guy."
Still, he's not going to get too worried about a part of his game that he admits isn't a big reason why the Spurs acquired him.
"I'm here to rebound and defend," Mohammed said. "Anything else is just a throw-in."
nice at ude. keep it up. hope he brings it for the playoffs
wtg nazr!
keep it up! hope u wont choke on us at the playoffsno pun intended
Gee, I wonder what me, Aggie, and others have been saying."All he needed was minutes," Massenburg said. "Basketball's a rhythm game, whether it's shooting, rebounding, defending, whatever. He's getting his rhythm back."
Props Nazr, keep shootin the ball, and youll get the touch back.
It's not really that he's missing shots, it's that he's getting blocked 4-5 times per game. But that's probably just because he's in the West now and not the East.
Props to Nazr and hopefully he can learn from this time and be productive when he goes back to the bench.
Believe.
How many times, does when he go up for a shot, get totally hacked.
Last night he lost the ball, got it back, was going up for another shot, and was totally hacked by like three guys, then turned it over.
It was pathetic. Nazr gets less respect than freakin Duncan if thats possible.
He looks guilty and when he looks guilty...everyone else looks innocent.
Um ... he gets blocked pretty much more than any Spur I've seen since Samaki Walker. I think he's just adjusting to the conference.
Was I the only one who felt the ghost of Malik Rose when Nazr got the ball and then triple pumpfaked ... and still got blocked by Przybilla.
Nazr isn't very quick.
Michael Jordan used to say that when he was "on" his game, everything happened in slow motion for him. Well it's kinda like that only in reverse. Everything happens in slow motion for Nazr...to everyone else but him.
I was ready to give up on this guy after a couple of horrible games. I'm very glad he proved me wrong.
Way to go Nazr.
Believe!
So, what are the odds he'll get 16 rebounds tonight? Really 10:1 ?
That is the story of the Spurs though. You really just have to roll
with the punches and dont count on fouls. Just play hard and keep
playing until that damn ref blows the whistle.
When Malik would get blocked a couple of times a game, it was heart. For Nazr, it's the adjustment of going from the East to the West.
Whatever.
I was going to post about him having a case of Malikitis but you beat me to it. Do you think if he laid off the pump fakes and just went up strong then everybody would be caught off guard?Was I the only one who felt the ghost of Malik Rose when Nazr got the ball and then triple pumpfaked ... and still got blocked by Przybilla.
Is it just brute strength where some guys can go up under the basket and never get blocked or is there some technique that they have also?
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