Buck Harvey: Got Nazr? The trade shows life
Web Posted: 04/17/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...1e5ad9e0f.html
San Antonio Express-News
The homemade signs are gone now, as is the anger.
"Got Malik?"
No one is crying about spilt milk anymore.
Time does that, as does a quiet, effective rebounder. Nazr Mohammed hasn't started to sell cheesesteaks yet, but his game sells enough. He's filled in for Rasho Nesterovic so well that this sprained ankle is forgotten compared to another, and Mohammed's impact goes beyond Rose.
Such as to Denver.
If the Nuggets are the next opponents in the SBC Center, and they come with tall, quick players such as Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin and Nene, wouldn't the 6-foot-10 Mohammed be a logical counter?
Rose might have found a way, too, because he often did. He knew the Spurs' system, and he knew how to use his quickness. When Tim Duncan went down almost a month ago, the Spurs also missed Rose's toughness.
Even Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford, the ones who traded Rose, said the same. Rose would have helped in those early days without Duncan.
He also would have helped Feb. 26. Then, in the first game after the trade, the Grizzlies came to San Antonio. Fans brought signs protesting the trade, and the players responded as if attending a wake. Memphis won by two points, with Manu Ginobili throwing away a pass at the end.
"We are missing a great guy, someone who was really enjoyable to share the locker room with," Ginobili said then. "But we just have to trust Pop and R.C. that this is the best thing for the franchise."
The players had to trust. The rest of the league already believed. The consensus around the NBA was that the Spurs got the better of the deal, and Memphis coach Mike Fratello joined the chorus. That night in February, after beating the Spurs, Fratello saw the potential.
"They really strengthened themselves for a down-the-road playoff situation," Fratello said then, "by making the move that they made."
Spurs fans didn't believe. Hadn't a popular mainstay been traded? But for those paying attention, Fratello again said something that applied. "They make good judgments on talent, and character plays a big role in what they've done here. Everything they do is first class."
Translation: The Spurs were smart enough to see something in Rose a long time ago, so maybe they were smart enough to see something in Mohammed, too.
Fratello didn't have to look far for evidence. "Look out there to see," he said Saturday.
Look out there to see Mohammed defending, staying active, blocking five Memphis shots. Look back, too, to see the pattern. In the four games he's started, he's averaging about a double-double.
He's also blocked 11 shots in those games, and not even Mohammed saw this coming.
"I'm not someone who can take someone one-on-one and block his shot," he said. "But it helps when you play on a great defensive team. When your teammates are guarding their men and sliding on defense, I can get to the weakside and help."
Two blocks came midway through the second quarter Saturday night. And when he scored inside late with a tip, the Spurs took a 13-point lead into halftime.
Nothing Mohammed did, however, meant more than Duncan running without a limp. And when Duncan took off his ankle brace at halftime and began to move as he did earlier in the season, things might be changing in the Western Conference.
For example, which is the Team No One Wants to Meet in the Playoffs? Maybe it's San Antonio after all, not Denver.
Fratello sees similar possibilities, and he sees Mohammed as instrumental. "He can play side-by-side with Tim Duncan," Fratello began. "He can play side-by-side with Robert Horry and Rasho Nesterovic. He gives you offensive rebounding, shotblocking, defense. He gives you flexibility."
Such as in the playoffs against Denver?
Fratello nodded. "He helps you match up."
Rose came with his own advantages. He could defend small or large, and he had something Mohammed cannot claim. He proved it in big playoffs victories.
Mohammed hasn't. But as he matched up with Memphis Saturday — as this center replaced another again in a seamless transition — this much is clear in April.
The trade made some sense.
We are going to miss out on best record in the NBA and the #1 seed by 1 or 2 games...That traded did hinder us...it may not seem like much now...and looking at the bracket the 1 seed is going to probably get we are probably better off...
But if we end up playing Phoenix and it's a series where the home team wins every game...that trade will have cost us a le. It probably won't happen that way...but if it does...
yeah yeah yeah, youll your head off.but if it does
STFU already.
TPark...You must have missed this:
When Tim Duncan went down almost a month ago, the Spurs also missed Rose's toughness.
Even Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford, the ones who traded Rose, said the same. Rose would have helped in those early days without Duncan.
conversation when you were draining nut in Pop's office.
News flash: I think Pop and Company already knew this before they pulled the trade.
Bull ...Pop had just about given up on Nazr...he started covering his ass on it as far back as the loss to the Knicks.
He can play side-by-side with Tim Duncan," Fratello began. "He can play side-by-side with Robert Horry and Rasho Nesterovic. He gives you offensive rebounding, shotblocking, defense. He gives you flexibility."
Fantastic quote by Fratello.
He sees the potential this trade will instill.
No i didnt miss it.TPark...You must have missed this:
But once again, get the Brent Barry out of your ear and listen.
Thats in the past, just like Malik Rose being gone, so GET THE OVER IT!!!
Mohammed is playing well, hes getting more familiar in the system, and hes playing better.
Move forward.
Good article. Im sure fans will bandwagon onto the Nazr ship, once he does it in the playoffs, the "Malik = GOD" Fans will be cheering too.
in stiffs.
Again, Whott es about something in the past with Nazr. Just like he lives in the past ('99, '03) with Malik's contributions to this team.
Anytime you want to join us in mid-April, 2005, feel free man.
whottt, you're going to love Nazr in the playoffs.
Why don't you heads rip Pop and RC for saying the same things...
They said we missed Malik's tougness.
They said the fact that Malik knew the team would have helped us.
They said the trade was made for financial reasons.
They said Malik's contract got him traded.
Rip them...they are making the same criticisms I have made...And who knows if they even make the trade if Duncan is injured at that time.
Maybe...he's sucked off the bench. He hasn't played well off the bench yet.
Of course they did!!
All of those things are true.
But they're not going to bring a guy in who is totally clueless and give him significant minutes.
You can't really say that trade is why we aren't number one, we've had significant injuries this season, we could have just as easily had the exact same record with or without Malik......
I'm interested in knowing how YOU KNOW that we would have won those games with Malik?? Bull , is all I have to say.
Simple...we lost the first game after Malik was traded...Pop himself said the Malik trade was probably the reason we lose that game. Nazr didn't even play in that game...we basically had no bench big.
You guys also forget that Nazr was injured leaving us with a depleted bench.
And it's inconcievable to me that anyone can think Nazr that had been here for a week or a month would be as effective as Malik who had been here for 7 years...remember, we lost a game to Denver by 3 points. We lost a game in Phoenix by a small margin also.
To say that...that's just flat out a non-recognition of what Malik Rose brought to this team, it's just ignorance sorry but it is....and if you look real closely even the Spurs brass is seconding that reasoning.
The simple fact of the matter is that, prior to about a week and a half ago, Nazr was behind Marks in the rotation...if you make the excuse that he was new to the team...then you prove me my point for me. And the biggest Nazr jockers on the forum have used that excuse ad nauseum.
Last edited by whottt; 04-17-2005 at 01:42 AM.
Which we have seen emerge in Nazr now he's comfortable with the team. Next.They said we missed Malik's tougness.
Enough guys get injured, Sean Marks could have helped us. Oh wait, he did... Next.They said the fact that Malik knew the team would have helped us.
A class organization like the Spurs is never going to say "he was playing like , so we traded him." They had to walk on egg s s for the Rosesuckers like yourself.They said the trade was made for financial reasons.
Again, it's easier for them to say "he was getting paid too much, we're trying to keep basketball affordable for you, the common fan", than to say San Antonio's prodigal son had gotten lazy and content with punching the time clock every day but leaving the blue collar work ethic at home.They said Malik's contract got him traded.
I don't see them making those criticisms now. In fact, if you read this morning's article Pop was basically saying he screwed up by not giving Nazr the PT he should have (something to the effect of "I should have thrown him to the fire earlier").Rip them...they are making the same criticisms I have made...And who knows if they even make the trade if Duncan is injured at that time.
Again Whott, you're living in and around Feb. 24, it's April 17. Come join us in the here and now.
PTST normally is used fo Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, but in Whott's case, it's Post-Trade Stress Syndrome.
Whott, the Malik is spilt, stop your incessant crying and ing, seek professional help.
To claim the trade caused us to miss the NBA #1 is pure BS, selecting your facts to fit your unresolved emotional crisis. Malik was on the roster for losses @TOR, @SAC, @WAS, @ORL, first lost @UTA, Sonics@SBC, etc, etc. Malik would have been out of gas, like everybody else in the main rotation, for the second loss @UTA.
The Spurs, probably more than any other NBA team, lose/win as a team, as a system, not as individuals. The Spurs, AS A TEAM, gave away plenty of games when Malik was on the roster, but had managed to work himself into marginality.
Nazr is looking like an excellent trade, most Spurs fans who can get past their emotions and look at the basketball, think so, most of the NBA thinks so.
btw, I miss Malik as much as anyone, and watch gawdawful Knicks games only to see how Malik is doing.
Nazr is now doing his part. I think Pop was losing confidence in him but since Rasho's been down, Nazr has stepped up and is playing well. Now if he can continue that pace in the playoffs, this will be a masterful trade.
If he can play 8-10 minutes per game in the playoffs per game and provide rebounding and defense, the trade will have been a success. That's all I've ever asked of him.
Nazr can do this.
Believe.
How is Malik doing with the Knicks? Just curious.
I'm surprised there's no "We should have kept Turko" threads!
The guy is having a career best year. Stupid Pop always trades away our best bench players
Oh, wait. Both Malik and Turko couldn't help us beat the Lakers. Maybe Nazr and Barry will.
'Nuff said.
PS: Would Malik as starting Center (like Mohammed is) be as effective?
I think not. Another good move by Pop. (And I know Turko will fade in the Playoffs. He always does...)
Nazr has made a believer outof me.
His play has been nothing short of meritorious.
"How is Malik doing with the Knicks?"
What I've noted is Malik as Knicks traffic cop, lots of hand signals.
Signalling somebody to go here or there, while setting pick.
Signalling for the ball, which almost NEVER works, for anybody, esp when you're 3rd option, or lower.
Malik hasn't tranformed the Knicks (their problems are beyond transformation) or tranformed himself into a Super-Malik. He's still an under-sized low-block heart/hustle player, "not that there's anything wrong with that".
This is ing classic...you are the biggest whining on the entire board...you come in and whine and after 30 point blowouts during 8 game winning streaks when we have the best record in the NBA....
So save the advice.
Secondly, Nazr was injured and missed games, Nazr has yet to not suck coming off the bench...so to say Malik would not have been more effective is pure stupidity.
If you are watching the Knicks you would know Malik is being used at lot at Small Forward and because of that he is playing much further out from the basket than he traditionally has...
Yeah? And we didn't have to wait for it to emerge with Malik. That's called a project.
That's not true...they went from saying the trade made the team better to saying it was done for financial reasons...Enough guys get injured, Sean Marks could have helped us. Oh wait, he did... Next.
A class organization like the Spurs is never going to say "he was playing like , so we traded him." They had to walk on egg s s for the Rosesuckers like yourself.
And they weren't saying it after wins...they were saying it after getting our butts kicked by lottery teams and Malik punking Nazr.
Please...Malik never got lazy...Again, it's easier for them to say "he was getting paid too much, we're trying to keep basketball affordable for you, the common fan", than to say San Antonio's prodigal son had gotten lazy and content with punching the time clock every day but leaving the blue collar work ethic at home.
Um first you say that the Spurs knew exactly what they had in Nazr all along and now you quote Pop saying he made mistakes with him...I don't see them making those criticisms now. In fact, if you read this morning's article Pop was basically saying he screwed up by not giving Nazr the PT he should have (something to the effect of "I should have thrown him to the fire earlier").
Get the contradiction?
You are clueless if you don't think Nazr has sucked for just about his entire Spurs career...
I am not ready to put the guy in the Hall of Fame yet because of 4 games as a starter.
:yawnAgain Whott, you're living in and around Feb. 24, it's April 17. Come join us in the here and now.
This article is discussing the impact of the trade...
I am pointing out how it's impact might have potentially hindered our le chances...
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