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LOL!!! If DJ M'Benga on the Mavs averaged 30 minutes a game he'd average about 9 blocks a game, no kidding.
God, this kid is crazy good defensively. Detroit is going to regret the decision to let him go a few years from now. If he played 30 mins a night, he'd average more than 3 BPG.
LOL!!! If DJ M'Benga on the Mavs averaged 30 minutes a game he'd average about 9 blocks a game, no kidding.
DJ Mbenga may be the greatest defensive center in NBA history; some day, NBA fans won't call it defense anymore -- they'll call it Mbengaism.
Darko can block shots, but you'll notice that usually he picks up fouls quickly. He can be aggressive on defense, sometimes too aggressive. Reaches for the ball and often makes contact with the shooter. Maybe with some game time that will change, but right now it'll hard to give him 30+ min when he picks up a foul every 4 min, ya know?
Darko on defense is a mixed bag. He's great at showing on screens...but he's slow to recover in the rotations usually leaving an open man for the guard to pass to.
He's a great shot-blocker, he led the league in blocks in the pre-season...but he too often gambles for blocks rather than force a player into a low-percentage shot. This is especially baffling because the kid can block shots after the ball is in the air faster than Ben Wallace.
He's got a great offensive touch...but too often he is so concerned about the ball, he doesn't fight for position.
He's usually in position to receive the ball on offense...but too often he is out of position for an offensive rebound.
I could do this all night. The kid has skills, but each one comes with a "...but" attached.
Wait till he has to guard someone on the low block other than Mikki Moore and Kwame Brown.... Notice how Yao lit him up while he was in the game the other day? It was like a parade to the free throw line. Pump fake... Foul. Pump Fake... Foul. He's a good help defender, but any player with some offensive talent against him will take it to him. He just tries to block everything. Eventually everyone will catch onto that and he'll have to learn how to play tough defense instead of his current routine. He'll be a pretty good player I think, and a good shot blocker, but lock down defender? I doubt it.
Then again, I bet every Piston player could go to the Magic and look like a lock down defender.
Darko = Next John Sally
Darko=Mbenga. Talented but raw and there is a lot for each to learn. All Darko needs is nba experience and he is on his way to being a very good nba player.
now all the pistons fans are doubtersi love it
I hope things turn out well for Darko, he did a nice job of blocking shots in the preseason. I notice in his last game he had 4 blocks in 18 minutes but also had 5 personal fouls, that was a problem with Detroit.
He wasn't going to get playing time and there's no sense in keeping someone around for 5 years for 20+ million if he's not going to play, not fair to Darko and not a good business decision for Det.
Three years of disappointment'll do that to you.now all the pistons fans are doubters
I dont think many of the Pistons fans are doubters, but they have seen him the most and know his faults. He can be great when he wants to and he can look lost 2 minutes later. He fouls way too much, but is getting better.
Agreed.
One day not so far from now, Detroit fans will wish he was still on our team.
I can't speak for all Pistons fans, I have the same feelings toward Darko I've had all season. I thought he was spectacular in the preseason and in the game he played in Atlanta last year. I think Darko had two quality performances this season for the Pistons - in Houston and Milwaukee - and the rest of the time he played like he did last season.now all the pistons fans are doubters
The tonal difference in this Pistons' fan at ude came with the increased expectations for Darko that Flip Saunders' comments, and Darko's play in the pre-season created. I started to wonder why the guy was slipping back into the familar role as the human victory cigar. What kept me from coming right out and saying that, is Joe Dumars' track record.
When Rodney White was a disaster, he was gone the next season. As late as May, Dumars was defending Milicic publicly. We had seen Dumars' quick trigger with Rick Carlisle and Mateen Cleaves when he saw something wasn't working long-term, despite the public backlash, and every public comment from the organization is that this guy was still tearing up practice.
As my doubts mounted, I deferred my judgement to people who actually were watching Darko play every single day, to the people who are paid to do what I only can do as a hobby - evaluate basketball players.
The flashes of brilliance on the basketball court don't really impress me. His solid performance in Milwaukee was followed up by one of the worst displays of defense I have ever seen in New Jersey. I want to see him do this on a nightly basis - become consistent - and when he does that he will earn the praise this Pistons fan wants to give him.
I saw nothing different in Los Angeles that I didn't see in Atlanta last season. My point is, he has improved very little in the past 2 1/2 seasons.
he has PLAYED very little in the past 2 1/2 seasons.
Let's compare some rookies with the Pistons:
Mateen Cleaves - 16.3 mpg, 5.4 ppg, 2.7 apg, 1.7 rpg, .63 spg, .01 bpg in 78 games, eight starts.
Brian Cardinal - 8.4 mpg, 2.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg, .2 apg, .47 spg, .13 bpg in 15 games.
Rodney White - 8.1 mpg, 3.5 ppg, 1.1 rpg, .8 apg, .56 spg, .13 bpg in 16 games.
Mehmet Okur - 19.0 mpg, 6.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.0 apg, .35 spg, .84 bpg in 72 games, nine starts.
Tayshaun Prince - 10.4 mpg, 3.3 ppg, 1.1 rpg, .6 apg, .24 spg, .33 bpg in 42 games, five starts.
Carlos Delfino - 15.3 mpg, 3.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, .73 spg, .20 bpg in 30 games, four starts.
Darko Milicic in his 3rd season: 5.6 mpg, 1.5 ppg, 1.1 rpg, .4 apg, .12 spg, .60 bpg in 25 games (of 51 games).
Yes, he hasn't played, but why is that?
Darko is the .
Great move Dumars
So far tonight:
26 minutes 12 points 9 rebounds 2 assists 2 blocks
looks like pistons got robbed on that trade.. all milicic needs now is starters minutes and stop jumpin on pumpfakes.
Again, Dumars' hand was forced. He's not the guy we should be pointing fingers at. He said himself after it went down that Darko's agent asked for a trade. He probably could have waited untill the offseason, but his value would have been even lower at that point, so he was just trying to salvage his worth. We shouldn't kid ourselves and think Darko was going to re-sign with us anyways. LB, Darko, and Flip are at fault here. LB should have played him, Darko should have worked hard in the minutes he got, and Flip should have given him one last chance. Obviously none of those things happend, and thus we end up with this...
Let's just hope that pick turns into something good.
I heard it's a future pick so it won't happen till 2007. Detroit gets nothing this year but to overpay on the players they already have.
You are correct. That is a plus for me though. We have no room for a pick this year, and this draft is awful compared to next year's draft. I would rather get a better player in a couple years when they might have a shot at making the active roster.
That's what happens when you win a le. We have had Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups at MLE $$$ for the 5 years. You gotta pay for those at some point. When they're racking up rings, finals appearances, and all-star games it's hard to get them at bargain prices again.Detroit gets nothing this year but to overpay on the players they already have.
Then again, the Pistons aren't going to be the ones paying Erick Dampier 13 Millions dollars in 6 years.
Yeah, let's not forget the next draft is going to be devoid of high school players and international players under age 19. That's a year added to the age limit already in place, and that means a lot of prospects (Greg Oden the most prominent) are not going to be in the pool this time around. This is a utility draft - as in you'll find more 10 year specialty players than an actual superstar.
http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries.htm
Pistons payroll: $59,264,979. 2 trips to the finals, 1 championship, best record in league.
Spurs payroll: $63,808,054. Defending champs, currently #2 in league.
Mavs payroll: $96,688,147. Fans get to watch Keith "$15-million-dollar-man" Van Horn on a nightly basis.
I am just GREEN with envy.
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