2006 年 11 月 25 日 星期六 【雷雨】

Celts still looking up to all foes
By Steve Bulpett
Boston Herald Sports Reporter

Friday, November 24, 2006

A short while after the Celtics’ desultory 92-83 loss in Charlotte, Michael Jordan came walking through the hallway at the Bobcats’ arena. After offering a forearm to get a reporter’s attention outside the Boston dressing room, he assessed the situation.

“You guys are worse than we are,” cracked the NBA legend and part owner of the Bobcats. “I love it.”

Making sure to tell as full a story as he could in his favored mode of trash talk, Jordan added, “Tonight you were anyway.”

Putting aside for the moment the fact that writers are not part of the team, the jab should connect with the Celtics.



In this young NBA season, they have been given three lessons:

1. They can be as bad as anyone if they don’t play together on both ends of the floor, a point driven home in a 1-6 start.

2. They have the talent to find moderate success when they focus as they did in the three straight wins that followed.

3. They are not good enough to get away with much less than their best.

Paul Pierce, who had chatted with Jordan prior to the Celtics shootaround Wednesday morning (mostly small talk among acquaintances from summer pickup games), has been here before. Instead of being within a game of .500 when they take the floor against the Knicks tonight, the Celts are now three games shy of that target.

One might think the back-to-back with New York and Milwaukee presents a good opportunity for the C’s to regain their footing, but Pierce (28 points, 14 rebounds Wednesday) is preaching caution.

“I don’t think that’s the way we should look at it,” he said. “We can’t take anybody for granted.

“I mean, we’re a team that missed the playoffs last year, so every team is a challenge for us. We’re still a team trying to find out who we are, so we can’t take nobody for granted. We’re not the Dallases of the world or the Phoenixes - teams that could look at this and say, ‘These are two victories coming up.’

“We look at every game like an uphill battle, and we’ve got to fight for every one.”

That the Celtics didn’t on Wednesday against the team forced to play point guard Raymond Felton 48 minutes (Brevin Knight was injured) was a hit to their developing ego.

The Celts never got into anything resembling a flow, and wise, young point guard Sebastian Telfair knew what that would mean. “No rhythm,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s what killed us.”

“(Pierce) is going to get his. He’s an All-Star. He’s that good of a player in or out of a rhythm. But for us to win games, the rest of us got to step up and get a rhythm going. That’s how you win games.”

Speaking to Doc Rivers’ request for three or more passes on each possession, Telfair said they should come even without the directive.

“We’re never out there counting passes,” he said. “When we’re playing together and playing in a rhythm, the passes just come naturally. The ball comes to me and I penetrate and kick it. That’s the way we have to play.

“If we focus on doing what we do well, we’ll win games. This just shows us that. We didn’t focus on what we do well, and we gave away a game. We were in that game and we played terrible. One or two more guys step up and do what they’re supposed to do, we win that game.”

The same guy who guaranteed a playoff berth at a preseason party for season ticket-holders then made a more immediate stand as regards the games with New York and Milwaukee.

“We’re going to compete and we’re going to win those games,” Telfair said. “We’re a good team. We know how to bounce back.”

>>November 25, 2006 at 3:18:50 PM GMT+8

2006 年 11 月 25 日 星期六 【雷雨】

Numerous problems for embattled Rivers, Celts: Ugly loss to Knicks is season low
By Mark Murphy
Boston Herald Sports Reporter

Saturday, November 25, 2006 - Updated: 01:26 AM EST

Celtics coach Doc Rivers likes to refer to these as “two-gamers” - battles against divisional foes that are almost like two wins when they turn out the right way.

Does that mean the Celtics actually lost twice last night? Their 101-77 defeat to the Knicks, with the malaise from Wednesday night’s loss in Charlotte continuing to dog every possession, was more boo-driven than K-Fed’s latest CD release party.

With three minutes left, a “Fire Doc” chant erupted from a group several sections behind the Celtics bench.



The object of that bait sat with his eyes glued on his garbage time unit, probably wondering about what it will take over the next 70 games to wring some cohesion and patience out of this maddeningly inconsistent team.

“Obviously it was ugly for all of us,” Rivers said. “Tough for me as a coach. Tough for the players.”

The Celtics, their garbage time unit on the floor with five minutes left, hit bottom with particular haste in front of their first holiday crowd and the fourth sellout of the season. The 24-point loss was their worst of the year.

Paul Pierce, on a low ebb with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting, set the tone in another, more garish way with six turnovers - almost half the team’s total of 13.

And while every Knick from Steve Francis (22 points) to Eddy Curry (21) struck gold in the paint, the Celtics settled for jump shots.

They shot 38 percent (29-of-76) from the floor, and 23.5 percent (4-of-17) while losing hold for good in the third quarter.

The Knicks, on the other hand, had a smooth sail with an even 50 percent (34-of-68) performance. Though the New Yorkers aren’t known for their efficiency, they were a numbers-crunching dream last night with 47.6 percent shooting in the first quarter, a low point of 40.9 percent in the second, 50 percent in the third and 50 percent again in the fourth.

“Defense,” said Celts guard Delonte West, when asked which end of the floor fell apart more. “We didn’t shoot particularly well, but they got what they wanted. Their zone caused problems for us. Nobody was shooting the ball well. We just kept taking jump shot after jump shot.”

As Rivers later lamented, the Celtics attempted more 3-pointers (21) than free throws (18) when faced with the Knicks’ simple 2-3 zone - one of those things a team is not supposed to consistently employ in the NBA.

Francis alone was 15-for-15 from the line, and the Knicks 29-for-39 overall. But the Celtics can’t complain about the lack of calls in this one.

Not with everyone settling in 20 feet from the basket, until Pierce started trying to force the issue with a pair of fruitful drives late in the third quarter.

But the Knicks, unperturbed, barely noticed while outscoring the Celtics 29-14 during that stretch.

“When Paul is not playing great for us, and Wally (Szczerbiak) is not playing great, you hope that someone is able to pitch in,” said Rivers. “I thought that Al (Jefferson) early on was starting to get it going. But once we got down, I had to go small just to get the energy. And when we couldn’t get offense out of our small lineup tonight, I knew it was going to be a long night.

“But as bad as our offense was, our defense was worse. (The Knicks) didn’t make one adjustment from the last time we saw them, but we couldn’t do anything about it. It started with Curry, and then went on from there.”

Their horrid third quarter complete, the Celtics were doomed to chasing a 20-point margin the rest of the way - as frustrating an exercise as there is in basketball.

>>November 25, 2006 at 3:15:49 PM GMT+8

2006 年 11 月 25 日 星期六 【晴】

Gomes a steady hand for inconsistent Celtics
By Shira Springer, Globe Staff | November 24, 2006

When teammates missed shot after shot Wednesday night against the Bobcats, Ryan Gomes found a way to score with his usual quiet determination.

Breaking News Alerts If not for Gomes, the Bobcats could have been working on a blowout by the end of the first quarter. Gomes scored 8 of his 12 points, going 3 for 6 from the floor, in a quarter in which the Celtics shot 27 percent. When not hitting layups, foul shots, and a midrange jumper, Gomes went after teammates' errant shots, picking up a pair of offensive rebounds.

But in light of his final numbers (12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists) in Boston's 92-83 loss to Charlotte, it was far from Gomes's best performance of the season. That distinction was his first career triple-double (10 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) in the first meeting with the Bobcats, at TD Banknorth Garden Nov. 8. Still, there is a lot to be said for the consistency with which Gomes plays. He is not a young player whose effort and production inexplicably rise and fall. The Celtics know they can count on the even-keeled Gomes to contribute, even when his teammates struggle.

"Going quietly about my business is how I like it," said Gomes. "As long as I'm consistent and getting noticed -- maybe not on a worldwide circuit -- it's good for me. As long as I'm going out there and producing and playing with 110 percent effort, then I think that's all people can ask for."

Although the Celtics know what Gomes can do on the court, sometimes they don't realize just how much he contributes until they get a glance at the box score. More often than not, Gomes surprises his teammates. That was the case for Kendrick Perkins after Gomes reached double digits in points and rebounds against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden last Saturday.

Perkins knew Gomes had been active, but he didn't think the power forward had scored a season-high 22 points and pulled down a season-high 14 rebounds. Perhaps most impressive, Gomes went to the line 13 times (and made 10 free throws).

The Celtics hope for more pleasant surprises from Gomes tonight against the Knicks. Since Gomes rarely has an off night, chances are he will find a way to make a difference. After starting the season slowly, coach Doc Rivers thinks Gomes has been "phenomenal" with his shot-making and rebounding.

"He is so important to our team, even on nights when he doesn't score, because he is a guy that is capable of doing a lot of little things, little picks, little passes that people don't see," Rivers said. "He's a smart basketball player."

Rivers said he looks at the box score and sometimes is surprised by Gomes's numbers because "we don't give him one call." The Celtics have one offensive play designed for Gomes. He finds most of his scoring opportunities by making reads through the flow of the offense. And that is just one of the many components to his basketball intelligence and maturity.

When Gomes says he wants to participate in the rookie-sophomore game during the 2007 All-Star festivities in Las Vegas, it is a reminder he is just starting his second season.

"The individual goal is to hopefully make the rookie-sophomore game and play the whole season, get into each game," Gomes said. "You also want to go up in every statistical category. But I don't have any set numbers in mind. And, of course, I want to win. As long as we're winning and I feel like I'm contributing, I'm happy.

"Once you win as a team, everyone gets recognition. That's why contributing in a big way will be important."

Gomes's minutes ( 28.8 average, up 6.2 per game), points (10.0, up 2.4), rebounds (7.0, up 2.1), and assists (2.5, up 1.5) have increased this season. He sees room for improvement on defense, particularly identifying the tendencies of his opponents. Offensively, he would like to be as efficient as possible in the post.

For Gomes, doing the little things adds up in the best way.

>>November 25, 2006 at 3:07:09 PM GMT+8

2006 年 1 月 28 日 星期六 【晴】

Celtics Acquire Szczerbiak, Olowokandi and Jones from Timberwolves


Team Sends Banks, Blount, Davis and Reed to Minnesota
BOSTON - The Boston Celtics announced today that they have acquired forward Wally Szczerbiak, center Michael Olowokandi, center Dwayne Jones, and a future first round draft choice from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Marcus Banks, Mark Blount, Ricky Davis, Justin Reed, and two conditional second round draft choices.


Wally
Szczerbiak Michael
Olowokandi
Szczerbiak, a one-time All-Star, is averaging a career-high 20.1 points, shooting 49.5 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from beyond the arc, to go with 4.8 boards in 38.9 minutes per game. The 6-7, 235-pound forward, originally drafted 6th overall in the 1999 NBA Draft by Minnesota, has career averages of 15.5 points, shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from beyond the arc, to go with 4.4 rebounds in 33.6 minutes per game.

Michael Olowokandi, originally drafted 1st overall in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, is averaging 6.0 points and 5.6 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game during the 2005-06 campaign. The 7-0, 270-pound center has career averages of 8.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 27.7 minutes per game. His best season came in 2002-03 when he averaged 12.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game in 38.0 minutes per game for the Clippers. He was signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Timberwolves on July 16, 2003.

Dwyane Jones, signed as an undrafted free agent by Minnesota on August 26, 2005, is averaging 9.3 points and 11.3 boards per game for the Florida Flame of the NBDL. The 6-11, 250-pound center ranked 5th in the nation in rebounding (11.6) and blocks (3.0), while averaging 10.1 points per game for St. Joseph's in 2004-05. An early entry candidate for the 2005 NBA Draft, Jones averaged 7.1 points and 8.5 boards per game in three seasons with St. Joseph's.

"We are ecstatic to acquire a player of Wally Szczerbiak's quality to complement Paul Pierce and our young talent base", said Celtics Executive Director of Basketball Operations, Danny Ainge. "In Wally we are receiving an All-Star player who is playoff tested and who has been a winner at all levels. We wish Ricky, Mark, Marcus, and Justin continued success in Minnesota."

http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/press-transaction012606.html

Notes: Celts Reshape Roster with 7-Player Deal


By Peter Stringer
Celtics.com
January 27, 2006
Danny Ainge and Kevin McHale were back together again Thursday, only this time they weren't patrolling the parquet, but burning up the phone lines as they made a blockbuster NBA trade to reshape their respective rosters.

Looking for a spark, Ainge pulled the trigger on a deal that landed the Celtics a terrific scorer in Wally Szczerbiak, who immediately gives the Celtics a different dimension on offense and creates new matchup issues for opponents.

"I like the idea of being able to spread the floor," said Doc Rivers, who coached Szczerbiak in the last Goodwill Games in Austraila. "Wally scores with less shots, which is great for our offense. I think we can get some post play with Wally a little bit more as well. And what I like about him is that he has the ability to score without actually going to him."


Wally Szczerbiak may be the best pure shooter the Celtics have had since Dana Barros. Szczerbiak, the 6th pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, also brings a wealth of postseason experience to Boston, something the roster as previously constituted lacked. According to Ainge, the deal was originally in the works about three weeks ago, but died down until heating back up this week.

In the immediate short term, as they wait for players from both teams to report and pass physicals with their new squads, the Celtics are likely stuck with playing just nine guys for their first post-trade game against the Kings Friday night. With just nine bodies at shootaround, Assistant Coach Paul Pressey filled in on the second unit so that the team could run through some plays at HealthPoint Friday morning.

"I don't know yet," said Rivers when asked if Szczerbiak would be able to suit up tonight. "I don't expect him to be allowed to play tonight, but if he is, we'll play him."

While the move definitely shakes up the roster, it doesn't jeopardize the future of the franchise, as the Celtics didn't have to part with any of their most prized young players to acquire Szczerbiak. While Marcus Banks has shown flashes of brilliance, Orien Green passed him on the depth chart this season, and Delonte West is firmly entrenched as the point guard of today and tomorrow.

From a rotation standpoint, the move clearly opens up playing time for third year man Kendrick Perkins, who's recently returned to the starting lineup and along with Al Jefferson, represents the Celtics' future in the front court.

"I like freeing up minutes at the 'big' position," said Ainge. "We really want to dedicate a lot of the minutes to Perk and Al. This gives us an opportunity to see what those guys can do."

As for Szczerbiak, he's one of the best pure offensive players in the league and a bona fide three-point threat who should extend opposing defenses. Having Wally on the perimeter gives opponents a tough choice: double up on Pierce and gamble away from Szczerbiak or play The Truth straight up and face the consequences.

Additionally, the acquisition likely moves Pierce over to the two-spot, matching him up against smaller players, which will amplify the size and strength advantage he's generally held over opposing quick forwards now that he'll be facing shooting guards.

Pierce was sad to see Davis and his other teammates go, but he understands what the team is trying to accomplish.

"We weren't progressing like we thought we would. We're making a move to try to make a playoff run," said Celtics Captain Paul Pierce. "The team felt the need for a shakeup so that's what we did. [Szczerbiak] is having one of his best years as a pro. He's versatile, can post up and shoots the ball really well."

More on the deal
Ricky Davis issued a statement through the Celtics regarding his depature: "I love Boston, it's a great place. Thank you to the Celtics organization and the fans for accepting me while I was here. I am going to miss my teammates - this is the best group of teammates I have ever played with. This has been a great stop in my career, and I thank everyone."

- Pierce on Davis: "Trades are a difficult, you feel like lost a brother. Ricky and I have a good relationship and we're going to continue that regardless. But it's done and we'll move on."

- Ainge said that the team won't likely make an immediate move for a backup point guard to play behind West and Greene, but we could see Allen play some point, something he worked on in the Vegas Summer League before being derailed by his knee injury.

- Szczerbiak was trying to catch a plane to Boston that would get him to the city by 1p.m. to be able to take his physical and be ready for action tonight, but the deal is not complete until all active players from both sides report to their respective teams and pass physicals.

With that in mind, there were rumors that Ron Artest may not be eligible to play for Sacramento tonight for the same reason; the Kings did not make him available to the press after the 11 a.m. shootaround at the Garden and the hold-up was believed to be that Peja Stojakovic had yet to complete a physical with the Pacers. But the Pacers have called a 6 p.m. press conference so Stojakovic will likely be introduced, meaning Artest should be ready to go for Sacramento.

http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/notebook_trade012706.html

Notebook: Wally’s World Turned Upside Down by Deal

By Peter Stringer
Celtics.com
January 28, 2006
All indications before Friday night's game pointed to Wally Szczerbiak riding the bench for his first night in Boston. Doc Rivers had all but assured the assembled media during his pregame address that his new guys wouldn't play Friday night against the Sacramento Kings. But just before halftime, Wally Szczerbiak made his Celtics debut to a thunderous ovation.

"Okay, I lied...Actually, I did not lie. I had no intentions of playing him," said Rivers. "Honest to goodness, the only reason I played him, he stared at me every freaking timeout. And I told one of our coaches 'We've got to put this guy in or he's going to drive me nuts'."


Wally Szczerbiak got to the arena late after passing his physical and initially wasn't expected to play for the Celtics Friday night. That stare is one that all coaches know. It's the "when the heck am I getting in the game" stare. So Rivers cracked and put Wally Szczerbiak for the first time with just a few minutes remaining in the first half.

Szczerbiak himself didn't know what to expect, as it's been a whirlwind since he even found out about the trade when he was having dinner with Fred Hoiberg in downtown Houston.

Fast forward to Friday's game, and Szczerbiak was out there to start the third quarter after missing his first few shots at the end of the second quarter. But Szczerbiak found his groove in the third, quickly scoring eight points on a two and a pair of three pointers that instantly endeared him to the Boston crowd. Before you knew it, a "Wally" chant broke out.

Is it love at first sight?

"That was great, man. I'd have to score 35 or 37 to get those chants in Minnesota. I'm an East Coast guy and I'm looking forward to getting settled," said Szczerbiak, who finished with 13 points in 24 minutes.

If Wally continues to score at the rapid clip he did in the fourth quarter, the love fest will be more than just a one-night stand.

"I just hope they see that I love playing the game," said Szczerbiak. "We've got guys on the team who enjoy playing and enjoy each other."

Rivers would certainly agree. He said that he saw more high fives out on the court than he's ever seen, and he felt that was something that Szczerbiak brought to the table Friday night. Apparently, Szczerbiak's head cold and ear infection -- he's been battling illness this week, and an early morning flight from Houston didn't help -- isn't the only thing that's contagious about him.

"Oh, man, it seemed like the ball was bouncing around, and everyone was getting touches. He just brings a great attitude to the floor. You can see it, and it's contagious," said point guard Delonte West. "We were having fun out there."

After just one game, Al Jefferson thinks the Celtics have something good going.

"Oh, it's going to work," said Jefferson. "Paul is our number one leader, and for him to be here and back up Paul, that's big."

Since he played in the Western Conference for six and half seasons, Celtics fans probably don't know much about him. Heck, they probably can't even spell his name. No worries; his teammates and the front office staff were busy getting that down as well on Friday afternoon.

That old shampoo commercial said that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Looks like Wally doesn't need a second one.

Dealing with Trades
There's more to an NBA trade than just wheeling and dealing. The process of teams coming to an agreement on swapping players is only the beginning, and signing the deal is just the beginning of the end.

For the players themselves, there's a lot more to the logistics than you'd imagine. And most players, Szczerbiak included, aren't up to speed on all of the rules unless they've been dealt before. For starters, you've got to pass a physical before the trade is complete. All day Friday, it was up in the air whether or not Olowokandi and Szczerbiak would even be eligible to play, because all seven players in the swap had to pass physicals (or have them waived by their new teams) in order to officially complete the deal. And depending on the status of the players' contracts, additional legal concerns can complicate and prolong the process of getting final approval from the NBA.

"I don't know the rules with trades. I thought it took a day for a trade to go through with the league," said Szczerbiak, who had played his whole career in Minnesota. He also added that the only time he got to relax in the last 24 hours or so was the two hours he spent in the MRI bed at the physical.

It wasn't much easier for Michael Olowokandi.

"I just got over here, making it from my physicals, but Szczerbiak is still over at the hospitals going through his," said Olowokandi at his "welcome to Boston" press conference about an hour before tip-off, where he met members of the Boston media, not to mention members of the Celtics PR staff who will be dealing with him on a daily basis at practices and games.

That's a lot to deal with before you've even put on a uniform. Oh yeah, uniforms! Players can't play if they don't have uniforms and sneakers. Easy, right?

Getting a uniform is usually a pretty basic task: pick a number and the equipment manager sews it up. Well, that's the process in most NBA cities. But when you have as many retired numbers as the Boston Celtics, finding numbers for the new guys isn't always easy, because most of the good ones are hanging in the rafters.

Case in point: Szczerbiak wore #10 in Minnesota. In Boston, #10 belongs to Jo Jo White. So that one's off the board. Szczerbiak finally settled on #55, since 5 and 5 equals 10. Meanwhile, the Kandi Man wore #34 for the Timberwolves, but it's not really up for discussion with the Celtics these days.

Did we forget sneakers?

Celtics stats guru Mike Zarren curriered a pair of game sneakers from the stash at the Celtics' training facility in Waltham back to the Garden to have them ready for Olowokandi and Szczerbiak to play in. And even though Doc didn't plan on playing them, he said wanted them in uniform on the sideline for a pretty good reason: they probably didn't travel in suits and would have been subjected to fines for not wearing appropriate attire on the bench in accordance with the NBA's dress code.

And plane flights are fun right? Szczerbiak had to catch a 7:55 a.m. flight and managed to make it to Boston around 1 p.m. From there, Celtics Director of Player Development Michael Crotty spent the day shuttling Szczerbiak from the Logan to his physical and then to the Garden, getting him to the locker room just minutes before tip-off.

Noteworthy
- West was at Big Mama's House 2 when he got a text message from his brother about the deal. In case you were wondering, he gave it thumbs up.

- Rivers praised Jefferson for his defense down the stretch, to which Jefferson replied, joking: "It's about time!" He then got serious and added that "it's one thing when a guy has a problem and doesn't know what it is, but I know it and I'm working on it."

- One game after being activated, Ryan Gomes finally saw the parquet at the end of the first quarter but had his first shot attempt blocked just before the buzzer.

- Olowokandi said that Doc Rivers told him that his rotation is set and that he'd have to prove himself to earn PT. "I wouldn't really want it any other way. I think I perform a lot better in those situations," said Olowokandi.

- Ainge touched on the point guard situation and suggested that they may have to add a player to their roster, but for now, he's ruling out a return to the NBA for Gerald Green because he likes the amount of playing time Green is getting with Fayetteville, something he wouldn't get here with the Celtics.

http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/notebook012806-wally-debut.html

>>January 28, 2006 at 9:12:54 PM GMT+8

2006 年 1 月 10 日 星期二 【晴】

Scouting From the Nosebleeds: Euro-style, Gelabele, Tomas And More
Authored by J.T. Magee - 29th December, 2005 - 3:05 pm

Scouting From the Nosebleeds: Euro-style
Profiles: Mickael Gelabele, Axel Hervelle and Marko Tomas (Short paragraph on Shammod Williams)

For this game, I depended on my own instincts to get there. And this time, I made it early enough to see the whole game! Yay! I wanna go to Hawaii, yay! Yay! I wanna go to Hawaii. Had that stuck in my head. So sorry. This game is the big rivalry in the ACB. The two biggest teams in Spain going at it. Madrid vs. Barcelona. If I were to relate this to a rivalry in the states, it would be on par with college football's Ohio State-Michigan and Oregon State-Oregon.

Before I get into the profiles and the game, I must talk about the arena and the crowd. While the game wasn't at full capacity, the crowd made sure it sounded like it was. One interesting note: Europe has a lot of smokers and smoking is allowed in the arena. I could still smell the second hand smoke in my clothes two days later. Good thing the hostel I was staying at had a washer and dryer. Before I forget, I must mention the Real Madrid dance team/ girls, whatever they are called. Even though I was in the nosebleeds, I could tell they were real hot. Some of the tightest bodies I have ever seen on a group of women. All were fit and looked good. Kudos to the people that hired them.

On to the game. I must again mention, even though this will be the last time I do so, than this is the first time I am seeing these players in person, so take everything I say with a grain of salt or two. Also, I couldn't focus on one player like I did with Sergio Rodriguez. There were three players that I mainly focused on, mentioned in the title. There were a couple players I tried to get good looks at, too. Shammod Wiliams was one, and Pau Gasol's little brother, Marc, was the other. But those three were the ones I focused on the most. Milos Vujanic also played, but he did not have much of an impact. His rights, he was drafted by the Knicks in the '02 SFT, were traded in the Stephon Marbury deal. Wasn't this supposed to turn out to be the Maciej Lampe deal? So much for that.

Profile: Marko Tomas, SG/SF
Stat line: 26 mins., 11 pts, 42%, 75% FT, 50% 3pt, 3 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 0 blk

The Good:

This is the first time I've ever seen Tomas play. I was told good things about him, so I came into the game expecting certain things but keeping an open mind on his overall game. Right away, I could tell that he can play. On his first touch, he froze his man, hesitated and went right. He got into the lane and drew the foul. He made both of his free throw attempts. Just looking at the way he shoots his free throws, I could tell that the kid can shoot the rock.

This is where he impressed me the most: with Igor Rakocevic out of the game, Real Madrid split the point guard duties between a few players. Tomas was one of them, running the point and not looking uncomfortable in doing so. His head was always moving and made sure he got the ball to where it needed to be. On one possession, there was about 9 seconds left on the shot clock. The play broke down and Tomas, standing at the top of half court, called out a quick pick. The pick was set to his right. He went right, drove and dished it out to his teammate. End result: swish from 3 on the right wing. He showed a lot of poise and got Real Madrid a good basket. A little later on in the quarter, he got an offensive rebound in traffic, keeping Real's possession alive.

He didn't play much of the second quarter and started the 3rd quarter on the bench. When he came off the bench, he made sure he was involved in the game. On one play, he got the ball on the left wing. His defender gave his some space and he took advantage of it, draining a 3. The most impressive part of the shot: he was about two feet away from the 3-point line, right around NBA range. His form wasn't textbook, but he has a nice enough shot to where it doesn't have to be. His 3-pointer brought Real Madrid within five points. It's also worth noting that this shot looked like it was second nature kicking in when he saw the space given to him to shoot it.

On another play, he chased down the rebound and almost hit another three. The ball went in and out of the hoop, but it was an accurate shot. If you miss a shot, you want the ball to be straight on. It should either be too short or too long. If the shot goes to the right or left, then the mechanics in the shot were off. Even a little thing like where the ring and pinkie fingers were on the follow through can affect the shot. In this case, it was a little too long. On another possession, he created a screen for himself and hit a three. The R.M. big man, Felipe Reyes, was out on the left wing. He moved behind him, received the ball and drained the 3. The defender couldn't get around Reyes in time to get to Tomas. This was kind of like a Rip Hamilton fade, but instead of fading, Tomas went directly behind Reyes for the open shot. End result: swish. On the second to last possession he had, he read the defense perfectly. There was an open lane on the right side, drove right and missed a left handed layup. This was good because he took advantage of what the defense gave him, even though he didn't make the shot.

On defense, he was exceptional. He got a couple rebounds and had a couple deflections. On one play, he stole the ball, took it the length of the court, went right and made a nice drive and layup. He saw the court and what the defense was giving him. Once again, he took advantage of it. He drew a charge on Shammod Williams, creating a turnover that lead to a three pointer from Herville. Overall, he didn't stand out on defense, but he did enough to help Real Madrid. As far as his steals go, I don't know the Spanish term for steal, so I don't know where it is on the ACB box scores. But I thought he had two steals, so, he finished with two steals.

On the last possession, Real Madrid was down by three to FC Barca. With 10 seconds left, Madrid ran the ball down the court. The ball was loose and Tomas grabbed it, but his back was facing the hoop. He tried to huck it up as time expired. The refs called a foul, but said the foul occurred on the ground. Everyone in the arena was livid. Just say he tried to shoot it so there's overtime, I was thinking. More, I want more!

The best part about this play: Tomas got to the free throw line and was disgusted with the call. Everyone could tell by his body language. When he got the ball, he thought about throwing it at the hoop, but fake-heaved it. He made both of his FT attempts. He wasn't even trying. You could tell his mind wasn't on the free throws, but he kept his composure enough to make both. Final score: 74-73, Winterthur FC Barcelona. Should've been OT because Tomas would've made that third free throw, but there wasn't and Real Madrid lost a big game at home to FC Barca, 74-73.

The Bad:

On that same possession where he got the offensive rebound, Hervelle misses a shot. Tomas gets the ball, but misses a gimme from around 7-8 feet. I was kind of surprised by this. It was on the left baseline and it was a gimme. "Make me!," the ball screamed. He missed, but it, like that in & out 3, was a little long. The crowd groaned after he missed it. It was bad because it was an open shot, a shot any professional player gets paid to make. Nobody's perfect, but considering the shots he was making throughout the game, I thought this would've been in.

Also, on that possession where he missed the left handed layup? That's the bad part: he missed it. He was right by the rim but it just didn't go in for him. The layup was a gimme. I'm not trying to criticize for missing, everyone has missed a layup in their life, but it was late in the game and it would've given RM a push they needed in their attempt to come from behind to win.

Even though he did a good job controlling the ball on offense, he made a few mistakes. On one possession, he tried to be cool by passing the ball behind his back. He was on the left wing and the player he was passing it to was in the left corner. The one thing he didn't account for was that there were two Madrid players there. I wasn't quite sure who he was passing to. His teammates did not, either. The player that got it almost juggled the ball out of bounds. It didn't look like he knew that both players were there, just one. It was a mental mistake on his part. They didn't loose the ball, but it was a mistake. One of the few times he made a bad decision on offense. Looked like he was 20 on this play.

This next observation isn't really bad, but it may hurt him eventually. He kind of has a twitch in his step. It's a mix between a gallop and a twitch. When he runs, it isn't fluid. Most would take this as nothing to look at, but when I first saw this, I thought of one person: Zach Crockett. I know it is an odd comparison, but hear me out. Crockett is a talented running back, but because he gallops, he cannot run as fast as other running backs and defenses can get to him quicker than if they were going after a faster back like Adrian Petersen of the Chicago Bears. ('Bout time Grossman started.) Same goes for Tomas. Even though he isn't the fastest player on the court, and will never be, he is a little slow for NBA standards. That hasn't stopped players like Toni Kukoc, Jiri Welsch and Peja Stoyakovic from succeeding, though.

Like most Europeans, defense isn't his strongest suit. On one play, he gave position down low way too easily. In about two seconds, he gave up at least 6-8 feet when the player he was guarding was backing him down. This is a glaring weakness, because most small forwards in the NBA would take advantage of this in a heartbeat. Player like Richard Jefferson, Rashard Lewis and Josh Howard would have their way with him. On another possession, he let his man by him on a simple drive. This is where his speed comes into play. While he did a decent job on defense overall, this was one of the possessions where he gave up his position on defense. It was a simple drive, but he couldn't keep up with the player he was guarding.

On one offensive possession, he was going after an offensive rebound. Although he was showing aggression by going after the offensive rebound, he got called for an offensive foul. FC Barcelona would've wound up with the ball, so the foul was unnecessary. This play could've been good or bad. In this case, the play was bad because the foul was unnecessary, even though he tried to get the ball.

Overview:

Tomas is an NBA-caliber player. A very heady player, more mature than the average 20 year old, he showed a nice hesitation move that froze his defender. He went right both times. One was a layup, the other ended up with two made free throws. Which means that he can take it to the rack. He showed a nice handle for the ball. Almost Jiri Welsch-like. He also has a very nice shot and showed me that it extends out to the NBA 3. Even though he isn't the greatest defensive player, and will never be, he knows his limitations and does what he needs to do to help his team. The charge is what comes to mind. His overall game was very nice because he showed that he's a smart player. He knows he's not the most gifted player athletically, but that doesn't stop him from being a player that has a big impact when he's on the court.

Outlook: He is still young enough to declare for the draft, but I don't he'll be in it this year because this is the first year of his contract with Real Madrid. He may declare in '07, but either way, he'll probably wind up in the NBA as a good role player off the bench.

Axel Hervelle, PF
Stat line: 28 mins., 10 pts, 40%, 50% 3pt, no FT, 11 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 0 blk

#0. Axel Hervelle
Height: 6' 9"
Weight: 230 lbs.
Position: Power Forward
College: Spain
Born: 5th December, 1983
Experience: Rookie

The Good:

Going into the game, I was told that he was a good rebounder. Before this game, I hadn't seen him in a full game, so I made sure to watch him just as much as Gelabele and Tomas. He did not disappoint at all. Just knowing that he holds the record for rebounds in a game at the Reebok camp was enough for me to know that he was a solid rebounder. With a running clock, none the less. Seeing him in action proved one thing: Denver got a very nice player in Herville. While he finished with a game-high 11 rebounds, that doesn't say enough about his rebounding ability. On almost every single possession, he was near the basket for the rebound. A rebounding ball-hawk. That sounds about right. He isn't the thickest power forward/center on the court and will never be, but that doesn't stop him from going after the ball every chance he gets.

Like I said, he isn't the biggest player on the inside, but he does not plays like he isn't. On one free throw attempt, he almost wound up with the offensive rebound, beating the big man, I believe it was Marc Gasol, to the spot. This play showed that he was more active and quicker to the ball compared to a bigger Gasol. To be honest, he was one the most active players I have seen in a while. Of course, every player is active, but he is relentless going after the ball. I'll just say this: if Mark Blount or Eddy Curry had his rebounding instincts, they'd be All-Stars every year. Every year.

On one play on defense, he was guarding a player from FC Barcelona on the block. He didn't give any position at all, ending up with the rebound. When each of his teammates was being guarded, he tried to bring the ball up the court. He even showed a little handle, dribbling the ball behind his back. While he looked uncomfortable doing it, he was still able to, which says that he can become a pretty good all-around player. All of this didn't impress me the most, even though the boarding is hard to beat. What did?

His jumpshot. I had no idea that he could shoot like he did in that game. While he only got credited for two 3 pointers, I thought he had three. The refs must've said he had a foot on the line. 3/6? Even 2/5? Good lord, that's a lot of money. I'll just stick with the bread and water. His Euroleague and ACB stats show that he can shoot from that far out, but to see it in person is another thing. He looked comfortable shooting from that far out, something that most ballers his size wouldn't dare do. He has a very nice set shot, keeping the ball high and has a good release point.

Even though Hervelle's "good" profile is a little shorter than Tomas' and Rodriguez's, that doesn't mean that he wasn't as good. He helped keep real Madrid in the game, especially when Felipe Reyes went down with an ankle injury. RM went small and he was their big man. Even when they went small, Hervelle still played the same, being aggressive against bigger guys. End result: a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Bad:

Even though he had a good game overall, he still had his bad moments. In the first two minutes, he committed an unnecessary foul. Most players do this at times, but if he would've committed one more, his minutes would've been cut in half and he wouldn't have had the game he did. He is young, so going after the ball is something he should do. But some fouls just don't need to be committed, and this bump was one of them.

On one play when he was on defense, he was guarding one of FC Barcelona's big men. His man was about 15 feet out. It was a simple pump fake and Herville bit hard. Who knows what would've happened if he stayed on his feet. maybe the offensive player would've made the jumpshotMaybe he would've missed, but as a power forward/center, it is important to stay on your feet, no matter what. If you jump for a fake, it creates a two-on-one opportunity for the offense, with only one big guy guarding the basket. This can come in time, and it is tempting to go for the block, but he needs to stay on his feet so situations like a two-on-one don't happen.

On another play, Hervelle went to go help a player attacking the basket. It was good help defense, but it led to an open jumper for the guy he was guarding at the time. Most of his defensive deficiencies, like this, can be looked at as good or bad, because in this case, he was helping out his teammate. But players get paid to make open shots. Maybe if he didn't help, the slashing player would've gotten the layup. But it lead to a basket for FC Barcelona.

On FC Barca's last play of the game, Williams and the player Hervelle was guarding set a pick for Williams. Hervelle and his RM teammate switched, creating a mismatch. He had to guard Williams. Williams got to the hoop and converted a layup. While this wasn't necessarily his fault as much as the player that was guarding Williams, mainly because it is better if the guard steps through the screen. Hervelle should've made Williams shoot it. Williams was having an off-night and the only shots he was making were shots close to the basket. In fact, besides that layup, Williams made only one other shot: a layup. In retrospect, it may have been better that he didn't give the open shot to Williams because Williams was at the 3-point line. If he would've made the shot, it would've given Barcelona a four point lead with ten seconds to play. In this case, Williams wasn't making anything and Herville should've challenged him to shoot. It could've gone either way, but if I was Herville in that situation, I would've made him shoot. Why? Besides the fact that Williams was having a bad shooting night, Hervelle has the size to disrupt and alter the 3-point attempt. That could've led to a rebound, a fast break and given Real Madrid the lead with only a couple seconds to spare.

Overview:

Hervelle was money tonight. He showed great instincts going for the rebound and showed his surprisingly nice jumpshot. If he was playing like this last year, and I knew it, I would've said he was a high second round pick worth drafting. While he may have a hard time contending with bigger NBA power forwards and centers, he will make them work by going after each rebound. Unless he has to guard Danny Fortson. Fortson will just bow him or give him a flagrant foul. But Hervelle will still wind up with the ball. I must add that his profile is short because if I were to break down almost every single possession where he got a rebound, I would just say the same thing: he attacked the basket and got the rebound, showing great instincts for going after the ball and getting better inside position than his opponent.

Outlook:

While I don't know his contract situation, I wouldn't be surprised to see him in a Nugget uniform next season because of Nene's situation. He isn't the biggest 4 on the floor, but he is young and has a frame that can add muscle to it and not take away from what makes him an efective player. The Nuggets could just keep Hervelle over here and give minutes to Linas Klieza, one of Denver's second round picks, but they could also use the depth at the 4/5. A steal indeed for Denver.

Mickael Gelabale, SG/SF
Stat line: 26 mins., 42%, 50% 3pt, 100% FT, 2 rebs, 3 ast, 0 stl, 0 blk.

#0. Mickael Gelabale
Height: 6' 7"
Weight: 210 lbs.
Position: Small Forward
College: France
Born: 5th October, 1983
Experience: Rookie

The Good:

With Rakocevic out, Gelabale was one of the players taking on the point guard responsibilities. While the coach of Real Madrid didn't have the players that controlled the ball do a whole lot with it, he was still capable of handling the rock, making sure that he didn't turn it over. As far as his offensive game goes, he showed that he's multi-talented. His first look on offense was a difficult one. Faced with a small amount of time left on the shot clock, he made a jumper over his defender with a hand in his face. The shot showed his focus on the play and that he has a very nice release on his shot. He can get up for his shot, which benefited him greatly on this play.

At the start of the second quarter, he had the ball at the top of the key. He let the play unfold and got the ball to one of his teammates for the bucket. Might have been Louis Bullock On this play, he showed patience and wound up with an assist. This was an actual assist, according to European standards because Bullock caught the ball and shot it without dribbling. On another play in the second quarter, Gelabele swished an open 3, showing off his form and nice technique. One thing is clear: he can definitely shoot the ball. Seattle will benefit from this greatly. On a play a little later on, he had a nice pump fake and drove past his defender, eventually getting the ball to one of his teammates. I couldn't remember the end result of the play because I looked down to make sure I wasn't writing over another note from the game. On this play, he showed more of his game besides his shot. His driving capabilities are very nice, combining speed, good ball handling and a nice first step.

Before the third quarter started, I was looking down at him while RM was huddling up. He was clutching his left hand in pain. If I had to guess, he had a sprained finger, but he played through it. Just a little observation. He played like it didn't affect him, so that says a little about him. At the same time, it could've been something small, but just the way he was holding his left hand it looked like he was hurt. Good thing for him, he's right-handed.

On his first attempt of the second half, he showed that he can move without the ball a la Rip Hamilton. On this play, he weaved near the bottom of the basket and eventually got himself open on the wing, draining the 3. If he does this every game, then the Sonics must be stoked that they can run plays like this for him when he comes over. A little later on in the quarter, he made his third three of the game with an assist from Tomas. On another play in the third quarter, he was able to get to the free throw line. He ended up making both, showing that he can help his team from more than just at the 3-point line.

It wasn't just his offense that showed me that he was a solid team player. And individual player, too. He used his athletic ability on defense a couple of times, making up for a couple mistakes earlier on in that play. In the first quarter, Gelabale gave up good position inside, but made sure that if he didn't block the shot, he would alter. The player he was guarding ended up missing.

On another play, in the second quarter, he mistimes a rebound, but was right for if he would've gotten it. Even though he missed it, the ball was near the hoop and he was closer to it than a couple of Barcelona's players. A little later on, Gelabale let his player by him again. Again, he stayed with and ended up with a very nice block, giving the crowd something to cheer for, since Real Madrid was down by double digits at this time.

In the 4th quarter, he played good defense on #5, but he made the jumpshot. Like Gelabale's shot in the first quarter, it was good defense. It was just a better adjustment by the offensive player. There was nothing more Gelabele could've done to alter the shot. Good defense, better offense. On this play, even though he gave up the shot, he showed that he can stay with his man, whether it be on a jumpshot or a drive. The jumpshot, in this case, is the hardest move to guard, but he did an adequate job doing so.

The Bad:

Like Hervelle, Gelabale had a good overall game, there were some negatives in his overall play.

On that play where he altered the shot, that shot would've been either a make or a trip to the free throw line for the player Gelabale was guarding. I don't want to blame him for giving up position inside, but the player he was guarding was a little smaller than him. He also isn't naturally built to be a thick player, so it wasn't that surprising to me that he gave up the inside position.

Also, even though he made up for it by blocking the shot, he still let the player he was guarding by him. Again, if he were in the NBA, this would've been a made shot. I hate comparing parts of his game to how it would affect him in the NBA, the fact that he's an NBA-caliber player forces me to do so. He has the speed and athleticism to stop drives like he was giving up, but it was just a matter of his opponent getting the better of him.

Even though he isn't a natural point guard and won't asked to be one in the NBA, he turned the ball over a couple of times on passes that could've been avoided. It did hurt Real Madrid that Rakocevic wasn't playing because it forced players who are natural point guards to make plays they normally wouldn't have to make, like his passes. Nonetheless, they were turnovers.

Overview:

A good overall game for Gelabale. He showed that he is gifted enough athletically to contend in the NBA. He made some bad plays, but he did a lot for his team that he normally wouldn't have to do. He showed that he can shoot the ball from the 3-point line. I'm not sure if he could do so from the NBA line, but his shot is nice enough that defenders will have to respect his shot. He also showed that he can penetrate, drawing a foul on one play and dishing it out to a teammate on another. He was definitely worth the 2nd round pick Seattle drafted him with. And he is definitely a first-round talent.

Outlook:

I'm not sure when he will hop on the plane to come over to the NBA. I've heard that he has an opt-out clause in his contract with Real Madrid to do so, but I have no proof of this. If he does, then I could see him in a Sonics uniform next season. But he will probably stay here for at least one more year.

Overview of these three players:

All are NBA-caliber players, but the one thing that stuck out was that they were all given a fair amount of minutes and each produced with them. They also have good chemistry, which is why when I see them again later on in the month, they will show that their chemistry will help guide them to a win over Unicaja Malaga. Or at least I think so. I guess we'll find out, won't we?

Other players in the game:

Shammod Williams
Stat line: 30 mins., 4 pts, 25%, 0% 3pt, 4 reb, 7 ast, 1 stl, 0 blk.

Williams is a decent point guard, but he showed why he is playing in Europe instead of the NBA. His decision making isn't the greatest, forcing up shots that didn't need to be taken. He was money in the clutch, getting that layup over Herville in the closing seconds of the game, but his overall play wasn't that great. I also didn't take very many notes on him. I don't know whether it was because I was focusing on the 3 mentioned above, or whether it was because he just wasn't worth paying attention to. Perhaps it was a little bit of both. Either way, Williams gave the cushion Winterthur FC Barcelona needed in order to win. If he would've missed and Tomas would've made those free throws? Then Tomas would've been the player of the game. But he wasn't and Williams certainly wasn't either. He wants to get back into the L, he must improve his decision making.

Marc Gasol
Stat line: 12 mins., 6 pts, 60%, 2 rebs.

Pau's little brother had a decent game in the limited minutes he got. He was able to score inside and Real Madrid was not able to stop him. He is young, born in 1986. I don't see him entering the draft this year, but if continues to produce on the inside like he was tonight, then we could hear his name in '07 talks. Definitely a player worth keeping an eye on.

Errors & Omissions

European basketball does not allow three steps, like I previously stated in the Rodriguez profile. I unfairly based this judgement on a previously read article where an American player that went went over to Spain said that the refs allowed the U.S.'s opponent to take three steps. I apologize for the shabby reporting. There were a couple questionable plays in that game that had me believe that three steps were allowed, but they are not. Thank you, Luis Fernandez.

>>January 10, 2006 at 12:58:41 AM GMT+8

2006 年 1 月 6 日 星期五 【晴】

Scouting From the Nosebleeds: Profile On Fran Vazquez And Raul Lopez
Authored by J.T. Magee - 4th January, 2006 - 6:07 pm

Fran Vazquez was a lottery pick. By now, everyone knows that, but was he worth being drafted over players such as Sean May, Johan Petro, Wayne Simien and Chris Taft? After this game, that question will be answered. Will his potential help Girona beat Caja? Will he dominate with his athleticism? I am not sure. Well, I am, but you have to keep reading to find out if he was dominant. I will just say this: he has a lot of potential. Key word: potential. And no, no story about having problems getting to the arena. Girona is a fairly small and quiet town in Northeastern Spain. It took me around 40 minutes to walk from my hostel to the game, which I would take any day if I lived in an NBA town.

Vazquez, during warm-ups, displayed the athleticism, shot and potential that Orlando felt was worth drafting over the big men listed above. He can get up and his long arms and banana hands made it look like he could grab any rebound with ease. His shot has the follow through that looks like it's been practiced to the point that it is second nature. But enough about warm-ups. It was how he played that defined him. At least for this game.

Final stat line: 22 mins., 7 pts., 20% FG, 1/1 3pt, 100% FT, 5 reb., 1 ast., 1 stl., 1 blk.

The Good:

Before I get into the game, I must talk about his build. Vazquez isn't the most pysically imposing player on the court, but he has a build that can put on the muscle mass and not pertain him to lose any of his natural abilities. Think of his future teammate, Dwight Howard. He will never be that big, but he has those broad shoulders that Howard has. Once he gets over to the states, he will fill out and be a very effective player. He is very long limbed, having a huge wingspan. Like most players with big wingspans, Antonio Daniels, Leandro Barbosa, Josh Howard, Elton Brand, Ike Diogu, to name a few off the top of my head, his is the type that looks good on video but even more impressive in person. He is not a lot bigger compared to last year, but most European clubs don't lift weights. If they do, their players certainly don't show it. He does look a little more defined, which is always a good thing.

In the first quarter, his first shot attempt was a three pointer, which he swished. I knew he had an outside shot, but I did not know it extended out to the 3. When he shot it, he knew it was going in, focusing on making sure it did anything but. His jump, shot and release were all on point. One thing that kinda surprises me about his shot is that it looks so good even though his hands are so big. They are not Dr. J big, but they are pretty close. Makes you wonder why Rajon Rondo of Kentucky is struggling with his shot. Their hands look like they are around the same size.

In the second quarter, Vazquez came off the bench... with 5:30 left in the half. He did have two fouls, but that was too long for your star player, or at least one of them, to be on the bench. If he's not the star, he certainly gets paid like it. To be honest, I thougt it was more the coach's fault for him sitting for so long than it was his. Girona's bench came into the second quarter with the score tied at 24. By the time Vazquez checked in, they were down nine. They were not playing good team ball, yet he stuck with them. I give him credit for trying to get them (the bench) to get the team back in the game, but in this case, he needed his starters, or at least most of them, back in there to give them a better chance at not going into the half down a big margin. On top of that, their starting point guard, former Utah Jazz point Raul Lopez, sat most of the second quarter, too. He came back in at the 3:54 mark, when they were still down by at least nine. (He looked fairly good, by the way. More on him later.)

One of his assists, that didn't get countewd as an assist, was a fake shot. He was standing on the right wing and one of his teammates had a mismatch in the post. He went up for the shot, but passed it to his teamate while in the air. It threw a couple of Caja's players off-guard, and his teammate, German I believe, took advantage, scoring in the post. It was a great fake and good recognition by Vazquez. Definetely one of his "potential" play, in that he does know how to get the ball to an open teammate. Especially when there was a mismatch on the block.

About a minute, or even less, after Lopez checked in, Vazquez drew his third foul. So there wasn't much to say about him in the second quarter. He got taken out and did not get back in until the third quarter... at the 3:45 mark.

On his first big defensive play, he was a little late on a defensive rotation, but made up for it by deflecting what would've been an open layup. Even though he was late getting to the ball, his length covered the ground and he was able to make sure that Caja did not get another easy bucket. Unfortunately for Girona, they got a lot.

In the fourth quarter, he had his first chance to show off his perimeter defense. Caja wasn't really going to the player Vazquez was guarding, so I could not see what kind of one-on-one defender he was. The man he was guarding received it on the left side (for the offense), arbout 10-12 feet away. Vazquez got bumped a little bit but stood his ground. His man tried a pump fake, but Vazquez didn't go for it. When he tried to get under him, Vazquez was right there. He ended up shooting a fadeaway, turn around j, which Vazquez stayed with and almost blocked. This player outweighed him by a fairly large portion, but he stuck with him. One of the "potential" plays tonight.

His first block of the game was a very nice weak side block. One of Caja's guards beat his guy to the hoop, but Vazquez was able to get there in time without letting him know he was there. He timed it perfectly. Not much else to say, other than it was very good help defense on his part. Again, one of the "potential" plays of his tonight.
A little later in the fourth, Vazquez got his first real look in the post. He set a screen for his point guard and ended up with a mismatch down on the left block. He gets the ball and immediately gets double teamed. He dribbles once with his left hand, fakes right and spins away from the oncoming double team, drawing a foul from the point guard that got caught on the switch. He went to the free throw line and sank both of his attempts with ease. Vazquez showed that, when given the chance, he can do something with the ball in the post, even though there was a point guard defending him. I give him credit for being able to get two points out of the situation instead of turning the ball over when the double team came.

Near the end of the game, when Caja basically had it wrapped up, Vazquez got his first highlight play of the game. One of Girona's players missed a jumpshot and Vazquez went up, high, for the offensive rebound and converted the right-handed tip dunk. He saw an open lane and went straight to the hoop. He got up a couple feet, but because of his long arms, he looked a lot higher than that. Vazquez also showed great control of the ball in the air, almost palming it before slam dunking it home. This was his highlight play of the game and by far the best.

There were a few times on offense where he would rool off the p&r and have a mismatch, but his teammates could not get him the ball. He had established good position on the block, but his teammates just didn't get him the ball. There were a couple times where they didn't even look his way. I was kinda surprised because those were the times where they could've used offense down low to open up their perimeter game. This was not his fault at all and on these plays, around six times in total, if I'm remembering right, he was doing the right thing. His team just didn't reward
him with an opportunity to either score or pass it off.

And then...

The Bad:

Unfortunately, there was a lot of bad in this game for Vazquez. Some of it was not his fault, but there were some things that someone that gets paid $2.5 mill. should be able to do.

Caja attacked him immediately and it showed. They used the pick & roll with great succession whenever Vazquez was guarding the big man setting the pick. He did a good job of making sure the opposing point guard did not get by him, but he had a very hard time getting back to his man. The first time it happened, he went towards the point guard, leaving his man open for 3. Their point guard saw him open, dished it to him and their big man converted the 3 poit attempt. This was just one example of when Vazquez was caught on the outside and it cost Girona a lot of points. He should defend the pick & rol, don't get me wrong, but there a lot of other times where he got caught standing outside and was not able to get a rebound.

On Vazquez's third foul, he was guarding off the ball way too much. His man could've settled for the j, but he decided to attack Vazquez. He gave up too much ground and position. His man posted up, took a couple dribles, then went left into the paint, drawing the blocking foul from Vasquez.

In the fourth quarter, Vazquez got caught on top in a bad defensive rotation. The man he was responsible for guarding ended up getting Caja two offensive rebounds. Simply put, Vazquez was on the perimeter way too much for Girona. When he was down low, he had success, but he was on the perimeter too much. As good as he is, he is just not a perimeter defender. But that's not the worst part about his game tonight. The worst part? It wasn't just on the defensive end.

On offense, he was on the perimeter too much. Way too much. Way too much. A lot of times, he looked lost and out of place. There were quite a few possessions where he was actually standing in one spot, watching the ball get moved around. This made Vazqeuz look very bad. It's unfortunate because he really is a good player, but tonight, he was, well, terrible. I really don't want to say terrible, but he just didn't look like he fit in with the system at all. He looked like he was sent out there just to set a pick.

For most of Girona's sets, they have their two big men at the top, on either side. The point guard gets to choose which side to go to and they run the offense after that decision. Whenever Vazquez was not the man setting the pick, he would go about two feet towards the hoop and stand there, wondering what to do. It really frustrated me because the coach did not seem to notice. He didn't yell at Vazquez to move down low, or move around for that matter. This hurt Girona bad because with Vazquez on the wing, on both sides of the ball, they lost a lot of rebounding opportunities.

One big deficiency in his game stood out tonight. Maybe it was just this game, which I am hoping it is, but Vazquez did not show the type of rebounding instincts that separate good, talented centers and power forwards from the great and talented centers and power forwards. When he was on the outside and a shot went up, he would watch the ball, wait until it was around the rim and then go after it. He had no chance at obtaining any rebounds when he did this, which his rebounds were so low. When he did go for it, he was very late getting back on either defense or offense. He looked very slow. He did not look injured, so was just tired, or is he really that slow? His athleticism that he displays all has to do with quick moves, but when running up and down the court, he was having a hard time doing so.

Overview:

This was not his night. This was probably one of Vazquez's worst games, if not the worst. It was very frustrating to see him struggling to be a part of the offense and get back on defense, whether it be off the pick & roll or in transition. He is a good player and showed the tools that made him worth being drafted by the Magic so high. It may be the coaching in this game, or in general, but he did not look good. But that was just one game. During the plays where he looked good, he looked good, but that was rarely compared to the mistakes. It was even more frustrating for me because this is the only game I will be able to see him in, at least in person, so if I had to base everything off this one game, then he definetely needs to work on a few things.
Also, Caja made sure that he was not effective by running the pick & roll at him as well as make sure he was coverd at all times on offense. They made sure Vazquez didn't beat them and he didn't. But there were times where Vazquez would take himself out of the game by, like I stated earlier, standing in one spot, unsure of where to go.

Outlook:

If the Magic want him to become the player they think he's capable of being, then they need to bring him over for next season so they can work with him directly. He did not look like a Lottery pick on this night, but he has the potential of a very good power forward and the shot to go along with it. He can be good and I believe he will, but if he keeps playing like he did during this game, then it will take a lot longer for him to become that player. He has a lot potential and the athleticism that is needed to successfully play in the NBA. Once he gets the little things down and becomes a better overall basketball player, he will show everyone the player he is capable of being.

Raul Lopez, Akasvayu Girona, PG

Final stat line: 17 pts., 57% FG, 1/1 3pt, 100% FT, 2 reb., 3 ast., 2 stl.

Lopez looks like an average human. Not really muscular at all. He looks kinda like a regular guy. On the court, it stands out even more, but that is because he's standing by bigger guys. In any case, Lopez had a good game, but he didn't do enough to help them win. His 17 points led the team, but as a point guard, the three assists stand out.

He had one pretty sick hesitation move, which made the ACB's Top 10 of the day. What was surprising with Lopez was that he wasn't communicating with Vazquez at all. I thought that playing with Kirilenko, Lopez would be able to give Vazquez some pointers, but didn't do that. He may do some of this stuff in practice, but in the game, Lopez and Girona did not communicate that well at all. Actually, he was Girona's best player, but as a PG, couldn't help them get back in the game.

>>January 6, 2006 at 11:43:55 AM GMT+8

2005 年 12 月 23 日 星期五 【晴】

France
Name:Mickaël Gelabale
Height:6' 7"
Weight:200 pounds
Previous Team: Real Madrid , International
Drafted: #48 in 2005 Draft by Seattle
NBA Position:SF
Date of Birth:5/22/1983 (22 Years Old)
High School:
Hometown:Pointe Noire, Guadeloupe
Earliest Draft Class:2005
Current Position:SF
Possible Positions:SG/SF
Best Case Scenario:
Worst Case Scenario:Rasual Butler
Profile Written By:Luis Fernández
Last Updated:12/28/2004

Strengths:
The first thing you notice about Mickaël Gelabale is his great athleticism and his smooth movements. The guy can jump out of the gym and he's quite fast. Combine this with a 6-8 body and a very good wingspan, and we can start talking about some very nice physical potential for him in the wing.

But Gelabale is more than his athleticism and his long body, he's a player with skills that are already good enough to be very valuable to any team, particularly his shooting and his defense, and with the potential to develop other abilities nicely as well.

The consistency he shows with his jumpshot is quite remarkable. He's usually money in the bank when he's open up to 18-19 feet. He can also nail the three-pointer with fairly good accuracy, but he still hasn't fully mastered it. He shows nice mechanics and he's fairly quick on the release, which is also pretty high thanks to his vertical. Therefore, he doesn't even need to be fully open to make it. His shot is mainly static, although he can make it off the dribble too. It's not the usual pattern, though. He's a player who tries to minimize risks and make as few mistakes as possible. So he never forces shots unless it's necessary.

He's a decent slasher too, and he can become quite a good one. His first step is nothing out of this world, but he has handles, athleticism and the footwork to fill the bill. Like it happens with his shooting, he doesn't take too many chances, so it's not the most usual thing to see him try and penetrate. He waits for a good option, finds the opening, and takes advantage of it. He likes to run the floor a lot, and he has already finished this season some spectacular alley-oops in transition.

On defense, he's hard to beat, really hard if a screen isn't used. He has very good lateral defensive speed and his long arms are a nightmare for the opponents. His defense is not really very aggressive, but his intensity is constant and he's usually focused. He has the tools to become a very good rebounder, and he can make some nasty blocks if needed, but he rarely risks his defensive position for a rejection.

Gelabale shows decent basketball IQ. He seems comfortable on the court, he knows the game. Concerning his character, he shows a good attitude, being very serious on the floor, always focused, always willing to work, always thinking first about the team. Because that's what the Frenchman is, a team player.

Weaknesses:
Gelabale's main need right now is to bulk up and gain strength. He's too skinny, and it's hurting him both on defense and rebounding, as he has problems to get by screens and it's also difficult for him to get good positioning for the rebound and not to be outmuscled when fighting for one. It won't be that easy. Gelabale has quite a thin frame, and although he will surely get stronger, it remains to be seen to what degree.

He doesn't show anything more than average court vision. No surprising assists in traffic, no flashy passes. But he doesn't look for troubles and tries to find the open man, looking for the logical pass, using good criteria. On the other hand when he finds himself in the middle of the traffic and needs to pass the ball, he doesn't always get the job properly done.

We have talked so far about how he likes to play under control, not to take too many risks, and all that stuff. But I think some degree of fearlessness might be missed in his game, especially regarding driving to the basket. Sometimes he doesn't look confident enough when slashing. He doesn't bet the house when I think it would benefit his game in some occasions. In general, many times you feel he could be more important in the offensive end. Although we also have to realize that he's a youngster playing in a very demanding team like Real Madrid, where he's not supposed to be anything close to an offensive reference.

Competition:
Gelabale's path so far has been a little bit different compared with his other countrymen prospects: he's not a product of the INSEP institution, like many talented French youngsters are, and he's yet to play an official competition with any French National Team, whether youth or senior.

Mickaël was developed as a basketball player in Cholet's youth categories, making his debut with the Cholet first team at the age of 18 in the 2001/02 season. His last season in the French team (2003/04) he averaged 10.4 points with 52% on FG, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists.

For the 2004/05 season, Gelabale moved to Real Madrid despite having re-signed with Cholet for two more seasons earlier in the summer. The exposure he is getting playing in the Euroleague and the Spanish ACB League in such a big club surely had something to do with it. And it seems like a right move now, as he has gained coach Maljkovic's confidence. He's averaging almost 21 minutes for 6.5 points (57% FG) and 3.9 rebounds through 13 games in the ACB League, while having 9 points (63% FG) and 3.4 rebounds in almost 24 minutes after 7 games into the Euroleague.

Outlook:
Gelabale's solid play throughout the season has secured him a spot in the 2005 draft (he's automatically eligible). Although he may have the chance to sneak into the first round, even with no significant improvement as the season advances, the early second round looks a more realistic scenario right now.

Comments:
There's no reason not to think that Gelabale can make it all the way to the NBA. Even his strength issues aren't that serious considering that he would likely play small forward. He has some skills, attitude, and the thing that is so important to play in the League: athleticism. It doesn't seem like he will ever be a star, but he might excel in the role of a team player.

Name:Ian Mahinmi
Height:6' 10"
Weight:220 pounds
Previous Team: STB Le Havre , International
Drafted: #28 in 2005 Draft by San Antonio
NBA Position:PF/C
Date of Birth:11/6/1986 (19 Years Old)
High School:
Hometown:Rouen, France
Earliest Draft Class:2005
Current Position:C
Possible Positions:PF/C
Best Case Scenario:
Worst Case Scenario:
Profile Written By:
Last Updated:9/28/2004

Name:Ronny Turiaf
Height:6' 9"
Weight:237 pounds
Previous Team: Gonzaga , Senior
Drafted: #37 in 2005 Draft by LA Lakers
NBA Position:PF
Date of Birth:1/13/1983 (22 Years Old)
High School:Insep (Paris, France)
Hometown:Martinque, France
Earliest Draft Class:2005
Current Position:PF/C
Possible Positions:PF/C
Best Case Scenario:Charles Oakley
Worst Case Scenario:Etan Thomas
Profile Written By:Jonathan Watters
Last Updated:3/13/2005
Strengths:
Ronny Turiaf started his college career as a skinny unknown with a mean streak. In the four years since he has added an astonishing amount of bulk, but hasn't lost a bit of the fire that made him a household name almost the minute he stepped onto the floor for Gonzaga. While many people think of Turiaf as a fundamental back-to-the-basket scorer first, it's pretty obvious that his strength lies in his ability to disrupt things around the basket. Currently listed 6'10 and 250, it wouldn't surprise me if he weighs 10-15 pounds more than that. He looks like a completely different player than he did as a freshman, but hasn't lost any of that explosiveness that makes him so tough to contain. Turiaf is blessed with a fire for the game, and seems genuinely eager to knock people around down low. Given his impressive frame and strength, this allows Turiaf to dominate doing the little things. He is an incredible offensive rebounder, a first-rate post defender, and an enthusiastic shot blocker. He gets good position in the low blocks on offense, and when he wants to hold his ground on defense, he might as well be a 7-foot block of granite. He might not look like a guy that can get up and block a lot of shots, but he has great anticipation, and that unexpected burst in his legs. Where other players tire, Turiaf keeps coming at you. Eventually, he will start winning the battle around the basket. In this way, Rony Turiaf is very reminiscent of your classic enforcer PF, of which we seem to be seeing fewer and fewer these days. Turiaf has some work to do on his post fundamentals, but seems to understand what it takes to get his shot off down low, and has an adequate midrange jumper for this point in his career.

Weaknesses:
While the book on Turiaf has always been his dominant scoring ability, Rony's offensive game might just be his biggest weakness. Turiaf gets good position at will and has a solid scoring average, but he doesn't have good touch on the ball, and many of his attempts miss very badly. While his strength allows him to convert the high percentage opportunities around the basket with ease (this is where most of his points come from), he is very bothered by contact on his post moves. Slight bumps clearly throw him off. As of late, Turiaf actually seems more comfortable shooting a set shot out away from the basket than he does operating with his back to it. Furthermore, despite being a good passer out of the post, he rarely gives it up once he gets the ball with his defender on his back. On a team like Gonzaga, you might say he has a tendency to force shots a bit. The other major weakness in Turiaf's game comes from that natural ferocity that makes him such a good prospect. It becomes a weakness when you start to see the overeager tendencies in his game. While Turiaf has the physical aspect of defense down quite well, he still routinely bites on pump fakes, leaving the basket exposed. This also leads to quick fouls, and Turiaf is almost always in foul trouble. Even after four years of college, he still hardly manages to average 30 minutes per game. While you can never fault a player for being aggressive, Turiaf will have to learn to reign in that fire just a little bit.

Competition:
You might think that playing in the WCC would leave Turiaf's ability to perform at a tougher level in a bit of doubt, but Gonzaga plays a very tough non-conference schedule. Turiaf was hobbled by an ankle injury for much of it this season, but has proven that he can go toe to toe with most standout college bigs. Turiaf is also a very accomplished international player, starring for France in numerous junior tournaments.

Outlook:
There are a lot of intriguing PF's slated to go in the middle of the first round in 2005, and Turiaf might just be the most impressive of the bunch physically. He has the size, strength, and athleticism. It's unlikely he ever becomes a top-tier scorer, but his intensity and ability to control the paint with his strength make him a future double-double machine in the NBA. There isn't as much upside here as in many of the first rounders, but the team that takes Turiaf in the first round isn't risking much, either. Ronny Turiaf is ready to succeed in the NBA.

Comments:
Turiaf has been in the spotlight for quite some time, but there are some misconceptions about his game that must be cleared up.

- Turiaf is not the fundamentally sound, back-to-the-basket scorer that some have him hyped up as. His back-to-the-basket game is actually quite raw, and he lacks touch on his shot.

- However, Turiaf does excel as an "enforcer" type PF, willing to beat people up and wear people down in the post. His rebounding, shotblocking, physical post defense, and motor that doesn't turn off is what makes him a successful draft prospect.

- It should be noted that Etan Thomas isn't exactly an accurate "worst case" for Turiaf. The two are very similar players, though I believe Turiaf has more upside.


ItalyName:Johan Petro
Height:7' 0"
Weight:260 pounds
Previous Team: Pau-Orthez , International
Drafted: #25 in 2005 Draft by Seattle
NBA Position:C
Date of Birth:1/27/1986 (19 Years Old)
High School:
Hometown:Paris, France
Earliest Draft Class:2005
Current Position:C
Possible Positions:PF/C
Best Case Scenario:Samuel Dalembert At Full Potential
Worst Case Scenario:Steven Hunter
Profile Written By:Jonathan Givony+Malek Ait-Kaci
Last Updated:5/27/2005

Strengths:
Petro's biggest strengths at the moment relate to his physical attributes, which put him in a class of his own in this year's draft class.

Petro has great size and an outstanding body for a 19 year old, being ready to come in and get minutes right off the bat and take the pounding that NBA big men dish out after some minor work in the weight room. His frame is excellent and is ready to put on about as much muscle as he'll need in the NBA. His wingspan is very good as well, and he already knows how to use it quite well to intimidate around the basket.

Athletically, he moves extremely well for a 7 footer, running the floor quickly, fluidly and with good coordination. He has somewhat of a laid-back demeanor to him, but when he wants to, he can certainly get up off the floor, on both ends around the basket. He's not Amare Stoudemire or anything like that, but he'll definitely be considered one of the more athletic 7 footers in the league almost right off the bat. The ease in which he moves around the court is particularly impressive, he's mobile moving both east to west and north-south, and can show on the pick and roll and then get right back to his place in the post.

Offensively, Petro relies mainly on a lethal baby hook shot, which is clearly his best asset in the paint. It's pretty hard to block as he performs it swiftly off the dribble and fluidly, sometimes off a quick spin move, but with a very soft touch. He is adding range to his shot (out to about 14 feet), mostly from the baseline or from various positions around the post (although no bank shot at all), but he has room to improve here still. Through his hard work, Petro has become a very good free throw shooter for a 7 footer, going from 46% two years ago at the line, to 50% last year, and up to 72% this year in the French league and 75% in the Euroleague. He has the footwork and quickness to beat his matchup in the paint and enjoys attacking the rim, not being soft at all and having no problem taking contact around the basket. He has a decent handle for a player his size, although he does not use that much because of his role on the floor.

On the defensive end, his size, wingspan and athletic ability make him very intimidating around the basket. He has very good lateral quickness, which allows him to stay in front of his man in the paint. He used to be incredibly foul prone, and although he still has trouble with this occasionally, he has reduced the amount of unnecessary fouls he commits drastically this year, showing that he is coachable and able to learn from his mistakes. The fact that he is a physical player that likes to bang (allow the refs rarely let him), along with his excellent physical attributes, should tell you that he has a future on the defensive end in the NBA.

Considering his age (he'll only turn 20 mid-way through all-star weekend next season, being younger than both Robert Swift and Gerald Green), size, frame and athleticism, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that he has a big upside to improve. He's already a much better player than he was last year when he entered the draft.

Weaknesses:
Rebounding seems to be his biggest flaw right now, he just doesn't have very good fundamentals when it comes to boxing out his man and establishing position, although he has all the physical tools needed to excel here. Part of that will come with better coaching, but he also lacks a certain degree of fire to his game, not always looking like he is giving 100% and fading from time to time in terms of his intensity on the court. His motor isn't bad, he just loses his focus at times and makes youthful mistakes, something that hopefully he will improve on as he continues to mature.

Defensively, he can block shots due to his size, wingspan and leaping ability, but still needs to improve his timing and court awareness a bit, as well as using his body better to stay out of foul trouble. Man to man, he uses his hands a little too much, which is where a lot of his fouls come from, but he shouldn't have a problem getting better here with good coaching and experience because he can move his feet quite well.

Offensively, like most athletic teenage 7 footers he is still a bit limited besides simple moves like the catch and dunk and an excellent little baby hook shot. His footwork could stand to improve and he would benefit from adding more moves to his arsenal in the paint. He has all the physical attributes in the world to be a dominating player inside the paint, but needs to learn how to use them better.

Overall his feel for the game is not off the charts. He struggles at times with set plays in the half court offense, like on pick and rolls for examples. His improvement has been slower than expected the last two years mainly due to a lack of playing time. Sometimes his team will give him big minutes and he'll be very productive, and sometimes he'll come in for a few minutes at a time or won't play at all.

Competition:
Petro started playing basketball competitively at the age of 13. He was recruited by the French academy INSEP (home of Tony Parker, Ronny Turiaf and many others) from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe (home of Mickael Pietrus and others), a French colony where he played from 2000-2003.

Petro signed with Pau-Orthez, one of the leading teams in France, in 2003 and was played sparingly in his first season. He was named to the All-European Junior Championships team (see: Centers of Attention article in links section) last summer with a big game against Italy for the Bronze Medal

This past season Petro became a solid rotation player and even started at times, being a little bit inconsistent in terms of minutes played and production, but still having some fine games even in the Euroleague. The French league is considered a second tier league in Europe, just behind Spain, Italy and maybe Greece, but right there in the mix amongst the best leagues in the continent after those. It's an extremely athletic league that resembles the NBA (in terms of tempo and style of play, not talent) more than any other domestic competition in the world.

Outlook:
Petro declared last year for the draft and despite being considered a lock for the first round and even supposedly garnering a promise from the Nuggets at #21, he withdrew to develop for one more year in Europe and earn a lottery selection.

This year he has declared once again, and while some experts have pegged his stock in the mid twenties, NBA teams feel that there is no shot at him falling past the teens considering his physical attributes and upside. Athletic 7 foot teenagers with budding skills usually don't stay on the board that long. His range appears to be from about 7-20.


Italy
Name:Stefano Mancinelli
Height:6' 8"
Weight:214 pounds
Previous Team: Climamio Bologna , International
Drafted: Undrafted in 2005 Draft
NBA Position:SF
Date of Birth:3/17/1983 (22 Years Old)
High School:
Hometown:Chieti, Italy
Earliest Draft Class:2005
Current Position:SF/PF
Possible Positions:SF
Best Case Scenario:Andres Nocioni
Worst Case Scenario:Marko Milic
Profile Written By:Marco Fracasso
Last Updated:6/3/2005
Strengths:
Stefano Mancinelli is clearly an NBA caliber athlete. He's a well built 6-8 forward, who runs and hustles all over the floor showing explosiveness and a great vertical leap. His team, Fortitudo Bologna, runs an uptempo offence and that lets him shine while closing the primary fastbreak with spectacular dunks or going for dynamic offensive rebounds.

He usually plays as the starting small forward or as the 6th man (there is no real set starting line-up for this team), giving the team an energy boost on both sides on the floor. On defense he's often matched up with bigger players which he doesn't suffer too much playing against, but who he can often outrun them on the other side of the ball. He's always a threat in the passing lanes or to come up with a block from the weak side.

In the half court, he usually hangs out around the 3 point line, from where he's become a decent spot-up shooter, improving dramatically on what was his always biggest weakness, his lack of shooting touch. He often likes to cut to the basket, showing good hands for catching the ball, and both the strength and the will for a strong finish even if he's being contested by a big man.

He's still working on his game, even recently showing a mid-range jumper off the dribble, a fundamental he never mastered. He's a very good passer from outside of the 3 point line, both able to find slashing cutters or make the entry pass to his big man.

Mancinelli has been an important contributor for one of the top teams in Europe, and he's one of the most proven international players in the draft this year.

Weaknesses:
Mancinelli is clearly a small forward at the NBA level, but the best things he's done so far were from the power forward position, taking advantage of his quickness and athleticism against big men.

While that's a pretty common situation for a player coming to the NBA, having to adapt to moving down one spot position wise, Stefano has sub-par fundamentals to consistently play the 3 position.

We already stated how he improved his outside shot, but he has a very low release (and ugly mechanics, but that's not relevant as long as the shot ends up in the basket), he absolutely needs to have his feet perfectly set and to be in his favored spots behind the arc. It's unlikely that teams will take advantage of his shooting touch, but he has still a long way to go, because for such an unnatural shooter, adapting to the NBA 3 point line won't be automatic.

His ball handling is suspect, looking tentative when pressed and having little vision off the dribble to find the open man, and lacking a proper use of his off hand as he always tries to go left. Because of this he is not as dangerous as he should be at beating the big men he's often matched up with off the dribble.

While he surprised everyone by hitting some shots off the dribble (going left), he's still robotic in the process and it's highly unlikely he could do it effectively in the NBA.

His limitations lead to the fact that at this point he's not a player who is able to create his own shot and create for teammates, not even at the European level. There are some question marks about his potential, is he going to be just a very good energy guy or will he develop in a more complete player? Scouts might also wonder, what is the one thing that he really does well for him to earn playing time off the bench?

Competition:
Fortitudo Bologna is one of the top teams in the Italian league, which is the premier league in Europe along with the ACB Spanish league. Fortitudo (or by their sponsor's name, Climamio) is currently playing in the Italian playoffs.

Mancinelli played in the Euroleague Finals last season and his team made it to the TOP16 of the competition this past year.

He's played for the Italian national team already and was the last player cut from the team that won the silver medal in Athens last summer. He's going though to be in the roster for the 2005 European Championships this summer in Belgrade.


Outlook:
The biggest knock on Mancinelli's draft status is the fact that he is somewhat of a tweener for the NBA at this point. The biggest asset he has at the European level is his athletic ability, but he won't be considered a freak of nature at the next level so that alone won't guarantee him success in the NBA. He needs to develop more of a small forward game, but while he's shown the right work ethic, he's hardly as polished as other international NBA prospects, and that will make it very tough for him to find a spot in the first round.

His game, though, could be better suited for him to become a role player in the NBA rather than to become a superstar in Europe. It might be easier for him to translate his current game at a higher level rather than make the next step in Europe, by developing skills that are at a very raw stage at the moment.

For the near future in the NBA, the biggest question he needs to answer is about his accuracy from outside of the 3 point line. He might remind of Houston draftee Bostjan Nachbar, whose inability to be consistent from behind the arc cost him the possibility of finding minutes on the floor for his team. While Stefano is probably stronger both physically and mentally than the former Benetton player, he hasn't shown the same shooting touch in the Italian league.

Comments:
Most International prospects are big men who are able to play outside the paint, something scouts have problems finding in the NCAA. Mancinelli is a small forward who has often played the power forward position, which is something that is not incredibly hard to find amongst the NCAA draft class.

What should make a General Manager decide to invest in him? First of all, this is a guy who's proven himself at the highest level outside of the NBA. Second, this is a guy that already accepted playing a secondary role and had an impact that way, so it's easier to imagine him doing the same rather than converting a scorer into a role player. Third, he showed a promising attitude to work on his game, and there's still the option to leave him in Bologna for another year or more, to find a more ready player later.

While all this isn't probably enough to warrant a selection in the first round, Mancinelli is likely to go in the first half of the second round.

Name:Angelo Gigli
Height:6' 11"
Weight:205 pounds
Previous Team: Bipop Carire Reggio Emilia , International
Drafted: Undrafted in 2005 Draft
NBA Position:PF
Date of Birth:6/4/1983 (22 Years Old)
High School:
Hometown:Durban, South Africa
Earliest Draft Class:2005
Current Position:PF
Possible Positions:SF/PF/C
Best Case Scenario:Raef LaFrentz
Worst Case Scenario:Efthimios Rentzias
Profile Written By:Marco Fracasso
Last Updated:4/18/2005

Strengths:
While a fan will first look at his athleticism and ability to run the floor as an unusual thing for a big man, the first thing a scout will notice when watching Gigli play is his maturity and high basketball IQ. He never forces anything, and knows his role on the team.

On offense Gigli scores most of his points off of cuts to the basket, where he often finishes with a dunk, or by freeing himself out of the paint for a solid set shot. When he gets the ball in the low post he uses his quickness to separate himself from the defender and hit a turnaround shot, or to find a way to the basket for a lay-up, but more often tries to set up his teammates thanks to his special passing abilities. He never looks for the unnecessary spectacular play, while he can find both the cutter or the free man on the perimeter.

He can finish pretty well near the rim with both hands, while his range can go as far as the European 3pt line, and there's no reason to think that it can't go further.

His ball-handling is good for a big man, but not at same level of other European big men entering the draft. He can put the ball on the floor in the open court, but he'll have a hard time protecting it if pressed by smaller players.

He has a remarkable nose for the offensive rebound, thanks to his reactivity he collects tons of them, and scores several points off them each game.

On defense the most interesting part is the way he helps his teammates, using his quick feet to contest every shot in the paint. This makes him the Italian league leader in blocked shots at the moment. His feet also make him a great defender in pick and roll situations, where he's able to both help on the dribbler and then contain him for a few seconds on the switch.

A difference between him and other European prospects is that Angelo is actually playing starting minutes and contributing on an overachieving team (Reggio Emilia went to the finals of the Italian Cup, after being expected to be in the bottom part of the standings) in one of the best leagues in Europe.

Considering the recent struggles of completely unproven teenagers from Europe, his experience will be surely appreciated, because this experience won't come at the expense of his potential. This is a guy who has dramatically improved since last year and showed a constant progression even during the current season.

Weaknesses:
Angelo's biggest problem is his weak body. It's too weak to play inside at the NBA level. While not less bulked up than most of the other European big men in the draft, Angelo doesn't possess the same youth or guard skills others have so he needs more pounds quick to be effective at the NBA level.

He's going to hit the weight room in the near future and it will help him a lot to play inside in the NBA, but at this point he can't hold the position against any NBA post player, considering how he sometimes suffers even against the European ones.

On offense, as already stated, he can use his quickness near the basket, but he struggles if matched up against a very physical player. Considering the differences in the way the game is officiated in the NBA compared to Europe he'll have a hard time adapting to all the bumping he'll face in the NBA paint area. And this transition will be tougher when you consider how he has no go-to move at this point, even if he has all the tools to develop one.

He's not skilled enough, though, to consistently play outside. His handles are good but he's not a big threat to beat you off the dribble, and while his shot is accurate enough, it has a very low release and he can't take it while moving yet.
Gigli has to try to become a player that's able to play both inside and outside, because he's in the dangerous situation of not being great in any position right now.

Finally, we've already mentioned how he's having an important role on a good team in one of the best European leagues. But it's still a small team, with no great ambitions and no real pressure, while not playing in any international competitions like the Euroleague or ULEB Cup. This means he plays just one game a week, so will he be able to handle the NBA schedule?

Competition:
Angelo is the starting PF/C of Bepop Reggio Emilia, in a very tough and competitive league that sent multiple teams to the Euroleague Final Fours the last few seasons. He averaged 11 points and 5 rebounds on 64.4% shooting from the field and 35% from outside in 27 minutes per game. He also blocks 2.5 shots per game.

Outlook:
A player probably 10-15 pounds of muscles shy from being a lottery pick, but still with enough potential to fall somewhere in the twenties. Scouts always appreciate smart and coachable guys, because they're the ones the will more easily fulfill their potential, and Angelo always shows a clever mind on the court and in the interviews he's had so far.

Being close to 7 feet tall, but without the necessary bulk or inside skills to play Center, his position in the NBA will clearly be the power forward spot, and he's best suited to play for a team that runs a motion offence to use his vision and fundamentals.

On defense he's going to suffer trying to contain his man in the short term, but he'll probably quickly adapt to the NBA speed to properly execute the team's game plan.

Comments:
A perfect guy to draft and keep in Europe for a few years, and then get back a more polished, experienced and NBA ready player. Angelo himself stated multiple times that he wants first to play in the Euroleague before joining the NBA, and there have been rumors about him playing for Fortitudo (Climamio) Bologna next year.

>>December 23, 2005 at 7:12:51 PM GMT+8

2005 年 12 月 20 日 星期二 【晴】

Full Name: Drazen Petrovic
Born: 10/22/64 Sibenik, Croatia
Died: 6/7/93
College: University of Zagreb(Yugoslavia)
Drafted by: Portland Trail Blazers, 1986 (third round)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 200 lbs.
Honors: Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2002); All-NBA Third Team (1993)
Transactions: Traded to New Jersey Nets 1/23/91

Drazen Petrovic was the advent of one of the most far-reaching changes in the makeup of the NBA, -- the international influence. During the 1980s there was the arrival of significant numbers of talented European players, a migration greatly accelerated by the fall of communist governments in Eastern Europe. But no arrival from the former Soviet bloc was more eagerly anticipated than that of Drazen Petrovic.

The Croatian native led the national team of the former Yugoslavia to gold medals at European and World Championships and a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics before developing into one of the NBA's top shooting guards with the Portland Trail Blazers and New Jersey Nets. However, tragedy cut his career short when he died in an automobile accident in Germany at age 28.

His success elicited comments like this from NBA Commissioner David Stern: "Drazen Petrovic was an extraordinary young man, and a true pioneer in the global sports of basketball. I know that a lasting part of his athletic legacy will be that he paved the way for other international players to compete successfully in the NBA. His contributions to the sport of basketball were enormous. We are all proud of the fact we knew him."

Drazen Petrovic was an enthusiastic and energetic sharpshooter.
Nathaniel S. Butler
NBAE/Getty Images
In four short seasons in the NBA, he was a blazing comet of tireless enthusiasm who made an everlasting mark. Petrovic had shooting skills to match his energy. In his two full seasons with New Jersey he averaged 21.4 points. In his best -- and final -- season, 1992-93, he led the Nets with 22.3 points per game.

"Even if you were a fan of another team, you couldn't root against him," Nets teammate Sam Bowie told the Newark Star-Ledger. "You had to be impressed by him."

His NBA credentials along with his tremendous international accomplishments propelled him to enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. The Hall of Fame was probably not in the mind of the son of a police chief, growing up in Sibenik, Croatia, a small port city on the Adriatic Sea. Yet, he and his brother Aleksander practiced every morning before school teaching themselves basketball on makeshift courts. All those things began to pay off when a talented, 15-year-old boy joined the Yugoslavian national team.

He put up decent enough numbers to entice Notre Dame to try to lure him to the United States in 1984, when he was 19 years old. Two years later the Portland Trail Blazers selected him in the third round of the 1986 NBA Draft. But Yugoslavia's travel restrictions and, later, complicated contractual ties kept him away from North America until the decade's end. For the next several years, he dominated the European scene while playing for Real Madrid in Spain.

Ultimately he was offered an NBA contract by Portland and earned the right to play after a legal battle resulting in him buying his way out of his Spanish deal (reportedly for as much as $1.5 million), setting off a storm of outrage in Madrid.


Drazen Petrovic was an extraordinary young man, and a true pioneer in the global sports of basketball. I know that a lasting part of his athletic legacy will be that he paved the way for other international players to compete successfully in the NBA. His contributions to the sport of basketball were enormous. We are all proud of the fact we knew him.


-- NBA Commisioner David Stern



Petrovic's U.S. debut in the 1989-90 season proved unspectacular. His defensive skills were still raw by NBA standards, and the Trail Blazers, already solid at the two position with Clyde Drexler, found only limited use for a shooting guard who was weak on defense. In 77 games in his rookie season he averaged only 7.6 points in 12.6 minutes per game.

In the first half of the 1990-91 season the Trail Blazers kept Petrovic on the bench in 20 of 38 games before trading him to New Jersey in a three-team deal that brought Walter Davis to Portland. The Nets also used him sparingly at first, but they gave him enough playing time to improve his point production to 12.6 per game. Playing an average of 20.5 minutes in 43 games, he had one of the league's best points-per-minute ratios.

Petrovic's outside shooting won him a chance to start the next season, and he jumped to 20.6 points per game. He began to gain league-wide recognition as one of the NBA's best outside shooters, particularly from three-point range. He hit on 123 of 277 three-point attempts that season, ranking second in the NBA with a .444 percentage. Petrovic also led the Nets in field-goal shooting (.508) and free-throw shooting (.808)

In the 1992 offseason Petrovic returned to his homeland to lead the newly independent Croatia to a silver medal at the 1992 Olympics and providing the only brief scare to the United States Dream Team during the entire tournament. In the gold medal round, Croatia took a 25-23 lead against the Dream Team before falling 117-85, which featured such NBA rivals as Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, against whom Petrovic (playing point guard rather than shooting guard) scored 19 points.

His NBA numbers got even better in 1992-93. Besides leading the Nets in scoring (22.3 ppg), he set the team pace with a .518 field-goal percentage and a .449 three-point field-goal percentage. The media voted him to the All-NBA Third Team at season's end. Fans loved his enthusiasm and energy, and his coaches admired the fact that he devoted offseason time to improving his game, especially his defense. "You couldn't have wanted a better teammate," New Jersey Head Coach Chuck Daly told the Newark Star-Ledger. "He was very talented, he played very hard and was able to lead by his example. He was indefatigable."

After the Nets fell in the first round of the 1993 Playoffs, Petrovic, unhappy with New Jersey management, which was slow to renegotiate his contract, told reporters he would probably accept a two-year offer to play pro ball in Greece. He then left for Europe to rejoin the Croatian national team in European Cup competition. Following a 30-point effort in a qualifying tournament in Poland, Petrovic detoured to Germany to visit his girlfriend. On June 7 he was en route to Munich when the car in which he was a passenger slammed into a tractor-trailer. He died instantly. He was only 28 years old.

The loss particularly stunned European fans. "It's hard for you to imagine here in America, because you have so many great players," his brother told the New York Daily News. "But we are a country of four million. Without him, basketball takes three steps back."

Late in 1993 the Nets retired Petrovic's uniform No. 3 in tribute. Another lasting legacy Petrovic leaves is the Drazen Petrovic Trophy which is awarded to the MVP of the McDonalds Championship, the series between the NBA Champion and the European Champion.


Career Statistics

G FG% 3PFG% FT% Rebs RPG Asts APG Stls Blks Pts PPG
290 .506 .437 .841 669 2.3 701 2.4 265 27 4,461 15.4

>>December 20, 2005 at 1:18:53 PM GMT+8

2005 年 12 月 19 日 星期一 【晴】

The natives are getting restless. Seems like everyone is blaming Doc Rivers for the team’s latest struggles and I think much of that is justified. At the very least, he is one component of the overall issues with this team. There’s no need to rehash the complaints about Doc’s coaching style. I did that during festivus week and you don’t need to look hard on the message boards for similar complaints. Unless Doc can improve dramatically, he doesn’t seem to be the coach that will take this team to the next level. So the remaining question is this: When do you make a move for a new coach? It becomes a matter not just of fit, but of timing as well.

Developing the Kids

A lot is made about Doc developing the kids, and he should get some credit for playing the younger guys and stressing things like defense and ball movement. However, with a team that has barely 5 players that you could consider “veterans,” he has no choice but to give minutes to the kids. In addition, it is very hard to tell how much of a young player’s development is due to the coach as opposed to their own initiative. For example, you could point to Jiri Welsch as an example of a guy Doc didn’t develop well, but he hasn’t exactly flourished with the Cavs or Bucks either. Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins could be seen as success stories, but Doc didn’t even think Jefferson would play last year and Perkins is getting his playing time yanked every which way this year.

As was pointed out by several readers here, Perkins had a great (not just good, great) first quarter, and proceeded to sit out most of the 2nd. He played solid ball in the 3rd and was nowhere to be seen in the 4th. Meanwhile Raef is bombing erant threes and Blount, while having a decent offensive game, was horrible on defense.

I could go into the point guards, but West and Greene are both in their first year of running an NBA offense, so the jury is still out with them. Banks has never proven to be more than a good backup (change of pace) point guard, but it was good to have him back last night. He had a very solid first game.

Ricky Pierce is Behaving

Can you credit the coach for Ricky Davis and Paul Pierce growing up and finally playing up to their capabilities? I’m sure he deserves some credit, but I think this is a case of those players deciding to go along with the system and not give their critics any more material to work with. As a result, they have enough freedom to flourish. One more note on Paul Pierce. I don’t know if he considered this over the offseason, but I’m sure he realizes it now: If he continues to play above reproach, he might just be here long after Doc is gone. Who would have thought that last year?

So Now What?

At the end of the day, a coach is judged on his wins and losses. However, when a team is rebuilding, you have to look closer at the development of the whole team (not just the younger players). Wins and losses are just one measure. Still, if the Celitcs can’t make progress and strides forward as a team, then at some point you have to get someone in there that can make a difference.

I don’t think the team is going to have to make a move during this season. It would almost take a borderline mutiny by the team to do make such a move necessary. Granted, if he can’t establish some sort of regular rotation, that might not be too far fetched. Still, if you do make a move mid season, you would be hard pressed to find anything but a short term solution. Danny could take over for half a season (ala Kevin McHale last year), but I don’t think he wants to coach long term. Somehow I don’t see Tony Brown being an upgrade either.

Bottom line is that unless things get much better or much worse, I think we’ll look into making a coaching change this offseason. The young players will have another year under their belts, but won’t be so set in their ways that they can’t be molded next year. We’ll have a chance to evaluate those players and make a few moves necessary to fill in some holes. Hopefully the new coach will be a guy that has command over game management and stressing defense.

Until then, Doc is going to be running the show, and hopefully he can at least establish a rotation and give the whole team a chance to develop together.


http://celticsblog.net/blog/

nobody know when celtics develop to a god team. nobody know when celtics can beat spurs, pistons, mavs, suns...... what is the actual need of celtics? nobody know. at least ainge and doc dont know

i am still optimistic on celtics. maybe not this year, but it will achieve a lot of hopes in the coming year. believe me. we are just a young team. all young will develop.

before we continue to develop, lets get a true PG first!!! gary payton did a good job last year!!! also, many team have already proved that pg is crucial for the team!!! lets get a PG either in trade or draft!!! up to this moment, it seems like to get a PG in the lottery...... not a bad answer

>>December 19, 2005 at 12:39:17 PM GMT+8

2005 年 12 月 12 日 星期一 【晴】

Name: Andrew Betts
College: Long Beach State
Height: 7'1"
Weight: 250
Class: Senior
Position: Center
Other Position: NA
Born: 11/5/1977

Largely an unknown, having played only 1 year of D-I ball at Long Beach State, and basically 2 seasons (over 3 years) of D-II ball at CW Post. Like fellow English native Michael Olowokandi, Betts is somewhat limited in basketball experience, but is nowhere near Olowokandi in terms of physical size. In other words, needs to hit the weight room. Despite that, not afraid to mix it up as his rebounding numbers attest to. Decent touch from the perimeter, and works well within a high-post offense. Has played decently in the post-season camps. Like most big men, looks to be a project, and a probable 2nd round pick.

England will have a basketball national team soon? maybe

>>December 12, 2005 at 4:46:02 PM GMT+8