In for a longer season than we think if we do not post up Fab

[Cuse4]

and others

 

[STEVEHOLT]

offense running much smoother now. not just jacking up threes and dribbling pointlessly. Finding open man inside the arc against the zone. setting solid screens...much better...probably just coincidental that scoop and trische happen to be out when that started.

 

[orangefan13]

If fabs guy isn't going to follow him out of the low post then have Fab come out shoot a jumper with Christmas rebounding.

 

[Cuse4]

still going to need some post touches down low vs better opponents ... even if it's just to keep them honest and pass out of it, like the Fab to Jsouth at FT line

 

[Alsacs]

Dude calm down its the first half of the first game. North Carolina, Kentucky, Duke and UConn didn't exactly destroy their competition from the opening tip yesterday. I just want to see Jimmy B experiment with the rotation of players and see the team gel and not make stupid turnovers. This team is deep and will be fine we will get the points and I don't care if we are a jump shooting team or a post team. Just win baby.

 

[orangefan13]

There. That play the guy came out on Fab and CJ hit a wide open three.

 

[Cuse4]

Dude calm down its the first half of the first game. North Carolina, Kentucky, Duke and UConn didn't exactly destroy their competition from the opening tip yesterday. I just want to see Jimmy B experiment with the rotation of players and see the team gel and not make stupid turnovers. This team is deep and will be fine we will get the points and I don't care if we are a jump shooting team or a post team. Just win baby.

I could care less if we were down 5 ... We have to establish some inside play

 

[orangefan13]

The other team was packing the paint. Fabs guy was sitting inside and Fab wasn't coming out to set picks or shoot a jumper. Our last 6 points have bene inside. MCW and Fab have a bucket inside. Southerland has a foul line jumper, Dion just missed a foul line jumper. We are fine.

 

[Ghost]

Not much of a sample size to work with, but MCW seemed to focus a bit more than anyone else on at least looking inside.

 

[SoBristol]

Fab needs some touches, but he hasn't shown much of a low post game. He isn't AO, yet. Has a better chance to finish when the guards or Kris penetrate.

 

[OttoMets]

I could care less if we were down 5 ... We have to establish some inside play

Would be nice if we did. It didn't help that their big was alternately face-guarding and bear-hugging Fab the whole game, but I was hoping to see him get more touches.

Very nice cut for a lay-up off a pass by Carter-Williams; not too much else.

 

[The General]

Uh, we were playing against a zone. Not gonna post up a whole lot against a zone.

Melo had a real nice pick n roll with MCW.

 

[Czar]

Fab needs some touches, but he hasn't shown much of a low post game. He isn't AO, yet. Has a better chance to finish when the guards or Kris penetrate.

Has has a better low post game than AO, he just doesn't get opportunities. Also don't get why there is not a single play for Melo in the high post.

 

[SoBristol]

Has has a better low post game than AO, he just doesn't get opportunities. Also don't get why there is not a single play for Melo in the high post.

You must be kidding -- AO was money in the low post.
I agree about setting Melo up in the high post; Christmas showed a strong inside move in the second half (when he was the center).

 

[sufandu]

If fabs guy isn't going to follow him out of the low post then have Fab come out shoot a jumper with Christmas rebounding.

I agree. I like the idea of the middle being a little more open because our big man may be able to draw the opposing center away from the basket. Can Fab be Craig Forth with a midrange shot?

 

[Czar]

You must be kidding -- AO was money in the low post.
I agree about setting Melo up in the high post; Christmas showed a strong inside move in the second half (when he was the center).

AO was money if he dunked or did his one post move. He was seasoned, he knew how to do it. My point Melo has a much more varied low post game, he has more moves, he just doesn't have the senior execution AO had.

 

[Czar]

I agree. I like the idea of the middle being a little more open because our big man may be able to draw the opposing center away from the basket. Can Fab be Craig Forth with a midrange shot?

Fab can be way more than Craig Forth with a mid range shot. Fab can be Pau Gasol if he works hard enough. If he worked his hardest, he could be the player Arvydas Sabonis never got to be.

 

[billsin01]

AO was money if he dunked or did his one post move. He was seasoned, he knew how to do it. My point Melo has a much more varied low post game, he has more moves, he just doesn't have the senior execution AO had.

This is where people get so confused, IMO, when evaluating these kids. First of all, everyone LOVES potential. Fab as a 7-footer with good athleticism has more potential than AO did as a 6-8 guy with lower leg issues and not much vertical. Secondly, people want kevin mchale down low. Or Hakeem. They want it to look good and they want there to be a variety of moves.

What AO did -- score with either hand, clear space with his butt and finish with very basic fundamental low-post moves -- is boring.

The problem is this leads to people posting things like "Fab is much better in the post b/c ... " Um, no, he's not. And the truth? He may not ever get there. Maybe he will, but anyone who thinks he's even in the same realm as a low-post option as AO is certifiable, IMO.

 

[billsin01]

You must be kidding -- AO was money in the low post.
I agree about setting Melo up in the high post; Christmas showed a strong inside move in the second half (when he was the center).

Yeah, I liked that Xmas move as well. I wasn't sure what to think of him and that was the first time I'd really seen him, but I was surprised how confident he looked when he got the ball. That bodes well.

 

[Czar]

This is where people get so confused, IMO, when evaluating these kids. First of all, everyone LOVES potential. Fab as a 7-footer with good athleticism has more potential than AO did as a 6-8 guy with lower leg issues and not much vertical. Secondly, people want kevin mchale down low. Or Hakeem. They want it to look good and they want there to be a variety of moves.

What AO did -- score with either hand, clear space with his butt and finish with very basic fundamental low-post moves -- is boring.

The problem is this leads to people posting things like "Fab is much better in the post b/c ... " Um, no, he's not. And the truth? He may not ever get there. Maybe he will, but anyone who thinks he's even in the same realm as a low-post option as AO is certifiable, IMO.

Well let's see, considering what Fab is shown, factoring in his touches, I'm personally more impressed by him than I ever was with AO. AO executed, as I said, but he never blew the world away.

 

[billsin01]

Well let's see, considering what Fab is shown, factoring in his touches, I'm personally more impressed by him than I ever was with AO. AO executed, as I said, but he never blew the world away.

I think you're missing the point. What you seem to be implying is that Fab has the potential to be a low post guy that can face up and hit a jumper, add a variety of back-to-the-basket moves, block a bunch of shots, pass the ball well and tack on a 10-year nba career when it's all said and done. Yes, that would make him a better player than AO. And yes, he may even get to the same point with his back to the basket in the post. I hope you are right.

However, what you're actually typing is that what you've seen so far (two games in double-figures last year and 2 ppg and 2 rpg for the season and one game of 4 points, 4 rebs and 4 blocks with 3 fouls in 19 minutes vs. fordham) impresses you more than Onuaku averaging 10.5 ppg and 5 rpg on 68% shooting in just 23 mpg for a whole season. That is insane.

 

[SaintTristan]

I think we have lots of time to get into a groove and post these guys up. let our four guards get their legs under them a bit.

its going to be fine.

 

[SoBristol]

Well let's see, considering what Fab is shown, factoring in his touches, I'm personally more impressed by him than I ever was with AO. AO executed, as I said, but he never blew the world away.

I agree with Billsin01 -- Fab has NBA size, more lift, a better touch from 12 ft, and all the potential in the world. He might already be a better defender, but we will have to see how he defends when he competes against a legit center. He doesn't have much offense in the low post at this stage. In his senior year, AO dominated the low post against all comers except for Greg Monroe of Georgetown.
The offense this year is going to be built around Kris, Dion and Scoop -- with Fab a fourth option.

 

[OttoMets]

Yeah, I liked that Xmas move as well. I wasn't sure what to think of him and that was the first time I'd really seen him, but I was surprised how confident he looked when he got the ball. That bodes well.

I was thrilled how confident Christmas was in making that move - there was no hesitation or deliberation. He just caught, spun, and scored. He didn't show that in the exhibitions, and we've had centers who've gone four years without making that move, so this is a good thing.

That said, I think he'll draw an offensive foul whistle on that 50% of the time going forward. He drove his inside elbow into the defender's chest. Foul or not, a freshman's going to draw unwanted attention with that contact (much like Fab did last year with all his phantom fouls on defense).

 

[BlackSquirrels]

Fab can be way more than Craig Forth with a mid range shot. Fab can be Pau Gasol if he works hard enough. If he worked his hardest, he could be the player Arvydas Sabonis never got to be.

I'm pleased with the progress Fab has made, but I think these expectations are a little out of whack. Honestly, Fab can work his hardest and not be the player Sabonis actually was.