[Epitome22]

Defensively I haven't seen too much that was different from last season, though it is early. Just as it is a mystery to some how a guy who moves so fluidly and quick on offense can be so inadept on defense at times, it's a mystery to me how Dirk works in the defensive mode. Sometimes, like the game against L.A. he looks confused out there. His defensive woes that game, like they are most of time time, stem more from seemingly poor defensive instincts I.E. Being in the wrong place, missing a switch off, being lost etc. than any physical inability to defend. Yet somehow, Dirk is quite the defensive playmaker for someone who is so allegedly poor on defense, be that bad defensive instincts, physical inability or both. It seems like you can always count on Dirk to be there for a surprise block or a momentum changing steal. This is a guy who led the team in steals last season with 1.39 per game. Not bad for a Power Forward. I believe he was one of only 15 players last season to average both a block and a steal per game. This season he looks like he's up to his old tricks already with 4 steals and 5 blocked shots.

As far as what effect Dirk exclusivly being a 4 and even having to pinch hit at Center half the time will have on his game, so far the results have been positive. In fact, I should have recognized it sooner. Dirk's playing closer to the basket is probably a natural consequence of him playing big forward and Center. Playing around the basket has put him, the best rebounder on the team, in a position to grab even more rebounds, including some on the offensive end which is something surprising and new. Dirk's lackluster offensive rebounding numbers were always a consequence of him playing the perimeter on the offensive end. I don't support a campaign that has Dirk playing center for more than 10 mins a game in pinch situations but I think it's possible he'll average 12-12.5 rebounds a game this season. My only concern would be how he scores against other centers but so far that hasn't been a problem. If they stick the other team's 4 on him he seems more confident to match him head on around the basket. If they have a legitimate center on him then he'll probably make him work by using his speed against him and drawing him out of the paint. So far Dirk has played the "shooting center who draws other centers out of the paint" role far better than Raef, who was supposed to do just that, ever did.