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FineCubanCigar · 07-01-2003, 11:37 AM

Yes my friends and fellow Mavrick junkies, the center position once again seems to be our glaring need. . . i know i know big surprise. Bradley didn't cut the mustard after his "surprising, miraculous, career changeing performance of a whopping 16 games". Enough on that those who were wrong and predicted a breakout year and signinficant contributions by Bradley in the playoffs know who you are and you stand corrected. Maybe now some of you extra thickheaded Bradley lovers will quit holding hands and skipping with him and finally admit we have a glaring deficit at center. As much as i would like it to be all Bradley Raef played a part in poor performance this year as well. At least he performed at some part of his carreer. I wouldn't be sad to see booth players go or ride the bench on whatever. The point is we cant win the championship with them at center, and this free agent market seems unusually strong in quality ceneters. Zo- i have serious concerns about but he has a great upside if this and if that. Brad Miller, would be a welcome edition and so would Nervwhateverthell. Both good solid performers who can rebound and play good defense. If we go through the offseason without pickingup 2 quality big guys who can play good post man to man defense, rebound and score on occasion, i would consider this offseason a step backwards. Just an interesting note, Donnell Harvey is a free agent again and his carrer is slowly but surely taking off, he just turned 22 and is proving he can still rebound like a demon. . . i would perfer him backing up Dirk instead of the 40 year old Malone who would be a 1 shot pony if that, and hs tremedous upside rather than an inevitable downslide.

Murphy3 · 07-01-2003, 11:44 AM

1. Nesterovic isn't exactly a good rebounder from the center position, is he? Didn't he average between 6-7 boards a game last year at the center position?

2. I'd like to have Miller, but I wouldn't consider him an upgrade defensively over either of the two guys that the Mavs have. He is an ok defender, but that definitely isn't the highlight of his game.

3. Bradley is extremely useful at his current contract value. Why? For stretches, he can in fact change the game with his ability to block and change shots. However, I do not believe that he should be the #1 center on this team.

4. I haven't given up on Raef quite yet. I see alot of ability, but I'm baffled by his lack of lateral quickness at times. The only thing that's more concerning is the lack of comfort he appears to have in the Mavs system. Is he being used correctly?

FineCubanCigar · 07-01-2003, 11:54 AM

Miller is a better man to man defener than either softie Raef, or Clumsy stickman. He would instantly be an upgrade wigh makes him a quality big man. Nesterovic is younger than either Shawn or Raef and is a better if not comparable rebounder to are "veterans". As far as the Raef thing Murph, i dont think he is being utilized well, i believe he is more of a 4 type guy than a true center, however he ws injuried last year and next year might be more productive. . .

Murphy3 · 07-01-2003, 12:17 PM

Like I said, Miller is a guy that I'd like to have..not my first option, but definitely interested in the guy. He's a pretty good rebounder and he's decent defensively...maybe better man-to-man than shawn in a traditional sense, but shawn's 7'6 frame helps to compensate for his "goofiness" from time to time.

Nesterovic..well, perhaps he lost rebounds to KG in Minny..but, it worries me that he averages so few boards

seelenjaeger · 07-01-2003, 12:19 PM

Rasho is this years Booth. Why even waste a thought on him?

MFFL · 07-01-2003, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Murphy3
3. Bradley is extremely useful at his current contract value. Why? For stretches, he can in fact change the game with his ability to block and change shots. However, I do not believe that he should be the #1 center on this team.

I totally agree - Shawn is a good backup center. His salary is about where is should be for a backup.

Razor · 07-01-2003, 01:10 PM

Dont give up on Raef yet, and Bradley is a steal this year at 3.5 millon.

Mandyahl · 07-01-2003, 01:14 PM

the problem with raef is that he has a huge contract and not much chance of living up to it. he's not a bad player though, and i am hoping he can play up to his ability next year.

bradley is a great backup center, especially for what we are paying him. no real complaints there.

Drbio · 07-01-2003, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Mandyahl
the problem with raef is that he has a huge contract and not much chance of living up to it. he's not a bad player though, and i am hoping he can play up to his ability next year.

bradley is a great backup center, especially for what we are paying him. no real complaints there.

I don't know about this. Raef showed some signs of pulling his head from his rear at the end of the playoff run. he showed some toughness, some drive, a willingness to play balls out, etc. I think he is going to have a really solid season this year for some reason.

Mandyahl · 07-01-2003, 01:33 PM

i pretty much said the same thing as you...that i hope he can play better this year and that he's really not a bad player. the only thing i said different is that he is not living up to his contract. so we pretty much agree.

cookies_n_mavs · 07-01-2003, 02:24 PM

Raef is talented..

This coming year I hope he will grow some toughness and confidence and live up to his skills.

Mandyahl · 07-01-2003, 02:30 PM

and if he's not going to do that, i hope he can sit the bench on somebody else's team. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Lonely PSU Mavs Fan · 07-01-2003, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: seelenjaeger
Rasho is this years Booth. Why even waste a thought on him?

I agree with that. i have never been watching a game and seen Rasho do something that particularly impressed me.

Mandyahl · 07-01-2003, 02:34 PM

psu, where have you been?

aexchange · 07-01-2003, 02:39 PM

dont know why everyone thinks rasho is the next great big man. the guy is a total spare.

averages 6 rebounds for a weak boarding team in minny, and his defense is very average at best. he has less of a post game than lafrentz and isnt particularly agile or quick.

Lonely PSU Mavs Fan · 07-01-2003, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Mandyahl
psu, where have you been?

I mostly post on the forum when i am at work. but since my summer job changed from lab tech to surveyor, i have not been able to get on a computer much during the day. and when i am at home i am too lazy and tired to do anything except read the posts.

You have quite outposted me mandy, i remember we joined around the same time and you are already golden!!!

jayC · 07-01-2003, 04:51 PM

In game 6 he did exactly what he needed to do and that was score 12 points and grab 12 rebounds thats solid production. If Raef can return to 2002 form with 15 points and 7 boards with 3 blocks a game he could be a piece to the championship puzzle. How often did he play inside hardly ever nellie wanted him to spread the court and yes he can do that by sitting at the three point line but he can do more then that. He can face the basket in the paint he has great athletic ability. It takes time to find your role with a team that you find yourself as the fifth or sixth option instead of the first or second option with denver.

Shawn as a backup difference maker is his role in the nba. Their can be stretches that he dominates the game on defense and other stretches where he looks clueless on offense, but thats why hes a bench player. 7 points 7 boards and 3 blocks a game is good for your backup center. Rasho looked like a deer in a headlights against shaq, which is why Marc Crawford was in the game in stretches. Thats why we need beef like ZO for stretches. A three man rotation of ZO, Raef, and Bradley would be pretty good.

mavsfanforever · 07-01-2003, 06:44 PM

Rasho is highly over rated. Most of his points were layups in the form of double teams on KG. Mavs do not have a low post player who can give rasho those layups by drawing double teams.

Mandyahl · 07-01-2003, 07:52 PM

rasho is not really an improvement over what we have now. there is no need.

EVAN · 07-03-2003, 12:24 AM

haha this threads funny....Bradley sucks but LaFrentz takes the cake my friend....overpayed sums him up in one word.... should be a benchwarmer not a starter

mavsfanforever · 07-03-2003, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Drbio

Quote:

Originally posted by: Mandyahl
the problem with raef is that he has a huge contract and not much chance of living up to it. he's not a bad player though, and i am hoping he can play up to his ability next year.

bradley is a great backup center, especially for what we are paying him. no real complaints there.

I don't know about this. Raef showed some signs of pulling his head from his rear at the end of the playoff run. he showed some toughness, some drive, a willingness to play balls out, etc. I think he is going to have a really solid season this year for some reason.

Yes, he did that but not until the last game of the Playoffs. I am sure he tried to make up for the entire season in one game.

Mandyahl · 07-03-2003, 04:26 AM

whatever. time to forget what raef did this season and hope it can all come together for him next year.

uberfan · 07-03-2003, 07:27 AM

We better hope he has a great season, because if we end up with Zo, then Raef will be counted on heavily during the regular season. Zo will not be able to carry the load.

FineCubanCigar · 07-03-2003, 02:34 PM

thats the truth