Is it my imagination... - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

David · 02-08-2002, 08:51 AM

or has Wang become the best center on the team?

LAC-HocusPocus · 02-08-2002, 09:03 AM

No Wang is the best center on the team. He only have Bradley and Dirk to compete with, Dirk is not a center. He plays better at the 3 and 4, and Shawn has just been awful this year.

LonestarROB · 02-08-2002, 09:51 AM

Yeah, I agree David. As pitiful as it may sound. Wang is probably our best center.

mick · 02-08-2002, 09:55 AM

Yes Wang is the best center. Dirk is not a center, Nellie just plays him there to get Howard in the lineup at the same time. Wang needs to bein a center with Dirk at PF at the same time. It's our best lineup against Shaq in the playoffs, so now is the time to get them acclimated together.

Bayliss · 02-08-2002, 09:58 AM

I disagree that Wang is our best center. Perhaps our best offensive center but not our best overall center.

And in the playoffs we won't need the O. We'll need the D.

reeds · 02-08-2002, 10:54 AM

I havent watched as many mavs games as most of you, but from what I have seen, he is the best offensively anyway. And I think he has some more upside also...just my 2cents..

madape · 02-08-2002, 11:23 AM

Wang is no more of a center than Dirk is. In fact he has WORSE low post scoring skills and worse low post defensive skills. He is a much worse rebounder than Dirk too. I think of him more like a 7'0 shooting guard. If you consider Wang a center, then you have to consider Dirk... and I don't think anyone is dumb enough to say that Wang is better.

The fact is that there are only two true centers on the team. Bradley and Eschmeyer.

Murphy3 · 02-08-2002, 12:21 PM

dirk is the best center..however, it's probably in the mavs best interest to not play him there too much.
why would you want him under the basket all the time when he's so deadly from outside..that's why you mix and match.

also, you don't want him guarding centers all game because it would put him in foul trouble.

wang, he's learning, but he has a long way to go..primarily defensively..of course, dirk isn't there yet.
best case scenario, wang and bradley (when he's playing well) along with dirk at the 3 and 4 spots primarily

obviously, bradley would be more effective defensively than wang and i'm not even including big E until he gets healthy

KEVIN_NY · 02-08-2002, 12:34 PM

IMHO, Dirk is better at center position ( by not much ) than Wang. But that's just because Wang is still feeling the NBA game. After more playing time, Wang will release his existing skills of playing center position. When will he help mavs beat powerhouses in playoff? I still believe what I said three weeks ago: that's when he gets 20 more lbs of muscle and shoot a hook shot.

I guess he needs a summer to achieve that. He won't have huge impact in this playoff, I think that, but hope I am wrong.

Murphy3 · 02-08-2002, 12:51 PM

i think he might have a huge impact in the playoffs..but it won't be on the low block..
hitting a clutch 3 pointer or maybe a couple of them...
maybe a couple of nice ball fakes...

Hoopsmeister · 02-08-2002, 01:18 PM

I'm not ready to say Wang is our best center. But I am ready to say that given the rest of the season, a summer in the US with NBA trainers, and then a full training camp, and he will definitely be our best 'center' (putting Dirk aside as our best player whichever of the 3 frontline positions he is put in).

Including Dirk, Wang is currently our second best offensive center. Defensively, he is not as good a man-to-man defender as Bradley (which is not saying much at all) yet and I doubt he will ever be as good a shot blocker as Bradley. But he is functioning adequately in the zone and he is clearly improving on his defense--its just that he has so far to go. Still, for stretches he has done a decent job on other big men like Duncan and even Shaq. (I'm NOT saying he did a good job but for a Maverick he hasn't done badly against the NBA's premier paint players)

KEVIN_NY · 02-08-2002, 01:27 PM

I agree that he can score lots of points in the playoff. But when the game is on the line (say mavs behind or ahead by 2 points and 1:30 to go), he will be on the bench. Bradley, no matter how bad sometime it is, has more playoff experience. Or even Dirk will play center at that time. it's unlikely that zhizhi have chance to shoot clutch shots.
But give him one more year, wow, i tell you, a great center in a conference final team ( which is mavs, of course) with unique style and fun to watch.

MFFL · 02-08-2002, 01:30 PM

One thing Wang will have to do is earn the respect of the refs. Right now every call goes against him but as the refs get more comfortable with his game, the fouls should decrease.

But Wang has taken Manning's minutes at center. I have to admit suprise at that.

dragonsnake · 02-08-2002, 01:45 PM

Check the following link:
Donne about Wang:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/bas...tra.70587.html
http://www.dallasbasketball.com/more...1832&NAV=1

seelenjaeger · 02-08-2002, 08:25 PM

Actually I do think with the Offensive Game of Wang, the Bradley Rebirth, maybe a possible Eschmeyer return and Dirk´s versatility Center might become one of the biggest Matchup Problems for opponents facing the Mavs soon. Even the Lakers might be in troubles.

Let´s say you´ll play Bradley vs Shaq in the beginning, and midway through the first and third you go with: Wang, Juwan, Dirk, Fin, Nash or something like that.

Given that Shaq won´t chase Wang all the way down to the three point line, he´ll stay in the middle to guard a guy like Howard. So they´ll have two problems to face then: who to guard Wang AND Dirk on the perimeter, and how to avoid Shaq getting fouled up against Howard (yeah, I KNOW this sounds funny, but if a guy like Shaq have to guard someone like Howard he easily gets fouled up if Howard plays it right).

So there´s still a Kobe problem with that lineup, so Finley will have to do a decent job on him.

I´d project our playoff roster like this (if no injuries happen):

Bradley, Esch, Wang
Dirk, Juwan
Finley, Griffin, Buckner
Nash, Timmy

and two out of those three:
Manning, Najera, Newman

likely to be a decision between Manning and Najera (with the upside on Manning because of his experience)

j

mavfanstoo · 02-08-2002, 10:06 PM

Is Wang ready for the playoff intensity?

Hoopsmeister · 02-09-2002, 12:34 AM

<< Is Wang ready for the playoff intensity? >>

I don't think that is so important for non-starters who just have to come in and provide 10-20 minutes of play. But Wang has played successfully in championship situations with the Chinese government breathing down his neck to make them proud. I should think that would be a pretty good introduction to dealing with playoff pressure.

KEVIN_NY · 02-09-2002, 01:02 AM

Yes, I think mentally he already can handle playoff games.
mavs should play him heavily in the rest of the regular season to:
0. learn and improve defensive and low post moves, 1. get him to know other teams, 2. get referee to know him, 3. find the best way to play him in playoff.

I imagine that in the playoffs, we let him in early in the game and score and build a lead before the last 10 minutes of the game. then let the veteran take from there. Go Mavs!!

Murphy3 · 02-09-2002, 08:23 AM

i don't see any issues with wang not being ready for the intensity of the playoffs..
from all i can tell, he doesn't seem to be phased by anything.