It's time to unleash FORTSON

[basketball jonessss]

No, I Didn't say release, I said unleash.

A smart coach would go to Fortson and say Danny, I'm going to guarantee you 24 minutes a game for the first half of the season on these conditions. First, we check your body fat and decide you need to loose 30 pounds or whatever. Then we get you a personal trainer and put another 20 pounds of muscle on you. Then get on a stretching program and work on your jumping etc.

You come into camp weighing this much with this much body fat and if you don't foul out your minutes are guaranteed for the first 40 games.

THIS SON OF A GUN COMES INTO CAMP HUNGRY. A rebounding machine.

UNLEASH THE GLADIATOR. ITS PAST TIME

[aexchange]

he's slow and he can't defend.

plus factor in his limited offensive skills and we have all the reason we need in why he's not playing. if i have to watch fortson get rejected by the rim one more time when trying to dunk the ball, it will be one time too many.

[MavKikiNYC]

Originally posted by: aexchange
he's slow and he can't defend.

Add to that that he's short, has an unflattering hairstyle, and no talent, and you come to the inescapable conclusion that the Mavs are albatrossed with another outrageous contract from a non-contributing player, who should be forced to scrap with Nájera for 10-12 situational minutes per game.

[basketball jonessss]

Originally posted by: aexchange
he's slow and he can't defend.

plus factor in his limited offensive skills and we have all the reason we need in why he's not playing. if i have to watch fortson get rejected by the rim one more time when trying to dunk the ball, it will be one time too many.

He dominated the players that were destroying the Mavs. I don't know how many games the Mavs were getting killed on the boards and behind by 8 to 10 points until Fortson came in and started grabbing all the misses. Mavs catch up and Fortson never plays in the second half. Result- Mavs loose by a few.

Fortsons inabilty to dunk cleanly is noted, which is why I say loose weight and get in shape.

This guy is a game changer without having to dominate the ball. Just miss and he will get it and give you another chance.

He is efficient and makes his free throws. The perfect player for this team. Give him 24 minutes and watch.

[kg_veteran]

Fortson is a situational guy. For 10-15 minutes a game, he can really contribute to a team because he's a fantastic rebounder who can impact the game with that skill. He's also a physical player who can change the tempo of a game, albeit temporarily, by roughing a few opponents up.

If you play him much longer than that, his weaknesses get severely exposed and he's a liability.

I think he'd be just fine as the backup to Dirk at the 4 next season.

[MavKikiNYC]

I have to add also that the Mavs' coaching braintrust, whoever that turns out to be, will have to be willing to use a player like Fortson in a manner that maximizes his strengths and minimizes his limitations.

[dirno2000]

Fortson wasn't nearly the defensive liability that most people thought he would be. He held his ground against bigger guys and gut down on 2nd shots. He did a good job against Jamaal Maglore both times we played NO.

The reason that he didn't play more is that 1)he's not a good offensive player and 2) he forgot the plays.

[bigox71]

This guy is a game changer without having to dominate the ball. Just miss and he will get it and give you another chance.

Fortson is like Najera in that they are both role players. They aren't big minute guys, but they are the types of players most teams usually need to have. Fortson cannot play against most players BUT he dominates the ones he can play against. A good example is how he shuts down Brand. Najera is the same way. He frustrates players like Webber. But neither is a big minute player because they do not have the right combination of size/speed/quickness/athleticism/ability. They can be game changers when used against the right players and teams.

[basketball jonessss]

Originally posted by: bigox71
This guy is a game changer without having to dominate the ball. Just miss and he will get it and give you another chance.

Fortson is like Najera in that they are both role players. They aren't big minute guys, but they are the types of players most teams usually need to have. Fortson cannot play against most players BUT he dominates the ones he can play against. A good example is how he shuts down Brand. Najera is the same way. He frustrates players like Webber. But neither is a big minute player because they do not have the right combination of size/speed/quickness/athleticism/ability. They can be game changers when used against the right players and teams.

I think that Najera needs 10 to 12 per game consistenty. Any more than that exposes him. He is very effective if used consistently and sparingly. Fortson I would like to see get 20 to 24 min. as he seems to keep us from getting hammered on the boards. I would be happy with 12 minutes at the power forward position but unless we get another center or Pavel gets minutes give him the 24

[uberfan]

The only problem with Fortson is his contract and I don't fault Fortson for his contract. He does what he is supposed to do when he is in a game. As noted by others he has been very effective against Brand and those like him. He has even bumped Ben Wallace pretty hard at times and got his attention.

Between him and Najera you have two roster spots taken up by a combined $10 miilion a year in salary, and therein lies the problem. We cannot afford to have our Najera/Fortson 15 minute a game backup position occupying two roster spots and making that much money. At least one of them has to go. Sorry Najera fans (including me) Eddie gets nominated because of the smaller salary. Najera should be included with another player or players and traded away.

Our ideal backup at PF would be someone like "gulp" Kurt Thomas. Or Antonio Davis.

Think the Bulls would take both Najera and Fortson for Davis? Nah.

Think the Knicks would trade Fortson for Thomas? Nah, unless part of a bigger package to take one of their bad contracts.

[mavsman55]

I wouldn't mind seeing him around next year simply for rebounds when we need them. If he could come on the last 10 minutes of each game, and clean up the boards down the stretch, he could come relatively close to worth what we're currently paying him to ride the pine for 48 minutes every night.

[sike]

sheesh

[basketball jonessss]

Originally posted by: sike
sheesh

RaSheesh

[Misfit Mav]

I thought I'd bump this thread given some of the recent moves of Western conference teams.

It's been said that Fortson is most effective when playing against other short, stocky, strong players like Malik Rose and Elton Brand. Those guys can't shoot over him and he can keep them off the boards. If that's the case, he may be fairly useful next year off the bench, because the West has seen a mass exodus of strong, undersized PFs from the East. Kenyon Martin, Brian Grant, and Carlos Boozer are all now starting for some of our major Western Rivals. Not only that, but the defending NBA champs and the best team in the East are anchored by the premier undersized guy, Ben Wallace.

I think it could be advantageous to keep on the active roster for our games against Denver, Utah, the Lakers, the Clippers, the Spurs, and possibly portland (Zach Randolph) and others. Of course, the available time will seriously depend on how the roster shapes up, but I think he could be very useful in certain games off the bench.

[mattyd]

Originally posted by: basketball jonessss
No, I Didn't say release, I said unleash.

A smart coach would go to Fortson and say Danny, I'm going to guarantee you 24 minutes a game for the first half of the season on these conditions. First, we check your body fat and decide you need to loose 30 pounds or whatever. Then we get you a personal trainer and put another 20 pounds of muscle on you. Then get on a stretching program and work on your jumping etc.

You come into camp weighing this much with this much body fat and if you don't foul out your minutes are guaranteed for the first 40 games.

THIS SON OF A GUN COMES INTO CAMP HUNGRY. A rebounding machine.

UNLEASH THE GLADIATOR. ITS PAST TIME

I'd rather release.

[rakesh.s]

this guy can play..he was pulling down close to 15 rebounds a game...he's like ben wallace with the ability to get putbacks but without the shot blocking...actually he's probably more like brian grant on steroids

would like to see him as the starting SF on this team but it's a pipe dream..there's a reason he has that contract

[LRB]

would like to see him as the starting SF on this team but it's a pipe dream..there's a reason he has that contract

Fort is a nice situational player, but no way in hell should he every play SF. He's just too damn slow. Fort is slow for any position, but especially for SF. Fortson shouldn't be in the regular rotation with our presently constituted lineup, but he can be valuable against certain players such as Gary Trent, Malik Rose, or Elton Brand. But most of the time his lack of defensive and offensive capabilities limit him too much to make him part of the regular rotation.

[mattyd]

Originally posted by: LRB

Fort is a nice situational player, but no way in hell should he every play SF. He's just too damn slow. Fort is slow for any position, but especially for SF. Fortson shouldn't be in the regular rotation with our presently constituted lineup, but he can be valuable against certain players such as Gary Trent, Malik Rose, or Elton Brand. But most of the time his lack of defensive and offensive capabilities limit him too much to make him part of the regular rotation.

Exactly - if he's not defending someone with his exact same body type he's useless. And God help us if he is defending someone quicker.

[Psychedelic Fuzz]

Fortson is physical and a good rebounder, but that's about it. He's slow, can't shoot, doesn't defend well and is too short to play the 5 for extended periods. He's a role player, and he'll be used to change the tone of the game. After that, He'll get his four moments in the sun each year every time we play the Clippers, just like Shawn Bradley and the Rockets.

[Misfit Mav]

Originally posted by: Psychedelic Fuzz
He'll get his four moments in the sun each year every time we play the Clippers

Again, I think he'll get more opportunities next year, against the Lakers' Brian Grant and Boozer on the Jazz, both 6-8 guys like Brand.

[EricaLubarsky]

Lakers' Brian Grant

Lakers will play Vlade.

Boozer on the Jazz

Boozer and Brand would eat Fortson alive.

[DubOverdose]

Maybe he will get some PT against Okafor and Ben Wallace, two shorter centers with little offensive game.

[Male30Dan]

Originally posted by: EricaLubarsky

Lakers will play Vlade.

Boozer and Brand would eat Fortson alive.

Brand would eat Fortson alive??? Apparently you didnt watch Fortson own him last year!

[dmavsfan]

Again it comes down to coaching. B Wallace was averaging over 10 points a game in the playoffs (I think) to go with his great rebounding and strong play. But the Mav coaching staff appears LAZY!

Larry Brown encouraged BWallace and Billups to be much better players...he didn't just bench them or send them to the doghouse.

Someone reported last year than when Williams came to the Mavs that Del Harris gave him the play book and wanted him to start calling the D (or something like that). Maybe these coaches have lost that youthful drive and passion? Nelson and Harris. Are they teaching D? Are they encouraging and teaching the players? I don't think so.

[jayC]

Its time to unleash the best 48 minute per game rebounder and scorer
Right the dude has a big bag of nothing.

[freestyle]

Whenever the other team starts to score inside and disrespect the lane, we should always put Fortson in for awhile. It goes without saying you don't really want to mess with him. Who in their right mind wants to get in a fight with Fortson!? Sure, you might dunk on him once, but you might be dreaming about that second dunk attempt from the IR.

[basketball jonessss]

Yes, the addition of Grant and Boozer etc. makes Fortson even more valuable. Any coach that can't find a way to use Fortson needs to examine their coaching strategy.

Maybe, they are doing something stupid, like not playing a center.

Maybe players are out of position................AH.... Dirk....Finley

Maybe unproductive players have been playing ....................... aaahhhhh....Walker......Delk

Just give Fortson and Bradley Walkers minutes and we win again.

[EricaLubarsky]

Delk needs a discussion too. He is far from unproductive.

[LRB]

Fortson is like the brush off pitch in baseball. You shouldn't use it all the time and against everyone, but it certainly is very useful at times and definitely against certain players.

[Misfit Mav]

Originally posted by: EricaLubarsky

Lakers will play Vlade.

Boozer and Brand would eat Fortson alive.

I assume the Lakers will play Grant at PF and Vlade at C, although they might start Odom at the 4 with Butler at the 3. Even if he's coming off the bench, Grant will get a lot of minutes as Vlade needs as much rest as he can get.

I don't think I've ever seen Fortson v. Boozer, but I've seem some Mavs-Clips games where Fortson really held his own against Brand. Brand is obviously the superior player, but Fort was strong enough to take him out of his game and keep him off the boards.

Edit to add some stats: Brand only average 13.3 points against Dallas last year, well below his usual 20.

[EricaLubarsky]

Edit to add some stats: Brand only average 13.3 points against Dallas last year, well below his usual 20.

how many minutes did he play against Brand?

[Misfit Mav]

Originally posted by: EricaLubarsky

how many minutes did he play against Brand?

17 per game, and he averaged 6/5. I'm not saying he's any kind of saviour, just agreeing with most that he's a role player with situational use. The only point I'm contributing is that there are a couple more situations in the west now in which he might be useful.

[bobatundi1]

Anybody see Danny's 15 pts and 13 rebs in 21 minutes against the Spurs? Why is it that Nelson never figured out how to get that out of him--he's clearly capable of it. I'd sure rather have that kind of toughness coming off the bench, especially in games against tougher Western Conference foes, than having Calvin Booth picking up DNPs every night...

[EricaLubarsky]

Forston is a sad human being and if having a good night is evidence that we shouldn't have traded a player, Traylor's 30 point and 11 board game would surely be evidence that we shouldnt have traded him away for Garrity and Dirk.

[Max Power]

Where is the ape rant? A six month old Fortson thread without an ape rant just feels wrong.

[chumdawg]

I think we all agree that Forston is the most gifted rebounder ever to grace an NBA roster, that he possesses a physique unrivaled in strength and the ability to inflict bodily harm upon his opponents, that he leaves it all on the floor every gameday...and that trading him away will prove to be the albatross that hangs around this franchise's neck for the next ten years.

[The Miles]

Where is Basketball Jonesssssss? Biggest Fortson fan I have ever encountered, I figured he would be pumped about how well Danny did last night.

[bobatundi]

Not really advocating that we go out and re-acquire Fortson, I meant it more as an indictment of Nelly's propensity to play small ball and never let guys like Fortson even have a chance to play. Don't know that I'd go so far as to call Fortson a "sad human being" though--that just sounds like sour grapes to me. Really, what did Danny ever do to earn that label?

[u2sarajevo]

Originally posted by: bobatundi
Not really advocating that we go out and re-acquire Fortson, I meant it more as an indictment of Nelly's propensity to play small ball and never let guys like Fortson even have a chance to play. Don't know that I'd go so far as to call Fortson a "sad human being" though--that just sounds like sour grapes to me. Really, what did Danny ever do to earn that label?

Danny was a locker room cancer. And he looked like a baked potato in the first game last year.

[EricaLubarsky]

and we really care about appearances. [img]i/expressions/moon.gif[/img]

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]