KG 50/50, Lue A Target?

Would have liked to have seen Pruitt given the opportunity to be the back-up PG. We’re going to need another ballhandler when other teams press us in the backcourt, particularly Detroit. If Danny can add a piece without messing up the chemistry, so be it. Any word on Perk?

Lue also played for Rivers in Orlando. Unfortunately he’s small and defends poorly; he would have zero chance covering a guy like Billups. Kevin Ollie or Delonte West would be better options.

Actuially the best option is probably to stand pat and use Tony Allen to cover Billups. Leave Rondo in the game and put him on Hamilton.

I think Lue could be a good choice because he won’t mess up the chemistry. I doubt Pruitt is ready. As to Lue not playing defense, well Ray Allen didn’t play defense until he came here. Neither did Eddie House or supposedly Paul Pierce. Lue could just give us the amount of security we need at that position. I’ve heard he’s a friend of KG and I believe I read that he’s KG’s best friend.

I shudder every time Gabe Pruit is mentioned in the same breath as a good “ball-handler”. If anything, his ball handling is a liability and would be far from useful if an opponent decided to press the PG positioned. As much as Tony Allen has been maligned, his ball handling skills are an upgrade over Gabe Pruit (and that’s saying alot).

When pressed Gabe has a tendency to protect the ball by turning his back toward the pressure (and thus depriving him of the opportunity to see either his frontcourt teammates or the inevitable second defender). In the first instance he becomes useless as a PG directing the offense…in the second instance he becomes vulnerable to getting the ball stripped and a TO.

If Gabe had better handles we might see him penetrate more effectively and shake his defender to set up his offense and that of his teammates. So far he can neither create for himself nor for others. Contrast his ability to create with that of Tony Allen.

While Tony Allen is at the NBA rudimentary level (of ball handling) Gabe is still at the high school level where speed, size and athleticism hide major skill deficiencies.

i like karl malone’s comments in a globe piece- this is something special- don’t rush kg. i alsso think lue would not hurt. he would be an insurance policy if rondo were hurt and would not interfere with tony covering billups. TrueGreen’s comment on lue having to play defense is a good one.

For selfish reasons, I would like to see KG return. Only get one live game a year I care about here in Denver. ;D

If we only have one chip to play I want to see us get a legit back up big. Defense in the paint will be more important come spring time. Is there any way we can re-route Diop from New Jersey to Boston?

If we go after a backup, TLue would be my first choice. A carreer backup who knows his place and would fall in-line.

In fact, I’m surprised that Dallas isn’t hanging on to Diop. Assuming this move puts Dallas back on a level with the Spurs, Suns and Lakers, I think the Mavs would want to hang onto their big man depth to help against the likes of Duncan/Oberto, Shaq/Stoudamire and Bynum/Gasol/Odom. Just saying….

What’s so great about Diop? He’s just a poor man’s Kendrick Perkins. No offensive game.

There are no backup point guards available – including Lue – who are better than the E.House/T.Allen combo. I think Pruitt can play some D based on the few minutes I’ve seen. I think we need another Big. Pollard does not make me forget Kandiman. I mean if the guy can’t play, move on and try Allred from the D League.

Frank,

As I remember (course, I am getting old) Diop was a more than decent contributor to a Maverick team that made the finals a couple of seasons ago. Your not gonna get much offense out of a back up center anyways. That’s what you get out of Perkins (no offense, good defense). He’s a back up too, except that he’s our starter. I would want defense out of the backup to Perk as that is what this team is built upon now. When Perk picks up his two quick fouls or if he goes down again to the shoulder, I’d rather not see KG playing center for too long.

I’m a bulls guy, and I think that the celtics could use Chris Duhon, who should be available given the emergence of Thabo Sefolosha. Surely something could be worked out. He’s cheap and a good floor leader

Not sure how 7.3 ppg is considered no offense… Perk will not score over a Dwight Howard, or a Yao Ming, but he does have a limited offensive ability against tier 2 centers. There really aren’t that many tier 1 centers in the NBA anyway. He is 7th in the league in fg%. He isn’t someone we should run a lot of plays through constantly or in crunch time, but against one of these lower tier centers he should get a few a game. Especially at the first of the game which usually sets the tone for him. If he hits, then keep giving it to him.

Ejplaya,

I don’t look at his average as a barometer of whether he has no offensive game. My eyes tell me he is very, very limited. I like Perk. He tries very hard, he’s very physical and he works hard on the D. But even calling him a tier 2 offensive center is very charitable.

I think we are actually agreeing. I stated that he had limited offensive ability against those tier 2 centers. I would agree that offensively he is probably tier 3, but can be effective at times against that next tier up. I think there are centers out there though that have much worse offensive ability than Perk does, and just meant that he has more than ’’NO’’ offense. I think he is tier 2 defensively, and considering how far between and few the tier 1 centers are out there coming out of college, I like what we have in Perk.

EJPlaya, you aren’t wrong. Leon and Big Baby are both better offensive players. But Perk has improved his hands to the extent that he is not a turnover machine as last year. You know that teams don’t need 5 scorers. In Perk we have a defensive worker and intimidator, Rondo is a passing PG not a scoring one and then the Big 3. If Perk was as unreliable as last year I’d be concerned but he’s 22 and improving in pro skills. Not a great athlete and never will be but he should bet even better next year, and the year after that and he’s then still only 25. BBD and Powe are good rotation guys but we need a long Big for situations and Pollard hasn’t been that.

I don’t care if Perk doesn’t score any points and even if he doesn’t get a rebound. Perk is one of the best big man defenders in the league. He’s also a very good help defender. As to rebounds, he keeps others off the boards so another C can get the rebound. I also think Perk can be a better offensive player than we think, but that is not his role and he’s a team player. If he took more shots his offense would improve.

1. Do not rush KG back. Last thing we need is a reaggravatd abdomen injury a month from now….

2. T. Lue? Sounds good to me. He would be a nice off the bench PG for us.

Of forward Kendrick Perkins, who missed the previous three games with a strained left shoulder, Rivers said, “He’ll be OK.” Rookie forward Glen Davis, who has a strained left quadriceps and a knee bruise, is expected to practice tonight. Marc Spears-Boston Globe

I’ve seen things in this Blog about Perk’s shoulder being separated. This quote is from today’s Globe.

Agree Wildblue and TrueGreen, but I think 2 things stand between him and being that tier 2 offensive player:

1- Stop bringing the stupid basketball below your waist for that awful power dribble before going up! He gets stripped 2-3 times a game which should be 4-6 pts a game on his totals. That would put him in the 11-13 ppg range and be a big deal to us.

2- Spend the time it takes to get to be a better free throw shooter. He could add 5-10% to his avg by shooting 500 of them every day in the gym after practice. This would give him an additional 1-2 ppg.

If I had to pick a 3rd it would be to develop one more post move so that he had another option when they play his right hand. He is starting to shoot a fadeaway jumper when they guard the hook, but a headfake and step through with his left would make a huge difference in his post play.

As far as Lue though, why is he better than what we have?! He is tiny. Yes he can bring the ball up the floor, but other than that he doesn’t add value.

Wildblue said:
  There are no backup point guards available – including Lue – who are better than the E.House/T.Allen combo. I think Pruitt can play some D based on the few minutes I’ve seen. I think we need another Big. Pollard does not make me forget Kandiman. I mean if the guy can’t play, move on and try Allred from the D League.

I think what Lue can do is to relieve House of pg duties and allow him to play to his strength as a 2 guard. Lue is also insurance and I think would accept a limited role. I think he’s also a free agent next year so this could be a short-term deal and not become a luxury tax issue. TA’s ball handling and court vision is improving steadily. I like him at pg better than House now (mainly to allow House to play 2 guard). TA takes it to the basket better than House and TA can play his game at pg. That is if he can be consistent.

I agree that TA can bring the ball up, so I think this eliminates the need for Lue. I want TA to hand the ball off once he gets it over half court though because he is better getting the pass and then driving out of movement than trying to take his man off the dribble. I’d rather go after another big if we don’t see some good news soon.

Ejplaya, we do agree on Perk. Also concur on the free throw shooting point. Unless I could get my hands on Lowry from Memphis, I still want a back up big instead of a backup point.

Hi hope KG can go, I’ll be at the game :)

Nice Green Jello. You’re in Colorado too?