Wed 7 Nov 1930 - Dinamo Sassari 95 v 60 Leicester Riders

Nov 8, 2018 13:56:20 GMT ovo said:

Well in Europe you want a player who can garner attention at the rim which forces defenses to help and he can open up the game for them. Right now teams are not really focusing on him in that way because he’s not a treat on the offensive end of the floor so it’s allowing teams to focus more on their guys instead of bringing a double to open up the floor. Teams are just matching up against him one on one in the post because they know he’s not a treat to worry about.

I don't necessarily agree. It doesn't need to be a focal point of the offence, nor will it ever be so under Rob. Of course, if you can get a legit 20ppg scorer under the rim why wouldn't you? But I think its out of BBL price range and as far as it goes you've got to put this into context.

For what its worth, I don't think there's a big man in the BBL capable of averaging that amount of volume efficiently in Europe and there hasn't been since Andre Smith (who ended up being the top scorer in Serie A ironically).

I know its a higher level completely, but I used to follow big men quite closely (it being my spot) and I took a keen interest in (and learned an awful lot from) a Serbian Centre called Miroslav Raduljica - he'd been on the peripherals of the NBA for a few seasons and played for Milano, Efes Pilsen, Partizan and Panathinaikos among others. Now in the top league in China with a few ex-NBAers.

Highest PPG he ever posted in the Euroleague was for Pana - 12 a game. Over his career, averaged 9.9 and to be honest only 3.7 rebounds. He wasnt ever the focal point of his team, never did anything that would make people catch his eye, however he's made millions by doing things you'd want a big man to do well. He's a brute of a human being who has a high basketball IQ, knows how to play defence and can get his team mates looks by setting hard screens, getting through plays properly and causing a nuisance of himself around the key. He's a distinctly average one v one post up guy but has the strength to bully his way to the hole and can run the floor hard. He often didn't play more than 20mpg, but what he offered opened the floor to guys like Nik Calathes and other flat out scorers on the teams he was on.

Riders need a lesser equivalent (like I say, he earned millions) in order to make that next step. Burnett and Holder can flat out score, and I think the lack of genuine inside presence doesn't help Tommo one bit (better served stretching the Defence on the perimeter). Its not about individuals being able to do XYZ, but how they fit in the puzzle. Think you've got enough savvy in that team already, you just sometimes need a bit of brute strength to free them up a little.