As I was watching last nights game vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers, I started thinking, what young players really look like they have a bright future in the league, and to be honest, only three guys really stood out to me. I guess you could say guys like Brandon Rush and Tyler Hansbrough could have good careers, but I don't see them as anymore than bench players. Three guys who have stepped up for the Pacers here in the last half of the season have caught my attention, and here they are.
[B]1. Roy Hibbert[/B]
Roy has worked incredibly hard on his post game, going from not being able to score if there was a body on him (last year), and being almost unstoppable when he gets in the paint (this year). Not only has he improved on the offensive end, but Hibbert has drastically improved his defensive game. Last season, all he would do if a player got in the lane, is jump into him and foul him, which meant he didn't get to stay in the game for any period of time. This year, he gets just close enough to either get a block, or at least make the offensive player change his shot, and then he doesn't go any closer, and because of that doesn't pick up fouls.
A part about Hibberts game that has really gone unnoticed by many people is his passion for the game seems to have increased. Hibbert has always been a mild-mannered player, that doesn't show emotion on the court, but this year he took a leadership role and was pumping his fist, talking on both offensive and defensive ends to help his teammates, and during press conferences he just sounds like he understands and loves the game much more.
[B]2. A.J. Price[/B]
To be honest, this kid has come out of nowhere. Being the 52nd overall pick in the NBA Draft, he really wasn't expected to come in and make an impact, but that all started to change when he impressed coaches and made the team to begin with.
Price showcased his shooting ability during the workouts, and also demonstrated a high-level point guard IQ, something that the Pacers' starting point guard at that time (T.J. Ford) didn't have. He also showed coaches his defensive intensity, which has really helped Indiana on their winning surge late in the season.
Overall this season for the Pacers, Price has played consistently well when given the chance. Early on he didn't play much, because Pacers' coach Jim O'Brien was going with the two veterans, T.J. Ford and Earl Watson. Finally Price got his break, and O'Brien gave him some decent minutes off the bench. The first thing that I remember A.J. doing in consistent playing time was getting two steals in a row, and taking them the other way for layups, showcasing the defense that he had shown in workouts before the season. After that, O'Brien played Price fairly often, just seeing if the rookie could keep it up, and finally Price got yet another break. Earl Watson had to go tend to a family problem, and because A.J. had worked his way into the starting rotation, he got his first two NBA starts.
I'm not going to go so far as to say he's the future at point guard for the Indiana Pacers, but he has definitely been a major bright spot for this team, in a season that really hasn't had many of them.
[B]3. Josh McRoberts[/B]
Reading McRoberts' name might surprise you, but if you've been watching Pacers game, then it shouldn't. This kid has worked so hard over the season to get into the rotation, and he finally made O'Brien see that he deserved some playing time after a very solid game on the road against the Lakers. Since then, he has drawn a few starts, and played some of the most consistent basketball that anyone on the Pacers has played this year.
What makes Josh so good is his never give up on the play attitude. He's gotten countless offensive rebounds and putbacks, simply from not giving up on the ball, and tipping it away from the defense, and finishing inside. Also as a big man, he can shoot the three, and pass the ball extremely well, something that many people are calling him the next Troy Murphy for. McRoberts is one of the most athletic players I've ever seen, as even Pacers' point guards have been able to lob passes up for him and he's gone and got them and finished dunking the ball.
There are only two things that I really see that Josh needs to improve in. First, he really needs to get better in his man-to-man defense. Sometimes if your watching him off the ball on the defensive end, he'll fall asleep and h is man will make a cut and get to the bucket for a layup, but all t hat's going to take is some work in the gym during the offseason. Second, I really think Josh needs to work on his ball handling. Sure, he's a big man, but he's still able to handle the ball fairly well, to the point where he can lead fast breaks, but if he can dribble past a couple people, and get to the rim, no one will be able to stop him.
Those are the three players that I see having a very bright future for the Indiana Pacers. I think if Brandon Rush and Hansbrough really work hard this offseason, they could be in that list, but as of right now that's really all I see that will turn out to be major players for the Indiana Pacers in the coming years.
Comments?
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Two Factors to Help Carlos Zambrano's Season
Carlos Zambrano has been very inconsistent over the last couple years, and a lot of Cubs fans are hoping that he will be able to shake that and be a consistent pitcher this year. There are a few main factors that will decide whether or not he'll be able to be that consistent guy for the Cubs.
1. Health
If Zambrano can stay healthy, he will be able to number 1, stay on the field, and number 2, not have lingering issues throughout the season even when he is on the mound.
2. Attitude
I know I've already said some things about the Cubs needing to keep their attitudes in check, but no one needs to control themselves more than Carlos Zambrano. As a pitcher who plays with a lot of emotion, if he gets mad he gets a lot more likely to try to force things, and that's when wild pitches and hanging pitches happen.
I think Carlos could come in and have a very good season...he just really needs those two factors to happen in order for a good year.
Thoughts?
1. Health
If Zambrano can stay healthy, he will be able to number 1, stay on the field, and number 2, not have lingering issues throughout the season even when he is on the mound.
2. Attitude
I know I've already said some things about the Cubs needing to keep their attitudes in check, but no one needs to control themselves more than Carlos Zambrano. As a pitcher who plays with a lot of emotion, if he gets mad he gets a lot more likely to try to force things, and that's when wild pitches and hanging pitches happen.
I think Carlos could come in and have a very good season...he just really needs those two factors to happen in order for a good year.
Thoughts?
Three Offseason Needs for the Indiana Pacers
There are quite a few things wrong with the Indiana Pacers, but I think I have finally narrowed it down to the three biggest needs that they have, and here they are.
1. Coaching
I'm not saying that Jim O'Brien isn't a good coach at all, it's just that he's not right for this team. He would do well coaching a veteran team like the Boston Celtics, but the Pacers are very young, and have players that need to be built up. Take for instance, the game at the L.A. Lakers. First, they lost the game, but that wasn't even close to the worst thing that happened. After the game, he came out and said that he didn't want to give praise to Josh McRoberts, who had performed well in that game after barely playing during the season to that point, and that's one of the best ways to tear down a young guys confidence. His next biggest error this year has been his inability to play the young guys, and let them grow. I understand also that you want to try to win the games, but the season is over now, why try your hardest now? It just doesn't make sense.
2. Point Guard Help
One of the Pacers' biggest issues has been finding a point guard who passes the ball before he looks to shoot, but is also an NBA starting point guard caliber player. Not trying to hate on Earl Watson, but he's not a starting NBA point guard, he's a solid backup. Early in the season, the Pacers were starting T.J. Ford, but like I said, with the three-point shooting offense that the Pacers have, they need a pass-first point guard, and Ford obviously wasn't interested in passing up some of his shot attempts for teammates who were wide open, so he ended up getting bench. The one guy that actually has played consistently as a point guard, is A.J. Price, the rookie from UConn. Maybe he's the answer, but in my honest opinion, he's probably more than likely going to be a very solid backup like an Earl Watson, so if you can get a young future PG in the draft, then you definitely should go for it.
3. Teamwork
This is the most important thing that has helped the Pacers win down the stretch (even though it isn't the wisest move). Through the first 60 games of the season the Pacers were just jacking up shots whenever they could, and were playing unorganized basketball, but in the later part of the year, they are finally starting to get back to the fundamentals of the game. Danny Granger, the Pacers "star" player, has finally been looking for his teammates and trying to get them involved in the game, which is also opening up his scoring opportunities as well. Guys like Roy Hibbert, Troy Murphy, and Brandon Rush have also picked up their willingness to pass the ball, and that's the reason they have been playing a lot better.
Those are just three of the many things that the Pacers need to do in order to get back to being a top team in the NBA, but they are also the most important three in my opinion. With a young team like Indiana, you know they will get better, you just have to be patient, and hope the GM makes the right roster moves.
Comments?
1. Coaching
I'm not saying that Jim O'Brien isn't a good coach at all, it's just that he's not right for this team. He would do well coaching a veteran team like the Boston Celtics, but the Pacers are very young, and have players that need to be built up. Take for instance, the game at the L.A. Lakers. First, they lost the game, but that wasn't even close to the worst thing that happened. After the game, he came out and said that he didn't want to give praise to Josh McRoberts, who had performed well in that game after barely playing during the season to that point, and that's one of the best ways to tear down a young guys confidence. His next biggest error this year has been his inability to play the young guys, and let them grow. I understand also that you want to try to win the games, but the season is over now, why try your hardest now? It just doesn't make sense.
2. Point Guard Help
One of the Pacers' biggest issues has been finding a point guard who passes the ball before he looks to shoot, but is also an NBA starting point guard caliber player. Not trying to hate on Earl Watson, but he's not a starting NBA point guard, he's a solid backup. Early in the season, the Pacers were starting T.J. Ford, but like I said, with the three-point shooting offense that the Pacers have, they need a pass-first point guard, and Ford obviously wasn't interested in passing up some of his shot attempts for teammates who were wide open, so he ended up getting bench. The one guy that actually has played consistently as a point guard, is A.J. Price, the rookie from UConn. Maybe he's the answer, but in my honest opinion, he's probably more than likely going to be a very solid backup like an Earl Watson, so if you can get a young future PG in the draft, then you definitely should go for it.
3. Teamwork
This is the most important thing that has helped the Pacers win down the stretch (even though it isn't the wisest move). Through the first 60 games of the season the Pacers were just jacking up shots whenever they could, and were playing unorganized basketball, but in the later part of the year, they are finally starting to get back to the fundamentals of the game. Danny Granger, the Pacers "star" player, has finally been looking for his teammates and trying to get them involved in the game, which is also opening up his scoring opportunities as well. Guys like Roy Hibbert, Troy Murphy, and Brandon Rush have also picked up their willingness to pass the ball, and that's the reason they have been playing a lot better.
Those are just three of the many things that the Pacers need to do in order to get back to being a top team in the NBA, but they are also the most important three in my opinion. With a young team like Indiana, you know they will get better, you just have to be patient, and hope the GM makes the right roster moves.
Comments?
What Brandon Rush Needs to do to Be More Consistent
After watching the last couple games that Brandon Rush has been playing well in, I've finally figured out why he's on some days and off others. He is a good shooter, and being a good shooter means you need to have a rythm to your shot, not just shoot it because your open.
Many times this year, I've seen Brandon just shoot the ball, even when he didn't want to, simply because he was open, and usually those shots are not going to go down. Take last night vs. the Heat as a good example. When he was open he just had a rythm to his shot, and he knew right when he had the shot, that he was going to take it. What was the result? 17 points on 7-9 shooting.
It's the same way with any good shooter. I know for myself I can't shoot the ball unless I know I'm going to shoot it right when I get it. If I just make my mind up while I have the ball, they are usually going to be short, but when I shoot the ball in rythm off the catch, then they are more than likely going in.
All Brandon needs to do, is just know what he's going to do with the ball before he catches it....that way if he has the shot, he can just go up into it and put some points up, and if not he can make a quick decision and get rid of the ball, so nothing like traveling, late passes, or anything like that happens. In my opinion that's all Rush needs.
Many times this year, I've seen Brandon just shoot the ball, even when he didn't want to, simply because he was open, and usually those shots are not going to go down. Take last night vs. the Heat as a good example. When he was open he just had a rythm to his shot, and he knew right when he had the shot, that he was going to take it. What was the result? 17 points on 7-9 shooting.
It's the same way with any good shooter. I know for myself I can't shoot the ball unless I know I'm going to shoot it right when I get it. If I just make my mind up while I have the ball, they are usually going to be short, but when I shoot the ball in rythm off the catch, then they are more than likely going in.
All Brandon needs to do, is just know what he's going to do with the ball before he catches it....that way if he has the shot, he can just go up into it and put some points up, and if not he can make a quick decision and get rid of the ball, so nothing like traveling, late passes, or anything like that happens. In my opinion that's all Rush needs.
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