towns and okafor are sort of yin/yang prospects... towns has questions on the offensive side ok4 on the defensive side... the thing is, it's much easier and common for prospects to improve on offense... defense esp for big men is an entirely different story...

it might not shake out that way in the draft but it's going to be a question that follows each of them as their careers progress...

BRIGGS wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:Christmas looks much better on offense playing against Louiseville's shorter frontline. But he's getting out muscled by Montrezl Harrell on the other end.

Actually Louisville's frontline is bigger than Duke's. He was the best player on the court--hes better than Harrell.

I'm factoring girth too. Duke started the game with Plumlee against Syracuse too, so they were bigger up front than usual. Harrell played his but off, but Louisville's guard play has gone to heck. I thought Harrell did a good job muscling Christmas around earlier in the game. Onuako just isn't physical enough to take on someone on the level Christmas and it showed later in the game. Gbinije was big and Rozier looked lost.

yellowboy90 wrote:Okafor just made a special play. He set up for to post up on the blk, received the ball then got double. Palmed the ball looked to pass but then dribbled out of the double team turned downed the lane and finished with his left hand. Awesome play.

BRIGGS wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:Christmas looks much better on offense playing against Louiseville's shorter frontline. But he's getting out muscled by Montrezl Harrell on the other end.

Actually Louisville's frontline is bigger than Duke's. He was the best player on the court--hes better than Harrell.

I'm factoring girth too. Duke started the game with Plumlee against Syracuse too, so they were bigger up front than usual. Harrell played his but off, but Louisville's guard play has gone to heck. I thought Harrell did a good job muscling Christmas around earlier in the game. Onuako just isn't physical enough to take on someone on the level Christmas and it showed later in the game. Gbinije was big and Rozier looked lost.

Think about this--draftexpress has Christmas ranked #54. That so far off. He's an NBA player and he might just be pretty good. He'll need to add a 12 footer but hes got nice form. Perhaps a version of Al Horford? Hes about the same size--hed be a little undersized C in the NBA.

I could definitely see Christmas going higher and I wouldn't mind the Knicks taking him if we had another pick. I'm thinking a Dale Davis type.

BigDaddyG wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:Christmas looks much better on offense playing against Louiseville's shorter frontline. But he's getting out muscled by Montrezl Harrell on the other end.

Actually Louisville's frontline is bigger than Duke's. He was the best player on the court--hes better than Harrell.

I'm factoring girth too. Duke started the game with Plumlee against Syracuse too, so they were bigger up front than usual. Harrell played his but off, but Louisville's guard play has gone to heck. I thought Harrell did a good job muscling Christmas around earlier in the game. Onuako just isn't physical enough to take on someone on the level Christmas and it showed later in the game. Gbinije was big and Rozier looked lost.

Think about this--draftexpress has Christmas ranked #54. That so far off. He's an NBA player and he might just be pretty good. He'll need to add a 12 footer but hes got nice form. Perhaps a version of Al Horford? Hes about the same size--hed be a little undersized C in the NBA.

I could definitely see Christmas going higher and I wouldn't mind the Knicks taking him if we had another pick. I'm thinking a Dale Davis type.

Right now Christmas and Wood are going 30 and 31 on nba draft . Thats how important our 2nd round pick was. Wood will need developmental time but his upside is as high as ANY player in this draft.

BRIGGS wrote:The two biggest problems for the Knicks at the top of the draft is the F leash Calipari has on Towns and the reality that Mudiay played against no one the last year. I dont see Mudiay as anything more than Tyreke Evans--his jumpshot and lack of elite athleticism and speed will hold him back a bit. Nice potential player but hes not the "one" so to speak. Watch when he does a vertical leap hes a plus athlete but hes not elite.

Yeah, I hope the scouting department does its due diligence with Mudiay. Either way, he's probably going to be three years away from helping a NBA team. Town's would've better served going to Georgetown or some other school that develops bigs and could offer him playing time.

BRIGGS wrote:The two biggest problems for the Knicks at the top of the draft is the F leash Calipari has on Towns and the reality that Mudiay played against no one the last year. I dont see Mudiay as anything more than Tyreke Evans--his jumpshot and lack of elite athleticism and speed will hold him back a bit. Nice potential player but hes not the "one" so to speak. Watch when he does a vertical leap hes a plus athlete but hes not elite.

I think Calipari is trying to inflate Stein's value to help him get a 1st round payday. When the games start to matter I think you will see Towns log a lot more minutes and distinguish himself as Kentucky's go to guy