Posted by djsunyc:

so we read alot of articles today about how both isiah and eddy are upset he's not getting the ball. and that the guards must get him the ball everytime down the court. isiah feels this is the best way for this team to win.

i propose this question for debate: should isiah be telling the team this?

let me explain...this is a developing team. this is a team that need to learn how to win and what kind of committment it takes to win big. this is what isiah should be trying to teach them. how to come into the gym early, and leave late. how to spend all summer working on your game and your physique. that's what seperates great teams from good ones.

by isiah basically saying that eddy is the focal point of the offense and is ready to punish anybody that doesn't conform to that, well, is that sending a good message to eddy that it's OK to be rewarded with the ball everytime down the court even tho he doesn't give 1/4th the effort on the defensive side of the ball?

should we have a culture in place where the coach says, "ok eddy, you want the ball 20 times a night...then earn that. go and grab 8 rebounds and you'll get the ball. go a block 1-2 shots a game and you'll get the ball. anchor this team's defense and you'll get the ball." is that the type of ethic we should be creating?

or is isiah doing the right thing and trying to maximize the pros on this team without dwelling too much on the negatives? is that a more effective way to get his players to produce, mainly eddy? sort of be a nurturer and accentuate his positives regardless of anything else?

discuss.

[Edited by - djsunyc on 03-16-2007 09:56 AM]

I think there are two separate issues.

Number one: Eddy Curry's motivation level.
Number two: Eddy Curry's natural ability.

People talk all the time about how this guy is so big, has good post moves, etc,. There is no doubt he is a big guy. He has natural ability in the way that we normally think about this. However, the guy is really mentally slow at the same time. Clearly he can be better than the numbers he has been producing. At the same time, he will never be a great rebounder, shot blocker, or help defender, because his "mental ability" is much below other players in the league. He simply cannot react in the time that is necessary to do the above at a high level. Take Balkman for example. He is a great shotblocker, rebounder and help defender. He is very mentally quick. Albeit, he is still learning cause he is a rookie, but he has the "mental ability" to succeed in this league.

Overall, Curry will never be a good rebounder, help defender, etc, but he can be a lot better than he is right now. He gets 7 rebounds in 35 minutes per game. That is absolutely dispicable. He only gets those rebounds cause he is always so close to the basket on defense and on offense when he is in the post, and because he is just so big and takes up so much space the ball is bound to rebound to him.

If the coach cannot find a way to motivate this guy, well it is time for us to abandon ship. I think he has at least the ability, because of his size, to be a 9 to 10 rebound guy. At least that is the most I can be optimistic about Curry.