Posted by islesfan:
Posted by Allanfan20:
Islesfan, look at Nates game log this season. His FG% is 44%. That's including that slump he was in. I'm willing to bet that if he didn't have that slump, it would be more like 48%, b/c that's close to what the rest of his games show. He's playing very and so is Lee and so is Duhon.
Geeze.
Or how about we take away his numbers from the rest of his games and focus solely on his "slump". Either way, it's foolish to be that selective as to take away any stretch of bad numbers to try to prove a point.
I would like to see if there has been a permanent change in the way Nate approaches and plays the game. Is Nate just going through a hot streak offensively, or is he actually evolving as a player?
Use the example of Mike Pelfrey on the Mets last year. What changed from the beginning of the year, when he was a borderline 5th starter, to the end of the year, when he could be considered as a legitimate top 3 starter on any team in the league? I understand that we are looking at the consistency of performance when evaluating the player, but I am also interested in finding out how changes in their thought process translates into performance gains.
Both Pelfrey and Nate have the physical tools to succeed, so I have to look internally to find the source of any problems they have as performers in their respective sports. Pelfrey has seemingly found his game, although lets face it, if he is 5-14 with a 5+ ERA, you will have to question whether his performance last year was actual proof that he has arrived as a legitimate starter.
As for Nate... Is it significant that his turnover numbers are down? Will he force shots when it is clear that he is not shooting well in a particular game? Will he use the midrange pull-up jumper more, or just depend on the 3 or a wild drive to the basket? Will he make the pass when it is there or force the shot?
At some point something "clicks" in the heads of successful professional (and amateurs, for that matter) athletes, and the result is usually evident in the consistency shown by the player.
You don't go crazy over his recent streak, but neither do you discount it, IMO. I recall that he was putting up some nice numbers earlier in the year, too. If Nate is not traded, and he continues to play with consistency (no- you don't expect 30, or even 20 PPG) and intelligence, I would say that he has turned the corner as a player, and he becomes one of the guys you want on your team in the future.
With all of this said, I can see why people would want K. Martin for Nate if the trade is possible, and I can see why MDA would also want it, given Martin's size and proven consistency. I would be wary of a guy who has only played in Sacramento coming to NYC and performing up to the same level in a more difficult setting, but the guys numbers are good, and I expect that D'Antoni would get the best out of him.
I see the rest of the season as an auditioning period for Nate. I consider Lee to have already proven himself. If Nate continues to play efficient ball, I cannot see why we would not want him on the team in the future, assuming that he does not price himself too high. What other players can come off the bench and spark a team like he does at this point? What other guy do we have in recent years who play with the gusto (yeah, he goes too far with some of his antics) that Nate plays with?
I just think that we have to look at Nate in a different way based on how he has been playing recently. No, you don't want to get too excited, but you cannot simply overlook how he is playing and how a "matured" Nate might fit into the team's future.
No man is happy without a delusion of some kind. Delusions are as necessary to our happiness as realities- C.N. Bovee
2/18/2009 9:39 PM
