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Erniecat
Posts: 20577
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Joined: 1/13/2005
Member: #851
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Notice the eighth paragraph.
I only wish Howard Beck had included quotes from Lee. I also wish he would have pointed out that while Isiah makes a case for using Lee as his sixth man, the Knicks constantly find themselves facing quick double-digit deficits due to their poor starts. The article ends abruptly and I have a strong suspicion part of it was left on the editing room floor. Enjoy...
For Knicks’ Lee, Benchwarmer’s Seat Is Usually Cool
By HOWARD BECK
Published: January 5, 2007
SEATTLE, Jan. 4 — David Lee leads the Knicks in rebounds and field-goal percentage, converts free throws at a better rate than Stephon Marbury and averages more assists than Nate Robinson.
The box scores indicate that Lee, a second-year forward, is making an impact. But statistics fail to properly define Lee’s value, and there is no clever formula or high-tech abacus sophisticated enough to capture it.
It is better simply to watch Lee on any possession — a video highlight being worth a thousand statistics.
Consider a sequence from Wednesday’s 99-81 rout of Portland: The Blazers have cut the Knicks’ lead to 9 points in the third quarter. The Knicks’ Jared Jeffries misfires badly on a 3-pointer, and Lee grabs the rebound. He passes back to Jeffries, whose layup is blocked by Joel Przybilla. Lee comes up with the ball again and feeds it to a wide-open Eddy Curry, who hits an easy layup for a 61-50 lead.
After Portland cuts the lead to 9 points again, Marbury misses a 3-pointer and an 8-foot jumper on the same possession. Lee grabs the second rebound, hits a layup and draws a foul for a 3-point play. The lead is back to 70-58 and never dips into single digits again.
Lee had 14 rebounds in the game, 6 on offense, and 4 assists — all solid numbers, yet still not as impressive as the actual plays that produced them. Lee’s rapid ascension, from semi-obscure 2005 draft pick to indispensable role player, has been one of the few highlights of the season.
It has also put Coach Isiah Thomas in the awkward position of having to constantly justify Lee’s spot in the rotation. Lee can play all three frontcourt positions and has been far more productive than the starting forwards, Channing Frye and Jared Jeffries. But Thomas has used Lee off the bench in 23 of 35 games, starting him only when others are injured.
Thomas is asked about Lee’s role at least once a week. It is a topic of discussion among Knicks fans on the Web site ultimateknicks.com, under the heading, “Petition to start David Lee” (32 of 39 respondents clicked “Start him now. What is the hold-up?”).
The answer from Thomas has been consistent. He views Lee as an ideal sixth man, a player whose energy and rebounding can start a rally and alter the game’s dynamics. He can come in at center if Curry is in foul trouble, at power forward if Frye is missing shots and at small forward if Jeffries is out of sorts.
Despite his reserve status, Lee consistently plays more minutes than either Frye or Jeffries. Thomas did not hesitate to yank Jeffries quickly during the Knicks’ losses at Phoenix and Sacramento, sending in Lee each time.
“David’s playing extremely well, and when you got a guy who’s playing as well as he is right now, you don’t necessarily have as much patience as you normally would have with someone who’s playing in front of him,” Thomas said.
In that regard, Lee’s value extends beyond his play. He is also the guy Thomas turns to to remind his starters that their jobs and playing time are not guaranteed.
“It’s great to have him in that position, because he keeps everybody honest out there,” Thomas said. “You can send him in for any of the frontcourt guys. So they all know he’s sitting there waiting to come in. He’s to the big guys what Vinnie Johnson was to Joe Dumars and I.”
It helps that Lee’s production remains fairly constant, regardless of whether he starts (12.7 points, 11.7 rebounds) or comes off the bench (9.7 points, 10.2 rebounds). For the season, Lee is averaging 10.7 points and 10.7 rebounds (seventh in the league). On a per-48-minute basis, Lee averages 17 rebounds, tied for third in the league with Denver’s Marcus Camby. With 3.8 offensive rebounds per game, Lee ranks second in the N.B.A., behind Chicago’s Ben Wallace (3.9). Lee is the only reserve player among the league’s top 20 rebounders.
Other general managers regard Lee as one of the Knicks’ most marketable commodities (because he is young and relatively inexpensive).
REBOUNDS
Quentin Richardson is expected to participate in the Knicks’ shoot-around Friday morning and will be a game-time decision for their game against the SuperSonics. He has missed 10 games because of back spasms. ... Nate Robinson will serve the 10th and final game of his suspension Friday night, missing the chance to play in his hometown.
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1/5/2007 2:31 AM
