I guess Isiah wasn't lying when he said that Nazr was the key to the trade, but it's really tough watching TT play.

Nazr isnt a good center. He does give you some good bang for your buck for his price though. Thing is, I would hate to think of where we would be without him. His D has almost been respectable, and he's been making up for his shortcoming with sheer effort. I like his hustle out there if nothing else.

We are pretty thin at center. Sweetney actually plays there when he's on the floor with JYD or KT. Baker is awfull (boy was I wrong about that one, guess he should have asked the Wizard for some interior D when he was asking for a new heart). We NEED Nazr and he's been producing. Good effort for him.

Its also a lot easier for a big man to play with guards like Craw and Marbs.

Nazzy and Kurt got going right around the same time and that's why the team has been so much more competitive lately.

Posted by Rich:

Aguirre and Glymph probably deserve some of the credit for his improvement.

Definitely. You can see that his footwork is better, and he's shooting with a much softer touch this year. That being said he's still not when he's at his best when posting up. He's starting to finish stronger, and he picks up a lot of points when he can get putbacks and easy dunks.

Posted by Bonn1997:

Posted by fishmike:

Nazr isnt a good center. He does give you some good bang for your buck for his price though.

I think he's an improving center. He's a below average starting center, but I think he'd be WAY above average for a backup center at 18 to 20 mpg.

TOTALLY agree. Better than backup, not a solid enough starter for a playoff run.

http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1101279007297450.xml

KNICKS NOTEBOOK
Knicks: Mohammed gets off to fast start

Wednesday, November 24, 2004
BY COLIN STEPHENSON
Star-Ledger Staff

NEW YORK -- Nazr Mohammed actually doesn't think he got off to a particularly slow start this season, despite what his point totals may have been in the first four games.

"I mean, statistically, I had a slow start. But I had some personal things going on, as far as, I was fasting at the time, and (while) mentally I was 100 percent ready to go, physically, I thought I was 100 percent, but I'm starting to realize that I'm a lot stronger and I feel a lot better now," Mohammed said after his 18 points and 14 rebounds led the Knicks last night in their 104-88 victory over Atlanta. He had 16 points before halftime.

Mohammed, a Muslim, had to fast during daylight hours during the holy month of Ramadan, but even before the fasting ended, his numbers have come on. After scoring 27 points in his first four games (6.8 average), he has averaged 12.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in his last six.

Stephon Marbury said Mohammed has made himself a threat that other teams now have to worry about.

"He's playing well right now," Marbury said. "I don't think we lost faith in him. I think everyone knew he could go out and play. And I think now, he's just establishing himself to basically where you've got to prepare for him."

Mohammed credited his increased point production to Marbury and the rest of his teammates.

"Steph's doing a great job coming off the picks, he's looking for me, he's dropping it right there where it's easy for me just to lay it in," Mohammed said. "Jamal (Crawford), he's attracting people and dishing it to me. Kurt (Thomas), he's always looking for me, Tim (Thomas) -- I mean all my teammates are just getting me the ball in position where I can be effective."

I too am surprised about Vin's production this year.

He needs to go back to the Wizard and get warranty work on that heart.

He looks very thin. I hope he is well.

makes trading for Damp look all that much a bad idea.

I was down on Nazr too but I also used to say that he can get Damp type numbers if he got the minutes. Besides no one is even worth a trade that will be all that much better than Nazr.

He's focused cuz besides the stats he's acually playing a very smart game.

I guess we can stop saying we need a center. Nazr is doing his thing. He's becoming a double double machine......

and the Knicks defensive scheme is starting to work......who needs a bonifide shotblocker!!!! Switch and put a body on everything coming in the lane. That is beautiful basketball.



[Edited by - enyspree on 11/24/2004 08:50:44]

I dont know why its a suprise... he's pretty much picking up where he left off last year when he averaged a shade under 12/10 as a started in about 28 minutes.

He's obviously not a go to guy but his hustle and quickness works well with this team. Obviously we need a defensive type player... a Ratliff type, but Nazr is playing good ball and having a nice impact.