Is Milicic part of 8 man rotation ???

[MJohnnyboy]

If Darko is as good as reports say, then just... wow. This team's depth and versatility will be something to be reckoned with (If it wasn't already). I mean we already have the best defensive 5 in the league in Rondo-Bradley(when he comes back)-Pierce-Bass-KG. Then we have Jet, Courtney Lee, Green, Wilcox, Darko, and Sully. We have the ability go small against teams like Miami AND go big against teams like the Lakers.

Darko could be the last piece of the puzzle. I'm not expecting him to be a star, but he can be our designated enforcer. Playing next to KG could do wonders for him.

[fairweatherfan]

He shouldn't be ... 4th string center behind Garnett, one of the PFs and Jason Collins.

Do you really think Collins is better than Darko?  Not just situationally but across the board? 

I don't know Darko well so I'm not disagreeing, but why do you think so?

(1) I think Doc should stay small with his backup big men because neither Darko Milicic or Jason Collins are good enough to be rotation players. So my primary backup center would be one of the PFs.

(2) So either player should only play in certain situations when matchups require a bigger body / interior defender. In that specific (minor) role, I think Jason Collins is the superior option. So Collins = third string and Darko = fourth string.

(3) I think Darko's best playing weight is around 240-245lbs and he is currently up around 275lbs or something like that. So he is around 30lbs overweight. At this weight, Darko is (a) unable to finish as well around the basket and is a large liability offensively (2) is slower and less active as a team defender and has reduced defensive value (3) is stuck to the ground on rebounds and is a liability on the boards. A much worse player in each phase of the game (offense, defense, rebounding).

Until Darko gets himself into basketball shape, I do not consider him a rotation caliber player. Like Jason Collins, he is a below average but just about serviceable backup center (more in the 5-10mpg fourth string big role than the 15-18mpg Boston needs from it's primary backup center behind Garnett) to high level third stringer.

If Darko gets himself into basketball shape, he is a below average but decent starter to high level primary backup center. A very useful asset. Unfortunately, that doesn't appear like it is going to happen. So my expectations for Darko this season are very low.

Thanks Who - TP.  So Darko has a higher ceiling, would probably be a better backup, but isn't more useful for the 3rd string C role you see him in at his current fitness level.  Makes sense.

[saltlover]

(3) I think Darko's best playing weight is around 240-245lbs and he is currently up around 275lbs or something like that.

I've seen you, or someone else perhaps (I can't remember everyone on this board) mention this weight, and I just don't know where you're coming from with it.  KG is listed at 253 pounds.  Darko is an inch taller, and has, at least visually to me, a bigger frame.  I just don't see where this 240-245 ideal range is coming from.  He's a big dude.

[Evantime34]

If Darko can get into our 8 man rotation it will be a huge boon for this team. If he ends up playing a lot that means he will have passed Wilcox (who looked great last year) and Collins (has been a very good nba defender) meaning that he has earned his time instead of being played for lack of a better option.

My ceiling for Darko is Perkins. He's about as big as Perkins, while being more agile and skilled. If he can mesh with KG in that same way he can give us a return far greater than the minimum contract we signed him to.

[Who]

(3) I think Darko's best playing weight is around 240-245lbs and he is currently up around 275lbs or something like that.

I've seen you, or someone else perhaps (I can't remember everyone on this board) mention this weight, and I just don't know where you're coming from with it.  KG is listed at 253 pounds.  Darko is an inch taller, and has, at least visually to me, a bigger frame.  I just don't see where this 240-245 ideal range is coming from.  He's a big dude.

That was the best weight I've seen Darko at. Where he is capable of playing his best basketball. That is why I consider it his ideal weight.

Darko Milicic was a very athletic 6-11/7-0 center. He had excellent mobility and speed. Very good explosiveness. Leaping ability, multiple jumps / effort plays. That was when he was at that 240-245lb range.

As he has continued to pile on the pounds, Darko has lost athleticism in each of those areas for the added strength that he has gained. Unfortunately, while that added strength has added to his game in certain areas (like post defense), the losses elsewhere have robbed him of so much more. It's a net loss for him. A large one.

I don't understand why anyone would want a center with high level athleticism to throw that all away so that he can move around the court like Eric Dampier.

Greg Oden did the same thing. Physically, Oden was like a 7 foot Amare Stoudemire when he was college and weighed around 250lbs but then he came into the NBA and decided he needed more muscle so he went up to 280lbs in the NBA (and 300+lbs for awhile) ... yeah, it gained him extra strength but he lost so much more elsewhere (plus, probably increased his risk to injury too).

Basketball is a game of relative (to position / skill-set) quickness and mobility. If a player can add weight without hurting himself too much in those areas, then he should do it. If he can't, then he shouldn't.

[flyofchange]

No! Hes not. Hes just in there right now cause wilcox was out. If wilcox could go darko sits on the bench and thats where he belongs.

[Who]

I don't see any team that can come close to a second unit of JET/Lee/Green/Wilcox/Darko.

And our starters aren't too shabby themselves.

I would rather Sullinger be in that lineup than Wilcox.

Yeah, I think that should be Sully or Bass.

Neither Wilcox or Darko can make jump-shot. Shrinks the floor quite a bit. I don't think they'll be a good combination for the team offensively.

[mgent]

(3) I think Darko's best playing weight is around 240-245lbs and he is currently up around 275lbs or something like that.

I've seen you, or someone else perhaps (I can't remember everyone on this board) mention this weight, and I just don't know where you're coming from with it.  KG is listed at 253 pounds.  Darko is an inch taller, and has, at least visually to me, a bigger frame.  I just don't see where this 240-245 ideal range is coming from.  He's a big dude.

That was the best weight I've seen Darko at. Where he is capable of playing his best basketball. That is why I consider it his ideal weight.

Darko Milicic was a very athletic 6-11/7-0 center. He had excellent mobility and speed. Very good explosiveness. Leaping ability, multiple jumps / effort plays. That was when he was at that 240-245lb range.

As he has continued to pile on the pounds, Darko has lost athleticism in each of those areas for the added strength that he has gained. Unfortunately, while that added strength has added to his game in certain areas (like post defense), the losses elsewhere have robbed him of so much more. It's a net loss for him. A large one.

I don't understand why anyone would want a center with high level athleticism to throw that all away so that he can move around the court like Eric Dampier.

Greg Oden did the same thing. Physically, Oden was like a 7 foot Amare Stoudemire when he was college and weighed around 250lbs but then he came into the NBA and decided he needed more muscle so he went up to 280lbs in the NBA (and 300+lbs for awhile) ... yeah, it gained him extra strength but he lost so much more elsewhere (plus, probably increased his risk to injury too).

Basketball is a game of relative (to position / skill-set) quickness and mobility. If a player can add weight without hurting himself too much in those areas, then he should do it. If he can't, then he shouldn't.

I agree, same thing with players like Perk and Baby trying to lose weight when it's their size that made them players in the league.

[erisred]

I think Doc might be trying him out in the Stiemsma role - doesn't want KG to be the only defensive option in the big man rotation.

It'll be interesting to see if Doc can get Stiemsma or JO level production out of Darko.  If so, I think he'll stay in the rotation. If not, I think he'll relent and go all offense with Sully/Wilcox.

Yeah, that was my thought, too. Collins is for emergencies. Wilcox is more 4 than 5. Sully is a rookie. Melo is a very raw rookie. I think Milicic will be given every opportunity to make it as backup 5 and play 20 minutes a night. I think it'll be his job to take and his job to lose.

[Accension13]

"Milicic shined toward the end of the matchup by successfully defending guard Dionte Christmas on the perimeter, then blocking his shot attempt, to seal the win."

To me this was the Most important part of the article. If Darko can effectively guard a perimeter player like Christmas, he very well may be able to hold his own against a quick perimeter playing center like Bosh. That would be huge for the C's. it would allow them to potentially play KG and Darko together against the Heat. Two big rim protectors could cause the Heat real problems

[erisred]

(3) I think Darko's best playing weight is around 240-245lbs and he is currently up around 275lbs or something like that.

I've seen you, or someone else perhaps (I can't remember everyone on this board) mention this weight, and I just don't know where you're coming from with it.  KG is listed at 253 pounds.  Darko is an inch taller, and has, at least visually to me, a bigger frame.  I just don't see where this 240-245 ideal range is coming from.  He's a big dude.

I think it's depends on what you want out of Darko. At 240, Milicic isn't really a center, he's a very tall PF, probably without the quickness to really be a PF. I think that's where he failed to succeed at these years.  Milicic at 270, otoh, *has* to be a C. Have we ever seen him play the role of the space-eating, low post, rebounding, defender, with enforcer tendencies? I think that's the role Doc has in mind for him.

[billysan]

He shouldn't be ... 4th string center behind Garnett, one of the PFs and Jason Collins.

Do you really think Collins is better than Darko?  Not just situationally but across the board? 

I don't know Darko well so I'm not disagreeing, but why do you think so?

(1) I think Doc should stay small with his backup big men because neither Darko Milicic or Jason Collins are good enough to be rotation players. So my primary backup center would be one of the PFs.

(2) So either player should only play in certain situations when matchups require a bigger body / interior defender. In that specific (minor) role, I think Jason Collins is the superior option. So Collins = third string and Darko = fourth string.

(3) I think Darko's best playing weight is around 240-245lbs and he is currently up around 275lbs or something like that. So he is around 30lbs overweight. At this weight, Darko is (a) unable to finish as well around the basket and is a large liability offensively (2) is slower and less active as a team defender and has reduced defensive value (3) is stuck to the ground on rebounds and is a liability on the boards. A much worse player in each phase of the game (offense, defense, rebounding).

Until Darko gets himself into basketball shape, I do not consider him a rotation caliber player. Like Jason Collins, he is a below average but just about serviceable backup center (more in the 5-10mpg fourth string big role than the 15-18mpg Boston needs from it's primary backup center behind Garnett) to high level third stringer.

If Darko gets himself into basketball shape, he is a below average but decent starter to high level primary backup center. A very useful asset. Unfortunately, that doesn't appear like it is going to happen. So my expectations for Darko this season are very low.

For me this last bit is the key. I need to see him run the floor in a game situation. If he is really slow like the 275lbs might suggest, then he is not going to be as much value to us as a healthy Wilcox who can run well for a big.

I really want the Darko experiment to work and maybe he can be effective. I just think his value will be as a half court banger type player until he gets in 'Basketball Shape'.

I do still put him ahead of Jason Collins as a half court guy because I think he will be even tougher on post defense. He seems to play with a chip on his shoulder and is more aggressive than Collins. Just my opinion. 

[guava_wrench]

Do we know for sure what Darko's present weight is?

I always find the nonsense about bench beating starters in camp to be insignificant and overblown. The young guys on the bench without guaranteed contracts treat training camp like the playoffs. They are going to make sure they are at midseason form from day 1. The vets need to let their bodies rest more before season. The are likely farther from game ready than the young guys -- who also played summer league.

[pearljammer10]

I think our rotation will definitely be based on who we are playing and we will play to matchups. But looking at our team now I go with

Rondo
Lee
Pierce
Bass
Garnett

6th: Terry
7th: Green
8th: Darko
9th: Wilcox
10th:Sully

[fitzhickey]

Once Bradley is back, he will be part of a 9 man rotation