2013 CB Draft: Atlantic Division Press Conferences

[indeedproceed]

However, moving in a new direction with both you and Boston, what separates you from each other? I know it's still early for head-on-head clashes, but so far I haven't read anything that definitely puts one above the other as the best team of the division.

Playoffs?! Playoffs?!!

I'd say my team will fair better during the regular season because I've got great depth, young legs, clear eyes, and full hearts. Can't lose.

[indeedproceed]

Also I never said it but thanks to RondoA and FWF.

[Rondo2287]

BOSTON:

#1. Does the minute limitations being put on Pau this season worry you?  Will you put similar limitations on Pau to keep him healthy.

#2.  do you worry that by constructing a starting 5 including 4 white players you have further perpetuated the stereotype that Boston is not welcoming for black players?

[indeedproceed]

BOSTON:

#1. Does the minute limitations being put on Pau this season worry you?  Will you put similar limitations on Pau to keep him healthy.

#2.  do you worry that by constructing a starting 5 including 4 white players you have further perpetuated the stereotype that Boston is not welcoming for black players?

I think Pau's minutes limitations are less about keeping Pau healthy this season and more about preserving his trade value this offseason.

[Rondo2287]

BOSTON:

#1. Does the minute limitations being put on Pau this season worry you?  Will you put similar limitations on Pau to keep him healthy.

#2.  do you worry that by constructing a starting 5 including 4 white players you have further perpetuated the stereotype that Boston is not welcoming for black players?

I think Pau's minutes limitations are less about keeping Pau healthy this season and more about preserving his trade value this offseason.

And you just conveniently dodge the difficult question.  Typical IP.... Typical    

[indeedproceed]

#2: I'll have to take your word for it. I actually don't see race, so, this is the first I've heard of these 'white' players.

[Lucky17]

#2: I'll have to take your word for it. I actually don't see race, so, this is the first I've heard of these 'white' players.

Interesting that for all its "whiteness," the Celtics roster contains only one American-born white player.

[Who]

L.Sanders (garbage man) as a PF alongside B.Lopez (low post scorer with high-low game) at Center ... makes me nervous offensively with a PG like Ricky Rubio (weak jump-shot and weak scorer).

I'm not sure how well those pieces fit together. I can like Rubio with a PF with a jump-shot or L.Sanders (PF) with a point guard with a jump-shot but I am not sure how much I can like them together (alongside a C like B.Lopez).

So what you're saying is start zbo and have Sanders back up both bigs.

Yeah, that would be my preference.

L.Sanders (garbage man) as a PF alongside B.Lopez (low post scorer with high-low game) at Center ... makes me nervous offensively with a PG like Ricky Rubio (weak jump-shot and weak scorer).

I'm not sure how well those pieces fit together. I can like Rubio with a PF with a jump-shot or L.Sanders (PF) with a point guard with a jump-shot but I am not sure how much I can like them together (alongside a C like B.Lopez).
 

I'd agree with this, but the alternative is worse.  You can not play Sanders next to Williams, so Sanders needs to be the backup  C.  Problem is Williams is the backup SF, meaning the 3 main guys all have to play substantial minutes, and not all 2 man pairings work.

Lopez and ZBo is the best, but can be exposed on 'D'.

Why can't Larry Sanders and Derrick Williams play together? Do you mean as forwards? With L.Sanders (PF) and Derrick Williams (SF) alongside B.Lopez?

I would be reluctant to play Derrick Williams at SF for anything other than spot minutes. He has struggled there quite badly over his first two seasons. I think he has the skill and athleticism required to play there but not the smarts. So passive. No idea when and where to attack. Just stands around on offense doing nothing. Dodgy defensively too.

So I wouldn't play Derrick Williams at SF at all if I could avoid it. I would lineup with D.Williams as my backup four and use Francisco Garcia as my backup SF. Then have Channing Frye and Jeremy Evans as the third string forwards. And Beno Udrih and Kirk Hinrich as my backup guards.

I would think think that L.Sanders (C) would work quite well alongside Derrick Williams (PF) as a big man combination if ever Z-Bo and B.Lopez are off the floor together.

[rondoallaturca]

Why can't Larry Sanders and Derrick Williams play together? Do you mean as forwards? With L.Sanders (PF) and Derrick Williams (SF) alongside B.Lopez?

I would be reluctant to play Derrick Williams at SF for anything other than spot minutes. He has struggled there quite badly over his first two seasons. I think he has the skill and athleticism required to play there but not the smarts. So passive. No idea when and where to attack. Just stands around on offense doing nothing. Dodgy defensively too.

So I wouldn't play Derrick Williams at SF at all if I could avoid it. I would lineup with D.Williams as my backup four and use Francisco Garcia as my backup SF. Then have Channing Frye and Jeremy Evans as the third string forwards. And Beno Udrih and Kirk Hinrich as my backup guards.

I would think think that L.Sanders (C) would work quite well alongside Derrick Williams (PF) as a big man combination if ever Z-Bo and B.Lopez are off the floor together.

This man speaks the truth. New York would be much better with a rotation like this.

[nickagneta]

I will say this about my final rankings and people can take it for what it is worth, but I made up an initial ranking of the teams and I will probably adjust them based on strategies and answers to questions and so forth but what will get a team a good bump from original rankings up in the final rankings is showing up and answering the questions asked.

Maybe that is unfair. I understand real life comes before an internet game, but there it is. So Boston, New York, the Lakers and  GSW will definitely get a bump for their participation thus far.

[Roy H.]

#2: I'll have to take your word for it. I actually don't see race, so, this is the first I've heard of these 'white' players.

Interesting that for all its "whiteness," the Celtics roster contains only one American-born white player.

Typical Popovich team.

[pearljammer10]

Again, like I stated, I dont see ZBo riding the bench at the end of the game. Its all about who finishes the game not who starts it. However, if the game calls for a defensive stop. It just makes logical sense to put Lopez and Sanders in to protect the rim. This Knicks team is full of High IQ, good character basketball guys that will have to buy into the system and mesh together. Chemistry is the key to winning.

Any 32 year old PF who has been in the league for 12 years in a position to play with a very legit contender and win a championship while still getting his numbers and stats while also getting his same minutes, and a chance at an individual award like 6th man of the year, will be able to take whatever role is best for the outcome of the team. If there was a crazy reduction in minutes and touches then we might have a problem. But ZBo's role, in essence, is even more important as a 6th man here than it would be as a starter.

Well, getting defensive stops is generally a common theme at the end of the game, so there's certainly going to be many situations where Z-Bo won't be in the game during crunch time. Randolph doesn't exactly strike me as a guy who's simply content getting stats and accolades, so I still remain very questionable about Z-Bo's role on this team.

However, moving in a new direction with both you and Boston, what separates you from each other? I know it's still early for head-on-head clashes, but so far I haven't read anything that definitely puts one above the other as the best team of the division.

Dont want to get in a head to head clash just yet but for the sake of answering the question. I think my squad is slightly better on both offense and defense while also having more talented depth off the bench. My players can out score Boston and also defend them better.

Gasol and Jonas won't be able to guard Lopez and Randolph. The constant pounding downlow and the many ways the can score will hurt them down there. With Gallo hurt that leaves Brewer to guard Green. Brewer has good length and is a good defender but Green will be able to out muscle Brewer to the basket. Haywood and Martin are similar players but Martin can score on any body.

Rubio will have his handful guarding Irving but so won't anybody in the league. At least Rubio has the quickness to stay in front of him and his 2.4 steals a game helps as well. Hinirch also can come in and be a pest to Irving. I don't see anyone on the Boston bench that i would fear as much as Randolph or Williams, even Hinirch.

Other than Irving, Gasol will put the most points on the board and he will have trouble scoring on Sanders as well as dealing with the big bodies of Randolph and Lopez. Also have better experienced veterans who are young and can still play at a high level. Hinirch, Martin, Garcia, Randolph, Frye, Udrih, and even Lopez(making his 6th year leap) are all heady vets with expereince under their belts yet are still in their primes.

Advantage. Knicks.

[Roy H.]

Again, like I stated, I dont see ZBo riding the bench at the end of the game. Its all about who finishes the game not who starts it. However, if the game calls for a defensive stop. It just makes logical sense to put Lopez and Sanders in to protect the rim. This Knicks team is full of High IQ, good character basketball guys that will have to buy into the system and mesh together. Chemistry is the key to winning.

Any 32 year old PF who has been in the league for 12 years in a position to play with a very legit contender and win a championship while still getting his numbers and stats while also getting his same minutes, and a chance at an individual award like 6th man of the year, will be able to take whatever role is best for the outcome of the team. If there was a crazy reduction in minutes and touches then we might have a problem. But ZBo's role, in essence, is even more important as a 6th man here than it would be as a starter.

Well, getting defensive stops is generally a common theme at the end of the game, so there's certainly going to be many situations where Z-Bo won't be in the game during crunch time. Randolph doesn't exactly strike me as a guy who's simply content getting stats and accolades, so I still remain very questionable about Z-Bo's role on this team.

However, moving in a new direction with both you and Boston, what separates you from each other? I know it's still early for head-on-head clashes, but so far I haven't read anything that definitely puts one above the other as the best team of the division.

Dont want to get in a head to head clash just yet but for the sake of answering the question. I think my squad is slightly better on both offense and defense while also having more talented depth off the bench. My players can out score Boston and also defend them better.

Gasol and Jonas won't be able to guard Lopez and Randolph. The constant pounding downlow and the many ways the can score will hurt them down there. With Gallo hurt that leaves Brewer to guard Green. Brewer has good length and is a good defender but Green will be able to out muscle Brewer to the basket. Haywood and Martin are similar players but Martin can score on any body.

Rubio will have his handful guarding Irving but so won't anybody in the league. At least Rubio has the quickness to stay in front of him and his 2.4 steals a game helps as well. Hinirch also can come in and be a pest to Irving. I don't see anyone on the Boston bench that i would fear as much as Randolph or Williams, even Hinirch.

Other than Irving, Gasol will put the most points on the board and he will have trouble scoring on Sanders as well as dealing with the big bodies of Randolph and Lopez. Also have better experienced veterans who are young and can still play at a high level. Hinirch, Martin, Garcia, Randolph, Frye, Udrih, and even Lopez(making his 6th year leap) are all heady vets with expereince under their belts yet are still in their primes.

Advantage. Knicks.

Even beyond that, I think the answer is simpler.  Gallo is going to miss a significant amount of time, and Gasol is reportedly on a minutes limitation.  That's going to negatively affect Boston's regular season record.

[indeedproceed]

Again, like I stated, I dont see ZBo riding the bench at the end of the game. Its all about who finishes the game not who starts it. However, if the game calls for a defensive stop. It just makes logical sense to put Lopez and Sanders in to protect the rim. This Knicks team is full of High IQ, good character basketball guys that will have to buy into the system and mesh together. Chemistry is the key to winning.

Any 32 year old PF who has been in the league for 12 years in a position to play with a very legit contender and win a championship while still getting his numbers and stats while also getting his same minutes, and a chance at an individual award like 6th man of the year, will be able to take whatever role is best for the outcome of the team. If there was a crazy reduction in minutes and touches then we might have a problem. But ZBo's role, in essence, is even more important as a 6th man here than it would be as a starter.

Well, getting defensive stops is generally a common theme at the end of the game, so there's certainly going to be many situations where Z-Bo won't be in the game during crunch time. Randolph doesn't exactly strike me as a guy who's simply content getting stats and accolades, so I still remain very questionable about Z-Bo's role on this team.

However, moving in a new direction with both you and Boston, what separates you from each other? I know it's still early for head-on-head clashes, but so far I haven't read anything that definitely puts one above the other as the best team of the division.

Dont want to get in a head to head clash just yet but for the sake of answering the question. I think my squad is slightly better on both offense and defense while also having more talented depth off the bench. My players can out score Boston and also defend them better.

Gasol and Jonas won't be able to guard Lopez and Randolph. The constant pounding downlow and the many ways the can score will hurt them down there. With Gallo hurt that leaves Brewer to guard Green. Brewer has good length and is a good defender but Green will be able to out muscle Brewer to the basket. Haywood and Martin are similar players but Martin can score on any body.

Rubio will have his handful guarding Irving but so won't anybody in the league. At least Rubio has the quickness to stay in front of him and his 2.4 steals a game helps as well. Hinirch also can come in and be a pest to Irving. I don't see anyone on the Boston bench that i would fear as much as Randolph or Williams, even Hinirch.

Other than Irving, Gasol will put the most points on the board and he will have trouble scoring on Sanders as well as dealing with the big bodies of Randolph and Lopez. Also have better experienced veterans who are young and can still play at a high level. Hinirch, Martin, Garcia, Randolph, Frye, Udrih, and even Lopez(making his 6th year leap) are all heady vets with expereince under their belts yet are still in their primes.

Advantage. Knicks.

Even beyond that, I think the answer is simpler.  Gallo is going to miss a significant amount of time, and Gasol is reportedly on a minutes limitation.  That's going to negatively affect Boston's regular season record.

Well, I dispute that it'll keep me from the top of the division. I've got a better leader, a better franchise player, better fits offensively, and a more talented starting 5. And a better coach

[sofutomygaha]

I see that there are no questions about Brooklyn. I have clearly convinced all of you beyond any articulable doubt that we are a playoff squad. We appreciate your acquiescence and we will make all of your defeats swift and painless.