Too bad we don't have a 7 footer on the bench to cover Gasol..!

[Spfldkid]

Ya, too bad we do not have a shot blocker who could just shut down Gasol. Ya, doc could tell him to just watch him on "D"...then maybe Doc could even post him up now and then....WOW, what a dream...oh wait, we DO have a 7 footer on the bench who never plays prime time....Although all year DOC (dork....lost rivers..?) showed us that if you play some players all the time in prime time with this team they CAN develop (See Scal BBD..) Yup, great idea DOC, just sit POB while Gasol shoots over Leon and BBD, he knows he is 7ft, they cannot do anything, but when KG or Perk cover him he does nothing,,,,,,hmmmmm, well doc, what does that mean....? POB does as much and more than BBD, Scal, and lately even Leon P......but Doc won't play him because doc is a guard (no plays run ever for the centers), always has the bigs setting picks for the GUARDS, then they don't give the ball up, like ah give-and-go, pick-and-roll, remember those plays that work..get the other team in foul trouble..imagine if Bynum was out there, they would have killed us, PLAY POB UNTIL HE PROVES HE CANNOT DO IT...or, well, lose to the lakers Doc (lostrivers).....maybe too much "guard" mentality doc...? The alley-oop must be KG's idea....!

[Roy Hobbs]

Literally, POB would foul out in three minutes against Gasol.  POB is one of the physically weakest centers in the NBA, and Gasol is skilled in the post.  He'd simply back down POB repeatedly.

I'd rather ask Rondo to guard Gasol if my only other alternative was POB.

[Roy Hobbs]

Also, not to bring up the same argument twice in one day, but the team *should* have a legit 7-foot center on its bench: Dikembe Mutumbo.  He wanted to play for the Celts, and Danny wanted to see what else would be out there.

[RebusRankin]

I'm with Roy, Danny should have signed Deke.

[footey]

Literally, POB would foul out in three minutes against Gasol.  POB is one of the physically weakest centers in the NBA, and Gasol is skilled in the post.  He'd simply back down POB repeatedly.

I'd rather ask Rondo to guard Gasol if my only other alternative was POB.

How did you determine that, literally, Professor Hobbs?

[Spfldkid]

Okay Motumbo is not here, and he isn't coming. Lets stay with the here and now, please...! If you have been watching all these years, you will remember that Perk used to foul out every game in 5 minutes.....maybe a few mistakes, also the refs treat guys that way until they get seasoned or whatever the refs call it...You know they do that, among other odd ref things.....(yes, they are lost this year, but that is another thread..!). How can you look down the bench and not try it, after seeing what is happening on the floor...?

[footey]

Ya, too bad we do not have a shot blocker who could just shut down Gasol. Ya, doc could tell him to just watch him on "D"...then maybe Doc could even post him up now and then....WOW, what a dream...oh wait, we DO have a 7 footer on the bench who never plays prime time....Although all year DOC (dork....lost rivers..?) showed us that if you play some players all the time in prime time with this team they CAN develop (See Scal BBD..) Yup, great idea DOC, just sit POB while Gasol shoots over Leon and BBD, he knows he is 7ft, they cannot do anything, but when KG or Perk cover him he does nothing,,,,,,hmmmmm, well doc, what does that mean....? POB does as much and more than BBD, Scal, and lately even Leon P......but Doc won't play him because doc is a guard (no plays run ever for the centers), always has the bigs setting picks for the GUARDS, then they don't give the ball up, like ah give-and-go, pick-and-roll, remember those plays that work..get the other team in foul trouble..imagine if Bynum was out there, they would have killed us, PLAY POB UNTIL HE PROVES HE CANNOT DO IT...or, well, lose to the lakers Doc (lostrivers).....maybe too much "guard" mentality doc...? The alley-oop must be KG's idea....!

Preaching to the choir, and here's your first Tommy Point. Keep up the good work, we'll get the others to see the POB light someday.

[Roy Hobbs]

Literally, POB would foul out in three minutes against Gasol.  POB is one of the physically weakest centers in the NBA, and Gasol is skilled in the post.  He'd simply back down POB repeatedly.

I'd rather ask Rondo to guard Gasol if my only other alternative was POB.

How did you determine that, literally, Professor Hobbs?

By watching how easy it is for scrubs to back down POB.  If the garbage men of the NBA out-muscle POB, then I'm pretty sure one of the best post players in the NBA wouldn't have much trouble.

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

Lol...yeah if KG and Perk have trouble with Gasol, Im sure POB could shut him down 

[Roy Hobbs]

Okay Motumbo is not here, and he isn't coming. Lets stay with the here and now, please...! If you have been watching all these years, you will remember that Perk used to foul out every game in 5 minutes.....maybe a few mistakes, also the refs treat guys that way until they get seasoned or whatever the refs call it...You know they do that, among other odd ref things.....(yes, they are lost this year, but that is another thread..!). How can you look down the bench and not try it, after seeing what is happening on the floor...?

I'm not saying that POB won't be a competent defender in three or four years, like Perk.  I see a difference in strength and work ethic between the two, but even if POB was to follow Perk's progression, he wouldn't be much help to us this season.  He's just not there now.

Also, in terms of what's happening on the floor, 1) the team overall has played well recently, and 2) BBD is a fairly effective defender, against *most* players. 

[footey]

Literally, POB would foul out in three minutes against Gasol.  POB is one of the physically weakest centers in the NBA, and Gasol is skilled in the post.  He'd simply back down POB repeatedly.

I'd rather ask Rondo to guard Gasol if my only other alternative was POB.

How did you determine that, literally, Professor Hobbs?

By watching how easy it is for scrubs to back down POB.  If the garbage men of the NBA out-muscle POB, then I'm pretty sure one of the best post players in the NBA wouldn't have much trouble.

POB commits about 1.2 fouls every 5 minutes, mostly in garbage time. So you have literally calculated that he will foul at a rate 5 times as frequently by guarding Pau Gasol.  Hmm.  Guess your opinion of Gasol is higher, and of POB is lower, than mine.

I am puzzled by the extent to which posters (including Mr. Hobbs, whom I honestly hold in the highest esteem) work so hard to make a case for not playing a guy just to see how it works. I see so many arguments as to why it would be a mistake.  Does anyone honestly feel that O'Bryant has been given a legit shot?  What is the harm in trying it out??

Dikembe is no longer an option.  And continuing to rely on the Baby Powe tandem is not going to get us to the finals, never mind win the championship.

Do something, besides saying "it won't work." Or "relax, we are going to be fine as is."

[footey]

By the way, I don't recall Evans, who is a beast, backing down POB at all in the recent Sixer game. POB did a great job of boxing out, and keeping his position.

[Roy Hobbs]

Guess your opinion of Gasol is higher, and of POB is lower, than mine.

Yes, I think that's a safe assumption.  I'm probably in the top 5% of posters in terms of support of Gasol's game (but definitely not his team), and in the bottom 5% of POB's detractors.

Does anyone honestly feel that O'Bryant has been given a legit shot?  What is the harm in trying it out??

I assume -- but I cannot say with 100% certainty, I suppose -- that POB has been given a legit shot in practice.  In terms of the harm in trying it out, it could 1) cost us games in the race for home court advantage, and 2) upset other players, who see the coach giving minutes to players who didn't earn it.

Do something, besides saying "it won't work." Or "relax, we are going to be fine as is."

I'm honestly not sure what the team can do to bolster its front court at this point.  They can hope that somebody (Smith, Collison) gets bought out, but failing that, I don't think that there is a great option.  In the playoffs, though, the team will play KG and Perk more minutes, hopefully alleviating some of the issues.

[Roy Hobbs]

By the way, I don't recall Evans, who is a beast, backing down POB at all in the recent Sixer game. POB did a great job of boxing out, and keeping his position.

Evans is one of the worst offensive big men in the NBA.

[Eeyore III]

Why not put POB on Gasol and let him use his six hard fouls, even if it only takes 10 minutes?  It's better than watching Gasol conduct a shooting drill over a 6'7" player.

Or if POB is really completely useless (He may be.  I can't say I've seen any improvement over the last three years, nor did Don Nelson see any.), then why not cut him and give Pollard a 10-day contract?

We need an actual big who can hit a 15-foot shot.  If we don't get that, we're not even getting past the LeBrons in May, never mind the accursed Fakers.