JR.G vs JoshHoward

[BigALmeetLasme]

Josh Howard 6-5 210 4 years college experience 8.3 rebs/game as senior
JR Giddens  6-5 215 4 years college experience 8.8 rebs/game as senior

I would love to have Josh Howard fill in James Poseys spot.   

Does anyone else think this is a fair comparison?

[zerophase]

fair? not a chance.

josh howard has proven himself as a solid starter; jr giddens has yet to play in a nba game.

[MattG12]

time will tell, im hoping for something between josh howard and michael jordan... so well see.

[Jon]

I don't think it's a fair comparison yet.  We have no idea what to expect from Giddens.  I like what I hear though.  Apparently he rebounds well, plays hard, has long arms (like Posey), and can knock down open shots.  And keep mind, not only is he a 4 year college player, he's also older than Pruitt, O'Bryant, Rondo, and Big Baby. 

So he seems to have skills that will compliment the Big Three quite nicely and he seems to have plenty of experience.  But time will tell how that translates to the NBA game. 

[Evantime34]

Josh Howard 6-5 210 4 years college experience 8.3 rebs/game as senior
JR Giddens  6-5 215 4 years college experience 8.8 rebs/game as senior

I would love to have Josh Howard fill in James Poseys spot.   

Does anyone else think this is a fair comparison?

I hope it'll become a fair comparison but it probably isn't. You have to look at not just what they did in college but where they did it. Josh Howard played in the ACC (Wake Forest?) where JR played in a mid major.  They do have very similar builds however and similar slashing style. I think Howard's midrange game was further along in college.

[wdleehi]

Compairing a the last rookie selected in the 1st round to a guy that has become a fringe all-star. 



Really not fair to the Celtics rookie.  Let him find his own way in this league without putting such high expectations.

[ChampKind]

Josh Howard 6-5 210 4 years college experience 8.3 rebs/game as senior
JR Giddens  6-5 215 4 years college experience 8.8 rebs/game as senior

I would love to have Josh Howard fill in James Poseys spot.   

Does anyone else think this is a fair comparison?

Way too early for this.  Besides, Howard played against better competition in the ACC than Giddens in the WAC.  Comparing their college stats is flawed this way.

[Robb]

Josh Howard 6-5 210 4 years college experience 8.3 rebs/game as senior
JR Giddens  6-5 215 4 years college experience 8.8 rebs/game as senior

I would love to have Josh Howard fill in James Poseys spot.   

Does anyone else think this is a fair comparison?

Yes, those are comparable numbers, but ultimately pretty insignificant.  I'm sure you can find oodles of players whose are comparable if you're only looking at four random statistics.

[Evantime34]

Just because it is an unfair comparision does not mean that Giddens won't become the player Howard is or even better. No one knows. They do have similar builds, and athleticism. (I just felt too many people were disagreeing with the original post I had to back him up)

[Rondoholic]

I like the comparison here.  Hopefully JR can live up to it.  Both players were drafted in the late first round so they have that in common.  In fact, JR probably has more raw talent, being a former McDonald's All-American, than Howard had to begin with.  And despite the fact that Giddens played in the WAC, he does have experience against the bigger powerhouses from his early years in the Big 12 at KU. 

I'm definitely expecting big things from our two draft picks but it will probably take some time.  In regards to Josh Howard, does anyone else think that he has reached his peak and his game has begun to take a turn for the worse, compounded by his marijuana revelations and all of that nonsense.

[Proctology]

It's actually an interesting comparison. Howard was drafted at the end of the first round, too. If I remember correctly the knock on him was supposedly that he wasn't a good enough deep shooter. But Howard is more of a pure 3, whereas JR I think is more of a swingman. JR is probably a little smaller, too.

[Evantime34]

I like the comparison here.  Hopefully JR can live up to it.  Both players were drafted in the late first round so they have that in common.  In fact, JR probably has more raw talent, being a former McDonald's All-American, than Howard had to begin with.  And despite the fact that Giddens played in the WAC, he does have experience against the bigger powerhouses from his early years in the Big 12 at KU. 

I'm definitely expecting big things from our two draft picks but it will probably take some time.  In regards to Josh Howard, does anyone else think that he has reached his peak and his game has begun to take a turn for the worse, compounded by his marijuana revelations and all of that nonsense.

If marijuana causes your game to take a turn for the worse than the majority of basketball players are not playing at their potential. He is far too young to say he's on the downside of his career (or even at the plateau). I think if this guy was who they ran the offense through instead of Dirk you would see much more from him

[Chris]

Compairing a the last rookie selected in the 1st round to a guy that has become a fringe all-star. 



Really not fair to the Celtics rookie.  Let him find his own way in this league without putting such high expectations.

Although to be fair, Howard was the last rookie picked in the first round as well.

And they both were the reigning players of the year in their conferences.

That may be where the comparisons stop though.

Certainly, the potential is there for Giddens to help this team a lot...but lets not get carried away.

[swane77]

As mentioned JR cut his teeth in the Big 12 and was very successful his 2 seasons at Kansas. Things just happened and he needed the change to New Mexico of the MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE not the WAC. Very competitive league with talent and some big time college arenas and atmosphere. Could he have been that successful his last 2 seasons had he stayed at Kansas? Numbers wise probably not with a National Champ Team (minutes and touches would have been less most likely). However if he had stayed and had close to his UNM numbers we would not have this conversation cause he would not have lasted to the 30th pick. Do not be decieved by the non BCS talent. There is a player named Steve Nash from a conference percieved to be even lower than the Mountain West that is doing just fine. Give JR some time and I think you all will be very pleased with his game  

[Rondoholic]

I like the comparison here.  Hopefully JR can live up to it.  Both players were drafted in the late first round so they have that in common.  In fact, JR probably has more raw talent, being a former McDonald's All-American, than Howard had to begin with.  And despite the fact that Giddens played in the WAC, he does have experience against the bigger powerhouses from his early years in the Big 12 at KU. 

I'm definitely expecting big things from our two draft picks but it will probably take some time.  In regards to Josh Howard, does anyone else think that he has reached his peak and his game has begun to take a turn for the worse, compounded by his marijuana revelations and all of that nonsense.

If marijuana causes your game to take a turn for the worse than the majority of basketball players are not playing at their potential. He is far too young to say he's on the downside of his career (or even at the plateau). I think if this guy was who they ran the offense through instead of Dirk you would see much more from him

I said compounded by his marijuana revelations.  I really think Howard has hit a plateau.  First off, he is older than you think after spending four years in college so there isn't a lot of years left to improve before age starts to become a factor.  But more of the issue is the fact that Howard is not clutch and disappears at the ends of games.  This is the reason that the team runs through Dirk.  I have seen plenty of Mavs games where they try to get Howard involved late but he can't get anything done.  He's a nice player but not going to be a star I don't think.  I'd compare him to Stackhouse who had some big years in Philly and Detroit early on in his career and then in his mid-to-late 20s, he kind of plateaued and became just a nice role player.  That's where I see Howard going.