I think Leon Powe is already a very good backup power forward and I think he's got a fairly good shot at becoming a starter in this league. Right now, more than anything else, he just needs an opportunity to play more minutes and show how good his game is.
Powe has gotten more minutes this year than he ever has in the past, and all he has shown is that he is less effective in extended minutes, because teams start making adjustments to him. Powe has a LONG way to go to be any more than an energy guy off the bench. The whole "needs an opportunity to play more minutes" excuse is always overdone. If he can't take advantage of the minutes he has (which are significant), in a consistent and efficient way, then why should he be given more minutes?
Powe is an incredibly hard worker, and I think has a bright future in this league, but this notion that he is being held back is absolutely rediculous. He has some major holes in his game, that until he fills, he will be more and more of a liability the more he is on the floor, because that gives other teams more opportunities to take advantage of it.
And I will say the exact same thing about Davis. They both are bench players right now for a reason. And honestly, they both should only be 9th or 10th men.
I respect you a great deal Chris, but you are not taking in factors that are effective both of these players.
When you play a restricted role as both Davis and Powe do, you aren't allowed to explore facets of your game that other players with larger roles are.
Also, playing minutes with less talented players, as both Powe and Davis have had to with the 2nd unit, limits some of the things each can do.
I think Powe's 7pts/4rbs in 14 minutes of play is pretty good - especially considering he gets 4 shots a game and may touch the ball on the block about 6-7 times in 3-4 rotation stints on the court - he's not encouraged to shoot the ball, even though he can, and he doesn't get very many easy baskets because nobody on his unit can dribble penetrate or run the pick-and-roll effectively - add to it the fact that Davis' faceup game doesn't force defenders to commit to him and you have a serious limitation that doesn't have to do with Powe himself.
Now Powe bears some responsibility as well - this isn't a blame game - he holds the ball too long on the block, which is a DIRECT effect of Doc and the staff telling him to work on his reads. He is dealing with more double-teams than he ever has, which is why the team stopped feeding him the rock on the 2nd unit after the first 3 weeks of the season - he was getting doubled on a majority of his posessions at that point.
You're seeing a player who is getting very few easy baskets because of lineups, has no rhythm because of limited touches, and is restricted by his role designation.
I don't think teams have "figured out" anything about Powe. He's being defended the same way he was last year. The difference is his usage. no pick-and-roll, no basket cuts, out-of-rhythm post game with very limited touches.
As Powe continues to work, he'll incorporate his face-up and as his role increases he will mix his post moves up more frequently. --- we've already seen more of his arsenal than he's show, its just a matter of being able to test it out with more regularity - which is not his role right now with this team...
Doc is already mixing up the rotation and Powe has seen an increase in productivity as he's gotten more minutes with Rondo and KG...this trend will continue...
I absolutely disagree that Powe is not being asked to shoot. In fact, he has been the focal point of the offense for the second unit for much of the season. They are usually doing everything they can to try to force the ball into him.
Of course I will agree that he has been a victim of playing with bad players, since even though they try to get the ball into them, when your PG is Eddie House, who has never created space to make an entry pass in his life, it makes it pretty difficult.
I also think he really needs to start making some adjustments now that other teams have adjusted to him. He made a living last year, and early this year by creating contact, and getting to the line. Lately though, it seems that teams have gotten a book on him, and adjusted. Defenders have started backing away, which has thrown him off. He looks like he is still expecting the contact, but when it doesn't come, his shot goes off target. He needs to start trying to concentrate more on finishing, rather than just trying to draw the fouls.
And perhaps I overstated my case, saying that Powe is not a starter in this league. There are absolutely some teams where he could start on right now (Memphis jumps out at me, as does Golden State). What I meant was that he was a ways away from being an impact starter on a good team.
IMO, he still needs to become a much better team defender, passer, and mid-range shooter (if he has that shot, he needs to get confidence in it then), before he will be able to take on a bigger role on a very good team.
Now, if anyone can make those improvements, it is him...but it is still premature to be annointing him as any more than a role-player.
When it comes down to it, I am just trying to slow down some of the hopes that Powe is going to be taking over for Garnett any day soon.