CB Draft '09 Mock Press Conference: Atlantic Divison

[The Walker Wiggle]

A question for Toronto, who's frontcourt I otherwise love:

Ron Artest no longer seems able to play within himself offensively. He regularly breaks plays and forces shots, and, among qualified players, last season ranked dead last in two point shooting percentage.

How concerned is Toronto? Particularly given Garnett's tendency to make the extra pass and the fact that neither Camby nor Garcia are assertive offensive players.

[Rondo2287]

One of the big criticisms we heard was that our problem would be when Ron trys to score too much himself.  We believe that having great passers and facilitators at the PG and PF positions will benifit Ron greatly, he wont have to force to create his own shot and on most occasions it will be created for him. 

We see Garnetts passing as a solution to this problem not something that makes it worse

[Rondo2287]

In Fact, Philly said they will double Garnett everytime off of Artest.  So Artest should have plenty of open looks which is good considering he shot 40% last year from three as well as from 2

[KCattheStripe]

To Philadelphia, same question I asked Toronto. While brewer is a good defender and coming into his own as a offensive player, he is far from the dominant type 2 guard that championship teams over the last decade have all had playing the SG position. How do you propose to overcome such a deficiency?

I disagree with this contention entirely. Was Ray Allen Dominant in 2008? When i think dominant, I think Kobe and Michael. Ray was very good, but he didn't dominate the series. Also, Manu wasn't dominant in 2003. Neither was Rip Hamilton in 2004.

I love it!

The guys trying to debunk my theory are teams starting Ronnie Brewer, Rudy Fernandez, Francisco Garcia, and a just coming off major injury Michael Redd.

In 2008 Ray Allen was still a dominant player playing excellent defense and shooting .45/.40/.90. He didn't put up dominating numbers because he didn't need to, sacrificing his game for the great good. He was an All-Star that year and it was not a coincidence that the Celtics started cruising in the playoffs at the same time that Ray Allen came out of his slump.

In 2004 Rip Hamilton was one of the better defensive SGs in the league on the best defensive team in the league that year and averaged 22PPG 4 RPG and 4APG throughout the playoffs.

In 2003 Manu wasn't dominant. But the tandem of Manu and Stephen Jackson was as they both played great at the end of that season and gave the Spurs a dominant 1-2 punch at the 2 position for the Spurs, many Spurs say that without Jackson, the Spurs don't win it all that year. It is also no coincidence that both Manu and Jackson had huge breakout years the very next year.

Technically, in 2003 you are probably right. But if Roy gets a dominant 1-2 punch at the SG position with Manu and Redd in Portland, it will be the reason he wins it all.

Yes, but none of those numbers are dominant.They are very good and in each example you gave someone else won the Finals MVP. Which is a pretty good indicator of who dominated a  series. I think its fair to say that you need good Swing players to win, but more Finals MVP Trophies have gone to bigs and PGs than Swing players in your time frame.

[Kwhit10]

For sub patterns, the pattern will depend on what type of team we are playing and what we need to do to combat their strengths.

Other wise I think Parker will be my 6th man, spelling Ronnie Brewer, this would be best because Parker can shoot while Brewer is more of a drive the hole guy and midrange shot.  Pargo would come in to spell Davis, while smith would come in to take over Okafor or Bynum depending on fouls and matchups.  If our post players aren't working out, Tim Thomas will come in to spread the floor for whichever big needs the rest/fouls/whatnot.  And Balkman will spell Anthony, or if we need to go small he would go to the PF spot.

And Toronto I didn't mean literally double off of Artest every possesion KG gets the ball, it will be a situational thing.  I feel Okafor has the body and blocking skill to play him up.  But have fun with Artest taking all your shots. We will wait to see if KG is up for taking over the game before drastically doubling him.

[johnnyrondo]

To everyone in the Atlantic, who do you see as your biggest challenge in the East outside of the division? Chicago, Orlando, Detroit?

Orlando, to win the east you gotta go through lebron, plain and simple, but Detroit you are definitly above Chitown

 


Question:

If healthy Toronto should make the playoffs. Does Toronto see itself as an 8th seed or do they think they can climb all the way to like a 6th?

[Rondo2287]

Well that is a leading question and you are probably looking to start argument JR. However I believe Toronto will be at least a 3 seed.

[KCattheStripe]

Well that is a leading question and you are probably looking to start argument JR. However I believe Toronto will be at least a 3 seed.

Not if a healthy Philly wins the division.

[Rondo2287]

For sub patterns, the pattern will depend on what type of team we are playing and what we need to do to combat their strengths.

Other wise I think Parker will be my 6th man, spelling Ronnie Brewer, this would be best because Parker can shoot while Brewer is more of a drive the hole guy and midrange shot.  Pargo would come in to spell Davis, while smith would come in to take over Okafor or Bynum depending on fouls and matchups.  If our post players aren't working out, Tim Thomas will come in to spread the floor for whichever big needs the rest/fouls/whatnot.  And Balkman will spell Anthony, or if we need to go small he would go to the PF spot.

And Toronto I didn't mean literally double off of Artest every possesion KG gets the ball, it will be a situational thing.  I feel Okafor has the body and blocking skill to play him up.  But have fun with Artest taking all your shots. We will wait to see if KG is up for taking over the game before drastically doubling him.

If you have Okafor playing out on KG we would probably put Z in at C then spread the floor, and take both of your shot blockers away from the basket

[Rondo2287]

Well that is a leading question and you are probably looking to start argument JR. However I believe Toronto will be at least a 3 seed.

Not if a healthy Philly wins the division.

I know haha, and Im hoping I win the division which is why I said I "believe," we will be a three seed.  I mean I can see where people would take Philly,they are a very well put together team, I just think my team would squeak by them for the division. 

That being said, I think this division is stacked so I dont see any of us really getting above the three sead, I think we will beat eachother up to the point where none of us will have an outstanding record at the end of the season.  thoughts?

[Kwhit10]

For sub patterns, the pattern will depend on what type of team we are playing and what we need to do to combat their strengths.

Other wise I think Parker will be my 6th man, spelling Ronnie Brewer, this would be best because Parker can shoot while Brewer is more of a drive the hole guy and midrange shot.  Pargo would come in to spell Davis, while smith would come in to take over Okafor or Bynum depending on fouls and matchups.  If our post players aren't working out, Tim Thomas will come in to spread the floor for whichever big needs the rest/fouls/whatnot.  And Balkman will spell Anthony, or if we need to go small he would go to the PF spot.

And Toronto I didn't mean literally double off of Artest every possesion KG gets the ball, it will be a situational thing.  I feel Okafor has the body and blocking skill to play him up.  But have fun with Artest taking all your shots. We will wait to see if KG is up for taking over the game before drastically doubling him.

If you have Okafor playing out on KG we would probably put Z in at C then spread the floor, and take both of your shot blockers away from the basket

So you're going to have nobody in the paint?  Have a perimeter party?

[Rondo2287]

No Im opening up the paint for Miller and Artest to drive to the basket.  More importantly Allowing KG to take Okafor off the dribble which we know he does very well and Have no weak Side help because Bynum is out covering Z

[johnnyrondo]

Questions for Toronto: Big Z seemed to have lost a lot last yr. Now a year older, how much do you think he has left? If you play running teams like Dallas or Chicago, will he have to stay on the bench?

Also Garcia was a good backup for Kevin Martin. You traded your 2 guard you were high on and your 6th man for Garcia. You must be very high on him. Tell us why you felt Garcia was worth the cost?

[johnnyrondo]

Questions for Philly: What makes you the favorite over Boston and New York?  And why isn't Will Solomon starting? 

[Kwhit10]

No Im opening up the paint for Miller and Artest to drive to the basket.  More importantly Allowing KG to take Okafor off the dribble which we know he does very well and Have no weak Side help because Bynum is out covering Z

We'll just play a zone and let you sit on the outside with your team not known for its offense.