How do you feel about KG?

[Eja117]

In the words of Fry, when he was giving dating advice to Dr. Zoiberg

Make up a bunch of feelings and tell her you have them

[ManUp]

The defense is getting better every game, and he looks great on that end of the floor. The offense is coming along slow, and he's become inconsistent with is signature shots. I thought he looked really good against the Magic defensively. I heard that wasn't the case against the Knicks though(I missed the game working).

[Evantime34]

I think he is not the same player he was befor he was injured. He does not have the same legs he did before that. Translation, he looks good for stretches but is not as consistent as before. To allow him to play better his minutes need to be limited, even more than they currently are. This will allow him to play great basketball while he's in, he'll have the lift to catch alley oops and smother opposing players on defense.

[scoop]

I feel that so far Bill Simmons is being proven right.

Garnett isn't playing as quickly or low as he used to play (I'm not so worried about explosiveness or leaping ability - if he loses those, the harm will be negligible). He used to be able to guard most perimeter players even last season (to not mention his prime); this season any perimeter-oriented PF is able to take him off the dribble with ease or create space on him; he can't hedge on so hard as he used to be and recover; he's struggling to put the ball on the floor and create a good shot; etc. He's still our best defender due to his abilities, but he's not the huge difference-maker he used to be.

If this is definitive or he can go back to his former form I have no idea and I doubt anyone has, including Garnett and the doctors. But if he can't the chances of winning another title will be little.

And to think this all started with a strained muscle...

[indeedproceed]

I think it is way too soon to start making proclamations about his future. I think if by the All-Star break (seriously, that long. He's old.) he hasn't gotten back significant pieces in regards to quickness and just overall "punch" then we are in for a long 3 or 4 years.

But I think he will get his energy and a modicum of athleticism back. 

[ManUp]

I think it is way too soon to start making proclamations about his future. I think if by the All-Star break (seriously, that long. He's old.) he hasn't gotten back significant pieces in regards to quickness and just overall "punch" then we are in for a long 3 or 4 years.

But I think he will get his energy and a modicum of athleticism back. 

That's pretty fair. If that he isn't in form by the all-star break and our team in general looks bad I reserve my right to panic.

[Drucci]

I thought that KG was in good shape for the first 7-8 games but it's obvious that he is on a rough stretch right now. What strikes me is that he can have great defensive games (he made Lewis a total non factor against Orlando and was all over him) and then getting destroyed by his opponent (i.e Al Harrington).

His shot is going through stretches too but he isn't converting on alley-oops or passes in the air anymore. I hope it's temporary because it makes him much more of a threat on offense. The Knicks totally ignored him last night after seeing he couldn't get a shot in the paint. Did you notice how many times he works on his post move and then the ball falls on the rim only to bounce back out of it? I guess it's linked to his lack of jump.

Hopefully he will regain his condition and jump by the ASW, we'll see but he is hurting these past few games. And it is a big reason for our struggles since he can become a total non factor on defense sometimes (hard to acknowledge but sadly it's true).

[winsomme]

haven't read all the posts in this thread to know if this has been suggested, but I would have no problem with the team giving him like 3 weeks off to rehab and rest and get his knee in the best shape possible.

doesn't have to be right now. wait until Baby is back and just give him a midseason shut down...it also would get Sheed more in the flow of the team. right now he has a pretty minor role and I think getting him more PT will be better for him down the stretch...

[QuinielaBox]

Give him some rehab stints with the Maine Red Claws 

Guess what, he might never be the same again because of the playing time he has logged in the NBA.

We got The Sheed to back him up mainly. Sheed needs to work inside more.

[Reggie's Ghost]

Put me down as worried, TBH, he seems to be regressing to me.  He looked fantastic in the first three games, but I've got a feeling he'll be catching a few DNPs coming up 

Just one man's opinion...

I feel the opposite. I think he has gotten better the last 2-3 games on a personal level, moving to the hoop more, getting off his shot with greater success, etc. than he was earlier.  I think he is going to be fine. I am less worried, frankly, about KG, and more concerned about our overall age in the starting lineup.

From your mouth to God's ears footey, I'm hoping I'm wrong!  He looked like he was limping through that whole terrible affair @ MSG Sunday, even Donny and Felger were talking about it after the game, he still looks like he's taken one step forward and two steps back to me 

[moiso]

I don't think the grind of of all these games is allowing him to recover at all.  He looks worse now than earlier in the year.  I hope the C's are doing the right thing with him... they sure didn't last year.  He is playing at a level far below what he played at 2 years ago, and I fear he may never get back to that level unless he takes a vacation or plays far fewer minutes for a time.  It is apparent the inflammation has been increasing.  Seems like he's headed in the wrong direction right now.

[guava_wrench]

I don't think the grind of of all these games is allowing him to recover at all.  He looks worse now than earlier in the year.  I hope the C's are doing the right thing with him... they sure didn't last year.  He is playing at a level far below what he played at 2 years ago, and I fear he may never get back to that level unless he takes a vacation or plays far fewer minutes for a time.  It is apparent the inflammation has been increasing.  Seems like he's headed in the wrong direction right now.

Is the recovery problem structural problems, or conditioning? If it is conditioning and timing, a vacation would not help.

[Greenbean]

I don't think the grind of of all these games is allowing him to recover at all.  He looks worse now than earlier in the year.  I hope the C's are doing the right thing with him... they sure didn't last year.  He is playing at a level far below what he played at 2 years ago, and I fear he may never get back to that level unless he takes a vacation or plays far fewer minutes for a time.  It is apparent the inflammation has been increasing.  Seems like he's headed in the wrong direction right now.

Is the recovery problem structural problems, or conditioning? If it is conditioning and timing, a vacation would not help.

Exactly. It would be nice if we could just take what he and the team says at face value. If we did then what he needs is playing in games and practicing to get his strength and conditioning up. If he is hurt, then sit him.

I personally think KG needs to take a major step in his confidence level. He looks tenative out there and it is understandable seeing that he had never been injured...ever... before this.

Tom Brady by comparison had "happy feet" in the pocket for much of the first parts of this season looking skirmish against a collapsing pocket. He has looked MUCH more confident lately and his performances have been better and better each week as he looks cool as pre injury in the face of the rush.

I really think KG just needs to trust his knee. He clearly is not there yet and I hope he figures it out sooner rather than later.

Unless of course that he doesnt trust it because it hurts every time he jumps on it...then he's lying and we are screwed.

[hpantazo]

I don't think the grind of of all these games is allowing him to recover at all.  He looks worse now than earlier in the year.  I hope the C's are doing the right thing with him... they sure didn't last year.  He is playing at a level far below what he played at 2 years ago, and I fear he may never get back to that level unless he takes a vacation or plays far fewer minutes for a time.  It is apparent the inflammation has been increasing.  Seems like he's headed in the wrong direction right now.

Is the recovery problem structural problems, or conditioning? If it is conditioning and timing, a vacation would not help.

Exactly. It would be nice if we could just take what he and the team says at face value. If we did then what he needs is playing in games and practicing to get his strength and conditioning up. If he is hurt, then sit him.

I personally think KG needs to take a major step in his confidence level. He looks tenative out there and it is understandable seeing that he had never been injured...ever... before this.

Tom Brady by comparison had "happy feet" in the pocket for much of the first parts of this season looking skirmish against a collapsing pocket. He has looked MUCH more confident lately and his performances have been better and better each week as he looks cool as pre injury in the face of the rush.

I really think KG just needs to trust his knee. He clearly is not there yet and I hope he figures it out sooner rather than later.

Unless of course that he doesnt trust it because it hurts every time he jumps on it...then he's lying and we are screwed.

I think he needs to trust his knees and get his timing back, but also, once you are off of your legs for so long, it takes time to regain the muscles and flexibility he had before the injury

[Greenbean]

I don't think the grind of of all these games is allowing him to recover at all.  He looks worse now than earlier in the year.  I hope the C's are doing the right thing with him... they sure didn't last year.  He is playing at a level far below what he played at 2 years ago, and I fear he may never get back to that level unless he takes a vacation or plays far fewer minutes for a time.  It is apparent the inflammation has been increasing.  Seems like he's headed in the wrong direction right now.

Is the recovery problem structural problems, or conditioning? If it is conditioning and timing, a vacation would not help.

Exactly. It would be nice if we could just take what he and the team says at face value. If we did then what he needs is playing in games and practicing to get his strength and conditioning up. If he is hurt, then sit him.

I personally think KG needs to take a major step in his confidence level. He looks tenative out there and it is understandable seeing that he had never been injured...ever... before this.

Tom Brady by comparison had "happy feet" in the pocket for much of the first parts of this season looking skirmish against a collapsing pocket. He has looked MUCH more confident lately and his performances have been better and better each week as he looks cool as pre injury in the face of the rush.

I really think KG just needs to trust his knee. He clearly is not there yet and I hope he figures it out sooner rather than later.

Unless of course that he doesnt trust it because it hurts every time he jumps on it...then he's lying and we are screwed.

I think he needs to trust his knees and get his timing back, but also, once you are off of your legs for so long, it takes time to regain the muscles and flexibility he had before the injury

Right, he needs to build strength back in the legs, but his style of play and style of jumping have changed. He is jumping off of one leg rather than two and it is throwing off his timing. I guess it sounds silly but anyone who knows what i am talking about please back me up. KG is a two footed leaper a la Nique, VC, Dwight Howard. He is not a "glider" a la MJ, Kobe, et cetera.

He is jumping off of the non injured leg rather than both to finish plays and he looks awkward doing so. Particularly when he goes up for a dunk which is how he got injured. I think he has a mental hurdle he needs to get over. I have faith in the big guy that he will. He is not Tony Allen. He can get through this.