So, Hollins is where.....? I hear Sean Williams is looking good..is he a Center...?
Sean Williams is not a center. He is a power forward.
He doesn't do well against players bigger than him. More of a roamer defensively than true anchor. Would play best (defensively) next to a bruiser like Perk. Not a strong enough rebounder to play the five either (more of a liability there than at PF) and is only a garbage man offensively (little difference between either position).
Overall, just a more effective defender/rebounder at PF than C with comparable offensive work. Needs to play PF.
But comparing him with Stiemsma...is that so much of a stretch?
Stiems is no bruiser either and I don't think he's been pitched against a legit low post threat. Can Stiems even defend one on one that well?
I am not sure. I am not wild about Sean Williams at center. I haven't liked what I have seen from him there in the past. I thought he got outplayed on a regular basis when I have seen him there in the past. I guess he could do a serviceable job if asked to (below average backup C but not useless).
I would be more inclined to go smaller and move Sullinger to the center (another player who I think drops off quite a bitt at center and should stick to PF duties) and play with more skilled big men instead (likely alongside Bass -- some size alongside him). Go that route instead. Like Doc used to with Powe and Big Baby.
Then use Sean Williams as a third string center who gets called upon situationally when the team needs some energy (a lift).
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I think Stiemsma is a little more comfortable defensively as a center than Williams (as a rim protector).
Williams always struck me more as a Josh Smith type shot blocker at the basket. I think Stiemsma does a better job of getting in front of the rim and making himself big whereas Williams uses that explosive athleticism to come out of nowhere and swat shots from the weakside. The types of shots they block and alter. Different.
I think that difference is important when it comes to being the last line of a defense. Being able to funnel the ball-handler into you.
I'd compare S.Williams to a Josh Smith or a Kirilenko (when he was younger and blocking 3+ shots a night) type defensive menace than a true center. I wouldn't play either of them as a center.
If that makes sense ... what I am trying to say.
But I guess Sean Williams could do a decent enough job there as a rim-protector. And he'll do a much better job defending in transition + in pick and roll situations than Stiemsma did. So yeah, I could live with him defensively at center.
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I was optimistic that Stiemsma was going to improve quite a bit by the end of next season.
Especially defensively. His fundamentals and positioning on defense were very weak (particularly in man-to-man defense - against both face up bigs and low post bigs. It's like he had never been coached before (taught how to do those things).
But they were all things he could learn with strong coaching and I thought with another year in Boston ... he could develop them and become a more well-rounded defensive center by the close of next season. Have a larger impact defensively than he had last season.
I liked Stiemsma as a work-in-progress type player. A project. I thought there was good room for improvement as he developed those basics.