<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Somewhat lost in Monta Ellis' surge has been Ike Diogu's up-and-down season. The rookie missed the first three weeks with a fractured hand, had a breakout game against the Pistons on Dec. 23 and has since been in and out of both the starting lineup and rotation. Before Monday's game, coach Mike Montgomery said his team's ability to get Diogu the ball in the post -- as they did during his 27-point performance in Detroit -- was more a reflection of what other teams do defensively than what Diogu does offensively. "If he could do that, we would go to that," Montgomery said, referring to how Diogu abused the Pistons down low. "That sucker would have the ball so much, he'd have blisters. Trust me. "That was one of those games where they refused to believe that he could do that and he just kept shooting it in. Anytime you run something, maybe a game, two games later, a good team will come out and take it away from you." Apparently, the Jazz weren't one of those teams. Diogu led the Warriors with 11 first-half points and had little trouble scoring against Carlos Boozer in the post. He went 5-for-8 from the field and added two rebounds in eight minutes before the break. He finished with 16 points. </div> Source
Great Monty! Play him more, whether he's a rookie or not. Anything is better than a low fg%, perimeter oriented offense that can't play defense, box out, set screens, move their feet and rebound the ball or pass the ball or dribble the ball. It's no wonder our offense sucks against set defenses. We're so incomplete right now in terms of what good teams do.
I guess Montgomery doesnt know that Ike needs to have the ball to score. Usually, Ike gets one or so opportunities to score on the block, which is less than what Foyle gets. Ike seems to be a streak scorer but I think he can consistently score if he is given the ball at least 5 times a game.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">I guess Montgomery doesnt know that Ike needs to have the ball to score. Usually, Ike gets one or so opportunities to score on the block, which is less than what Foyle gets. Ike seems to be a streak scorer but I think he can consistently score if he is given the ball at least 5 times a game.</div> All true, including that he needs to be playing the 4 spot. Not the 5 where Monty sticks him at times...
Oh brother, Monty is talking tough on Ike now. That is a joke. At this point in the season, the rooks should be part of a core of reserves that can give the starting unit a lift or help the team produce whether rebounding, scoring or playing defense. It doesn't sound too great a reflection on coach Monty when he says that he'll be using a quick hook if the starters aren't producing. That sounds like a desperate coach to me. It's the main reason, I blasted Monty because he hasn't developed the rooks, sophs or even MP. None of them were in the rooks game and we didn't have any of the Big 3 in the all-star game either. They're still pretty young, too! Monty conveniently forgets that he started Ike at center which wasn't that smart of a move. He finally said Ike wouldn't play there again, yet Monty kept going to Ike as the backup center when he had AB. Second, Baron and Ike don't seem to be that great a pair. Jordan and Pippen, Stockton and Malone, Heidi Klum, those are great pairs. I can't remember when Baron ever fed Ike for a score. Ike is better with Monta or Dun feeding him down low, so I'd keep him away from the starting unit for now.
Couple threads down there was the report about the problem Baron had with Ike not getting open fast enough. Maybe that has something to do with it. Which it might, considering Baron passes to Biedrins. I guess Ike isn't moving around the paint how Baron wants him to.
