Darko Knows Defense

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">For the Orlando Magic, it's learn as you go with Darko Milicic.

Their latest discovery?

Darko knows defense.

Well, at least in the form of blocked shots.

The 7-foot Milicic has blocked five shots in each of the past two games and has 29 in the 12 games he has played in Orlando.

That's an average of 2.4 blocks -- or more than when Kelvin Cato was upright for 23 games this season.

Who knew?

Nobody but the Detroit Pistons.

And the Pistons -- while dazzled enough by Milicic's potential to pick him No. 2 in the 2003 draft -- couldn't carve out a spot for him.

The Pistons sent Milicic and point guard Carlos Arroyo to Orlando for Cato and a protected draft pick.

With the Magic, Milicic is unveiling the glimpses of promise that persuaded the Pistons to chose him over the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The Magic figured he had a skilled offensive game after playing in Europe, but Milicic's defense has been a surprise.

"This is all stuff we're finding out about him," Magic Coach Brian Hill said. "Nobody other than the Pistons had a feeling for what he can do."

Playing with the defensive-minded Pistons, especially in practice against former defensive player of the year Ben Wallace, couldn't help but rub off on Milicic.

"I learned from Ben and [Antonio] McDyess and Dale Davis. Those are guys who are all-star players and have been in the league 10 years," he said. "So I have to learn from them."

Hill said Milicic, 20, has "the length" to be a shot-blocker as well as the instinct and timing.

His long arms are seemingly everywhere, and he is what Hill describes as a "quick jumper." With a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Milicic reminds you of Doc Ock, Spider-Man's multitentacled foe.

Unlike many young players, he doesn't get caught up in the air often with every ball fake.

"It's just natural," Milicic said after Thursday's practice at RDV Sportsplex. "If you have a feeling for that, you know when to jump and when to stay on the ground."

Milicic said he blocked 10 shots in a game playing for his Serbian national team last summer.

He isn't muscle-bound or fiercely demonstrative like Wallace, who screams after some blocks and wears his hair in a large Afro at times, thus giving birth to his "Fear The 'Fro" slogan.

Milicic looks rather docile and unassuming when he plays -- and might be lulling opponents to sleep. Not many have an updated scouting report on him.

He still tends to get overpowered defensively. Milicic watched a physical game from the bench late in the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.

"I thought he was getting pushed around underneath a little bit, but so was everyone else," Hill said. "I just wanted our two best defenders [Dwight Howard and Tony Battie] who were on the same page and knew exactly how we were guarding all the situations."</div>

Source

Not surprising, since he spent all those practices going against the Wallaces. What I really like about Darko and Howard is their defensive minded approach to the game.