<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">OAKLAND - Last season, Warriors center Andris Biedrins' offensive game was so stifled that even if he snared an offensive rebound three feet from the hoop, he would dribble beyond the 3-point line and hand the ball back to Golden State's point guard to reset the attack. This year, he's more apt to throw a spin move and an up-fake at a defender before rising for a put-back attempt. This is not the teen-age Biedrins you're dealing with anymore. Now 20 and in his third NBA season, Biedrins, a 6-foot-11 lefty, no longer is satisfied merely to be the Warriors' offensive-rebounding machine. He wants to get in on the scoring act as well. "The big thing in this league is confidence, and right now his confidence is really high," Warriors forward Ike Diogu said. "I think last year and probably the year before, when he was playing with coach (Mike) Montgomery, he was kind of hesitant not to make too many mistakes because he didn't want to get pulled out of the game." In Don Nelson, Biedrins has a coach who has those mistakes factored into his thinking. Nelson is willing to put up with increasing numbers of turnovers -- Biedrins had seven in his breakout 31-point performance against the Denver Nuggets on Friday -- as he gradually gives Biedrins more responsibility for the flow of the offense. With point guard Baron Davis sitting out four of the last five contests because of a strained rib muscle, the Warriors have started going to Biedrins not just as a scorer, but also as an initiator from the high post. "Everything is coming with confidence," Biedrins said. "You get confidence, you start to do some more new things or those things you didn't try before. Every game I try to put some new things in." Said Nelson: "We've just scratched the surface. He's eventually going to be a pretty big part of wherever he plays. He has a really good feel for the game, it's easy for him, he's quick, he's got great hands, and I think he sees cutters and stuff like that. He's a little turnover-prone right now, but wait until he gets to be 22." In much the same way that Nelson projects Ellis into possibly becoming the next Tony Parker, the coach sees Biedrins' ceiling as being comparable to that of one of his old Boston Celtics teammates: Dave Cowens. (For those of you who remember Cowens only for his disastrous turn as the Warriors' coach in 2000-01, when he went 25-80 in a season and change, please know that long before then he earned a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame by averaging 17.6 points and 13.6 rebounds per game over an 11-season NBA career.) "I liken him to Dave Cowens, except Dave had the really good stroke outside," Nelson said. "Just the intensity and the quickness around the basket, the natural rebounding skills and stuff like that, that's what he reminds me of, when Dave was young."</div> Source
I've been impressed with Monta so far. When he was drafted I believe a couple of Warrior assistant coaches were comparing him to Gilbert Arenas. What's mostm impressive to me is his FG%. Shooting 48%, he surprised me because I honestly expected him to shoot in the 38%-41% range. It looks like the Warriors young players are finally ready to flourish. He really was a steal at 30-something last year (I think 38).
<div class="quote_poster">J_Ray Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Monta need to get engaged to a Eva Longoria type girl before he tops Tony Parker </div> Ironically they just got engaged today. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">NEW YORK -- Her marriage didn't work out on "Desperate Housewives," but things are looking rosy in real life for Eva Longoria: She's engaged to her beau, basketball star Tony Parker. "Tony flew into Los Angeles last night after his game and surprised Eva at her home as she got off work," Liza Anderson told The Associated Press on Thursday via e-mail. "The proposal was romantic and perfect. The couple plans to wed in France in the summer of 2007 in what they describe as a big, happy ceremony with lots of family and friends." The 31-year-old Longoria, who plays crafty Gabrielle Solis on the hit ABC show, met Parker, a 24-year-old Frenchman, in the San Antonio Spurs' locker room after a game two years ago.</div> Source I didn't realize she's 7 years older than him.
<div class="quote_poster">J_Ray Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Monta need to get engaged to a Eva Longoria type girl before he tops Tony Parker </div> Point taken. I rather have Monta than Tony Parker because of upside, but if it was between going to a Warriors - Spurs game or on a hot date with Eva Longoria on Friday night, then I'd be getting the box scores from you guys on Sunday morning .
<div class="quote_poster">jason voorhees Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Point taken. I rather have Monta than Tony Parker because of upside, but if it was between going to a Warriors - Spurs game or on a hot date with Eva Longoria on Friday night, then I'd be getting the box scores from you guys on Sunday morning .</div> What would rather: a W's championship or a night with Eva? Sorry for the OT comment.
<div class="quote_poster">MrJ Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">What would rather: a W's championship or a night with Eva? Sorry for the OT comment. </div> Eva.
I could find a few better lookers in Santa Cruz in a half hour-and they don't expect you to spend like a millionaire. A Warrior championship? I could look all over town,not find that.
<div class="quote_poster">REREM Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I could find a few better lookers in Santa Cruz in a half hour-and they don't expect you to spend like a millionaire. A Warrior championship? I could look all over town,not find that.</div> Right on! Eva ain't that hot! I think Ellis is going to be much better than Parker. We're talking a mixture of different players like Steve Francis' hops, Chauncey Billups' shooting, Gilbert Arenas type slashing and in-the-lane floaters, all in a Devin Harris/Leandrinho Barbosa type body.
<div class="quote_poster">custodianrules2 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Right on! Eva ain't that hot! I think Ellis is going to be much better than Parker. We're talking a mixture of different players like Steve Francis' hops, Chauncey Billups' shooting, Gilbert Arenas type slashing and in-the-lane floaters, all in a Devin Harris/Leandrinho Barbosa type body.</div> Agree but a bigger, more athletic Tony Parker with a good jumpshot is a good comparison IMO. Once Monta improves the handle he should be able to penetrate like Parker but Monta is already a better shooter than Parker. Also neither are "pure PGs" but I think in a few years Monta will be able to efficiently run a team and average 6-7 apg. Monta's averages this year are about the same as Parker's and hes 3 years younger.
I really hope Monta can learn to be PG in the future, because it isn't exactly easy to make SG into PG. Few years from now, I can definitely see Monta being better scorer than Parker, if he isn't already. However, I won't bet that Monta will be better PG than Parker. He still needs to learn awful a lot about being PG...
The thing about it that I find interesting is this: Monta Ellis is considerably faster than Tony Parker, and yet Parker is more elusive. Because Parker is such a master dribbler, he can dice up the lane and get anywhere he wants at will. Speed is always relevant to the control of a given movement. It's like the saying "move fast but never rush." Monta Ellis is so damn lightning quick, but he still isn't a polished enough dribbler to completely control his movements. Tony Parker, Steve Nash and Chris Paul are three prefect examples of this. They are all fast, sure. But what makes them truly elusive is their control of the ball. Nash can go at half-speed and still dice through the lane, dribble circles around a forward, cut back out, dart back into the lane, fake a shot and dump off a pass to Diaw for a dunk, all the while looking effortless and relaxed. Paul can go anywhere he wants, anytime he wants, and yet he's never in a hurry. he looks like he's in slow motion sometimes and yet still leaves a point guard sitting on his ass out at the top of the key. This is true quickness. It comes natural to a select few. To move like the wind and yet never be in a hurry. Pietrus, the last few years, has been the antithesis. He is super fast, and yet he could only go at one speed, FULL SPEED, and he would bowl over people for charges because he hadn't learned to control his body and use just enough gas to get where he's going. So, my point is to identify the contrast between Parker and Monta: Monta is quicker, and yet Parker is harder to guard. His dribbling (like Nash and Paul) is extraordinary. Monta is a very good dribbler, but he's not there yet. He's not a master passer yet, either (like Nash). Nash is impossible to keep up with because not only can he dribble like a Harlem Globe-Trotter, but he can pass like one too, and his absolute lethal threat of passing at any moment of the game is what frees him up to score like he does. Have you ever seen another short, unexlposive leaper PG score in the paint like Nash? He's very crafty and uses his threat of passing to force defenders away from his shot. Once Monta can learn to change speeds, control the dribble in the lane, take his time, and threaten the pass like the true point guards Nash, Parker and Paul, then he could be a superstar.
Monta will be working on his dribbling BIG TIME this summer. I was always impressed with Gilbert Arenas' ballhandling...
<div class="quote_poster">AnimeFANatic Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Eva.</div> Yassir. Washes and waxes your car, too .
<div class="quote_poster">AlleyOop Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The thing about it that I find interesting is this: Monta Ellis is considerably faster than Tony Parker, and yet Parker is more elusive. Because Parker is such a master dribbler, he can dice up the lane and get anywhere he wants at will. Speed is always relevant to the control of a given movement. It's like the saying "move fast but never rush." Monta Ellis is so damn lightning quick, but he still isn't a polished enough dribbler to completely control his movements. Tony Parker, Steve Nash and Chris Paul are three prefect examples of this. They are all fast, sure. But what makes them truly elusive is their control of the ball. Nash can go at half-speed and still dice through the lane, dribble circles around a forward, cut back out, dart back into the lane, fake a shot and dump off a pass to Diaw for a dunk, all the while looking effortless and relaxed. Paul can go anywhere he wants, anytime he wants, and yet he's never in a hurry. he looks like he's in slow motion sometimes and yet still leaves a point guard sitting on his ass out at the top of the key. This is true quickness. It comes natural to a select few. To move like the wind and yet never be in a hurry. Pietrus, the last few years, has been the antithesis. He is super fast, and yet he could only go at one speed, FULL SPEED, and he would bowl over people for charges because he hadn't learned to control his body and use just enough gas to get where he's going. So, my point is to identify the contrast between Parker and Monta: Monta is quicker, and yet Parker is harder to guard. His dribbling (like Nash and Paul) is extraordinary. Monta is a very good dribbler, but he's not there yet. He's not a master passer yet, either (like Nash). Nash is impossible to keep up with because not only can he dribble like a Harlem Globe-Trotter, but he can pass like one too, and his absolute lethal threat of passing at any moment of the game is what frees him up to score like he does. Have you ever seen another short, unexlposive leaper PG score in the paint like Nash? He's very crafty and uses his threat of passing to force defenders away from his shot. Once Monta can learn to change speeds, control the dribble in the lane, take his time, and threaten the pass like the true point guards Nash, Parker and Paul, then he could be a superstar.</div> Great post. I agree too, Monta gets into the paint using his speed and athleticism but in the clutch when defenders are really clamping down, forcing him left, backing off so they can prevent the penetration he won't be able to get into the lane. Like AlleyOop said its the guys who are master ball handlers who can get to the lane at will on anyone even though they aren't super quick or explosive; guys like Bibby, Nash, Parker, Kidd. Guys like Baron, Paul, Iverson do this as well but they've also got the explosiveness, quicks, and strength that makes them much better at finishing in the paint. Penetrating is more about getting your defender flat footed or off balance and going by him than just going from 0 to top speed in a half a second. I believe Monta can one day be one of these guys but first he'll have to realize that this isn't high school anymore where he got by anyone without problem.
