[video=youtube;cbRUFQYqw_U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbRUFQYqw_U[/video] Put up 5 pts, 7 rebs, 4 ast, 3 blk in 25 minutes. He was a +9 FWIW- highest on the team. Dude's got a good overall game. Dunno if hes NBA starting material but we're already getting a glimpse of the variety of things he can do which caused many to compare him to Kirilenko. Hes pretty polished and looks ready to play.
Saint Jean said in the post game, that Udoh was telling some of the Vets where they should be on the court. He knows his BBall, which is the most exciting thing I've seen or heard about him yet.
You can tell hes been very coached up. Its not just raw instinct with him, he knows how to rotate, stay down, use footwork to help him defend, etc. He changed a lot of shots last night. He made some mistakes but for the most part he looked pretty under control considering it was his first major minutes.
Must admit that Riley got this one right. He's bigger and stronger than I thought he was. He makes Monroe look like an AAU player. Udoh is chisled and will play big, like a Howard, as he gets older. I'm already excited that he can body up someone like Alridge and make him look weak. He put in a FT with a nice stroke as well. Don't know why you say Nightmare though. He's a dream.
His nickname in college was the Nightmare because his middle name is Friday and his number is 13. Hence Friday the 13th -> Freddy Kreuger -> Nightmare. Didn't look that strong to me though. Wouldn't say hes weak, he can hold his own with Scola and Hayes down there but I dunno how he'd fare against some heavier/taller guys. He does look noticeably taller than Lee and Amundson but I'd say hes a legit 6'10 as is listed (obviously has great length though). He was 237 lbs when we drafted him IIRC and said a while back that he put a few pounds on his lower body while rehabbing the ankle. So if Beans is 220-230 then its plain to see why Udoh looks like he can hold his own better, but I think hes around the same weight as Lee. Definitely not 200-210 like AR and BW coming in. He'll never be anything like Dwight IMO. Hes just not that kind of athlete. Keep in mind that Udoh is like 23 probably 24 soon- he may not get a lot bigger. Best case scenario is probably something like Al Horford but more realistically I'd say hes like a Chris Anderson/Taj Gibson/Leon Powe kind of guy. Thats a broad comparison but he looks like a solid big man, fringe starter type, excellent backup, good defense and hustle, knows his role, lots of energy, not completely lost on offense. Hes a better passer than any of those guys though.
That was a very good matchup. Cousins is a beast, physically, but seems like a bully and mentally volatile. He sure does move some bodies inside. He tossed Udoh aside a few times. But Udoh held his own. I love how friggin polished Udoh looks for his first few minutes ever in the NBA. Not just with the ball. His defensive rotations, screen setting, hedging, boxing out... he looks like a vet in some regards. I mean he's already much more polished than Lou Amundson, if that means anything lol...
I'd rather see Udoh on the floor rather than Amundson. Amundson doesn't have much basketball skill besides rebounding, plus he's kind of a tweener. I think once Amundson heals up he'll start showing more value. The guy works really hard and he's got some muscle. Udoh also works hard and the guy is pretty well rounded for a big. Plus, "the Nightmare" nickname is cool (he actually got it because of his shotblocking prowess). His swats are awesome to watch! http://www.nbadraft.net/players/ekpe-udoh I'm not sure what Epke's upside is, but heck I'd take even a role player like Rony Turiaf again. We still lack strength in the post and I'm not convinced Biedrins is a real center despite his awesome rebounding numbers. Beans is really a power forward matchup, probably no more upside than a Jeff Foster. What we need is a bruiser like an Antonio McDyess or Kendrick Perkins. Somebody who is mobile enough and is a load in the paint and won't get pushed under the rim by a small forward. I know Biedrins is trying to give ground sometimes so he doesn't get the foul, but seriously he's got no base. He's too tall, not strong and heavy enough to be a real center. Real centers do not weigh 220-30 lbs! 240 is a lie!
I dunno... I'm split on Biedrins. It is so hard to find 6'10+ players with any skill plus strength and athleticism and enough smarts to know what's going on on the floor. Dude is only 24 too. But his upside seems so low.
I think Beans' upside is high. I mean, he was a double double machine in his prime. He runs the floor exceptionally well for a big man. He's long and athletic. And when he came into the league, he was known for his defense. Blocking shots like crazy. One of the best blockers in the league for a stretch there. So all that added up equals a pretty nice "ceiling" if you will. The question is if he will ever put it together... I don't think Beans needs to be big and bulky. His game has always been quickness... explosion to the hoop, lightning-fast putbacks, and coming quietly from the weak-side to block shots... He's more mobile being lean and quick... Yes I'd like a powerful center but that's just not him... The question for me is can he get healthy, get right, get his mental focus back and get his swagger back... I don't need him shooting 15 footers and I don't need him being Barkley in there... Just give me pick-n-roll, dunks, tip-ins, put packs, alley oops, and then on the defensive end, learn how to avoid fouls and still be able to block shots like the old days. 8 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks would be terrific from the Latvian...
What about his free throw shooting? I swear he has to be worse than Ben Wallace and Shaq combined. Plus, we never saw body types like Kevin Garnett or Beans play center for very long. I think unless Biedrins gets to be at least 250 lbs he'll be a liability in the post.
Yeah Camby is the only guy who comes to mind who has started at C long term with that kind of body recently. And Nuggets fans swear up and down that hes the most overrated defender in the NBA (this was back when he won DPOY)- hes an amazing shotblocker and rebounder but they said hes completely overrated in actual defense. They haven't been hurting much since they dumped him for a second round pick.
I like Biedrins. But I think he lost some of that young Andris fire. I think he has learned the NBA business as a player. He's got his contract and though he is not Brandan Wright who sits out for waking up on the wrong side of the bed for a month at a time, I think Andris has kind of lost that fiery Biedrins we liked early on. Perhaps his relations with foul trouble has made him less of a force in the post defensively too. Udoh looks very intriguing though. Ellis really will not need to dominate the ball with so many ball-handlers once when/if Udoh cracks the rotation with significant playing time. Perhaps Udoh will even be starting soon?
Yeah, I agree, I see GS being able to run things through Udoh in the post. He seems very aware, patient, and he's a good passer...
