Another Disaster....the Incredible Shrinking Biedrins...

Sorry to say it but Andris is hardly a legitimate NBA player right now. He's right up there with Eddy Curry, drawing a huge paycheck and giving nothing in return. Last night, 2 pts, 3 rebounds and basically a giveaway foul everytime he challenged anyone.

We all know about his offensive game, well the lack of anything on offense.

Even defensively, watching him now, he's failed to learn how to properly challenge a shooter. He jumps into a guy, turns his body, and flails with his arms which will by definition is a foul every time. If your arms are not vertical, its a foul. If you jump towards a guy, its a foul. If you turn, its a foul, automatic. Biedrins does not get it. I really thought he would but he's worse than Gadzuric now, and that guy is a foul a minute.

There's a basic saying, play big, that means squaring up to the driver, go straight up, and challenge the shot at the very top, not down below, and make him shoot it over you. After what, 7 years? Biedrins still does not know how to do that. Watch the big Fundamental, whom some say is the best defensive big around, he doesn't turn, he doesn't flail with his arms. He hardly ever just gives a way a foul. (Shaq has always done this, which I never understood.) Go watch the old Jabbar defense, he made you shoot over him. Its not about blocking the shoot, its about altering the shot.

I'd dump Andris now for salary relief.

 

I've felt all season that Biedrins should be our first option in a trade. And I feel that lately he has definitely been our most expendable starter...however, that was thinking that Udoh/Lou/Gadz would take his minutes, not Gadz/Vlad...last night scared me.

 

True points by all. Tough thing for Biedrins is that he's rarely had a big man coach. Clifford Ray has been gone for some time now. I mean who is his coach teaching him fundamentals? Keith Smart? Bynum and Gasol have Kareem, Duncan had David Robinson, Dwight Howard has Ewing; I think having a big man coach would be important for post players to develop.

But then again Biedrins has always been foul prone. I am not so sure if last night's game must be singled out to judge him, but there is no denying he hasn't made great progress that we would hope for.

 

He hasn't developed or progressed over his career the way I'd hoped. He has added a few post moves, working with the coaches over the summer... but he's still not an option down there. He used to block shots... now not so much... he's still making the same defensive mistakes now as in year one... his FT is atrocious, for anyone being "paid" to play a game, how can you still miss 2 out of every 3 FT shots...? He's never taken a jumper in his entire NBA career... so his jumper range is currently 0 feet... he used to finish pretty dang well inside, with Baron+Jax... now not so much... And for $9 mils... well Gadz is making $7 mils, but at least he's pure hustle... Beans is still skinny as hell... he needs to bulk up and forget about the quickness...

Yes, I mean he's destined to be a future overpaid Gadz at this point...

He's had a bad stretch of games, but he's still averaging 9 rebounds a game in 27 minutes...54% FG...

Looking at the list of rebounders in the NBA, there aren't a lot of available big men who are rebounding better... it's just the scoring...and defense... blocks...

Some guys that are possible are Marc Gasol... K. perkins... E. Okafor...Roy Hibbert...Tyson Chandler... Kris Humphries... maybe Anderson Varejao?

It's all wishful thinking anyway... we know none of these trades are going to happen lol...

 

I feel you i "love" the warriors (I figure you'll change your handle one of these days). I'm almost tempted to call PHX for Robin Lopez after watching Biedrins play.

 

There is an article on CSN where Biedrins is asked about his play, and he simply says he lacks the confidence of three years ago and he feels the pressure now.

I think an assistant coach who has been a big would help him focus on some small things that can make a big difference in his game that can start to build confidence in him. It may even be foolish for us to think he will automatically get better when Andris has lacked a good coach for players like him for most of his career. It's not like he was a finished project when he was drafted. He was extremely young. Having a vet (I can't even think of a quality veteran big he's played with since Clifford Robinson, when Beans was improving) or coach who could give him the needed tips on how to be a presence in the paint defensively and not commit so many fouls I think could go a long way, one to add confidence and two for just making him a better player.

I still believe the Warriors are better with Biedrins than without him. But if we can make an improvement by trading him then it must be considered and made.

 

I get anxious when I think about acquiring an injury-prone center...I realize that most big guys are susceptible to injury, but that's something I would really try to avoid. All these names coming up, and I feel like I've seen most of these guys in suits more than I've seen them in jerseys lol.

 

And as far as DeAndre Jordan, I just wish the guy could hit free throws. Maybe it's just because I'm older now and look at things from a different perspective, but have there always been so many sub-50% free throw shooters in the league? I feel like free throw shooting was generally much better in the late 80's early to mid 90's era. I want a bulky, defensive center who is good on the boards and can get to the line consistently and make 70%+.

 

Well I think the team is much better just having Beans and Gadz man the center spot. That leaves Udoh, Wright, and Lou to backup at the 4 and hopefully spells less time of having Vlad at the 4, ideally. Plus I'd bet the team's rebounding is significantly better when Biedrins and Lee are in the game. That's really important.

Also Kaman has a serious injury bug. Not so sure I'd want to see the Warriors give up a lot for him. One player who I would consider taking a risk on is Greg Oden in the offseason, only because he is younger and may be more easily added to the roster.

 

I've been annoyed at how little Udoh has played the last few games. I thought he earned a little more run than this.

 

Another guy who needs confidence building is Roy Hibbert. I would trade AB for Hibbert after AB gets a couple of double doubles or even one. Kendrick Perkins could be available next season if he and Boston can't get it together. He could definitely CLOG the paint. Of course, we have to keep an eye on what Dwight Howard does after this season. I take it back. Never fear. The media will let us know if he decides to opt out.

Otherwise, there are a couple of centers who could work out in the draft. If Smart would give Udoh more minutes, then the Warriors could have their big guy on the bench already.

 

Saw a little of the W's v. Nets today and Smart is falling into that Nellie "small ball" trap with Lee and Dorell at the 4 and 5 spots. Jeez that's an ugly lineup. What does NJ immediately do? Go hi low from Lopez to Humpries right underneath the hoop.

Any team that plays so small is destined to be a mediocre team at best.

 

I wonder if they were trying to get Lee back into all-star mode by trying him at center where he played last year. It looks like he had a good game. Another double double for him and another win for the Warriors. I don't think it's so bad to try different things, especially if it is to get someone like Lee going. But it's not the normal ideal lineup though. I agree with you there there. Who else was on the floor? Were they going three guards (Curry, Ellis, Williams) with that front court?

 

Brook Lopez, 6 rpg, falling into dangerous Joe Barely Cares territory. (Best Red Auerbach quote ever (at least with respect to the Warriors), "Joe Barry Carroll got one more rebound than a DEAD MAN tonight.") Man I love that quote.

 

I want nothing but for Andris to succeed and get his mojo back. And I think we're seeing his slow resurrection.

There is no other center I can think of that would make the team better without it sacrificing a strength of the team. Biedrins is an excellent rebounder. He's one of the best in the league. I also think he's a more than decent post defender. Sure, he picks up a lot of ticky tack fouls, but so does Steph Curry. I mean, it's a problem, but at least we finally have some depth and healthy bodies.

He is one guy we should be patient with. When he gets his confidence back, I think we'll see him attacking the rim more and getting to the line.