Re: What's wrong with Zydrunas Ilgauskas? What's up with him this season? He isn't producing at the level we are used to seeing.
Re: What's wrong with Zydrunas Ilgauskas? I think it all comes down to the Cavaliers new style of play. They have started to play more fast paced and physical. Z is neither fast nor physical. Z is averaging less minutes a game (second lowest in his career) and I think that is due to the new style of play. Z is getting older and never has been the type of player that could handle a game with a lot of fast breaks (something the Cavaliers have been looking to do a lot of this year. Get the rebound and go as quick as possible). This is where AV comes in, AV is averaging over 20mins a game this year. AV can handle the fast pace game play and he thrives on it.Z has been slacking in the defensive area and he has been playing very soft down low on offense. He has started relying way to much on that turn around fade away jumper. He is 7'3", he doesn't need to use that fade away as often as he does. I relize he is comfortable with it, but he can get in closer with the guys he has been using this on (like Warrick of the Grizzlies for instance). He has been soft on his offensive put backs as well. He is slow putting the ball back up and as a result is getting swatted. With any defense that doesn't involve post play he has been killing us on. Aside from his height, he has no shot blocking ability as it is, and with the faster game play, he has been more lazy on defense.All in all, I think he will get used to the new style and adapt well enough before the the playoff race hits. I have thought about it before and with the way the Cavaliers are going now, I really wish we could have Amare (when 100%).
Re: What's wrong with Zydrunas Ilgauskas? The other night v.s Philly he was GREAT.I wish we could get that ever night from Z, we would be pretty hard to stop once Hughes gets back.
Re: What's wrong with Zydrunas Ilgauskas? <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Larry Hughes @ Nov 29 2006, 03:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The other night v.s Philly he was GREAT.I wish we could get that ever night from Z, we would be pretty hard to stop once Hughes gets back.</div>Hughes has never been healthy enough to try and play like he did the season before he came to Cleveland. The only healthy games he had were the first couple this season before he got hurt and he played in most of those. Like the first game of the season against the Wizards when he scored 27, grabbed 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 5 assists. If he can play any where near that when he comes back, and Z starts playing like he is now (he is saying the offense is clicking for him, but I don't expect him to play as well as he did against Philly) I have a good feeling about the playoffs and I won't be suprised if the Cavs go to the finals. We will have to get a lot of things sorted out for that to happen though.
Re: What's wrong with Zydrunas Ilgauskas? He's been having a hard time adapting to the new offense from what I've read.
Re: What's wrong with Zydrunas Ilgauskas? <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BrewCityBuck @ Nov 29 2006, 03:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>He's been having a hard time adapting to the new offense from what I've read.</div>Yeah. But he has said (after the Philly game) that he is comfortable with it now. He said Mike Brown told him before the game that they were going to give him the ball a lot and force him to get used to the new offense by repeatedly feeding him the ball. It seems to have worked, but just about every player has one big stat game, if he can get another double-double tonight (I don't expect him to get the same stats or near it as he did in Philly) then we can decide if the offense has clicked for him or not. The Knicks aren't going to be easy at all for Z, they are faster and younger players (for the most part) that he will be going up against, something Z struggles with.
Re: What's wrong with Zydrunas Ilgauskas? <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (drake24 @ Nov 29 2006, 03:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah. But he has said (after the Philly game) that he is comfortable with it now. He said Mike Brown told him before the game that they were going to give him the ball a lot and force him to get used to the new offense by repeatedly feeding him the ball. It seems to have worked, but just about every player has one big stat game, if he can get another double-double tonight (I don't expect him to get the same stats or near it as he did in Philly) then we can decide if the offense has clicked for him or not. The Knicks aren't going to be easy at all for Z, they are faster and younger players (for the most part) that he will be going up against, something Z struggles with.</div>I'm glad that Z is finally leaning the new offense!If Z gets going and Gooden can just avg higher then 10 PPG. We could really hurt some teams with our big men. I believe Hughes will be back for the next game so thats some good news. Once we got all of our players on the same page we will finally be a team that could go out there and blow out ever lower team. :happy0144:
Re: What's wrong with Zydrunas Ilgauskas? He's turned it around nicely over the last few weeks. His +/- also is very positive so that it means regardless of the stats he's having a positive impact.The surprising thing with Z is his defense has looked much better this year with the exceptiosn of a few games (Etan Thomas eating him up).That being said it seems that somebody in the frontcourt whether it is Z, AV, or Gooden seems to step up. Individually they have been inconsistent but as a group they've been great
Re: What's wrong with Zydrunas Ilgauskas? He's had 2 solid games in a row 18/15 against the Sixers and 12/12 tonight against the Knicks. Hopefully he starts to regain his form.
