I know Damp and Diop can handle the low post... but they tend to miss passes or are not aggressive enough. Plus players like Duncan and Amare usually blast past mavericks centers. I have seen Diop do a decent job against Duncan last year in the playoffs but will Kevin give the extra juice the mavs need? The one thing I noticed is that the Mavs have everything shooters gaurds clutch players ... but they never had a truly dominant force in the paint. If they had some stellar center mavs could collect victories easily.
Kevin Willis is not going to play a small role off the bench at the age of 44. He'll come out and give 5-15 minutes of smart basketball a night. He won't be a huge impact on guarding low post prescence's such as Duncan and Amare. It was a good signing but it won't impact the Mavs that much.
Kevin Willis is barely going to see any playing time .. so don't expect anything out of him except him being there and giving out advice but say that Kevin Willis(one of the greatest centers of all time that still plays today) does get on the court then im sure he can do somthing defensivly, iv'e heard his still in shape so if he actually is then im sure he can defend that post quite well with his strong body.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Amare320 @ Apr 2 2007, 10:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Kevin Willis is barely going to see any playing time .. so don't expect anything out of him except him being there and giving out advice but say that Kevin Willis(one of the greatest centers of all time that still plays today) does get on the court then im sure he can do somthing defensivly, iv'e heard his still in shape so if he actually is then im sure he can defend that post quite well with his strong body.</div> You expect at his age to be able to defend some of the very athletic center's in the NBA? Kevin Willis will have to play as smart as he can becuase his body and age will limit his ability to have the body control that other center's do. In shape for a 44 year old means very little. An example is Jordan, when he was younger on the Bulls he on year averaged 37 PPG, however Jordan was pretty much forced to do all the scoring in Washington alongside Richard Hamilton. No matter how in-shape he was at 40 years old, he could only put up 20 PPG. Now that is still very impressive but not nearly to the extent that Jordan was during his years with the Bulls.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GArenas @ Apr 2 2007, 10:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>You expect at his age to be able to defend some of the very athletic center's in the NBA? Kevin Willis will have to play as smart as he can becuase his body and age will limit his ability to have the body control that other center's do. In shape for a 44 year old means very little. An example is Jordan, when he was younger on the Bulls he on year averaged 37 PPG, however Jordan was pretty much forced to do all the scoring in Washington alongside Richard Hamilton. No matter how in-shape he was at 40 years old, he could only put up 20 PPG. Now that is still very impressive but not nearly to the extent that Jordan was during his years with the Bulls.</div>I don't expect other centers out there to skool Kevin Willis no, I think he will do his job given to him, like say if he has to guard Oberto or Elson (Willis probley won't be guarding any starting centers) Willis will be fresh of the bench and ready to defend if he's needed unlike the two guys mentioned, I don't doubt Willis's abilitys I still think at this age he can defend someone for a short amount of time.
He's not going to get consistant minutes, he's simply a good playoff filler and a guy Avery Johnson likes and probably wants around the team.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Amare320 @ Apr 2 2007, 11:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't expect other centers out there to skool Kevin Willis no, I think he will do his job given to him, like say if he has to guard Oberto or Elson (Willis probley won't be guarding any starting centers) Willis will be fresh of the bench and ready to defend if he's needed unlike the two guys mentioned, I don't doubt Willis's abilitys I still think at this age he can defend someone for a short amount of time.</div> Of course but as I said he will play a few minutes to try and bother certain center's but he won't be able to get even close to slowing down guys like Stoudamire. He's really to play smart and be a locker-room effect for the most part.
I like this signing, even though Willis won't get much playing time, I'm thinking around 9-12 minutes a game. He brings them an extra big man to bang down low, and give Dampier and Diop a rest. Especially if Dampier gets into foul trouble early, his 12 minutes or so in the low post will be nice. He also adds a veteran presence that has been a part of a championship team with the Spurs in the past, and knows the mindset that team needs to have for the post season. I'm seeing this as a positive signing.
It's probably more of a chemistry and motivational thing for the playoffs. But jesus christ, I'm afraid he might die on the court if the Mavs give him any minutes..
Mentor, role model, locker room guy. Age doesn't matter.Mavs couldnt have picked a better time to get Willis. He will be great help talking to the players, etc before playoffs
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tHe_pEsTiLeNcE @ Apr 2 2007, 09:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>he's the oldest player in NBA history now, right?</div>yes, on a roster anyway
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Justice @ Apr 2 2007, 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>yes, on a roster anyway</div> He's the second oldest in NBA history. He was officially signed to a 10 day contract. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>DALLAS-The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent center Kevin Willis to a 10-Day contract. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. Willis (7-0, 245) has played 20 seasons in the NBA, but has been inactive since he completed the 2004-05 season with the Atlanta Hawks. Born on Sept. 6, 1962, Willis becomes the oldest Maverick in franchise history and the second oldest player in NBA history.</div> http://www.nba.com/mavericks/matchup/mavs_sign_willis.html As I said before this was a great locker-room signing for Dallas. He can give you 5-10 minutes off the bench of smart basketball and be a great mentor for some of the younger guys on the squad.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CB4AllStar @ Apr 2 2007, 04:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah, Robert Parish is the oldest. I think he was like 46 or 47 when he retired.</div>Actually Kevin Willis would be the second oldest to play.Nat Hickey 46Kevin Willis 44Robert Parish 42
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dirkenator @ Apr 2 2007, 03:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Actually Kevin Willis would be the second oldest to play.Nat Hickey 46Kevin Willis 44Robert Parish 42</div>Parish was 43, not 42. Born in 1953 retired in 1997 (before his birthday)but for all intents and purposes, Kevin Willis is the oldest, as nat hickey played all of one game and only played like 5 minutes in it
Hes got playoff experience, and he will do what Armstrong did last year. He is probably still in really good shape...
