<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> <font size=""4"">NELSON CALLS CENTER HIS `BEST BIG MAN' </font> LOS ANGELES - While players such as Adonal Foyle, Ike Diogu, Anthony Roberson and Matt Barnes all tried to prove themselves to Warriors Coach Don Nelson on Friday, a healthy Andris Biedrins never got off the bench in Golden State's 116-106 exhibition victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. In past years, that might have been an alarming turn of events for Biedrins. This season, however, the third-year center has no reason to worry. He's already shown to Nelson that he's ready to be a key component of this team. ``He doesn't have to prove that to me. I already know that,'' Nelson said. ``He's probably my best big man. He'll play a lot.'' It's a just reward for Biedrins, who clocked in as much time at the team's downtown Oakland headquarters this summer as any Warrior, and also converted to the church of good eating. The 20-year-old Latvian has dropped roughly 15 pounds of fat while gaining twice that much in muscle mass. Warriors strength coach John Murray said Biedrins had dropped his body fat from 14 percent a year ago to just 5. ``He's playing hard, playing good defense, rebounding and doing what he needs to do to stay on the floor. He's out there to prove a point,'' Warriors captain Jason Richardson said. ``He's definitely gained maturity as a player. He's listening a lot more and his body's more physical. He's gotten stronger.'' Biedrins, 6-foot-11, has also gotten quicker as a result of those changes, a fact that gets put to good use constantly in Nelson's new system. ``I don't know if he knew coach (Nelson) was going to be here when he slimmed down, but it's a good thing he did that,'' guard Monta Ellis said. ``If you're running the break, just you and him, you don't think, `Well, I've got to lay this up because he's not running.' He's always going to be there.'' Biedrins has consistently impressed Nelson, who gushed over him following a 6-for-6 shooting effort with seven rebounds in 18 minutes during Thursday's victory over the New Orleans Hornets. ``That guy, wow,'' Nelson said. ``Oh my goodness. He and a couple of other guys played well and carried us to a win. That's how good he was.'' How good he can be, and how much of an impact he can make, depends on a few factors. Troy Murphy -- whom Nelson exempted from the ``big man'' category that Biedrins leads, saying that Murphy was ``a 4 turned 5'' -- is still starting at center, and there's no sign that's going to change soon. Also, there's that little problem with free-throw shooting: 30.6 percent last season, 1 for 7 during this exhibition season. Nelson expects that to be a long-range reclamation project. ``I don't expect that it's going to happen this year,'' Nelson said. ``It's going to be a year or two before maybe he gets it, but we're going to keep working every day with him. That's going to definitely hold him back from being a terrific player. I can drop-kick in free throws better than he can. '' </div> Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...rs/15814350.htm
Good to see. Good things seem to happen when this guy is on the court...except when he's on the free throw line.
lol @ <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I can drop-kick in free throws better than he can</div>Biedrins is cool. I think he's double double material, but fouls and free throw shooting can keep him off the floor. His first career start was a double double.
Dang, he lost 9% body fat and yet is bigger than last year. This guy is going to be insane this year. The only limits to his game are with fouls, in both free throw shooting and having a history of picking up a lot of personal fouls. Other than that he has great hands, I think I even saw him handle the ball a little bit the other day, he can rebound, block shots, he's explosive and quick(I think probably even more so than previous years with his offseason work), he can run the floor...man I can't wait to see him play during the season. If Dunleavy or Pietrus slack a little bit as starters, I won't be surprised if Andris becomes a starter.
If Biedrins can shoot FT's he'd be a monster. I'm sure he'd attack the basket like a maniac if he could convert FT's.
If Biedrins starts playing out of his mind, then maybe the scouting reports can justify him having the supposed upside of Jermaine O'neil, Chris Bosh, and tall Kenyon Martin. He acts like Martin, has some ballhandling skill and drop step moves like J.O. and Bosh to play power forward, but his offense skills are more like Martin without the alley-oops. The say Biedrins has the same standing vertical of Chris Bosh and he supposedly shot from deep two range, but his shot mechanics were unreliable so he stopped trying. Maybe he can be Keon Clark, shoot ugly, but make the shots from deep. Lately though he's reminded me of a shotblocking, more athletic and leaner Jeff Foster because of the quick lateral movement and his knack for offensive rebounding and poor free throw shooting.
I know if that kid goes up in the air, he's getting knocked around when that contact comes. He's got no base in his legs or balance to support all that length. But I'm sure if he was dragging tree trunks around in his legs to balance out, he'd lose some of that lateral movement he is known for in Warrior fan communities. It's like with Dunleavy. Too tall, gets knocked around. He got stronger in the legs last season and it's helped him some. But other times I think Dunleavy is just pretending to be weak to get the foul call and other times he is pretty weak.
I guess the question remains: which three people would shoot free throws better? Ray Charles Gordon Gund Stevie Wonder Andris Biedrins
Good news for Biedrins. He was already very quick and have a great instinct to make shots. Now, he is getting stronger and mature. But, like everybody else said, if he wants to be a regular, he does need to shoot FTs. And, his 1-7 FTs during the preseason isn't exactly encouraging...
Biedrins should try underhanding it or shooting a bankshot. I mean it's hard to shoot when the basket is almost level with his standing reach and release point. Underhanding it like Rick Barry did gives the ball a more natural arc than just flipping it in high. But I think the problem is he's not even shooting it inline with the basket in the first place. Maybe it's his follow through and his elbow. When I haven't played in a long time and my shot gets all funky, I check my elbow and my follow through (cocking the wrist). When that doesn't work, I just shoot it Shawn Marion style and it goes in.
I did not think Biedrens had that much body fat to lose. The guy was pretty ripped when we drafted him...
Are you kidding? He looked skinny because he was only 17 or 18. Last season he looked bigger in the shoulders and looked older in the face.
