<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Thrust into the role of point guard, Mike Dunleavy has shown he is capable of performing some of those duties adequately. But he's going to need a little help in some areas. The Memphis Grizzlies took advantage of some of those weaknesses Sunday and beat the Warriors 95-85 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena. Dunleavy's score line looked good enough -- 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals. But the Warriors paid the price when Dunleavy, normally a small forward, had to guard Grizzlies point guard Jason Williams in the third quarter, and also when Dunleavy was forced to give up the ball early.</div> http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...ors/8133384.htm
Dunleavy is going to be exposed on the perimeter, no doubt, but he's got some valuable skills which others do not have. He needs to have the freedom to start creating more, not be so deferential and passive bringing the ball up. If he's going to be a point guard, let him play like one and give him the room and freedom to do so. Watching last night, look at how many guys are waiting to bring the ball up, there's Cliffy, JRich, Dunleavy. Well if everyone is waiting to bring it up, there's no one up court to put pressure on the defense. In addition, once Dunleavy gives it up in the front court, he does not get it back in an offensive position. Notice how when Speedy was excelling, he'd get the ball back on an elbow curl or near the top of the key and he had options. No such thing for Dunleavy. Blame the coach? How about the other players.
I don't know what it is. Probably the players aren't used to each other being out of position maybe? I've seen some turnovers where they just throw the ball away like "hey buddy you were supposed to be there". And you never know with Dunleavy and Musselman are up to. Maybe Dunleavy didn't want to shoot the ball and risk missing and getting put in the doghouse. Musselman isn't a great coach but he's the best we've got for now. I think he's a bonehead during a lot of close games this season, which translates to him as not being a playoff coach. It's like the guys would be good at coaching nba basketball with the warriors team are doing something else. Probably getting paid more than Cohan would be willing to give.
I sorta found it annoying last night and the whole season for that matter, on how the announcers and Fox Sports' Net in general kiss Mike Dunleavy's butt so much. Every little play he's involved in, it sounds like he does something incredible. I mean they had a whole Mike Dunleavy thing where they showed everything he did, and a lot of them wasn't even that much. One was the give and go that Cliff gave a perfect pass on, where Dunleavy recieved an early Christmas present, as it was clear he wasn't expecting it and was going half-assed on. And then another was going off a screen and knocking down an open 20 footer. And then i think he could had made a couple of other simple passes that made that highlite for Mike Dunleavy. Jim Barnett talks about Mike like he is his own kid. I find it very annoying. It's like Mike makes an open jumper like once and Calbert does it 5 times and doesn't even get that much kudos as Mike would. I guess we'll see what Dunleavy will be in a few years. But i don't think Dunleavy is going to be as special as many of the Warriors announcers and fans think. I just see him being a decent role player.
They should have put Pietrus on Williams the whole game (or damn near most of it), instead of putting Dunleavy in a bad situation when you know he can't guard JWill.
I agree. I was like what the heck did he do that was special to get all this commercial air time last year and all these promos on the website that say "Mike Dunleavy and the Warriors". It's all Duke hype and the possibility of getting his dad to coach for us that somebody wanted. A weak 2002 draft for us anyway, except for Amare Stoudamire who happened to be left after Yao, and Jay Williams were taken. Thank goodness we didn't get Jay. The only players that I saw that were intriguing was just Yao and Tsikitishvilli and maybe Nene for defense. I don't think Skita would be an impact player like Dirk until much later down the road and Yao was already taken. He certainly wouldn't have produced for us with his skinniness and rawness. In fact, he is the epitomy of a project. It's better to sign him as a free agent if you get the chance when he gets good. If he gets good. I'm glad we didn't draft him, but don't be suprised if he gets to be a Pau Gasol/Dirk Nowitzki combination later on. Check this out: http://nbadraft.net/profiles/mikedunleavy.htm Dunleavy has comparrisons to Bird? Bird must be rolling around in his grave. What he's not dead yet?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting kobeonfire:</div><div class="quote_post">They should have put Pietrus on Williams the whole game (or damn near most of it), instead of putting Dunleavy in a bad situation when you know he can't guard JWill.</div> They did in the first half. When it got to the third quarter when JWill was hot, they put MDjr on him and Mike looked horrible, always getting crossed up at the top of the key.
Dunleavy is just too slow. It never should have happened with the man-to-man assignments Muss put on the floor. I guess he had no choice but to rest some guys. But what about A.J.? He's still quick for an old guy and can get the team some penetration on offense. Plus, it should have been common sense that If you rest Pietrus you have to have Dunleavy rest as the point guard. It doesn't make any sense for Musselman to pulling those b.s. assignments like that. But I guess I would have complained just as much if Avery was getting burned. When a player is hot they're hot. In all fairness, I think Dunleavy should see a better year next year when the team has at least had an offseason to play together healthy.
