Only two exhibition games are left for the Milwaukee Bucks, yet one major issue decision remains on the plate of coach Terry Porter. That would be deciding which player will be his starter center when the team opens the National Basketball Association regular season in Orlando next Wednesday. Earlier in the exhibition season, Porter spoke of having a "four-headed monster" at center as Dan Gadzuric, Daniel Santiago, Zaza Pachulia and Zendon Hamilton were all vying for minutes in the pivot. Hamilton has been sidelined by a right knee injury, which has chopped one of the heads off the monster, at least for the short term. The Bucks pretty much know what Santiago can do from the 54 games in which he played last season, and the team has been impressed with what it has seen from Pachulia so far. Gadzuric, though, missed the first four exhibition games because of a knee injury and was limited to playing a total of 35 minutes in the next two games. So Porter will continue to take a long look at him when the Bucks close their exhibition season with games in Minnesota tonight and in Green Bay against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday. Porter admits that because of the center position, he still doesn't know what group will be on the court at the start of the regular season. "I still don't," he said. "I'm still working on Danny G., you know, trying to get some more looks at him. See exactly what the next two games are going to hold and then, after that, we're going to make a decision on that position." http://www.jsonline.com/sports/buck/oct04/269791.asp
I hope it goes to Gadzuric, but I can really seeing it going to Daniel Santiago. Gadzuric is a great energy guy, and Porter might like to have him come off the bench and give the team that alone with Dmase. Pachulia could also start, but I think it will be Santiago.
