What are your thoughts on Troy Murphy. I have seen a few games this year and I like that he can shoot from the outside but it seems like he is becoming one demensional. When is he going to develope some inside moves? Teams will continue to give him that 17 footer as long as he stays away from the hoop. Our problem is that we have no inside presence.
The only thing I know is that Murphy spent some time in Pete Newell big man camps but it wasn't to work on his post moves obviously. It was more like his positioning to gain rebounds. I think he has no real moves yet other than that one where he puts the ball on the floor once and uses his pivot foot to rotate in. When he does though he looks so awkward. He needs to slow it down sometimes.... He also needs to turn his back toward the defender, protect the ball, use his butt and his hip more to knock someone off balance before he leans into them a little, and then pivot either left or right followed by a hipcheck to gain spacing and then layup off the glass or for the hook shot. I think he can finish with either hand, but hasn't had anyone rough him up in the post yet as he's doing it. I want him to be like Duncan or Brand where they both use the glass and masters their footwork and uses size, weight to their advantage. It's doable but the post is hard to master because of all the variables going around you and it just weakens the heck out of your legs and back fighting for post position (especially when you're defending).
I never expect any inside games from Murphy, and I think that will be continued. Not only he really never posted up in his life before, he doesn't have enough strength or athlatism to overpower other pfs. I would rather let him shoot from 3 and be an automatic outside jump shooter. After all, pfs are more reluctant to go out and defend the shooter, and when they do, Murphy has enough quickness to drive and go to the hoop. Yes. We do need some postup games. But, we should either get rid of Murphy for post up pfs or get post up from sf or center. I think it's a mistake to force Murphy inside, when he has none of post up skill, raw athlatism and strength...
Then it's got to come from a center, which is harder to find these days or we trade Murphy or make Murphy a center. Perhaps a trade for Kwame Brown/Eddy Curry anyone? I don't know any team that's willing to part with a scoring center unless they're questionable. I don't think 10-14 ppg is an improvement over Murphy's usual 16 plus 10 rebounds.
I will take Curry for sure. He is certainly a project, underachieved so far and his attitude is a big question mark, but his raw talent is attractive. As long as we can get him relatively cheap, like Dunleavy and some package, I will take that risk and hope he will do well in fresh environment...
The one thing I hate about Curry is he'll score but he won't do much else and passing out of the double team is important... I guess rebounding is okay when you have Murphy taking care of those, but I at least hope Curry is like Zach Randolph or Elton Brand on the offensive boards but not like Randolph when it comes to passing. He's got to use that wide body more and be aware of who is on the floor. The center should be like the 3rd point guard who sets up everybody else.
Murph is the best pf we've had in the past 5 years (tied with Marc Jackson) He can score and rebound unlike Cliff. However we should not trade Murph. We should make him a center and trade Dunleavy and JR for Curry
All I have to say is pick and roll. Run that play 15 times with Murphy each game and a few more times with Clifford and you will see a more productive offense. Shoot Mike Montgomery can keep his own offense that he seems to love, but just add those pick and rolls with Murphy and the points will be coming. That's what got the Warriors into that Jazz game earlier in the year, and it was what was successful last year. I don't know where that play has gone. Also I don't know why someone has to rip Clifford Robinson. Clifford was the heart and soul of this team last year. He lead the team in assists, was one of the top defenders on the team, was a decent scoring option who made some really big shots and he played more minutes than most anyone else last year, so don't be ripping on Cliff.
Murphy is hardly the problem. The man averaged a double-double in 2002. No Warrior PF had done that since what Webber? Okay maybe Fortson, but Murphy does his damage in the flow. Yes his jumper may be off slightly right now but it will come around, he's been a scorer his whole life. His post work is not going to be there but it really does not matter how he scores, just whether he does or not. Everyone thinks Duncan is the best post player (and I do not necessarily disagree) but what is the shot he takes when he absolutely has to make a shot? His bank shot. Not a jump hook, not a post move.
True, true, I tried to point out that Murphy's upside would be that he could become like a Duncan type player when it comes to calling shots off the glass and using more pump fakes. Murphy has fundamentals, but he's got to change his game a little so he plays near the basket more. If we had Wilcox I think he would have been a great teammate for Murph because he is the player that attacks the rim. Murph could just dump it off to him close to the basket and let Wilcox get fouled.
Montgomery's offensive system calls for forwards in the high post, so he is rarely asked to even go towards the basket unless a play is called for him to allow for more freedom for the wings. I don't know if he really has a good inside game, but I'm sure he would stay inside more if he was told to by the coach instead of told to stay out of the low post.
Well he needs to learn some post game because none of our centers have it and Murphy has the most size advantage.
Why are you guys so accepting of Murphy not having any post moves? Isn't that what you are supposed to do in the offseason: work on your weaknesses? Its all good if his shot is on but when he goes cold than it is hard to watch.
I just think the nba game is incomplete without a post game because we're not fast enough to break and match the number of points in the paint the opposing team is getting on us. You need to have something that is so hard to defend against it either draws double teams or lots of touch fouls. When Speedy goes down everyone will wish Murphy or Foyle or whoever could work the ball down low and get easy reach in fouls and intentional fouls. Nobody has any fast footwork or muscle though.
I am not and never have been accepting of Murphy having little low post game. In fact, that is my biggest criticism of him and has been. When ever we were talking about signing Murphy last year, I kept saying how a PF is supposed to post up, but all he does is take 15-18ft jumpers...Everybody came back at me and talked about how he is a walking double double. I said BIG DEAL. Fortson averaged a double double, that doesnt mean we want him...
Please Murphy is not Fortson, never has, never will be. Murphy gets his shots in the flow and does not force anything. He shoots off of the pass and is probably the Warriors' best catch and shoot player. Doesn't matter if that's a small guy or a big guy, if he makes the shot. Fortson gets his points either off garbage or when he posts up and just pounds the ball and draws a foul. The overall effect on the offense is huge. Murphy is active and gets the tough defense rebound. I love Murphy and hope we never get rid of him.
I cannot agree more PhilSmith. Murph and Pietrus are the future of this team and have only played 4 seasons combined. They both can hit their shots consitently and provide points and energy at the same time. We could have a real good team if we played Duinleavy less and Pietrus more and had Pietrus start(he alsohad very good defense and was bursting with enegry like he always is. Yesterday Murph made 5 of his season highs against Minneasota. That obviously shows that if all the Warriors play like they did yesterday and hand the ball to Murph when he is at the top of the key this will be a more hopefull season than is has been so far.
Nothing critical to say about Murphy. I think he plays within himself. He's decent defender in the post as long as he's not playing against someone that is athletic, strong and well skilled in post footwork (very rare in the league to have all 3). He tried to press a couple of times early in the season because of the new contract, but we know that if he settles down and lets the game come to him he's a very good player. He's got toughness and a hard nose for the ball and I like toughness. He also makes his free throws which I definitely like. I've always felt we should have built more on Murphy and less on Jrich (but that's only beause I was really psyched about Pietrus being the dynamite leader on both ends of the floor). It's a risk, but I haven't fallen in love with jrich as true shooting guard, but I respect his mentality to improve despite skepticism and criticism. Plus he is just a highlight reel that makes watching a losing game less disappointing.
I don't have a problem with Murphy shooting the ball from the outside because he does hit the boards when the shot goes up. I'm just sick of seeing him shoot shot after shot when we are struggling for a basket. I guess you guys are going to live with that but I'm tired of it. Again, I like Murphy and his game, I just wish he gave us something down low when we need a basket. Every great team has a low post presence.
At least Murphy won't try anything he can't do. He sure looked like a poor man's Dirk Nowitizki the other night. 3/4 on 3 pointers and 14 boards. WtWalker called that one.
