Pistons/Gortat

[Joe Asberry]

There often is that regrettable yet memorable play for each young player when he discovers what an elite skill level he has entered in the NBA.

On Friday night, Gortat already had scored 12 consecutive Suns first-quarter points when he received the ball on the extended post with Stiemsma on his back. Gortat's spin move to the baseline froze Stiemsma for a score.

"Polish shake," Suns forward Grant Hill said in deference to the "Dream Shake" of Hakeem Olajuwon, who taught moves to Gortat for a week in June.

The Suns have lacked a go-to scorer who creates his own shot since last season, but Gortat at least has proven to be a reliable, efficient scorer. Steve Nash is creating more scores than any NBA player, averaging 10.0 assists per game, and leads the Suns in scoring with 14.8 points per game, but his pick-and-roll partner, Gortat, is up to 14.7.

"I know where to put myself in the position to score," Gortat said. "Having Steve going to the bucket every time hard, then I'm going to be open or the other way around, and I'm going to draw attention on my roll. That's a pretty good combination. I like that."

Since a splint was removed from his right thumb, which had sustained a hairline fracture, Gortat has averaged 17.0 points and 11.2 rebounds in nine games. His 59.9 percent shooting leads the NBA.

If the Suns' record improves, Gortat could be an All-Star candidate in a shallow pool of West centers. It would be a fitting return to Orlando, where he spent 3½ seasons as Dwight Howard's understudy.

"I don't really care about that," Gortat said. "My thoughts are not on All-Star. I'd rather take a rest. I don't think I'm going to make it. I care if my team is going to win."

Gortat does not lack for motivation. An acquaintance criticized his play in New York, stirring him into a 24-point, 12-rebound performance Friday night at Boston, his seventh consecutive double-double and third 20-10 game in an eight-day span.

Gortat, 27, is far from a perfect center, but he has come so far in his first season as an NBA starter. He is hesitant to dunk for fear of reinjuring the thumb and missing the season. He knows it would help the team if he drew more fouls (2.2 free-throw attempts per game) and made more free throws (63.6 percent shooting from the line). He is a key to improving the defense, which he boosts with 1.6 blocks per game. He is needed to turn around the team's rebounding issues.

"I still believe I can do better," Gortat said of his 9.3 rebound average. "Every time I see Dwight Howard and his numbers, those numbers are out the roof. I want to reach 20. Because Coach told me if I have 20, then I'll be able to shoot 3s. Trust me, I'm aiming for that. If I get 20, the next possession is a 3."

Offensively, Gortat has shown more offensive variety than being set up for layups. He has a mid-range jumper and made four of four left-handed shots, layups and hooks, in Friday's first quarter. A strong left hand, engrained in him by European coaches, is what carried him through the frustrating first six games with the splint.

Gortat still is not a player that teams focus on eliminating defensively.

"Some of them know I can play, but they still defend me the way they always defended me," Gortat said. "They still treat me like an Orlando backup. That's fine. At the end of the day, I'm going to smile."
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...t-strides.html

[Timone]

"Some of them know I can play, but they still defend me the way they always defended me," Gortat said. "They still treat me like an Orlando backup. That's fine. At the end of the day, I'm going to sit back... and smile."

fixed it for him

[Glenn]

You love when you get to post that.

[mercury]

Can't have him based on his gumpy name... reject

[Glenn]

This sucks.

http://m.przegladsportowy.pl/Koszyko...832,2,299.html

[mercury]

Yeah, "bliski zmiany klubu!"... mothafuckers!

[Pharaoh]

Fuck me swinging - It's 2009 on this board too!

Glenn was right - he's often right. That's why he likes to remind you of it every chance he gets!

Of course a certain someone actually posted a Stackhouse for Rip trade idea months before it happened... I wonder who that was? And the same person actually posted about Joe using 2 first round picks and a bucket of shit to get Sheed the second he was traded to Atlanta... and this same person was ALWAYS in favour of acquiring more future firsts/soon to be expiring contracts years before it became the done thing league wide!

But that person doesn't bump those threads - cause what happened happened and couldn't have happened any other way. We're here today! Now! (and because they are not on WTF)

It ain't fucking 2009 anymore - deal with it

Right now is the most important time of your life. Not last week, not last month, not last year and certainly not 2 thousand and fucking 9.


WTF is it with Glenn and 2009? It could mean that that point in time inherently contains some sort of cosmic significance. Almost as if it were the temporal junction point for the entire space-time continuum. On the other hand, it could just be an amazing coincidence.

[Glenn]

(and because they are not on WTF)

This, lol.

[Pharaoh]

Bit hard to predict those things on this site when the site didn't exist dickhead

I note you don't even have a response for the rest of the post.

Can't argue with the fact that you have let this site die while I was away?

[Glenn]

Sorry, I was distracted for a seemingly unusual period of time and some shenanigans went on behind my back and when I turned around it was too late. But I was none the wiser.