Dante

[MickZagger]

I think in a couple years he could be the best backup 4 in the league. He seems to get it, knows exactly what the staff is asking from him. Even in summer league I noticed how much better he was at taking the ball to the hoop and grabbing rebounds.

Another great find by Buchanon and Born.

 

[BGrantFan]

Yep. His numbers the past two preseason games are nice. Double-doubles, yet playing defense. I'd take him over DeJuan Blair right now. Good pick by the Blazers!

 

[BrianFromWA]

I wouldn't go that far. But we could have had both!

I'm reserving judgment until I can watch a game. Though it seems as if DC's doing what he's supposed to. Is he shooting outside of 15' yet, or playing closer to the basket?

 

[BGrantFan]

I wouldn't go that far. But we could have had both!

I'm reserving judgment until I can watch a game. Though it seems as if DC's doing what he's supposed to. Is he shooting outside of 15' yet, or playing closer to the basket?

He has extended his outside game, and also is now putting the ball on the floor. Just what this offense needs. Blair is a great rebounder/garbage man, but when this entire board whines about Nate's slow pace and how it should be faster, how would Blair fit in? He may be the slowest player in the NBA.

 

[Rhal]

Yep. His numbers the past two preseason games are nice. Double-doubles, yet playing defense. I'd take him over DeJuan Blair right now. Good pick by the Blazers!

I dunno if i'd go that far but Dante is turning into a great backup Hustle guy. His doesn't seem lost in either the offense or defense (though he does make some bad passes but with more experience that will go away) I'm glad we drafted him, definatly like him more then someone like gibson.

 

[Rhal]

He has extended his outside game, and also is now putting the ball on the floor. Just what this offense needs. Blair is a great rebounder/garbage man, but when this entire board whines about Nate's slow pace and how it should be faster, how would Blair fit in? He may be the slowest player in the NBA.

Blair can move pretty well. He doesn't have to all the time but he can defiantly run the floor. Blair would be great for how the offense runs now because as much as we complain about it nate's not gonna change the slow paced offense.

 

[BGrantFan]

Blair can move pretty well. He doesn't have to all the time but he can defiantly run the floor. Blair would be great for how the offense runs now because as much as we complain about it nate's not gonna change the slow paced offense.

Well, that may also be true. I just see Blair as a specialist at this point, and perhaps the worst defensive PF in the NBA.

 

[Mediocre Man]

LOl at the extreme homerism.

The best backup in the league? No. He's a nice player though

 

[MickZagger]

LOl at the extreme homerism.

The best backup in the league? No. He's a nice player though

In a couple years he could be the best backup 4 in the league. Major difference between taking what I said out of context and saying he's the best backup in the league. C'mon, I thought even you were better than that Mediocre.

High Bball IQ, great athleticism, money 15 ft. jumper, learning how to put the ball on the floor and rebound.

Give me your list of best current backup 4's. I'm sure Dante could be just as good as any of them in 2 years.

 

[THE HCP]

I'm excited to see what he does this year........ if he can get on the court.

 

[BGrantFan]

LOl at the extreme homerism.

The best backup in the league? No. He's a nice player though

As opposed to extreme negativism? Read the thread.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I think he'll be a starter somewhere in the NBA at the 3. He's an unrestricted free agent after this season and if I were him I'd leave for greener pastures.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think he'll be a starter somewhere in the NBA at the 3. He's an unrestricted free agent after this season and if I were him I'd leave for greener pastures.

The Blazers should have his bird rights -- assuming bird rights exist under the new CBA

 

[Ed O]

I'm excited to see what he does this year........ if he can get on the court.

Yes.

Step 1: earn minutes.
Step 2: become best backup power forward in the NBA.

Ed O.

 

[MickZagger]

With some players the only thing holding them back from busting out and becoming a great reserve is minutes. After reading some of McMillan's quotes about Cunningham in an article from the O this week, it makes me think minutes aren't going to be hard to come by for Cunningham this season.

 

[MickZagger]

I think he'll be a starter somewhere in the NBA at the 3. He's an unrestricted free agent after this season and if I were him I'd leave for greener pastures.

He doesn't even really play the 3 though, so how do you figure?

 

[BrianFromWA]

Well, that may also be true. I just see Blair as a specialist at this point, and perhaps the worst defensive PF in the NBA.

Seems like he's changing a bit from that...

The pairing of Duncan and Blair has almost everything the Spurs need, especially on the defensive end. Whether Duncan is listed at power forward and Blair at center — or vice versa — the two can easily switch players and positions at will.

Against Houston on Thursday, one time down the court Blair matched up with Luis Scola and Duncan with Yao Ming. The next time down the floor Duncan was late getting down to the defensive end and the two switched on the fly with no negative consequences.

Blair has the quickness and an underrated knowledge of how to defend the pick-and-roll. He seems to know when to pick his spots and hedge hard on the ball handler coming off the pick, or when to hang back and stick with the roll man.



Read more: http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010...are-good-at-defense/#more-10009#ixzz121V3bt7D

 

[MickZagger]

Blair guarding Yao? Hah!

 

[BGrantFan]

Blair guarding Yao? Hah!

No shit. That's exactly what I was thinking. I have to say, I'm against the new technique du jour of posters posting a posted opinion (say that 3 times fast) to back up their own opinion. Does that make the opinion twice as opinionated?

 

[MickZagger]

No shit. That's exactly what I was thinking. I have to say, I'm against the new technique du jour of posters posting a posted opinion (say that 3 times fast) to back up their own opinion. Does that make the opinion twice as opinionated?

say what?

 

[BrianFromWA]

My opinion isn't that Blair is great shakes as a defender. My opinion is that your hyperbolic opinion of Blair as the worst defensive PF in the league was probably not correct anymore, if ever. I just posted an observation from someone who watches a heckuva lot more of Blair playing defense than you or I do.

There's a difference, imo, of "observation" vs. "opinion". "Observation" would be something like "on consecutive trips down the floor Blair guarded, alternatively, Yao and Scola with no negative consequences." "Opinion" would be something like "Blair is perhaps the worst defensive PF in the league."

Tell you what...I'll just go with "stats" instead. Like "Blair's defensive rating of 101 was accomplished in less than 350 stops, which means he didn't meet the amount needed to qualify for the league leaders. Had he done so, it would have been #7 in the entire league, just behind Marcus Camby and Tim Duncan and ahead of Kevin Garnett, Josh Smith, every other Trail Blazer PF, etc"

The opinions of Blair's porous D generally come from those who say he's overmatched as a 6'8 who plays mostly center. The observations I posted seemed to point out that Blair now is exhibiting the ability to play both C and PF interchangably. The stats say that no matter where he played last year, he was pretty solid on D and rebounding. And he's now starting alongside Duncan, for a guy in Popovich that generally doesn't like guys who don't play D.

 

[KingSpeed]

Best backup PF in league= Lamar Odom.

 

[Rhal]

Best backup PF in league= Lamar Odom.

At the moment defiantly. In 2 years who knows. If Dante keeps improving I like his chances.

 

[Natebishop3]

Mostly I like his cool. The guy has always been very confident. I remember his first summer league games, he would just hoist them. No hesitation. But they aren't bad shots. They are within his range, and he plays to his strengths.

 

[MickZagger]

Best backup PF in league= Lamar Odom.

He's a power forward based on height alone.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

He doesn't even really play the 3 though, so how do you figure?

It's his natural position. And, as Nate has said on numerous occasions, he plays the 4 out of necessity.

 

[RipCityInsider]

It's his natural position. And, as Nate has said on numerous occasions, he plays the 4 out of necessity.

If I recall, he has always played the 4 dating throughout his Nova days. I don't think he has played the 3 in his College/Professional career. I'm confident the 4 is his natural position.

 

[axs88]

He's a power forward based on height alone.

Odom's played much more PF in Miami and LA than SF. The last 7 years, he has averaged 9.7 rebounds per 36 minutes (2 more than LaMarcus). And he played center this summer at the world championships.

 

[andalusian]

Blair guarding Yao? Hah!

Ha guarding Yao? Blair!

 

[andalusian]

Dante played 4 since the dats of Genesis. If anything, his work on putting the ball on the floor this summer might help him play some minutes at the 3.