Freeland In Over His Head

[santeesioux]

Joel obviously needs to find some British expat groups in Portland to help get used to the foreign, alien culture. I know there are some British style "pubs" they call them in town?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

For some perspective, let's remember that Freeland was a #30 pick. In the weakest draft in living memory. Here is that draft:

1.  Toronto             Andrea Bargani
2.  Chicago             LaMarcus Aldridge
3.  Charlotte           Adam Morrison	
4.  Portland            Tyrus Thomas
5.  Atlanta             Shelden Williams
9.  Golden State        Patrick O'Bryant
10. Seattle             Saer Sene
11. Orlando             Fran Vazquez
12. New Orleans         Hilton Armstrong
15. New Orleans         Cedric Simmons
16. Chicago             Rodney Carney
17. Indiana             Shawne Williams	
18. Washington          Oleksly Pecherov
19. Sacramento          Quincy Douby
20. New York            Renaldo Balkman
22. New Jersey          Marcus Williams
23. New Jersey          Josh Boone
26. LA Lakers           Jordan Farmar
27. Phoenix             Sergio Rodriguez
28. Dallas              Maurice Ager
29. New York            Mardy Collins
30. Portland            Joel Freeland

The one complaint I have:

47. Utah                Paul Milsap

 

[Boob-No-More]

All-star??? Really??? Anyone who thought that was seriously delusional. Personally, even after two years of hearing he as the best big man in Europe, I was hoping he'd eventually become a decent back-up power forward. Of course, I was pimping hard for Paul Millsap at 30 or 31, but if you can get a decent back-up big man out of the 30th pick, that's acceptable.

Of course, right now he's not even close to being a decent back-up. But he's only played about 50 minutes. He may come around, if not, well Pritchard took a flyer at 30 and it didn't pan out. At least he's playing in the NBA right now (admittedly quite poorly), but that's more than you can say for about half the guys drafted before him.

BNM

 

[BrianFromWA]

I'm ok with giving him a few more minutes a game. He's a relatively athletic big man who actually has a semblance of post skills and 6 big man fouls a game. He's not going to go 1-19 forever.

 

[Boob-No-More]

He's not going to go 1-19 foreve.

Yeah, the law of averages says keep throwing it in the right general direction and the ball will randomly go through the hoop at some point. Or, to look at another way, the guy is way overdue for a good shooting night. It's not like the ball is bigger or the hoop smaller in the NBA than in Europe. If he gets enough open looks, he'll start making an occasional shot. The good news is, he can't get any worse.

BNM

 

[BrianFromWA]

The good news is, he can't get any worse.

BNM

I'm with you, but be careful. People said that last game and he went from 6.3% to just over 5%.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I'm with you, but be careful. People said that last game and he went from 6.3% to just over 5%.

Yeah, but he only missed two shots (0-2), making it one of his better games!

BNM

 

[Reep]

For some perspective, let's remember that Freeland was a #30 pick. In the weakest draft in living memory. Here is that draft:

1.  Toronto             Andrea Bargani
2.  Chicago             LaMarcus Aldridge
3.  Charlotte           Adam Morrison	
4.  Portland            Tyrus Thomas
5.  Atlanta             Shelden Williams
9.  Golden State        Patrick O'Bryant
10. Seattle             Saer Sene
11. Orlando             Fran Vazquez
12. New Orleans         Hilton Armstrong
15. New Orleans         Cedric Simmons
16. Chicago             Rodney Carney
17. Indiana             Shawne Williams	
18. Washington          Oleksly Pecherov
19. Sacramento          Quincy Douby
20. New York            Renaldo Balkman
22. New Jersey          Marcus Williams
23. New Jersey          Josh Boone
26. LA Lakers           Jordan Farmar
27. Phoenix             Sergio Rodriguez
28. Dallas              Maurice Ager
29. New York            Mardy Collins
30. Portland            Joel Freeland

The one complaint I have:

47. Utah                Paul Milsap

You skipped a few important names in here right? Roy? Gay? It wasn't that weak.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

i def thought he would be a decent rotation player, dude needs some minutes to get his shit together

 

[Rastapopoulos]

You skipped a few important names in here right? Roy? Gay? It wasn't that weak.

Yes, of course. You can see there are numbers missing. I only included scrubs (a huge majority of which are no longer in the league) and Lamarcus. The best player of the draft went at #21, of course.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Yeah, the law of averages says keep throwing it in the right general direction and the ball will randomly go through the hoop at some point. Or, to look at another way, the guy is way overdue for a good shooting night. It's not like the ball is bigger or the hoop smaller in the NBA than in Europe. If he gets enough open looks, he'll start making an occasional shot. The good news is, he can't get any worse.

BNM

So, has Freeland found his shot? After going 1-18 (.056 FG%) in his first 7 games, Freeland is now 8-11 (.727 FG%) in his last two and a half games. We certainly need someone on this bench to step up, and right now that's Freeland.

BNM

 

[magnifier661]

Last 3 games; he's playing much better ball. I am so happy for him. Hopefully he keeps this up.

 

[Blazinaway]

Last 3 games; he's playing much better ball. I am so happy for him. Hopefully he keeps this up.

just shows it can and does take time for good Euro players to adjust to the NBA. I think he can and will develop into a solid role player

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

just shows it can and does take time for good Euro players to adjust to the NBA. I think he can and will develop into a solid role player

Me too. He looked like a tough, smart player vs the USA in the Olympics and I think we're going to see that slowly emerge here.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Me too. He looked like a tough, smart player vs the USA in the Olympics and I think we're going to see that slowly emerge here.

I really think his struggles were 100% mental. A professional basketball player does not just go 1-18 for no reason. Freeland looked tentative, with no confidence in his shot. I think he was a little awestruck by the size, speed and athleticism of NBA big men and looked like he expected to get his shot blocked EVERY time. He was altering his own shot in anticipation of what the defense as going to do (swat it into the cheap seats). But, he seems to have adjusted and is now shooting with confidence. Hopefully, as he continues to gain confidence, we'll continue to see why he was considered the best big man outside of the NBA.

Seriously, I still think solid back-up is his upside and I'l be happy with that.

BNM