<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Jan 30 2008, 10:29 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jan 30 2008, 10:15 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm not sure how well Boone is playing defense right now. He shoots just 50%, which is terrible for someone who doesn't shoot the ball from more than four feet away. His free throw percentage is a total liability. He doesn't block shots or pass the ball particularly well.
What he is good at is scoring garbage points and hopefully eventually will play good defense. I always felt that he was a good match for the Nets' needs. However, with Kidd on his way out, and possibly carter also, that may no longer be the case. I worry about his future, and his role in the new order.</div>
I think Boone has improved his post defense immensely. He is great at guarding centers.
His help defense is also pretty good. He is closing off lanes and getting to the baseline very consistently.
He is also making less and less glaring errors and communicating much more effectively with his teammates. He used to get completely lost a dozen times a game. Now he's down to a few and it's not always his fault.
I agree with what you say he needs to work on, but I am very optimistic.
He has shown a lot of good instincts and intelligence. He has the desire and ability to learn. I also like his newfound confidence and personality. He is much more relaxed.
I can see him getting to a reasonable percentage at the line and developing a limited but effective arsenal of offensive moves within a year or two.
And for a rebounder as talented as he is, that will make him valuable no matter what kind of team the Nets become.
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I agree 100%, and that's based off the little I got to watch him in December. He looked very comfortable bodying up centers and seemed to make the types of "rookie" mistakes that are just a part of learning NBA defense. He's clearly a hard worker, or else he wouldn't have gotten off the bench at all.
If there's one strong argument to keep Collins (that is, if we're thinking about including him in any of these franchise-busting deals we're about to make), it's that he's an EXCELLENT player-coach for guys like Boone and Swat. You can see it in the way Boone plays defense, and the parts of Sean's game that have improved quickest. As bad as the defense has been, it's been way better than it should be considering we're starting, essentially, two rookie big men.
