Samphin
Dolphins Homer
VJ1252 said:You waay overrate the Lakers role players. Derek Fishers playmaking ability??? Are you talking about passing it to Shaq or when you give it to Kobe and get out of the way? Jason Kidd has playmaking ability, Fisher is just a point guard who has a decent(not great) outside shot, cant play D, and knows to give the ball to shaq. Robert Horry is known for making clutch shots but the fact is he missed some too like 2 years ago against SA. And last year with the Spurs he had a terrible 3PT % in the playoffs. Who was the lakers backup center? Slave Medvedenko?:roflmao:
Medevedenko is more proven than Wang. Fisher is a GREAT three point shooter and a guy you want on the floor late in games when a big shot is needed ( See: SA series ) His D lacked some but he was a master at taking charges and creating turnovers. He played more like a SG than a PG because Kobe generally made the intial drive and dish ( or sometimes shot) While Fisher sat outside and took set shots, and made them.
Horry was unique because of his ability to "flip the switch" in the playoffs. He played good defense and again, provided a bunch of intangibles. But ocme playoff time, he knew he had to step his game up even more and made countless clutch shots for L.A. When he quit doing that, they let him go. Fox was a tenacious defender who would get steals, poke balls lose, make whoever he was defending make mistakes. They often times would end up traveling or throwing the ball away. He also had big shot ability, although his were overshadowed by the likes of Horry, Fisher and Kobe.
The main point you are missing is this. Both Fox and Horry came form situations where they were more of a focla point in the offense. Perhaps not the MAIN point, but they had a bigger role in scoring (especially Fox in Boston), when they came here, they had to sacrifice their scoring and alter their game to accomodate the big man. They settled into their roles and did an outstanding job in those roles, without constant whining.
Eddie Jones is a scorer, he likes to shoot and defend. Wade is going to be a scorer. SHAQ is now your main scorer. I believe Wade will benefit in the short term having Shaq around. Eddie and the others? It is going to be tough to really say. They will have to alter their games somewhat, learn to play without the ball and get used to not having a shot for perhaps an entire quarter as the ball keeps going into Shaq. Then, after a lot of standing around, they might be put in a spot where they need to hit a game tieing three while haivng not shot in minutes or quarters. Do you think they can do that? It is a lot harder than you think. That is what made the Laker role players so good. The ability to step up and bang it home while haivng limited shots.
Some palyers when they don't get shots, disappear in the game, don't play defense and take themselves out of the game mentally. Shaq is one of those players. I hope your role players aren't. I think Jones will be fine, but your other guys I don't know enough about to say that.