Post by Pacer Pride on Dec 20, 2005 15:02:41 GMT -7
Q. I’m writing this from New Zealand (a country where rugby is the No.1 sport) but, apart from that, I am a big NBA fan and also an even bigger Pacer fan. We have three good centers on roster. Why aren’t we starting with any of them and we have one of the best power forwards in the league playing out of position at center. Could you give me some answers to this please? (From James in New Zealand)
A. Two words: Austin Croshere. The 6-10 veteran has been extremely effective at power forward, meshing very well with Jermaine O'Neal. In 13 starts, Croshere has averaged 9.8 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and, more importantly, the team has gone 10-3. Croshere's perimeter threat helps spread the defense, creating space for O'Neal. Just think back to the last game Croshere missed, last Wednesday night in Boston. Without that one additional shooter on the floor, the Celtics' defense essentially collapsed around O'Neal making life miserable for the entire offense.
The deployment of the traditional centers has been a halting process for a variety of reasons. Jeff Foster missed the first month of the season with a sore Achilles and still is playing his way into shape. With the opportunity for regular playing time in front of him, David Harrison has struggled with some of the same problems that plagued him as a rookie, the biggest being his proclivity for foul trouble. Scot Pollard has been bothered by a sore back for some time and the veteran big man has been generally reserved as a specialist for matchups against behemoths like Shaquille O'Neal.
It's possible, once Foster is up to speed, that Coach Rick Carlisle will return to a more traditional lineup. For time being, however, Croshere has held his own as a rebounder, generated plenty of energy with his hustle and offered a much-needed offensive threat in the absence of Ron Artest. As long as this lineup combination is working, there's little motivation to make a change.
A. Two words: Austin Croshere. The 6-10 veteran has been extremely effective at power forward, meshing very well with Jermaine O'Neal. In 13 starts, Croshere has averaged 9.8 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and, more importantly, the team has gone 10-3. Croshere's perimeter threat helps spread the defense, creating space for O'Neal. Just think back to the last game Croshere missed, last Wednesday night in Boston. Without that one additional shooter on the floor, the Celtics' defense essentially collapsed around O'Neal making life miserable for the entire offense.
The deployment of the traditional centers has been a halting process for a variety of reasons. Jeff Foster missed the first month of the season with a sore Achilles and still is playing his way into shape. With the opportunity for regular playing time in front of him, David Harrison has struggled with some of the same problems that plagued him as a rookie, the biggest being his proclivity for foul trouble. Scot Pollard has been bothered by a sore back for some time and the veteran big man has been generally reserved as a specialist for matchups against behemoths like Shaquille O'Neal.
It's possible, once Foster is up to speed, that Coach Rick Carlisle will return to a more traditional lineup. For time being, however, Croshere has held his own as a rebounder, generated plenty of energy with his hustle and offered a much-needed offensive threat in the absence of Ron Artest. As long as this lineup combination is working, there's little motivation to make a change.