Q12543 wrote:Brooklyn_Wolves wrote:longstrangetrip wrote:I should probably defer to Mikkeman when it comes to Euro FIBA basketball, but I didn't really see a physical team until I saw Lithuania today. Raduljica was able to overpower every front line he faced and Bjelica seemed comfortable going inside too, but not tonight against Lithuania's bigs. Bjelica was largely invisible for most of the game, seemingly content to just hang around the 3-point line. I think it was a little bit of a reality check for Bjelica bandwagon jumpers like myself who perhaps got a little overheated about Nemanja's prospects. I still like him as a shooter and facilitator, but it looks like he might be overmatched inside in the NBA...looks like he is what some of us originally thought he was. Regardless, he can be a valuable addition emphasizing the things he does well, but I don't know that I see him as our future starting PF.
Fiba games seem to have less spacing due to shorter 3pt arc. Also I don't remember a single defensive 3 second call in the games I saw. It can be really clogged there. It's more of a shooter's game. So I don't think that you can have a good indication of how Bjelica will be able to penetrate in the NBA.
Good points. LST also has a little bit of Lipoli in him, in that he tends to make summary judgements based on a one-game outcome......but then may change positions again after the next game.
By the way, that's not necessarily a criticism of Lip or LST, it's more of an observation of fan behavior in general during or just after a game, especially in Lip's case. who is often there in person. Once the dust settles and we have a chance to review things in totality, logic tends to prevail.
My hope for Bjelica is that we have a smart, competent backup PF and spot starter that won't hurt us while on the floor and may at times be a catalyst with the right matchups. A rich man's Robbie Hummel is what I'm hoping for.
Unless I'm not understanding Brooklyn Wolves' points (welcome to the board by the way!) I think he may have misunderstood my point. I agree that the shorter 3-point arc and lack of defensive 3-second calls would tend to clog the lane and make it more difficult to operate in there, but how do you then explain the way Raduljica was able to dominate inside most of the tournament? He's a guy who was a laughing stock with the Wolves this year, but until today's game, he looked like Shaquille O'Neal during the FIBA tournament. I don't believe Raduljica suddenly learned to play basketball, so I attribute his success in the previous games to the relative lack of inside defensive presence in the European game. The Lithuanian team is not as physical as any NBA team, but they seemed much longer and more physical than any FIBA team I had seen previously. And lo and behold, Raduljica was ineffective and Bjelica stayed out around the arc and didn't rebound. I admit I'm making an assertion based on one game, or more accurately based on the difference between today's game and all the previous FIBA games I watched. But Bjelica's inability to be effective inside today either scoring or rebounding made me believe that he will struggle inside in the NBA. Where is my analysis off base here?
Q, my hope is that Bjelica proves to be a rich man's Hummel also...something about him reminds me of Robbie, although more skilled with the ball. But I don't think we should expect him to rebound as effectively as Hummel did, or to be as physical on defense (Robbie was in the upper quartile in the league in taking charges after all).
