On the MSG broadcast, Clyde was raving about the effortless way that Eddie blocks shots. Clyde compared EG's shot blocking style to Bill Russell, in that Eddie jumps straight up to deflect shots without crouching down like Wilt. Like Russell, EG can camaflouge his blocks to unsuspecting shooters because there's zero wind-up or exaggerated motion -- he just leaps with the ball and swats it away. Marv & Clyde were very impressed. I kind of wish Marv did all of the Rockets games, if only so I could hear "REEEEEEE-JECTED by Griffin!" six times a game.
My favorite thing about Eddies shot blocking is that he does not swat it into the stands or out of bounds he almost always blocks it into play so the Rockets have a chance to recover the ball.
And he is SO fast off his feet, he can afford to wait until the opposing player jumps before Eddie goes up to get it. It results in FAR fewer fouls as a result of being fooled on a head fake (Cato, I am looking in your direction). This kid is amazing, and there is no reason to think that his blocks will start diminishing any time soon, the dude is only 19 years old!!! If he has a long, fruitful career, he might seriously give Dream's record a run.
there is nothing to teach him. what can you say. you don't; you just watch and shake your head. unbelievable grace to avoid all body contact. Rudy said that you don't have to tell him where to be; he'll just figure out on his own how to make the play. The one thing that comes to mind with me (beyond what they said about about his quick, efficient jump) is he darts his arm straight at the point of release (or in the proper trajectory of flight) in the blink of an eye. Like a freaking frog snatching a fly with his tongue. Like crash says, he does not swat. unbelievable. Not only is he showing how to avoid contact and stay down against his man, but his quickness/timing allows him to stay on his man longer than normal before leaving him on help blocks to make the shooter commit first w/o drawing Eddie away for a dish...that is something Cato has no clue how to do. How many times do you see Cato leave his man and that guy get a dish for a slam. The other thing that is amazing is how he has already nearly figured out one trick in Rodman's bag. The way he can keep tipping with repeated jumps faster than others, like he's on a pogo stick. I'd like to see him figure out how to tip the ball with his fingertip fully extended, if he can't make a clean grab. That is the magic of Rodman that no one else learned how to do. He gains an extra 2-3 inches by stabbing at the ball to tip it back up into the air. The only way that can work though is if you can jump again faster than the other players, and tip it again if necessary, until he's made room to finally snatch the ball. And I think he can do that Rodman stabbing tip, pogo stick rebound.
wow interesting analysist crispee, I never even though of that rebounding trick. Cool, I'm going to go try that next time when I play (probably won't work for me though lol).
I used to do that when I played. I was a guard, but I always got double digit rebounds cause you can get inside and tip the ball to yourself. Nice to see that Eddie has that ability, too.
