I'm thinking Karl just pissed Sam off a bit even though it may have been unintentional. Cassell sounds kind of selfish in this interview : Obtained from Jonathan Feigen's article for the Houston Chronicle : http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/907979 ------------------------- Pass tense -- It should come as no surprise that George Karl stirred up trouble by ripping a player in the middle of the playoff run. But he also artfully diffused Sam Cassell's hurt feelings. Karl merely pointed out something that has been clear since Cassell was a Rockets rookie. Cassell rarely passes in the half court. With Cassell in his best season and the Bucks a serious NBA Finals contender, Karl suggested Monday that Cassell should pass the ball more. Karl said that he would "like to see Sam have a 12-assist game along the way. That would be the best game we could play. If Sam could get 15 (points) and 12 (assists), you'll see an offensive flow that would be very difficult to handle." Cassell said he wouldn't change his style and that if Karl wanted to see more passes, he should suit up himself. So Karl did. Karl showed up at the morning shootaround wearing a No. 21 Bucks jersey. "Sam told me to put on a uniform, so I put on a uniform," Karl said. "I told him I would play him one-on-one, but he wouldn't do it." Cassell said he declined to take on Karl for practical reasons. "If I played George one-on-one, I wouldn't be playing tonight," Cassell said. Asked how Karl looked in his jersey, Cassell responded, "Fat. Huge. Humongous." "Tell George to put the uniform on," Cassell said Monday. "I'm going to do what I have to do to make this team successful. George is George. Whatever he expects, he can expect. I'm going to be me all day. This team needs me to score points. I have to score for us to be successful. This team needs me to score and be aggressive, and I'm going to do that. I'm not going to go out there to get 15 assists to satisfy George Karl." ------------------ NBA Draft Lottery is May 20th. Start praying now. [This message has been edited by Dr of Dunk (edited May 15, 2001).]
Sam Cassell fan should be here any minute now proclaiming "Sam is better then Marbury...." Why would Sam not want to get 15 assists ? ------------------ "norm, would you like to buy an indian scalp ? This deal isn't gonna make or break me Norm, so don't jerk me around." Harry Carey "Norm, if I had a mohawk scalp, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you." [This message has been edited by gr8-1 (edited May 15, 2001).]
I've heard the same request (Cassell to pass more) from Karl after game 2 against the Hornets. At the time, the Bucks were winning (leading the series 2-0). The radio comentator asked, why did Karl say such a stupid thing and risk hurting Cassell's ego. If nothing is broken, don't fix it. In a way I kind of agree with what the radio guy said. I don't know if the last 2 losses were related to this incident or not, but I think there are issues btw Karl & Cassell and that they won't end there, especially if Hornets win the series. DoD, you are right, Cassell seems to be too selfish in this article.
I guess you're calling me out, oh great one. Yeah, "I'm going to do what I have to do to make this team successful." That sounds very selfish. The point is, Sam is not a 15 and 12 type point guard (and who is, except maybe Jason Kidd?). He is an 18-8 point guard whose role has been both passing and scoring. Take away his agressiveness and make Sam a set-it-up point guard, and you've lost. ET is also right in saying that he shouldn't get 15 assists just to satisfy someone - the numbers don't mean anything. Its doing whatever it takes to get the W. Sam has had a poor postseason, especially shooting, due partially to his injury. I think he and Karl will be copacetic once he finds his shot again, which in turn will set up the rest of his game. ------------------ We used to laugh at Grandpa when he'd head off and go fishing. But we wouldn't be laughing that evening when he'd come back with some w**** he picked up in town.
If a point guard needs his shot to set up the rest of his game, he is playing the wrong position. Can you say Iverson? ------------------ "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."- (Aldous Huxley)
Can you say Steve Francis? ------------------ We used to laugh at Grandpa when he'd head off and go fishing. But we wouldn't be laughing that evening when he'd come back with some w**** he picked up in town.
My biggest problem with the whole thing is him basically telling the coach he'll do what he thinks his team needs and not necessarily what the coach says. I don't care if he's a true point guard, a hybrid, or a mutant. The fact he's publically saying the coach can ask whatever he wants to ask, but he's going to whatever he thinks is best for the team instead. Also, SamCassell, according to the quote, Karl seemed to just request a 15 point 12 assist game and that it would be nice to see out of Sam. He didn't mention averaging 12 assists; especially not for a season muchless the playoffs. ------------------ NBA Draft Lottery is May 20th. Start praying now.
You're right, Doc. Best case scenario is for the player to say "Whatever the coach wants, I'll do it. Tell me to jump, and I'll ask how high." Sam didn't do that, but his statements to me still don't come off as selfish. He said he is doing what he thinks he needs to do to win, not just making sure he "gets his." It is also questionable for a coach to call out his player to the media during the middle of the playoffs. What does Karl want to accomplish by that? Couldn't those things have been better communicated behind closed doors? That would have been best case scenario, too. ------------------ We used to laugh at Grandpa when he'd head off and go fishing. But we wouldn't be laughing that evening when he'd come back with some w**** he picked up in town.
Sam will lead the Bucks past the Hornets and the winner of the Sixers/Raptors series. Bank on it! ------------------
1) Steve Francis does look to assist. Sometimes more than he should. You never hear any coach telling Sam to shoot more. 2) Sam is not the coach. He doesn't know what's best for the team. ------------------
Sam does have 2 rings, while Karl has ZERO... I'm not a big Sam fan... I do think he can be selfish, but I don't think his comments in the article are reasons to think he is selfish... Bucks might have been better suited having him on the bench than starting with his bruised ribs... The 15 ft jumpers he drains consistently were missed tonight... Something is wrong with Sam... ------------------ "Awesome baby!" Dick Vitale
The guy is hurting. I don't think the comments from the coach were fair at this point. 15 and 12 when hurt. That's a bit much to ask. ------------------ humble, but hungry.
George Karl is also a successful COACH and Sam Cassell isn't. Just because you have a ring doesn't mean you know what you're doing. Does that give free reigns to Dennis Rodman, or Jack Haley, or Carl Herrara, or Scottie Burrell? While it might be questionable for a coach to call out a player, it is questionable for a PG to say he doesn't want to dish out 15 assist, and to need to look for his shot to get his game going. That's something a shooter does. Cassell job should be to try and get his teammates into the game FIRST, and THEN look for his shot. And Steve Francis doesn't look for his shot to get going, Francis looks to get his teammates into the game, sometimes to the point where he over does it and people want him to shoot. ------------------ See the three, be the three.
Rudy doesn't tell Steve to pass more because he doesn't tell anyone to pass more. He encourages all of his players to shoot the ball, especially his stars. Rudy never told Sam he needed to pass more when he was a Rocket, either - he let Sam be Sam. And the misguided notion that a point guard should always look to set up his teammates first went the way of the dinosaur and John Stockton. When was the last time a traditional PG won the NBA Championship? ------------------ We used to laugh at Grandpa when he'd head off and go fishing. But we wouldn't be laughing that evening when he'd come back with some w**** he picked up in town. [This message has been edited by SamCassell (edited May 16, 2001).]
Rudy doesn't tell Steve to pass more because he doesn't tell anyone to pass more. He encourages all of his players to shoot the ball, especially his stars. Rudy never told Sam he needed to pass more when he was a Rocket, either - he let Sam be Sam. You're kidding me, right?! Why do you think Sam is not here right now? Rudy didn't let Sam be Sam. Sam was Sam regardless of what Rudy told him to do. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Cassell fan, but he was prone to shoot first and think later. Karl was the first coach to actually get through to him to some extent. If youare a PG, then you are responsible for the flow of the offense. It's your job to identify who is hot, who is open, who has a mismatch. If there is an opportunity for you, then you take it. PGs don't need to find their shot to get their games going. Otherwise they would be SGs. ------------------
Because Rudy wanted to trade for Charles Barkley, so he traded every commodity the team had except for Hakeem and Clyde to get the Chuckster. Or do you think it was secretly just about getting rid of malcontents like Sam, Robert, and Chucky Brown? I've already touched on why I think your view of the PG's role is a limited and archaic one. But as for finding his shooting touch, here is why I think it is part of the key to Sam's game: when he's not shooting well, the opposing PG will play looser on D, giving him the outside shot. That prevents the drive, and the drive-and-dish. It also reduces the effectiveness of passing to the interior, because the passing lanes aren't as open as when his man is playing tight D. Also, the Bucks were pretty effective in games 1 and 2, with Glen Robinson and Ray Allen getting the assists in those games and Sammy shooting the ball 16 times both nights. Cassell had 9 assists in game 3, the Bucks worst loss this postseason. ------------------ We used to laugh at Grandpa when he'd head off and go fishing. But we wouldn't be laughing that evening when he'd come back with some w**** he picked up in town.
1999, Avery Johnson ------------------ You can't stick a porcupine in a barn, light it on fire, and expect to get licorice.
I think Rudy asks Steve to shoot more, not pass more. In a way, I think Francis is self-conscious of his low assists numbers, so he passes up a couple of shots per game. I like Sam also, but I think he does have a tendency to hog the ball at times. HE's a good player with what I assume to be good intentions. The Bucks don't really "need" him to score points. With Allen, Glenn, and TT, those guys can be your scorers. ------------------ "norm, would you like to buy an indian scalp ? This deal isn't gonna make or break me Norm, so don't jerk me around." Harry Carey "Norm, if I had a mohawk scalp, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you."
Glen Robinson was not clutch last night. Sam did seem hurt. he'll use his Rockets experience to save the day. go sam! ------------------
