How many players do you know that can average 18.5 points, 10 rebounds, 2.5 blocks at an unnatural position at age 19? Griffin is yet to play a lick at small forward, this year, and in college. He's been a 4/5 his whole career. Griffin has played effectively at center. I'd like to keep him at the PF, but if he grows an inch, and puts on more muscle, he can be a center. Griffin happens to have a very nice turnaround, that only recently he's been able to use in games. He has more post skills than Jermaine O'Neal at a similar age. Same with KG. You mention the Memphis game, a game in which he shot 0-5, including 0-3 from 3 point land, and played all of 15 minutes? That's your basis to move Griffin to the 3? Griffin's ball handling skills are inadequate for a 4, and would be downright terrible as a 3.
If I'm not mistaken, injuries are the main reason griffin plays the 4 now. And as far as the stats, none are really out of the norm but maybe the rebounds for a small forward. I would argue, however, that on the rockets even an average rebounder would get 10 when you consider that our best rebounders in the last two years has been our guards. Also, the best shot blocks on a team are usually the center and small forward not the power foward, which I assume you feel is his natural position. Still, I do concede the fact that griffin could end up as a power forward. Yet, it won't be because of his poor ball handling skills, for how much ball handling has rudy's small forwards done over the years - not much.
Austin Camp Day 3 "so make no mistake, Rudy has no visions of Griffin as a wing. " -Clutch Interview with Eddie Griffin "DH: So are you gonna spend most your time at the 3 then? Griffin: No. At the 4. " I'll say it again, Griffin has not logged a single minute at the 3 slot, be it in college, Rocky Mountain Review, preseason, or regular season. Usually, the power forward is a better shotblocker than the small forward. There's really 3 shotblocking small forwards in this league, Tracy McGrady, Donyell Marshall and Shawn Marion. They get most of their shot blocks because they're extremely explosive on the perimeter, and have good height/length advantages. Most of Eddie's shot blocks have come inside, either helping, or on his own man. Eddie has the ability to change every shot that tries to come into the paint, and does that well. Eddie is a well above average rebounder. If an average rebounder could get 10 a game, are Kevin Willis and Kenny Thomas below average?
Kevin Willis is old. Kenny Thomas is a below average rebounder. And as a matter of fact, let me remind you that griffin is nowhere nearthose stats you've throw out there. Not even. You seem to think it's a given, but those are garnett stats not griffin. I also disagree that power forwards are the better shot blockers. The modern power forward in my mind are asked to be the rebound specialist and the small forward the shot blocking specialist. The center is asked to do both well. That's what you look for. So, I guess what I was saying is that small forwards are more often asked to be the weak side blocker while the power forward plays straight up defense. Now, I'm aware there are exception but that's the typical. Your stats, then, are not typical of either a power foward - who actually plays power foward - none except the garnetts of the world get those numbers or small forwards; they roam on defense thus grab less rebounds.
As far as Griffin playing center, I posted this in an earlier thread. Ok, I don't really understand this necessity for Griffin to grow to 6'11 or up to play center. Is there some kind of rule saying that you cannot play center unless you're at least 6'11? fact - Griffin has some very long arms, which should easily make up for any deficiencies in height. fact - Griffin is athletic and can jump, also making up part of any deficiencies in height. fact - Griffin is already one of the top shotblockers in this league (ranks 20th in shotblocks per 48 minutes, and 8th among rookies in shotblocks per 48 minutes), and is still improving in that area. fact - Griffin can already board well. fact - Griffin will probably grow anyway, but at 6'10, his height is good enough for center. He's doing all this at 19 years of age, weighing only 220, 225 pounds. I agree that he does have to put on some muscle, but he does not have to grow to 6'11 or 7'0 in order to be a great center. Everybody has to put on muscle when they come in the league (especially 19 year olds), so I don't think it would be too difficult at all for him to become a center. <b>"As long as Duncan and Shaq are in the West, we must have a true C. "</b> If u dont recall, Griffin actually defended Duncan quite nicely when they met a few times. He blocked him a few times and generally made him work much harder. As far as Shaq, how is a "true center" going to help the situation? Willis is a true center yet he still gets pushed around by Shaq. The best thing against Shaq IS someone like Griffin b/c he has legitimate 3 point range (unlike Collier) to pull Shaq out. Griffin can also run the floor much better than Shaq, hopefully making shaq work harder. <b>A center is generally more physical than a PF. I don't think height plays a role of being a C, as much as being physical. </b> First off, who says taht Griffin cant be physical? He might not look like it now, but that's prolly cuz he's 19 and skinny, so he gets pushed around. SEcondly, I don't really care how physical a center is as long as he BLOCKS THE HELL OUTTA people just like Grififn does. We're talkin about a guy that can average 4 blocks a game in the near future here (not to mention board like crazy) & he can't play center?
Then let the Garnett comparisons begin. The numbers I gave you are Griffin's numbers as a starter. Don't believe me? NBA.com Profile As a starter- 5 games, 18.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, 48.0% FG%, 42.9% 3P%. All as a PF. Not coincidentally, the past 6 games are the first 6 games he's gotten 30+ minutes. The one game he didn't start, vs. GS, was a 2 point, 13 rebound, 5 block performance- that'd only raise the rebound and shot block averages, though lower the ppg to 15.8. As for the SF vs. PF shotblocking argument, let's take the shotblockers that average over 1 per game, as per nba.com These are the strictly SF shotblockers that average over 1 per game Andrei Kirilenko, #16 1.84 Shawn Marion, #28 1.35 Eddie Jones, #29 1.29 Paul Pierce, #30 1.28 Donyell Marshall, #34 1.17 These are the combo forward shotblockers, that can fall as either SFs or PFs Darius Miles, #24 1.48 (I'd lean SF) Bo Outlaw, #31 1.25 (more PF) Shareef Abdur-Rahim, #33 1.21 (almost strictly PF, but does play some SF) Robert Horry, #37 1.11 (more PF now) Now for the PFs Tim Duncan, #4 2.89 Pau Gasol, #10 2.10 Kenyon Martin, #15 1.93 Kevin Garnett, #17 1.83 Elton Brand, #20 1.69 Samaki Walker, #21 1.67 Eddie Griffin, #27 1.38 Rasheed Wallace, #32 1.25 Scot Pollard, #40 1.09 Those are the pure PFs. The list would extend a lot longer, if you consider the PFs playing center, or splitting time there: Ben Wallace (1), Raef Lafrentz (2), Jermaine O'Neal (7), Keon Clark (9), Elden Campbell, Chris Mihm, Aaron Williams, Dale Davis, Tony Battie, and Clifford Robinson Also consider that the list is missing two PF shot blockers, Antonio McDyess, and Chris Webber. Point is, the prolific shot blockers are usually the PF and or the C. Griffin has always been a prolific shot blocker in his career. In college he averaged near 4.5 a game, as a freshman. There are SF shotblockers, many of the newer mold, but Eddie doesn't fit their prototype. He's taller, and longer, and is an intimidating force. Guys like Marion and Kirilenko get their shot blocks from out of nowhere as weakside guys, and having great hops and quickness. T-Mo is this type of shotblocker. Griffin is not. You know he's there, and alters shots. Griffin's shotblocking prowess is more similar to McDyess than to Marion.
I think everyone has valid points and no one particular person is that wrong or that right, I'm just giving my insight just like everyone else. Don Nelson is a great reglar season coach that on most occasions can get out of the first round, but i can't think of the last time or if he's ever been to the conf finals. Yes he will play Dirk at center, but Dirk handles like a 2 guard and shoots like one too. Thats fine and dandy in the first round, but you saw what happened last year in the second round and the same will probably happen this year. You can always make arguments about playing center, but the fact is, Shaq has most of these guys scared to play it. I look at old Zo, and he was a classic example of a guy wanting to play center although he wasn't the tallest of centers. I can look throughout the league at guys who could and should be playing the pivot, but all they can think about is playing Shaq. David Robinson for years played the pivot at a poultry 235lbs , but instead of crying about playing against Shaq, earlier in his career, he used his speed and quickness to get by him. A number of guys could do that, but instead they make excuses as to why they don't want to play the spot. The question becomes then, can Eddie with growth and muscle be our center? Yes he probably could, but the point will be, if he's already playing 25ft from the basket, is that really where you want him to be. Remember with the zone, you have to leave the paint, but you don't have to be at the 3 pt line. Ideally for us to become a serious threat i would like for us to do as the Bucks, Mavs, to offset what is basically the road to any title. If we can have a 1,2,3,4 and a couple of players on the bench, you can maybe offset the 60+ Kobe and Shaq is going to put on you. Basically exposing the other players, like the Bucks did last year, and you have a chance. If you think shooting long jumpers while they punish you at the free throw line is going to win, then you have another thing coming.
