Hey, nobody out there better mess with PF.com now...between Slippy's fat samurai avatar and Laimbs with Hong Kong Phooey, that's some serious butt-kicking power!

I think that is true in all sports. I think a part of it is a mental thing. Some people can't maintain their level when the lights go on or the pressure builds up.

There are twelve players, actually fifteen, and their is a pecking order. It is okay to step out of line in practice but when the real lights go on it gets more complicated. If a player is going to be more aggressive when the lights are on the other 4 guys on the floor have to accept that especially when the other 4 on the floor could all be all stars and some future HOF guys.

That pecking order thing was pretty aparent last night in the Denver/ Spurs game. When Steve Blake elected to take a shot under pressure, it was like the music stopped. You could just feel that he was the odd man out. He finally hit his first shot of the game with 1 minute left, but he stepped on the 3-point line and then Bob took over.

Anyone here who has played in a pick-up game with players who are much better than you will understand. You just don't feel comfortable jacking up your normal shots until you establish yourself and feel like your teammates want you to shoot them.

__________________
"If I'm sitting there arguing with the officials, I'm giving an alibi for the team." MC

From the same article:
"People ask me all the time, 'Why don't you play like you did in Argentina?' " Delfino said. "I tell them I had the ball in my hands all the time then. Here, we don't need that."
He paused.
"Maybe in the future, but not now."

The article just reinforces my feeling about the major flaw with Flips use/development of rooks. The biggest hurdle our young guys have is not learning to play well, it's learning to deal with limited minutes and limited roles.

Other coaches will play the hot hand, and use the bench to push starters, so the 6th and 7th men can earn more minutes, that will/would never happen under Flip/previous coaches.

Which is why our system favors undertalented/over achievers hungry for any minutes they can get vs guys with talent trying to get more pt. Talented guys get frustrated and move on. Hopefully Carlos gets more pt, and stays. But i have a feeling, he's going to do an Okur.

__________________

I hope that doesn't happen. As of right now there is a definite place for Carlos for many years to come on this team IMO.

I really feel for Flip Saunders though, he's been between a rock and a hard place with this team over the last few years. Developing players comes at the cost of regular season games, and despite what fans claim most of them are unwilling to sit through too many losses while they plan the next parade downtown.

Too many times I've seen the bench come in and turn a double digit lead into a deficit within two minutes time. Meanwhile fans start barking at Flip to put the starters back in, while the starters bark at Flip to be put back in. Each and every time I see this I'm glad I'm not coaching.

Those are the times when the bench players just need 1 or 2 starters mixed in with them. I always thought Webber would be a good choice because of his passing ability.

Our bench has a few too many defensive role players to really be able to gel as 1 unit. Hunter, Delfino, Davis, Nazr.

Wisdom in every word.

Prove it.

First with a definition of "developing", if you don't mind.

You may as well ask me to prove Ice Cream is good, or prove that Jazz is pleasing to the ears.

Eye of the beholder and subjectivity. Couple this with the fact that you can backseat drive every road not taken with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight as your flashlight, and no proof whatsoever will ever change your mind.

I may as well ask you to prove that the current Golden State Warrior squad is the worst defensive team Nellie has ever fielded as a coach, despite ex-players and coaches testimony to the contrary.

It's subjective. Not to mention hardly worth arguing. If you disagree so be it, but if you demand proof for every opinion on this board we will all be left with about 6 posts a piece.

I'm just asking for you to support your assertion. Considering how popular an assertion it is, there should be something all those beholders' eyes are seeing.

And considering that it is the foundation of your argument, it is absolutely worth arguing.