I think that he will get some PT next game. Flip was on Rome is burning radio version and said the last two games were just bad matchups for Darko to get more PT but he would as season goes on.

He is supposed to get some time earlier than usual next game.

I would like to see him get more involved in the offense. One thing I have noticed is we could really use a valid Center in the lineup. Just don't have that. All the others are PF's really. The opportunity is there for Darko if he takes it.

Trouble is our guards aren't really all that good at feeding the low post. I think Tay and Delfino actually are the best/most willing to do it.

I can't belive I'm going to do this, but...

BBallJay has a point here... God, that hurt.

But seriously... we were basically one big from winning the championship. Now, there are way too many factors to simply say that if Darko would have played enough MPG, he would have been the crucial missing big man in game 7.

But the fact is, if we would have had one more big, to throw in there for the 7 or 8 minutes that LB decided to "go small", we may have came out of those 7 or 8 minutes, with the same lead we went into them with.

Whether that big was Darko or not, the point remains that we needed one more big to play... and why not make that the guy who was drafted 2nd overall?

Alright then. Now I can go back to completely disagreeing with nearly everything that BBallJay says.

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Superstarov you've got the wrong big in mind. If LB would have used Elden effectively it might have made the difference....if you think Darko was ready last year to be thrust into the lineup...I'll put you in the delusional crowd also.

As a general rule stick with your first impulse...just reject anything bballjay says.

i don't know, buddy... to me it seems like you are trying to ignore a completely valid point. Darko could have been MADE ready. it's all speculation, of course, but when critiquing past reality that's all we can do.

some think LB, overall, still had a positive effect on Darko's development. i, however, do not... but that's a seperate debate.

i think the problem is your general rule. i do have a valid point saying darko could have helped us win the championship. just because i said it doesn't mean it's false. i can agree with you though that elden would have also been a suitable candidate to play duncan. the best choice maybe would have been to leave mcdyess in and let him foul out. but elden wasn't the young quick, athletic 7 foot shot blocker that we saw in the preseason darko was. he's similar to sheed in every way a defender that gives duncan plenty of trouble.

but the point is darko could have been ready. we only needed him for 3 minutes in the 3rd period of the nba finals. but lb's refusal to give him any burn during the season might have destroyed that possibility. i still think he could have came in and gave duncan some trouble he didn't suddenly become a shot blocker he could do that last year if lb had put him on the court. he has shown he can be a dominant shot blocker in the summer and in preseason. imagine if lb had gave him 82 games last year to work on that.

bballjay...you know I'm just kidding about that general rule....you are right about the critical period in game seven and the coaching mistake. I think veteran big man Elden was the choice..not young Darko..no matter how he might have been groomed during the season.

Chris McCoskey in today's Detroit News says he thinks both Elden (living in L.A.) and Darvin may be picked up later in the season by contending teams. Elden will be a nice experienced big man for some team....it's a shame he was wasted last year especially after his time in NJ hell.