Dark'o as Amar'e?

by Seth on Aug 15, 2009 11:33 AM EDT in Miscellaneous

I'm being facetious. A little. Lenn Robbins of the Post had the chance to speak with Donnie Walsh before a New York Statues of Liberty Ladies Basketball Club game last night, and recorded some choice quips from the boss regarding Darko- or should I say Dark'o?- Milicic.

"He was a very skilled player when he was drafted," Walsh said of Milicic before last night's Liberty game, where he was honored as a Rucker Park Pro Legend. "I think the thing that's held him back is he's been thought of as a guy that has to play with his back to the basket. And everywhere he's been, people have tried to do that.

"I don't think that will be the case here," Walsh added. "The way [coach] Mike [D'Antoni] plays, the fact that he's a skilled, fairly athletic, long big man who can run the floor and can dribble the ball, shoot the ball, pass the ball, he might fit into this system better. That's what I'm hoping."

Now, I'd be silly to imply that Darko will be anywhere as meaningful to the Knicks as Amar'e Stoudemire was to D'Antoni's Suns, but he could certainly do his best impression. I can picture him being utilized primarily through the pick-and-roll, with his dual abilities to shoot and finish putting opposing big men in a pickle. That role would set him apart from Eddy Curry, whose back-to-the-basket moves are his calling card. In fact, if David Lee doesn't re-sign (li'l update on that front), I could see Eddy 'n' Darko more as complementary parts than competitors. A Curry/Milicic frontcourt might just be crazy enough to work.* Anyway, there are a lot of variables, but these statements from Walsh only stoke my growing optimism that New York might finally be the launching pad for Darko Milicic. A coach who caters to his skillset might be just the thing for someone whose bust status is now legendary. The tape suggests that Donnie might be on to something:

Mmm.

*Granted, this is coming from the person who once said "a Curry/Randolph frontcourt might just be crazy enough to work", as well as "the Jerome James signing might just be crazy enough to work", and "cooking pizza in the toaster might just be crazy enough to work".

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regarding the question posed at the very end of that video

he probably thinks this:

Posting and Toasting: "Say yo Oak, what's the dish tonight? A couple steaks on the grill and we season it right."

by Seth on Aug 15, 2009 11:39 AM EDT reply actions

not gonna lie

1) this picture got me to watch the video
2) i had to look at this 3 times before i realized where it was from (DMC4).

by latrell chokewell on Aug 15, 2009 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions

i had no idea what it was from

i thought it was from my google search for “flaming demon”

pause

Posting and Toasting: "Say yo Oak, what's the dish tonight? A couple steaks on the grill and we season it right."

by Seth on Aug 15, 2009 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions

The Grizzlies Experience

In Memphis Darko was valuable as a defender and could definitely hit the mid-range jumper as advertised. He has the tools to be better than a rotation player, but he doesn’t really have confidence or great basketball sense, so he tends to be kind of robotic and play much better in half-court sets. Even on that slam you posted you could tell he is sort of uncomfortable with his skills.

Darko would face up a decent amount in Memphis, but, just like with his back to the basket, it was clear that his understanding of the isolation game isn’t very sophisticated. The moves are there, the problem is he doesn’t really string them together well enough to make them effective. For instance he would do a jab-step but couldn’t recover or react fast enough to know if he should take the jumper, use the space to drive, or continue breaking down the defender.

That being said, if anyone can teach Darko style it’s D’Antoni.

Straight Outta Vancouver - The Memphis Grizzlies DO Still Exist

by djturtleface on Aug 15, 2009 12:26 PM EDT reply actions

i bet

darko would catch wreck with a top notch point guard. am i right?

twitter.com/aighttho

by stingy d on Aug 15, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe

He might, but he might also just be kind of shitty at offense. Hard to say, Chauncey is an elite PG; Darko was still young then though.

With a Stocktonesque elite point who is just great in a set offense (what PG’s are like Stockton today?) I could see it, but he really is better in half-court sets where he knows his role and doesn’t have to make any choices. And his hands kind of suck, they’re not Kwame Brown bad, but they’re not good. Also he’s kind of lazy and pouts on the bench, which isn’t great for a run and gun offense. Once he ‘finds himself as a player,’ I see Darko as a version of present-day McDyess with blocks or a better version of Joe Smith.

Either way the Knicks are probably Darko’s last, best hope to become something better than those guys.

Straight Outta Vancouver - The Memphis Grizzlies DO Still Exist

by djturtleface on Aug 15, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions