Getting Better Every Day
Marcus Camby (photo. NBA)While Marcus Camby was busy putting up 12 points, 12 boards and four blocks in the Clippers’ win over the Heat the other day, one of L.A.’s announcers said, “I never knew how good Marcus Camby was until I saw him every day.”
Hearing that, I was reminded of Kurt Thomas. Once upon a time, I knew Thomas as just some guy who put up crazy numbers in college, had a forgettable NBA career, and always looked like he was on the verge of snapping somebody’s neck. My most memorable in-person moment involving Thomas was when he played for the Suns and loudly complained in the Madison Square Garden visitor’s locker room about being given a crappy locker assignment (right by the showers) in the building he used to call home.
It wasn’t until Thomas played a half-season with the Sonics last year that I realized how good he was. He wasn’t putting up TCU numbers, but his screen-setting, rebounding, mid-range jumper-hitting game was one of the few redeemable qualities of a depressing Sonics team. Thomas was like a fullback for Kevin Durant in his rookie campaign, setting impenetrable blocks for KD all over the court and opening up opportunities for him to score … and just when the defense started to forget about Kurt as an option, he’d capitalize on the pick-and-pop and get his own buckets. By the time Thomas was traded to the Spurs mid-season — another glaring signal of Seattle’s intentional tank job — he had become one of my favorite players on the team.
With my new team, the Pacers, every day I’m finding myself liking Marquis Daniels even more. Getting starter’s minutes now that Mike Dunleavy Jr. is hurt, Daniels is averaging 16.1 points and 6.3 boards; his way of getting old-man buckets makes him a cross between a poor man’s Josh Howard and a thuggish-looking Sam Cassell. And as a bonus, ‘Quis even dropped the Jazzercise instructor look he had going last year with the yellow leg warmers.
Whose game did you not appreciate until you saw them play every day?
December 1st, 2008 at 10:05 am
the_don_mega says:
Delonte West…
December 1st, 2008 at 10:16 am
Amar says:
Kyle Korver — I just thought that he was some white-boy shooter type that made shots because of guys defending Iverson and Iggy. (Kinda like how Sasha Vuj just shoots open jumpers all day because the other team is more concerened with Kobe and Gasol) Kyle is a pretty darn good percentage shooter (near Hornacekian really) who can still make shots when defended. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, but he still managed to block 23 shots in 50 games with the Jazz last season.
That’s nearly a block every two games. We’ve all seen that Korver picture of him not even trying to draw the foul — that same guy was blocking people last season at a pretty good rate for a Mike Miller / Kapono type white guy shooting specialist.
I feel bad for people who were blocked by Korver.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:18 am
mojo blojo says:
Al Harrington. Cuttino Mobley.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:21 am
justice says:
Delonte West and Mo Williams for sure
December 1st, 2008 at 11:03 am
doc says:
T-Young and Reese Speights.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:05 am
heckler...formerly 'yallallreadyknow' says:
pacers are your new team?
sad sad sad.
they suck.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:09 am
Mister Sun says:
@ heckler
its not about the record.
so your favorite teams are the lakers and the celtics right?
what a donk
December 1st, 2008 at 11:13 am
heckler...formerly 'yallallreadyknow' says:
i dunno what a donk is.
but for a guy who supported the sonics (since he was from seattle) i understand choosing a new team.
but i dont understand why that would be the pacers. puzzling. it has nothing to do with record; you dousch.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:17 am
Mister Sun says:
donk is something like an idiot, dumbass.
just perfect for you.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:18 am
CitizenB says:
While Thomas was playing for the Heat, the referees called him for a foul, he looked at the referee the way Kurt Thomas looks at someone (kinda like Samuel Jackson in that Black Snake Moan movie) and got T’ed up.
No complaining, cursing, etc. Just a look.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:23 am
heckler...formerly 'yallallreadyknow' says:
@ miss sun
thanks for the vocabulary lesson. you must feel so proud of yourself for knowing the definition of a ‘donk’. good for you my dear friend.
…now fuck off trick
December 1st, 2008 at 11:27 am
Mister Sun says:
vocabulary lesson? you asked me,i answered…
you are almost as funny as you are dumb and ignorant…
December 1st, 2008 at 11:34 am
Austin Burton says:
@heckler — I know the Pacers seem like a random pick, but I have my reasons. (Check out the link in the story.) But they’re also better than their record indicates. In almost all of their games they’ve been ahead at halftime, and in a lot they’ve held a lead in the fourth quarter. They’re just a young team, prone to turnovers, and haven’t learned how to close out a game. And Danny Granger should be an All-Star.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:35 am
MSkittle says:
Derrick Rose
December 1st, 2008 at 11:48 am
Ross says:
Roger Mason, Jr.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:56 am
heckler...formerly 'yallallreadyknow' says:
@ missy sun
haha. you prick. i didnt ask you anything. i said i dunno what a donk is; i aint never ask you to explain it.
nor did i ask you to respond to my initial post.
..but i will ask you to fuck off now. good day bitchboy
December 1st, 2008 at 11:59 am
Damon says:
its so funny how you cry, lmao.
you are a crybaby, dumb, ignorant.
you must be gay.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Mister Sun says:
its so funny how you cry, lmao.
you are a crybaby, dumb, ignorant.
you must be gay.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:58 pm
doc says:
How did the Pacers become your fav team AB?Do u like Bird or something.
December 1st, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Austin Burton says:
@doc — Here’s the story: http://dimemag.com/2008/10/on-second-thought-f-the-grizzlies-nothing-personal/
December 1st, 2008 at 1:21 pm
dapro says:
Derrick Rose even though I knew he was good before signing with the Bulls
Brandon Roy is another cat that amazes me. He isn’t the fastes, tallest, or strongest but he just kills for the Blazers
December 1st, 2008 at 4:37 pm
D-Rock says:
Toni Kukoc….
when he wa son my bucks i never understood why he played. he was just some soft old white guy who made his money from jordan’s coat tails and then i started wathcing every game in what i believe was his 2nd to last season in milwaukee and i truly came to appreciate him for what he was a wiry flashy trashtalker with a big time jumper
December 1st, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Knickhopeful says:
Kurt Thomas. He actually held his own playing sometimes as center for the Knicks. Which is more than what anyone can say for his then teammates and anyone else on the Knicks roster now.
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Bdizzle says:
David West.
Underrated and has one of the best mid range jumpers in the game.