Deke in a Box
Dikembe Mutombo (photo. NBA)When Yao Ming bruised his knee in the first half of last night’s Rockets/Pacers game and had to sit out the entire second half, it seemed only natural that Dikembe Mutombo would step in and replace him. But even as the Pacers kept getting into the lane and making a living at the free-throw line (33-for-38 FT’s), Rick Adelman kept Deke on the bench, yet another DNP-CD for the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer.
Since re-signing with the Rockets on Dec. 30, Mutombo has only played once, a four-minute cameo against the Lakers on Jan. 13. But with Yao unavailable this time and the Rockets getting worked over inside while Luis Scola played center, why didn’t Deke play on Friday? From the Associated Press game recap:
Adelman said Yao’s absence hurt because his backup, 7-2 Dikembe Mutombo, didn’t match up well with the Pacers.
“It makes us small,” Adelman said. “They (the Pacers) get to the basket. That’s a tough team to play Dikembe against because they’re so active.”
So if Adelman doesn’t trust Mutombo against up-tempo teams — and the Rockets play in the Western Conference — what was the point of picking him up? I believe Mutombo can still be useful at this stage in his career: Aside from his locker-room leadership, plus a wealth of knowledge and experience, he’s got rebounding instincts, (still) adequate shot-blocking skills, six fouls and sharp elbows that he uses strategically, and he can spell Yao for stretches without Houston’s offense suffering too much (assuming T-Mac is on the court).
But that’s only if Adelman chooses to take his backup center out of the box and use him. Going by the coach’s logic last night, Mutombo wouldn’t be in his plans if the Rockets run across the Jazz, Nuggets, Blazers or Hornets in the postseason.
Everyone loves Dikembe, including me, and everyone wants to see him in the League as long as possible for the sheer entertainment value. But did the Rockets make a mistake in re-signing him? Should they have gone for a younger, more athletic big man, maybe somebody from the D-League? Would Dikembe have been better off signing with another team like the Celtics or Spurs?
Do you think Mutombo can still help the Rockets?
Source: Yahoo! Sports
January 24th, 2009 at 11:08 am
I'm juss sayin says:
Adelman is a joke! The lose looks good on him…Deke should have signed with the celtics…..
January 24th, 2009 at 11:22 am
JCARR says:
An ocassional block here and there thats about it.
January 24th, 2009 at 11:24 am
karizmatic says:
Yeah if they are not going to use him in those situations then I don’t see that they have any intent to use in any way that might help them win basketball games. In that case they should have got a young guy, someone they can develop, and let Mutombo sign with a contender. Maybe Adelman didn’t want Mutombo.
January 24th, 2009 at 11:26 am
fallinup says:
A pretty good lock on HOF first round. One of the best defenders ever. Grade A work ethic, tough as most of the stiffs in the league right now, and his name is Dikembe Friggin Mutumbo.
And the Indiana Pacers are a tough team for him to play against. Because Rick Adelman says so.
Who the fuck is Rick Adelman?
January 24th, 2009 at 11:29 am
floRida_evans says:
Don’t you mean addled man Rick?(Zing)By the way,that has to be the best Dimemag headline ever.Since that other one.
January 24th, 2009 at 11:29 am
the rocket cat says:
Last year, Deke was better (per-minute) than Yao. He can’t play very many minutes at his age, but when he plays, he’s the better player. He doesn’t score as much, but he’s a better defender and better on the boards.
Dikembe never got enough respect. Yao’s a fucking all-star, but Yao in his prime isn’t as good as Deke as a senior citizen. Somehow, though, no one talks about Deke as an all-time great center.
January 24th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
This Guy says:
Deke helped carry this team two years in a row while Yao was hurt, and this is the respect he gets? I have nothing against Adelman but why not give him a chance that he has earned. It would be one thing if they won the game, then you could justify it. But they clearly needed Deke.
rocket cat - dont think he gets the recoginition because he played in an era of great centers (Ewing, Hakeem, Robinson, Shaq) and because he wasn’t flashy. When all is said and done and people look back at his defensive capability and longevity, he will get his due.
January 24th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
BEdger says:
I have to disagree about Deke not being able to play against the Blazers. They play at the SLOWEST PACE in the NBA, if Deke can’t play against them he shouldn’t be playing at all
January 24th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
K Dizzle says:
You would think Deke would at least provide a presence in the paint. Adelman just overthinkin and killin himself
January 24th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Gunner J. Matthews says:
He obviously isn’t what he used to be but if you pick him up and he’s your best post defender (including Yao), you may as well use him.
P.S. Great name to the post, AB!!!!
January 24th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Gerard says:
OK first of all Mutombo’s locker room presence was the main reason why they signed him.
Second of all the Hornets are NOT an uptempo team.
Third of all, as we saw last time the Rockets played the Pacers, Indy’s bigs are the type that draw centers away from the hoop with their perimeter shooting. That means that you need a mobile defender to be able to scramble, which Mutombo is not.
Fourth of all, Danny Granger with the defensive play of the night, and no mention?
January 24th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
haslem says:
amazing title! its my DEKE IN A BOX!
January 24th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
dagwaller says:
There are some seriously disillusioned people in here. We’re talking about a 42 year old man here, folks.
In his prime, Deke was definitely better than Yao is in his prime. That having been said, Deke hasn’t been in his prime for, oh, I don’t know, 6 years? This is like saying that Kurt Thomas should be playing more. I don’t care HOW good they WERE; they’re obviously not that way anymore.
January 24th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
This Guy says:
^^Yes, but Deke was making major contributions just last season. And they signed him to the team for a reason didn’t they?
January 24th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
dagwaller says:
You notice, though, that no one signed Deke til WAY late in the season, right?
BTW, more on the disillusionment front. Last season, Deke appeared in 39 games, amassing a whopping 3 ppg, 5.1 boards per, and 1.2 blocks per. Hardly a major contributor.
Again, I’m not knocking HIM, I’m just saying that people keep expecting players like Deke and Zo to come back NBA Jam style and swat 3 a game while averaging 15 and 15. Players decline. It sucks.
January 24th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Bron42 aka Haters drink my bath water says:
lol dag no one said deke was gonna come back and the rockets would suddenly feel free to trade yao. but deke, even though hes old enough to owe jesus lunch money, is still somewhat of a presence and still smart enough to hold his own. Is he gonna bitch people for 40 minutes? hell no, but if he played 10 minutes a game, could he block a shot now and then or grab a board? ya..and if the rockets didn’t think so, they shouldnt have signed him. Just like u mentioned kurt thomas..or guys like robert horry…their shells of themselves but their smart enought do the lil things if given the time.
January 24th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Mark says:
Where’s the post honoring Kay Yow?
January 24th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
dagwaller says:
Bron, I agree that he should be playing more than he is. I’m mainly looking at posts 6 and 7, saying that he’s better than Yao. I don’t know that he’s better than Scola at this point, depending on the team.
Against the Pacers, Scola would be matched up against Jeff Foster, who at this point in his career isn’t exactly an offensive juggernaut. Furthermore, because the Pacers as a team like to run, wouldn’t putting Deke in there just make things worse?
January 24th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
You’re right, it was a stupid move because they could’ve traded for Sean Williams out of NJ if they aint gonna use Deke.
Maybe Deke should’ve considered his other options better.
January 24th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Bron42 aka Haters drink my bath water says:
ya it would make it worse, but scola isn’t a track star either ya know…and no offense to yao, but even at this point i think deke is a more reliable defender lol And sure scola would of been matched up against foster but its not just about that, scola isn’t a defensive presense…no one is gonna drive the lane and think “better not do this, scola might help off the box and pin me, better bring it back out” thats where even at his old age, deke does something scola and yao don’t do now. he makes people second guess what would be a easy shot. so even if they just put deke in there as a decoy with some size it might have helped.
January 24th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
dagwaller says:
Ha, no doubt that Deke, per 40/48 or however many minutes is probably a better defender. Just gotta use him like Horry - can’t be wasting his legs against the Pacers, I guess. But with Yao, Artest, and T-Mac out, who’s going to score? Certainly not Deke. He’d be out there shambling up and down the court like a dinosaur and I ain’t talkin about no raptors hahaha
January 24th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
GEE...P.T.I. Pardon the Illness says:
Houston Up!
Deke should most def. be on the floor. The whole excitement and purpose from many fans was that Deke was going to be the one to spell Yao and give him valuable minutes to rest or help when Yao was in foul trouble.
I like Rick as a coach but if you got the bodies that can help more than hinder you have to put them on the floor.
For this reason it eerks me more Rick was trying to play to their style more so than making them play to his teams.
Only thing there though with him having to play mix and match almost every night, I don’t think Houston has an offensive style.
Still overall though he needs to put Deke on the floor. Deke most def. will help.
January 24th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
miamiVIS3 says:
You had me rollin once I realized the title
January 24th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Octopus Jonny says:
@ post 15… 5 boards better than a swat per in how many minutes per game? Those are more than decent numbers from your spot backup center. In fact, the bpg is still better than some starting 5’s. Even at 42 I’d rather have Deke as my backup 5 than most others half his age.
January 24th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Cheeeaa says:
Brandon Jennings on Europe
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/24/sports/basketball/24recruit.html
January 24th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
the cynic says:
Is Deke really that much slower then Yao?
January 24th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
dagwaller says:
My point is just that Mutombo isn’t getting any younger, and that he probably would only be effective in short stints. They may be saving him for the playoffs.
January 24th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
doc says:
He put his Deke in Adlemens daughter.
January 24th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Isaiah says:
The signing of deke is more of a playoff signing for that extra depth after yao. I’m hoping they can get a decent back up C for luther head. So it would be yao, back up c, and then deke for some shot blocking.
January 24th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
GoEasy says:
Here’s a beauty for all you guys and gals.
http://break.com/index/double-alley-oop-nba-jam-style.html
January 24th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
AB_40 says:
18 minutes 8 rebounds 2 blocks 4/5 points this is what they can get from him plus a veteran presence on the court
January 25th, 2009 at 12:54 am
tim says:
BRANDON ROY HAD 10 STEALS!!!!!!!!!
January 25th, 2009 at 9:40 am
patrick says:
Deke probably isn’t in shape yet. He is 42 and 8 ft tall. Let him run around for a couple of weeks in practice so he doesn’t break in half trying to turn and run with someone in a game.