"It's a good time to be a Cavalier" (Anthony Parker Articles)

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NBA At 2: Parker Embraces Challenge

By: Bill Ingram Last Updated: 10/20/09 12:43 PM ET | 115 times read

"It's a good time to be a Cavalier," Cleveland newcomer Anthony Parker tells HOOPSWORLD. "They had a good year last year and they certainly have taken some steps forward to try to make it a better year this year. We all know what the goal is, and it's definitely a good situation for me to be in."

Playing with LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal on a championship-caliber team is the culmination of a dream for Parker, who thought his NBA career was over after he bounced around the league for three seasons and then headed to Europe. He spent five seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he led them to numerous championships and earned multiple individual honors for his accomplishments on the court. He also garnered the attention of Toronto Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo, who would sign him as a free agent prior to the 2006-07 season.

"I have to say that my experience in Europe was great and I wouldn't trade it for anything," says Parker. "When I was in Europe, the NBA was something I didn't put a priority on. If a good situation came along, I'd go, but I was happy with my situation in Europe. I was playing at a high level. I'd experienced the NBA, and if you're in the wrong situation, not playing, it's tough to deal with. You want to play, to be able to part of a team, to help a team out on the court. I put more of an emphasis on that later in my career. When the Toronto situation came up it was right for me. It came at a good time and it felt comfortable making that jump back to the NBA."

At the end of last season Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown told management he needed more depth on the wings, and Parker was one of the first free agents the Cavs targeted. Parker understands what's at stake, and embraces the challenge of winning a championship in the NBA.

"It's humbling. A couple of years ago I was overseas playing and now I'm playing for a championship, so to have this opportunity is truly a blessing. It's a lot easier to get excited about the upcoming season, knowing what we're all playing for."

In moving from Toronto to Cleveland, Parker will go from playing with one of the league's up-and-coming big men to playing with the larger-than-life Shaquille O'Neal.

"Playing with Shaq is a completely different thing," says Parker. "I think Shaq is the most dominant player to ever play the game. The referees always talk about how hard it is to officiate him, and how it's different from any other player. Chris Bosh is definitely up and coming; he's still young. He's one of the top players in the league and I'll be excited to see where his career goes from here, even though I won't be his teammate any more."

As for LeBron, Parker's just glad he won't have to guard him any more.

"It's great because I don't have to guard him," Parker says, laughing. "That's one thing. He's just a great player, and like all great players he demands a lot of attention and makes it easier for everybody else. He's makes everybody's job easier, and my job on the offensive end is basically just be ready to shoot. Guys like him, Shaq, and Mo Williams are going to get you open. That makes it a lot easier to do what I do."

Of course, they don't hang championship banners in October, and the Cavaliers will have plenty of competition before they can pop champagne bottles. Parker is just one of several new faces on the squad, but he feels confident that things will come together by the start of the regular season.

"The biggest adjustment for me has been on the defensive end because defensive principles vary from team to team. I have three years of being in one system in my head, and then I'm trying to make that adjustment to what we do here. That's what preseason's all about, and I feel that after preseason I should be ready."

Playing limited minutes Parker is averaging 7.5 points per game and shooting 53% from the field. He's going to make the team with the league's best record a year ago that much tougher.

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Re: "It's a good time to be a Cavalier" (Anthony Parker, Hoopsworld)

Anthony Parker is perfect for our team, and is a quality person. He makes the whole Delonte situation a little easier to stomach. He is doing a great job so far keeping this team on track.

 

[wuck]

Re: "It's a good time to be a Cavalier" (Anthony Parker, Hoopsworld)

Another Parker profile:

Cavs' Parker in great position
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer

POSTED: 06:04 p.m. EDT, Oct 25, 2009

INDEPENDENCE: Anthony Parker likes the position he's in right now with the Cavaliers — right between LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal.

The 6-foot-6 forward, who was acquired during the free-agency period this summer, stands to benefit greatly from playing alongside the two as he assumes the starting job as the Cavs' shooting guard.

''They get most of the attention. They make it easier for guys like myself offensively,'' Parker said.

And Parker has taken the opportunity to show what he can do offensively on a few occasions during the preseason. A couple of times, he has moved off O'Neal screens to make a quick jump shot with little difficulty. It's not something that the Cavs did with consistency.

But as smooth as he can be offensively, one of the reasons General Manager Danny Ferry signed Parker was to shore up the team's perimeter defense after the Cavaliers' loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, courtesy of sharp shooting by the Orlando Magic. The fact that Parker averaged 10.7 points per game for the Toronto Raptors is a bonus. He's still picking up coach Mike Brown's complicated defense, but he said his adjustment is progressing.

''It's just a different defensive scheme usually from team to team and you have to get used to that,'' he said.

However, he has taken the chance to flash some of his defensive skills. During a preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks, Parker showed how wily and athletic he can be. He was locked man-to-man with a Mavs player moving without the ball, laid off on him ever so slightly and when a pass was attempted by the Mavs, Parker reached out and got it and found Anderson Varejao for an easy basket.

''It's something you have to have the desire to do,'' Parker said of playing defense.

However, he didn't always have the desire to do it.

''I wasn't a defensive-minded player and it started for me in college. It really makes it easier on yourself if you do your work early and do what you're supposed to do,'' he said. ''Defense is something if you shortcut, you're going to get burned. You may as well get into the habit of doing everything the right way every time. Honestly, it makes it easy in the long run.''

By no means, however, does he believe that he's completely immersed in the Cavs' defensive schemes.

''There are a couple of things that are instinctive that I still do from Toronto that I have to get used to doing here until it becomes instinctive,'' he said.

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