Z not thrilled over bench time - Finnan

[kidduck]

Z not thrilled over bench time

Published: Wednesday, April 28, 2010


By Bob Finnan

RFinnan@News-Herald.com

Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas doesn't appear to be thrilled with his lack of playing time in the first-round series.

"What are you going to do?" Ilgauskas said. "You have to stay ready. It will be different matchups ahead of us with different teams.

"When your time comes, hopefully you can produce and you can help the team."

Forward J.J. Hickson has moved ahead of Ilgauskas in Coach Mike Brown's rotation.

"It was good to see J.J. out on the floor and moving around," Brown said. "He was able to score. There was a lot he brings to the table."

The 7-foot-3 Ilgauskas will come in handy in subsequent rounds against teams such as Boston or Orlando.

He was heading toward a DNP-CD in Game 4 in Chicago, but the game turned into a blowout. He entered with 3 minutes, 26 seconds to play.

Ilgauskas, 34, said he wasn't thrilled going into the game that late.

"I was stiff as hell," he said. "Coach asked me to go in.

"We didn't want any of the starters to get hurt. I lollygagged through the last three minutes."

Ilgauskas averaged 8.5 minutes in the first four games of the series. He averaged 1.3 points and 2.0 rebounds.

Link: http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2010/04/28/sports/nh2427199.txt

 

[The Oi]

Love Z but don't miss him on the floor at all.

 

[hud11]

z needs to shut up and stop being so mopey. realize who you are at this stage, and if you don't play better you don't desever more court time.

he should only be on the court against the celtics when shaq is in foul trouble and Perkins is on the floor. JJ needs time, he owned the celtics with lobs a couple months back.

 

[TheISHT]

Z will play against 4 or 5 guys.

1. KG
2. Kendrick Perkins
3, Dwight Howard
4. Bynum
5. Gasol

If those guy's aren't on the floor Z shouldn't be either. Z has lost his post-up ability so if the player is smaller than him he doesn't take advantage. His time will come. Hopefully Hickson can see a few minutes a game as well.

 

[Green Lantern]

He'll get time in the Old-Man series coming up..

 

[kidduck]

So if Z and Shaq are unhappy, who is the Cavs center next year?

 

[Cavatt]

There are so few true centers left. The problem is that you need a real center to deal with them. It means you need guys like Z, but you don't need them against every team. I can see him being productive against the Celtics. We could use his defense on the 2nd unit.

Surely he has to realize that Shaq needs more minutes right now. Z got a lot of burn when he returned, Shaq needs the same thing.

 

[udilicious42584]

I'd rather see Powe get some burn against his old team rather than Z. Atleast you would see some hustle and intensity with that man.

When Z gets inserted into a game, I feel like I accidentally hit the slow motion button on my DVR.

 

[SanduskyCav]

You are washed up Z. What do washed up slow players do? They sit on the bench.

 

[wuck]

It would be a lot worse if the article's title was "Z thrilled to sit on bench." :chuckles:

Z's comments were actually not as bad as the title of the article made it sound. And every player who's sitting more now (Gibson, Powe, etc.) should feel the same way. I don't think Z offered any extra griping, other than his minor comments about playing in garbage time in Game 4. I don't know if there was really much of an article to be had from those comments alone.








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[MattyJames]

I think Z has handled himself pretty well considering the shit he has been through these past few months. It's hard for older athletes to let go of their pride. hell, It's hard for any man to let go of as they get older let alone professional athletes. I am and always will be a huge Z fan.

 

[Triumph36]

So if Z and Shaq are unhappy, who is the Cavs center next year?

 

[Backstage]

Things that are thrilling: sitting on roller coasters. Things that aren't: sitting anywhere else. The article's title is just stating the obvious.

Things that are also thrilling: wearing a brand new 2010 championship ring.

 

[PIP]

No need to voice the displeasure, that's not a team player...

Z is having his best playoff series by far...He needs to realize that....

 

[cschneider27]

Z needs to realize two things:

1) He will play in the senior citizens series coming up
2) We brought him back for sentimental value when we bring home the 'ship