Z's Importance to the Cavs

[MarkPrice25]

As most of you know, I have been a supporter of Z since I've been a part of this board, despite his shortcomings. I understand that there are people out there, both on this board and other places, that think that we are a better team without Z than we are with him. The following is what I observed from center court on Wednesday along with everything that has happened dating back to last year, and there's still only one conclusion: Z is a huge part of this team and his presence on the court is ESSENTIAL if we even want to think about a Championship.


First things first, I was VERY DISAPPOINTED with his Game 1 performance. Even as one of his biggest supporters, I was IRATE when he didn't dunk that ball on the possible 3-point play. He did look lethargic out there and it is concerning.

However, even with that garbage performance and as bad as he was against Washington in the playoffs, HE STILL DREW THE DOUBLE TEAM EVERY TIME HE GOT THE BALL IN THE POST. That's still a weapon.

Everyone here knows I'm not one to make excuses for anybody - even LeBron - and I'm not trying to here. But, this team needs to get Z involved early. If he doesn't get into rhythm early, forget it. Dump it down there on the first possession or two just to get him in the flow.

When did he play the best last season? The answer is when Larry got hurt and we still didn't have Flip. He was GREAT on the West Coast and kept us from getting smeared in every game (I know, we were 1-5, but lost 4 close ones). But, he was the focal point of the offense after LeBron. He's like anybody - offensive success fuels everything else. Arenas got off to a bad start Wednesday and couldn't break out of it. I knew after the first quarter that he wasn't going to do squat. You could tell in his body language.

We need him to get through the East. Period. Forget Chicago, forget opening night, we're gonna run into Miami sometime in May, be it the Semis or the Finals. Z will be the key to beating them. If his jumper's on, Shaq and 'Zo ain't gonna have the answer for him.

Varajao isn't the answer either. He's a nice player, but he's MORE LIMITED than Z. He will be exposed if he plays 30-35 minutes a night. I guarantee that we dump at least a few games this year because he misses free throws down the stretch or commits a dumb foul in the penalty. BTW, does anyone notice when he shoots FTs in crunchtime, he just throws it up there quicker than usual (like he wants to "get it over with" and not "think too much")? He almost didn't hit the rim on the first one Wednesday.

Z needs 12-15 shots a game. He needs to get involved early. It's criminal how he is underused on the offensive end.

Z is limited, but he also possesses a skill set that most centers don't have - and one that at least 25 teams would take in a heartbeat (maybe not at that contract, but you know what I mean).

I know this discussion will turn into a "Z is slow, Z sucks......." but I just believe that Washington is a bad matchup for him and I fully expect him to snap out of it. Now, if another week of poor play follows, I will begin to have serious concerns.

 

[The George]

here comes the army.....I knew they were coming


too early for the Yes Z vs No Z fight

lets play a few and see how he does against someone not named the Wizards

 

[MarkPrice25]

here comes the army.....I knew they were coming


too early for the Yes Z vs No Z fight

lets play a few and see how he does against someone not named the Wizards

I'm not trying to start the Yes Z, No Z fight. I'm just trying to to remind everyone of Z's importance to keep the No Z fight from happening prematurely. Give it a few weeks and we'll see where we are.

BTW, start praying now George........because it's going to take a MIRACLE for That School Up North to win on November 18th. Lloyd Cooper.....er Carr is Tressel's bitch. 5 of 6 in a few weeks. Don't worry, the Rose Bowl is a nice consolation prize. After all, it USED to be the "Grandaddy of 'em all" - just not this year.

 

[Wine and Gold]

What I see is Z is finding more and more 'matchups' to be poor ones. The general consensus is that he isn't a good matchup to the smaller/quicker centers. The problem with that is, that most centers in the NBA are hybrid extensions of the power forward position.

Slow and weak aren't attributes you want possesed in one entity. You can be slow if you have power, you can be weak if you have speed and quickness ....it's hard to overcome slow and weak combo when you are a post player at the NBA level. His length, we have seen, is being negated down low by his lack of strength. Where we've seen Z having trouble finishing given a mismatch one on one with 6'5 Caron Butler in game one...and on numerous other occassions.

Right under the hoop against a man 10 inches shorter, Z is neutralized and can't finish ...that's telling in my mind.

I agree that Z needs to have opportunties to succeed early and get into a rhythm ...he's always been a rhythm player. But, from a coaching aspect, every player on the team likes to get involved early to try and get in the flow early.

The thought process is, you want to establish offensively an inside presence early on. In that vein, you will then look to see what matchup will work best in working to establish that.

It's been mentioned that Washington presents a matchup problem for Z ...that was what was bantered about during the playoffs last year when Brendan Haywood was working against Z. Well, in game one of this season we find him playing the Wizards once again, but, this time it's against a completely different style player in Etan Thomas. Guess what ...the two completely different style players stuffed Z in similar fashion.

Two completely different style players posed poor matchups for Z.

It's not the style of play as much as how they have decided to attack the Z equation offensively and defensively. They've successfully locked into his plethora of physical weaknesses and exploited them on differing levels with two different style players.

That's why I think, with many matchup situations, Drew offers the better option when trying to establish an inside presence offensively. Z does have good post moves and can get his, but, we must also be cognizant of the fact we have another guy on this team who has been under utilized in terms of his offensive potential down low.

As a coach, you look to the players who give you the best chance to succeed given the scenarios present on any given night. Somtimes that WILL be Z ...but, sometimes it will not.

What Z DOES bring to this team is probably our best mid range shooter. And that is where I would look to get him involved on pretty much an every night basis. That is the one attribute that can make this team work best offensively. Forcing the oppositions post players to move out of the block and rspect his 15-18 footer. In doing so, he opens up a number of avenues at which we can then attack a defense ...especially with the added movement we are trying to manufacture with our more enhanced offensive scheme this year.

He's inept being utilzed trying to set adequate picks ...that is one thing I'd like to see him either improved on significantly, or if he's simply not up to the task ...put him a different position in this offense, and try and find him the space to get his mid range shot working. Give him 3-4 nice looks for his shot early on in games so that he finds that rhythm that he has been having trouble trying to get established on his own.

The Wizards simply don't give him any time or space, and Z hasn't had an answer in trying to find that rhythm on his own ...

 

[The George]

Quality stuff as usual....

if we get his minutes down he can still be effective....let him set up shop 14 feet away and bang home jumpers all day and he can help us

 

[cdt]

Except he couldn't buy a jumper after the season ended and just missed a pair from the line..nice job on the boards though..

 

[Jon]

The new offense doesn't seem to feature a dump it in to the middle play, instead it pulls the C away from the hoop to clear it out for the other players to cut in. For better or worse, this is going to get Z some new looks.

 

[PIP]

My favorite built-in excuse this season has been: "Oh don't worry, it's the Wizards, and that's just a bad matchup for Z" It's like he has a nice little get outta jail free card cause it's the Wiz..

In other words; 6-8 Etan Thomas just kills him, so don't worry if he plays poorly.. It is Etan after all... Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...

Actually, it's suppose to be Haywood that abuses him.. Please explain that one...

Bottom line, the man can't get any position anywhere..He travels more than United Airlines, instead of getting in the lane for less than 3 seconds , he pitches a damn tent in that restricted area, he gets the dumbest offensive fouls I've ever seen... He's soft, always was soft, and always will be soft.. We play better without him for the most part, and have proven that in the last 20 games or so going back to last season...

Everything we accomplished in the playoffs was primarily done with this guy on the bench, using up his free 'I'm on the payroll' pass, to watch NBA basketball.. That's all you need to know about his 'importance'

Tim Duncan is one thing, but, when Francisco Elson and some dude named Fabrico Oberto is muscling him outta the paint so he can't establish position, that's taken it much too far...

Since Z already has the built-in excuse against certain teams for why he plays poorly.. Can somebody please inform me of which team he's projected to play well against ? I would like to Tivo that...

 

[natedagg]

who cares if Z plays good/bad? Either way he is a vital piece to the best frontcourt in the league. And by that, I mean starters and reserves. May as well pull for Z too. What, start AV? We could run well, but he fouls too much, and it isn't the fact that fouls restrict his minutes as much as it is it builds our team fouls and we end up sending dudes to the line on a handcheck.
I am just so damn happy with the cavs right now. It's a love fest. I feel like Mr. Burns after he got that treatment to keep him alive: "I bring you peace, I bring you looooove."

 

[Coyote]

here comes the army.....I knew they were coming


too early for the Yes Z vs No Z fight

lets play a few and see how he does against someone not named the Wizards

Yet you're clamoring for a trade in another thread. Awesome.

 

[cav jvl]

We are 2-0! Enjoy, enjoy.

 

[1B4IGO]

When Z was on the floor last night Timmy wasn't able to do anything. Z comes out and we double him and he lights us up along with getting his teammates involved. Z is valuable against teams with more traditional centers and struggles against the newer hybrid centers. The solution is give Z more minutes against the Duncans, Shaqs and KG's and less against the Etan's and Big Ben's and use AV for those matchups.

 

[Dudeurkillingme]

Since Z already has the built-in excuse against certain teams for why he plays poorly.. Can somebody please inform me of which team he's projected to play well against ? I would like to Tivo that...

Any team with a center who looks like this:

 

[The George]

Yet you're clamoring for a trade in another thread. Awesome.

before you post get a clue

someone in another thread said that Z is a tradeable commodity....to which I said that he is NOT a tradeable commodity

no where do I say that we need to trade him

in fact in the thread that you are mentioning I said we need to give Z some time before we get into the Z is dead stuff


get it....good