Phoenix Suns' Goran Dragic Steps Into the Spotlight
by Alex Laugan on Aug 26, 2010 8:35 AM MDT
in Phoenix Suns Commentary
Email
Print
As often happens with role players who have career nights on the big stage – in Goran's case, the 2009-2010 playoffs – national expectations for the next season tend to venture beyond realism.
Such is the case with the Suns’ young point guard Goran Dragic, entering his third year in the NBA as the backup to All-Star Steve Nash.
Once Goran scored 23 points in the fourth quarter of Game 3 against the previously-unbeatable Spurs, his national light began to burn. Follow that up with great second-half performances in Games 4 and 6 of the Conference Finals against the Lakers – including the infamous standoff against Sasha Vujacic – and you’ve got yourself a national darling.
A big enough darling that, when the Celtics’ Rajon Rondo embarassed an opponent with a dipsy-do layup a week after Goran did the same to a Spurs big man, the ESPN commentator exclaimed "He just got Dragic’d!". Unscripted. On national TV. And no one laughed.
A big enough darling that he almost made BDL's Top 30 PGs last week. According to the writer Kelly Dwyer, via twitter and the weekly Hump Day Chat on that website, he was 31st or 32nd overall. Wow. That would make him one of the best backup PGs in the league.
Hyperbole? Or reality?
(read more about Goran after the jump)
For the next two weeks, Goran will carry his Slovenian team through the preliminary round of the World Championships in Turkey. Notably, his team will play Team USA this Sunday, sure to be carried on some national stage.
The fact that he is now his team's star player is quite a change from even last summer. During Slovenia's run to 4th in last year's Eurobasket Championships, he was a bit player trying to find his rhythm. His highlight was a 4-steal, 10-point 4th quarter against powerhouse Spain that nearly led his team to a win. The very next game, Goran tweaked his knee and missed the rest of the tourney.
Yet this summer, Goran is the star. Our blogging buddy Blaz13 has been covering his exploits via continued comments on a single thread (here). Starting Saturday, Blaz will hopefully start a new thread (since his old one is now archived) to follow Goran through Slovenia's "real" games.
And then the NBA season comes right after that.
The Suns are on national TV at least 25 times next season. What will the media, the color commentators and journalists, talk about?
Seven Seconds Or Less? Been there, done that.
The Suns lack of size? Old news.
The "Benjamin Buttons", Nash and Hill? Snooze.
Amare’s gone. D’Antoni’s long, long gone. No more quote machines in the locker room.
Enter, the Slovenian Dragon.
In fact, it's already started. The national media actually picked up on the little panic surrounding his "interest" in returning to Europe. Think anybody would have cared about that a year ago?
He's young. He's fresh. He's easy to talk to, and seems genuinely excited about being in the NBA.
We’re not talking Amare or Nash levels, but anything more than "the Suns can’t afford to lose Nash here, since they have no backup plan" has to be considered revolutionary.
Expect highlights of his past exploits, and lots of anticipation surrounding the game. "When will Dragic come in?" "Oooh, did you see that step-back 3? Just like Manu used to do" "He got Dragic’d!" "How can Gentry take him out? The Suns need Goran’s energy right about now."
But with talk come expectations.
A game line of 8 points and 3 assists won’t be enough. No longer will the media be happy with occasional moments of brilliance. They will be looking for consistently exciting plays.
It won’t be enough that Goran shows flashes of Manu. They’ll want him to "be" Manu.
It won’t be enough that Goran has a nice assist, or a driving layup. They’ll want more than one.
Games of 32 points against Utah, 18 against San Antonio, 16 and 10 against OKC, 10 in the fourth to lead a comeback… the media will expect that in a month’s worth of national games, not a season’s worth.
Goran Dragic has a bright future, but I worry that in 2010-2011 his mettle will be tested moreso than in his previous 2 seasons.
We know he has the drive to succeed when he is expected to fail. But does he have the drive to succeed when he is expected to succeed?
You probably think I’m overblowing this. That Goran will be much happier this year in a bigger role and no longer having to deal with the "bust" label.
But logic will tell you that it’s harder to meet high expectations than it is to meet low expectations.
Quite a change from last summer, that’s for sure.
130 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Consistency is going to be a word used a lot in conversations about Goran this year.
We all know he’s talented, and occasionally brilliant. I would expect him to be good in more games, but not every game – especially early in the season. He will know his role better this year than last, and he will need Gentry to have patience with him.
His averages will concern me less that watching to see if he identifies and works on the aspects of his game which will help the Suns the most. In the last third of the season (last year), his points went down and his assists went way up, probably because LB was playing more. It’s going to be interesting to see how he meshes with Childress, Turk, and Warrick/Lawal. I’ll be looking for assists, rebounding, and lack of turnovers as indicators of his overall success. Improved FT shooting would be a bonus.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
expectations on Goran are going to vary
but I think they will all come down to: is he as good as the playoffs suggested he might be? And, can we live with something less the wonderful, if he’s not?
We, as fans, have basically gone from “I hope he doesn’t screw anything up” to “Here he comes to save the daaayyyy!” (in the ‘Underdog’ theme song voice)
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
I was thinking more like mighty mouse
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
great writeup Alex
Just yesterday, i read a quote from Goran in the local newspaper. He said that, he has a mindset that if he doesn’t perform 100% all the time, there is always somebody else waiting to take “his” spot. So he works hard.
He also said that he improved his shot during and mostly after practice when he worked out with Dan Majerle and Igor Kokoskov.
He also said Americans have some problems playing against zone. They are very athletic so it’s important to box out and/or stop the fast breaks.
Blaz
I like this quote
if he doesn’t perform 100% all the time, there is always somebody else waiting to take "his" spot
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
I payed a lot of attention to Rondo during the playoffs and in FIBA.
Dude gets a LOT of rebounds by circling to just under the foul line during a mid-range or long shot. He averaged 5.6 boards during the playoffs, and had 18 in one game against Cleveland. How the hell does he do that? More important – how do we get Goran to do that?
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
How come Rondo didn't make the US team?
From what i read, he was about to be cut, then he left. I’m assuming, “his family issues” was a less humiliating reason to leave the team. But why didn’t he make the team? Is the problem his shooting or his attitude?
Blaz
i don't know
I think it was more his choice/attitude than anything else. He’s always been on the verge of “no” to the national team.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
i think he chose to leave
People love the Dunk, but i'll rather see a skillful athletic shot, a super 3-pointer from another area code or seeing players get Dragic-ed
by jatrex4suns on Aug 26, 2010 10:32 AM MDT up reply actions
link?
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
It was in the 'Rumors' section of HoopsHype Tue -
Link here
Quote here:
After losing his job as the starting point guard to Derrick Rose last weekend in Madrid, Rondo’s stock had fallen to the point where he was apparently third on the point guard depth chart behind Rose and Westbrook. But on Tuesday, before Rondo withdrew, Krzyzewski said his decision would be based on assembling the best roster for the tournament. “It’s not so much what Rajon has to show, it’s what our team needs. We’ve found a good lineup, and the international game is so different from the NBA game, you can ask any of these guys,” Krzyzewski said. “Part of it is to make sure that we try not to have two non-shooters out on the court, and there’s the physicality, too.” ESPN.com
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
thx
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
D'Antoni joke?
RIP Seasons of Discontent
by Scott Howard on Aug 26, 2010 11:51 AM MDT up reply actions
Style of play...
FIBA allows teams to play full-on, doesn’t matter if you are in the paint without anyone close to you zones which make the ability to shoot a MUST. Remember in the Finals when Kobe played 10 feet off of Rondo and packed the lane? Imagine that times 5. Rondo would’ve been big on the boards and on defense but Rose was the clear choice for the starting role.
After that Westbrook showed a better ability to get to the rim and finish/dish during their time with the team and you don’t lose a lot with him on D (he does foul a bit more but with the amount of guards on the team that’s not an issue). He’s also able to play both guard spots on and off the ball. Billups is able to play both guard spots and is one of the better shooters on the team and Curry played himself onto the team with his beautiful stroke and ball-handling ability. As good as Rondo is in the NBA game (and he is GREAT) he was the clear man out because he was unable to adapt his game to the FIBA game as well as the other guards on the team.
Staff writer: Bright Side of the Sun Twitter: @dpwatson
hey man
you know I have to ask this. How did you vote in the poll?
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
I voted for the 3rd option. I think teams are going to be a little better prepared for what he does next year but with his progression he should be about the same as this season (maybe a little better if Gentry feels he wants to and can rest Nash a little more) even with teams game planning more for him.
I really liked the question you posed with this post though because I do think people get ahead of themselves with these types of players before they know what they actually have. Look up Eric Dampier (and I’m not saying he’s Dampier it’s just an example) sometime if you don’t know what I’m talking about. I’m very interested to see him square off against the US. I want to see how he handles the US guards (2 of whom are from his same draft class remember) on both ends of the floor. If I’m going to change my mind about him, that game would be a good place to start.
Staff writer: Bright Side of the Sun Twitter: @dpwatson
I actually don't have any expectations for the US game
the entire US defense only has to defend him and no one else on that squad. that’s REALLY concentrated, moreso than any NBA game.
Yet, that’s a very good point. He’ll be playing 2 of the PGs ahead of him in that same draft.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
Exactly
I know USA will be focused on him and I’m looking forward to seeing how he handles it. It’s not like USA is going to be double teaming him all game full-court. He’s still got to be the decision maker and initiate the offense (the 2 areas where I really question his ability to play full-time PG in the NBA).
Plus, we all know what happened the last time he faced Rose head-to-head. Rose, Westbrook, Billups and probably Curry will be in his shorts all game – can he handle the pressure? Exploit the pressure by getting by those guys? If he gets by will he make the right play? Can he get his teammates the ball where they can catch and shoot or will they have to reach and get out of position? Defensively can he handle those types of guys for more than a few minutes at a time? The answers to all of these questions will be on display.
I agree you can’t judge him by this one game but it’ll be a good starting place to see just how ready he is to take over a team and move on to become the All-Star and Hall of Famer some seem to believe he’s destined to become.
Staff writer: Bright Side of the Sun Twitter: @dpwatson
you finished up your reply with an overstatement there
any good Suns fan would love every player who put on the jersey to make the HOF. that’s just fandom, but few if any actually think it’s Goran’s destiny.
But anyway, I still read in your reply that you’re not sold. And by not sold, I mean you won’t be sold unless he shows he’s an all-star talent. I’m not sure why that’s the basement for judgment, rather than the ceiling.
If Goran can do everything you say he has to do in this game to be a good starting PG, then he will likely make an all-star game very soon. that’s a lot of pressure, in a negative sense.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
Yes, that was a joke at the end. No, I don’t need him to be an All-Star I need him to show that he can run a team from the PG position. To me, and I’ve said this since I started my CGD blog, he is a shooting guard. He has shown a lack of decision making and a lack of being able to hit his teammates in a position that allows them to score easily – he could probably have averaged more assists but a lot of times guys are having to reach down or out or up to catch his passes and it causes them to lose their rhythm. His ball handling has been suspect at times as well.
He HAS shown an ability to attack the rim and to hit the spot up 3 and even added a little bit of a stepback 3 (although he needs to continue to improve on that to make it a more consistent part of his arsenal) and exceeded my original expectations in that regard. I think Gentry has done a good job in changing the way the team plays when he’s in the game (which is something good coaches should do) but running an offense where you ask your PG to put his head down and head to the basket on every posession only gets you so far (see the AI PG experiment).
I’m not asking him to put up AS numbers, I just want to know if he can handle the rigors of being the starting PG night in and night out. Something that NOBODY knows yet and we can all have our opinions about. All I want to see is more improvement in his decision making and his ability to run a half-court offense. He needs to cut down on his turnovers and improve his pass-placement. If he does these things he can be a solid starting PG and maybe an All Star. Right now he is better suited playing the 2 guard.
I’m saying that this game against USA will give us a glimpse into some of the questions I personally have about him as an NBA PG. He will be playing against top talent who game plan for him instead of second stringers on a squad that think of him as an afterthought. Trust me, I will be watching how he performs – it’s the most extreme of circumstances for him but it will tell us something about the young ‘PG’.
PS, remember in the Olympics he played mostly off the ball SG for the Slovenian squad (something that even he seems to forget given his comments about not taking Vujacic’s spot).
Staff writer: Bright Side of the Sun Twitter: @dpwatson
I own each of my opinions
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
FWIW
you do realize the starting PG is a two-MVP Euroleague MVP who has played for the national team for longer than Dragic, right?
He sucks this year (getting old) but the coach still has him in the starting lineup. He’s the reason Beno Udrih quit the team, not because of Goran.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
Here's what you said last summer...
What skill set do you see?
Poor judgment, slow reaction time, high dribble, defensive dribble, poor basketball IQ…those things don’t NORMALLY add up to a solid NBA PG. I’m willing to make a wager with you – if Dragic is playing MEANINGFUL PG minutes for a PLAYOFF team, his will be the next and last Phoenix Suns jersey I ever own AND I will never write another anti-Dragic column or comment in these pages. This means that A) the Suns have to make the playoffs and B) Dragic has to average 10 – 15 minutes at the point in the playoffs (none of this playing off the ball and letting Barbosa or others do all of the PG stuff or bringing it up passing it off and going to hide in the corner). Now, you know how much it’ll pain me, I mean physically hurt me, to buy a Goran Dragic jersey so if this doesn’t happen what are you going to do? Something for me personally? Something that will give you an equal amount of heartache? My chips are in Mr. Phoenix Stan…your move.
by watdogg10 on Sep 15, 2009 11:22 PM MST up reply actions
How’s that jersey fit? Because I do think the Suns made the playoffs, and I do think Dragic played significant minutes.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
BAM!
bringing out the Skeletons – about halfway through the season last year I stopped hounding watdogg on twitter after every positive display by Dragic… there were just too many.
Sorry watdogg – we still love you
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Snap!
I feel like I should do that ridiculous little thing all the guys at my high school do when they put their hand over the top of their mouth and then jump up and down in a semi-circle while yelling “OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” whenever something crazy happens.
"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."
by Dragic_is_Magic on Sep 1, 2010 10:33 PM MDT up reply actions
I'm sure Goran could up his rebounding
in fact, he had a better rebound-rate as a rookie than last season. But I think the Suns’ scheme has him preparing to take the ball from a rebounder more than getting rebound himself, unless its a long one. Those close to the basket he leaves for taller guys so he can be on the wing to take it up court.
Of course, if Rondo can do it then maybe Goran just needs to decide “hey I can rebound it too”
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
it's a gamble
it’s like guys who get lots of steels (wich he does) if it’s an ofensive board and he swoops in but doesn’t get it’s almost a garunteed fast break for the other team because way out of position. in the same scenerio on the other end he’s just left a gaurd wide open in the back court. however he’s got really good timing and doesn’t miss it much.
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
I'd like to see him be our closer
It really isn’t fair to Nash that he has to be the focal point of the offense all game, and then be expected to be the closer as well. Also, that formulation has never really been successful (see: Lebron’s Cavs).
Turkoglu might take on some of the role, though. And that would be okay as well.
so you think Nash is ok
sitting each 4th quarter?
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
I'm sure you didn't mean to phase Nash out already
its just that there’s no way both are on the court at the end, unless the Suns are holding a lead and need them for FT shooting and beating a desperate full-court press in the last 3 mins.
Though, I do think he will finish more games than last year based on what happened in April/May
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
I chose 20min and 10 points.
Unfortunately I don’t think there is much more time than that in our stacked roster. If he plays 20 then Nash only plays about 28. If he has time at the 2 both/and Jrich and Childress will lose minutes. I think a key stat is assist/turnover ratio. The offense does not need to run quite as efficient as the 1st team, as the defense will be better, but it needs to be close. Steals and FT% need to go up as well.
by Suns Fan For Life on Aug 26, 2010 9:14 AM MDT reply actions 2 recs
it is extremely important that he do well.
along with the rest of the bench. as of now the suns starting 5 are less talented then last year. the bench will have to step it up to keep the presure on. that’s how PHX mopped up the spurs and put pressure on the lakers; thier starters got no rest. if they built a lead and sat our bench erased it. if they left thier starters in our bench wore them out and our starters finished them off. this is the difference maker for the suns that pundits don’t see and there for under rate PHX. teams will learn that when they play the suns there will be a constant 48 minute barrage of running moving the ball, scoring, craetive and qualitty play. we know nash will hold his end of the bargian….goran picking up where he left off is key to suns success.
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
by 2NASHTY on Aug 26, 2010 9:35 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
yes, depth is very important
and the Suns have it in spades.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
Kelly's list is complete Bullshit; how can you expect duncan to have a better year than boozer, bosh, and amar'e?
Just because the spurs drafted Tiago Splitter doesn’t mean Tiago will be the saviour of the universe. Also, the Baron Davis ranking, it is mind boggiling as to why I keep reading it.
"Remember this sh*t at christmas!"-Terry Crews, The Expendables
well yeah
he admits that it’s BS too, for the most part. Just his opinion more than anything.
Yet, how does his BS meter rate in terms of Goran? He’s mentioned that Goran barely missed the cut on his list. Would you say Goran should be higher? or lower?
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
Goran is better than Lowry, Stuckey, and Conley, but I think that Goran should have been 29th or 28th.
"Remember this sh*t at christmas!"-Terry Crews, The Expendables
He's definitely better than conley
probably equal if not slightly better than Lowry (but i love Lowrys toughness and defense). I really don’t know much about stuckey’s game (it would mean having to watch detroit play, eugh) so i can’t compare the two. I think Goran should have made the list but if its projected on stats for the upcoming season then as all those guys will be in a starting role and playing a lot more than Dragic its understandable that he’s lower than them.
I just read that list
Laughable.
Does anybody really believe Goran wouldn’t be starting for half those teams?
Like all talented young players, he’ll have off nights and nights of brilliance.
That shouldn’t be problem for the Suns, with two point guards and two point forwards.
(Remember when we used to pray Diaw could hold the fort long enough for Nash to get a minute and a half of rest?)
When I look at Nash and Dragic, I see Joe Montana and Steve Young. I’m sure when the time comes for Dragic to take the reigns, he’ll have it figured out.
Until then, I’ll just smile and remember the night he hung 23 on the Smurfs.
by suns68 on Aug 26, 2010 10:09 AM MDT via mobile reply actions
I just read that list
Laughable.
Does anybody really believe Goran wouldn’t be starting for half those teams?
Like all talented young players, he’ll have off nights and nights of brilliance.
That shouldn’t be problem for the Suns, with two point guards and two point forwards.
(Remember when we used to pray Diaw could hold the fort long enough for Nash to get a minute and a half of rest?)
When I look at Nash and Dragic, I see Joe Montana and Steve Young. I’m sure when the time comes for Dragic to take the reigns, he’ll have it figured out.
Until then, I’ll just smile and remember the night he hung 23 on the Smurfs.
by suns68 on Aug 26, 2010 10:09 AM MDT via mobile reply actions
sorry about the double post
First try, I got an error message so I didn’t think it went through. Smartphones!
by suns68 on Aug 26, 2010 10:11 AM MDT via mobile up reply actions
wtf did you noticed the pictures on that BDL rankings?
Every single opponent is Ty Lawson!
Is that Kyle Dwyer a Lawson Maniac?!
Steve Nash can only give 100 percent. The other 10 percent he donates to his families.
I believe in the destiny of the Suns. We can prevail.
He did similar things with all of the lists
I think in all of the SF pictures LeBron is somewhere and in the PF pics it’s Troy Murphy.
by hcblankscreen on Aug 26, 2010 11:10 AM MDT up reply actions
After reading the line about the announcer exclaiming "He just got Dragic'd!"
I had to find the video. I don’t know how I missed it in the finals!
Such a beautiful move, Bynum got embarrassed. It reminds of the ball fake amar'e had when he juked the fuck out of blair and mcdyess.
"Remember this sh*t at christmas!"-Terry Crews, The Expendables
that was such a great moment
to hear Dragic’s name invoked in a positive light to describe a highlight
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
Funny thing...
Rondo’s been doing that to dudes for years now yet somehow because (as Alex said) GD became such a whirlwind of good press it’s his name that got dropped with the move.
Staff writer: Bright Side of the Sun Twitter: @dpwatson
i believe we'll see him give 12-13/6/3-4 a game
i really don’t want everyone focusing on him just yet as it might spoil his game, but who know, he might just be one of those guys that do better when he is been focused on. Look at how he played when the Spurs decided to focus on him, he made them keep swithing players on him; with a big guy (also slower) he uses speed, with a small guy, he shoots. Also, he passed the ball to a waiting shooter when he drew a lot of attention to himself. I think he is a very smart guy
People love the Dunk, but i'll rather see a skillful athletic shot, a super 3-pointer from another area code or seeing players get Dragic-ed
Great writeup. I didn't even think about this new development but you hit it right on the head, AL.
"One deep fried avocado, please." = famous last words
I see Dragic hitting 13 and 6 this upcoming season because I'm very optimistic.
"Remember this sh*t at christmas!"-Terry Crews, The Expendables
with scott around u have to be
some one has to offset him
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
I think Dragic will average 8-9 ppg and 3-4apg in about 20-22mpg because were just too deep of a team.
Don't trade Dudley!
most likely
unless Nash… never mind, don’t want to jynx him by saying it out loud or in print
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
WHOOOOOOAAAA slow your roll cowboy
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
YOU SHOULDN'T
even be thinking anything like that!! Bad Alex!!
That is an interesting conversation - Rondo v. Dragic
It’s interesting not only because the two are similar in many ways, (i.e. – creativity/inventiveness, driving to the basket, great passing, good rebounders) but it’s also interesting because Rondo could have been ours.
Now I’m not a Rondo fan because I don’t like his attitude (his taunting of C.Paul last year turned me off to him the most), but even so I admit that no doubt at this point Rondo is the better player – and to me it is because of the experience advantage he has from playing longer and on Championship teams and because of his killer-instinct attitude (self-confidence and determination). I do think Rondo is a better ball-handler or at least a more confident one, but Goran is a much better shooter and is rapidly improving both his confidence and his handles.
I like the idea that maybe Goran looks to players like Rondo or Rose as motivation – that he might work hard to prove himself to be on their level at some point. I think he already does that in a way and it is helping – evidence of that is when D.Rose youtube’d him he didn’t hesitate to try to block (and succeed) a similar attempt the very next game. You know he remembers it too and wants to get Rose back every-time he plays him.
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
it’s just not fair comparing rose and rondo to dragic. those 2 have had WAY more time to develop espacially after the porter debacle and playing behind nash. I agree with you though rondo’s tude annoys me, but it be nice to see goran play with that kinda of confidence, especially given his superior shooting.
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
For the record
I think Rose and Rondo have oodles more natural talent – but Dragic’s work ethic seems to be very above-the-ordinary. I see Rose and Rondo as perennial All-Stars whereas Dragic I can see being an All-Star maybe a few times during his career.
I guess because of what i just said it means that I’m not trying to compare them to Dragic but more point out that having Dragic as opposed to Rondo isn’t as huge of a disappointment as it might have appeared in the recent past given that Rondo could have been ours to keep.
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Not sure what you're talking about, in terms of talent -
Rondo has good great court vision, but he’s playing in an offense that stacks the middle – it’s easier to pass to an open guy in that scheme. Rose has been starting since he came into the league. Goran is a backup to a HOF PG, and hasn’t got the reps, so he’s developed more slowly, and he hasn’t developed that great vision yet. But he’s a much better shooter than Rondo, and I think he’s quicker – I think Rondo’s numbers will go down over the next few years, as Goran’s numbers go up. That doesn’t mean that Rondo won’t be a perennial All-star – but I don’t think he’s more talented than Goran. Rose is just special – and he’s gotten a lot of on the job training.
All that being said, I’m content to wait until he proves it – and I think he will.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
in response to this
You know he remembers it too and wants to get Rose back every-time he plays him.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
I hope he does something special
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
He'll play
a lot of minutes to keep Nash fresh, so I expect him to put good numbers, also, he will have lots of assists opportunities with the rotation they will have.
Didnt dragic averaged 8 and three last season? Come on, Dragic has to improve, nash will see a decrease in minutes, simply because they'll want to preserve him for the playoffs
and allow for more room for dragic to grow. Also, with no LB in the rotation he can dominate the ball in the backcourt as much as he wants, allowing him to squeeze out more assists and of course more points. Conversely, his minutes will increase and after winning the MVP of his slovenia team he’ll surely play with more confident. To be honest I dont see why Dragic wouldn’t be able to do at the very least 11 and 5; you add five to seven more minutes and his rebounding numbers should also increase to three or possibly 4 and you have the best back up pg in the league.
"Remember this sh*t at christmas!"-Terry Crews, The Expendables
Plus, if goran improves his FT% to 85% then that'll be an extra 2-3 points each night.
"Remember this sh*t at christmas!"-Terry Crews, The Expendables
Hey come on, you wait and see, dragic will be a fringe all -star this season, just mark my words!
"Remember this sh*t at christmas!"-Terry Crews, The Expendables
words marked sir
And hope this time next year you SUCK IT ALEX, I told you sooo…no offense alex
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
*can say*
and maybe by this time next year I’ll have learned to use the “preview” button
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
Valid points
But remember he won’t have the surprise element going for him this season. The proverbial cat is out of the bag. The league has witnessed the flames of El Dragon.
"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic
by RMason on Aug 26, 2010 1:46 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
Strong point, but, dragic will adapt to the defenses, and with his craftiness, I'm confident he can find a way around it.
"Remember this sh*t at christmas!"-Terry Crews, The Expendables
yea but most of the time he won’t be going up against premere PG’s, and even if he does ask TP how well that worked out.
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
Nash got 32mpg last season. I expect him to lose 2 minutes to Dragic. I can’t see Nash getting any less than 30mpg.
What we could do if we wanted to give Nash more rest is let him take a game here and there off. Perhaps rest him on the 2nd of back to back nights? I know they considered this two seasons ago and it didn’t work out for various reasons, but I can see us still being able to put up a good fight with out Nash now.
Don't trade Dudley!
it didn't work out because Gentry's smart
you don’t bench an all-star just to get his backup a few more minutes.
Unless there’s a real injury, of course.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
I mean having Nash not play the 2nd game of a back to back. Just something to consider now that he is turning 37 and that we have Dragic who can play now.
Don't trade Dudley!
It's a nice thought
If it’s Minnesota or Golden State maybe, but by and large I think the West is still too competitive to get away with that. Plus, who is our third PG? Janning? Not an entirely comforting thought.
"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic
THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO
our team chemistry would far out weigh any benefits of that scenario. If you are worried about wearing Steve out then you just don’t play him as much, you don’t sit him for games unless he’s injured. Players need to play, and MVP caliber players such as Nash deserve to be respected and feared as such.
Janning is a pretty good prospect... I'm just saying
Lot’s of teams were very interested in that kid
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
But more as a SG.
He impressed me in SL, but I didn’t see a whole lot of playmaking. He’s more of a combo-guard who can play garbage minutes at either guard spot, but not a rotation player. The guy hustles and knows how to play, but I wouldn’t want him running the team for significant minutes.
I love that earlier comparison
(sorry I can’t remember who coined this one):
“He’s Hornacek without the jump shot”
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
which is perfectly apt
because, when Hornacek was drafted HE was “Hornacek without the jump shot”.
He made the team in BBall IQ and combo-guard skills, though he couldn’t shoot. His rookie shooting stroke was much like Barbosa’s two-hander. The summer after his rookie season, Hornacek taught himself a true shooting form and since then he became one of the best shooters in the game. All along, he had a high BBall IQ, good handle and clutch performance. Oh, and he made himself a good defender too.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
We're certainly more equipped to allow Nash to rest
with Dragics extra experience and Hedo’s ability to play point (he did it for quite a while in orlando in 2008/9 after Nelson got injured) but i seem to remember Gentry saying last year that he thought it was a bad idea to rest your all-star for entire games when he’s playing fine and i agree with him. Nash is probably one of the best conditioned guys in the league and he knows how to take care of himself. I’m sure Gentry will find the best way to rest him during games as much as possible, but to sit the guy for winnable games and risk not making the playoffs because of it isn’t the way to go imo.
I wish I could re-vote
I voted for the second choice, but I regretted it immediately. I initially felt skeptical of whether Dragic would average 5 assists in 25 minutes, but how hard can it be to average 5 assists instead of 4?
close
but wrong; when you take into account tha law of diminishing returns divid by the minimum radius for crack propogation, then multiply by the square of the heat transfer coeficiant then it is clearely 24.99998 % harder…….smart alecks
"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."
IS THAT SLOVENIAN MATH
or NBA math? And shouldn’t that be “smart Alex”? :-)
First off, this was lovely to see when I walked in the door from school (:
Anyways, I voted for the 10/4/2 in twenty line. That seems, to me, the most realistic option. As Alex mentioned, high expectations are much harder to meet than low ones. Goran had a breakout year last year, and now he has some things to live up to. This, to me, is the most important season of his career this far. As a rookie, he had a number of problems. In his second year, he surprised the NBA world and converted a lot of naysayers to his side. This season will be truly instrumental to his career, because it will tell us if he’s the ‘alright’ guy or if he’s the star we saw in the playoffs and glimpses of in the regular season. We just have to wait and see.
This all being said, it was really hard not to be like ‘better than all of these’ and get all fangirly and be like ‘I love him so much!’ And ‘of course he’ll live up to your expectations, hes a future hall of famer!’
I won’t even go that far yet (:
He’s still sort of an NBA baby in a sense.
ah but he's your little baby
that you get to watch grow into a man
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
And hopefully, he grows into a hall of fame man.
For a minute there, I thought you were saying he was my baby.
It took me a little bit.
These 7.30 classes are getting to me.
Oh and for now, lets just look to next season and see how much he grows up this year. :)
I voted for the first option because im optimistic.
I don’t think I need to explain why. ;)
All “im so in love with him, im his biggest fan” shenanigans aside, I really do think he is dedicated to contuning to improve and I think he understands minutes aren’t guaranteed to him. He’s still playing behind Steve Nash. He stepped up last year and I think he will only improve this year. What’s good is that he is still a humble guy, but he has enough confidence in himself to realize that he is a very good player and an integral part of this team.
Will he average “25 minutes, 13 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds per game”?
Probably not. But who knows?
No one thought he would have a breakout season last year either. The initial surprise element may be gone, but I think he is very capable of surprising a lot of people still, including all of us.
"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."
by Dragic_is_Magic on Aug 26, 2010 5:28 PM MDT reply actions
If his assists numbers don't go up significantly this season that will be very sad
Besides the fact that it’s the next progressive step/year of his career – He will have a much more offensively potent second unit to feed this year. All 5 on the floor with the second unit will be able to receive and score passes in transition, cutting, or spotting up – couldn’t always say that about he 5-man units Dragic commandeered last year.
Also – I’m not sure if Gentry will be able/or need to continue running a veteran with the 2nd unit (like he did by keeping either Hill or Richardson out on the floor with them) with the quality of bench players we have. This will provide Goran with 4 other teammates who have fresh and lively legs to hit. It’s also a bonus for Nash and the starters to get fresh for their next insertion.
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
I think he gets 3-4 apg. Don’t forget we have Turk now. If I were you I really wouldn’t be worried about his assist or points. Our team will actually be deeper than last year which means Dragic won’t see a huge minute increase. I’ve never seen him as a guy who will ever average 8+apg. I see him more as a Manu Ginobli like player averaging about 4-5 apg for the majority of his career maybe getting 7apg tops.
Because we are so deep we really can’t judge our players by their stats(with the exception of Turk and his rebounds, by theory he should have a career high with us). The thing we have to look at is what the players bring to the team, their consistency, effort and humility.
Don't trade Dudley!
With all the comparison to Manu..
we have to remember that Manu is not a point- whereas Goran is.
So we can’t be content to expect Manu assist numbers from Goran. He needs to be better.
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Good point, but will see. It’s still too early to expect anything from Dragic. Last year was really his first season and were still trying to figure out what kind of player he is and what his game is. This season we shouldn’t be worrying about his stats, but be looking at his game, effort, possible improvements and whether he can be consistent.
Don't trade Dudley!
I think goran
Will be better regardless of what his numbers are.What i like better about the pg minutes under alvin is the time at which he subs for steve varies even if slightly game to game,With dont-toni you could set your watch to it and opponets were so prepaired.
Like everyone else, I’d like to see Dragic bump up his assist numbers next season. I think it will be hard for him to get up to that 5-6 range without a significant increase in minutes. Remember, 5-6 apg will put you at around 10-20 in the league leaders in assists – something that’s hard to do unless you’re a starter, even if the team’s pace is fast.
Interesting tidbit: Dragic averaged 8 assists per 48 minutes last season, good for 24th in the league. Ranked 27th, 28th and 29th? Billups, Rose, and Curry.
Also interesting: Nash doubled Dragic’s rate at 16 assists per 48 minutes, which led the league.
Banzai!
It's hard to compare
anyone to Nash when it comes to assists. Not to take anything away from him because he’s the best in the business, but with Amare, JRich and Hill, he had some really good options to assist to.
Dragic usually played with a different cast of players around him. He didn’t really have a good pick-and-roll partner, which can be a big factor in a point guard’s assist rate.
The thing I liked about the second unit was that they developed a successful style of play of their own, without the first unit’s elite scorers.
That caused fits for opponents when it came to making adjustments mid-game.
by suns68 on Aug 27, 2010 8:11 AM MDT via mobile up reply actions
this team has few essential players left
dragic is one
25/13/5/3
The name of the team is ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS - "I tried to convince them that what they were doing was an aberration, an imbecility, a stupidity without name"
I think we have to consider Goran, Robin, Childress, Frye, and Dudley the core of this team.
Our front office has some work to do to lock up Dragic, Lopez, and Dudley long term, but we have Chill and Frye on good long term contracts.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
Another example of the spotlight
ESPN has a list of 10 things to watch in the World Championships, which starts tomorrow.
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/19509/10-things-to-watch-in-the-world-championships
9. The Goran Dragic show
Was any player more fun to watch in the 2010 NBA playoffs? Now the young Suns guard will star for Slovenia. That team is, sadly, missing the likes of Erazem Lorbek, Sasha Vujacic, Beno Udrih and Rasho Nesterovic. But with a lot of pressure on Dragic to carry his team home, he’ll be a constant threat to reprise his magical Game 3 against the Spurs.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
A great piece of praise for our boy.
But I wouldn’t say that they ’’miss’’ Sasha, from what I’ve heard.
Looking at the names on that list though, it seems like soon Slovenia will be to the NBA what the Dominican Republic is to MLB.
"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic
by RMason on Aug 27, 2010 3:16 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
I like your comparison about Slovenia to the NBA and the Dominican Republic to the MLB.
I was actually just thinking about how interesting it is that Slovenia produces a pretty good amount of quality basketball players for being relatively small. And the other day I was actually thinking about the Domincan Republic and the MLB. But I would’ve never stopped to put them in a similar category.
"If the Suns can shock the world
Goran Dragic is the name."
by Dragic_is_Magic on Aug 27, 2010 4:53 PM MDT up reply actions
You could say the same about Spain, Lithuania, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, France, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Australia and even China though. I might add Germany, but so far they’ve only produced one good player(who happened to be pretty darn good though).
Don’t get me wrong, I love international basketball, but it’s never going to gain that much attention from regular NBA fans in the U.S because were a big country with the best basketball league and are always expected to dominate and usually do. It would take some of the European countries grouped together in order to really challenge us like the Yugo- Saliva and the Soviet Union did for a while. It’s very rare that one country a lone will ever beat us. Argentina, Spain and Greece are the only ones that have actually beat us multiple times, but that was in an era from 02-06 when we were putting crappy teams together filled with cocky punks and ball hogs. People just want to see good competition. I do to. I’m tired of hearing, “Who will finish 2nd behind U.S.A?” I want good competition. I had a lot of respect for that Argentinian team that beat us in 04 and I want to see more of that. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll root for U.S.A, but I want a good fight.
Don't trade Dudley!
Dragic is definitely a top 30 pg already
in my opinion. His progression last season was amazing, and I think he has only started to blossom.
This season, I think he begins to take on a larger role on our team, allowing Nash the opportunity to rest so he can stay fresh.. Like someone already mentioned…when the game is on the line, I still want Nash as the closer. However, I believe Dragic can certainly hold his own throughout the game and help our team win.
Dragic is a special player, and I don’t think our expectations are too high. I voted for the second option, which is a fairly low expectation compared to what I believe he could end up doing this year. Either way, I really do believe he is our future, and a star in the making.
I VOTED - BETTER THAN ABOVE.
I am thinking 20ish mins. averaging 15 pts, 6 ast, 3 rebs. I believe that people rise or sink to the level of expectations of them. When you add in the fact that Gentry has a really good feel for players and how to get the most out of them, I see Goran having an even better year than last year. One of the reasons is that for the most part the Suns got even deeper than they were last year. The Suns were very effective with a dual PG line-up that let both Nash and Goran play off of each other, switching the PG and SG positions between themselves while being able to run the offense from either side of the key just by swinging the ball. It made it difficult for opposing teams to overplay for the P & R, or the inside out games that the Suns run so well. Goran has a very good feel for the game and can exploit other players weaknesses, as was exhibited by the spectacular games Alex mentioned. Remember that some people had some big doubts about whether he could play in the NBA or not last year, well he answered those questions, or so I believe. I see him continuing to mature, play relaxed, and improve his game to the level that he actually starts to make the others around him better. After last season I’m sure his confidence is improved and his self expectations are raised as a result, making for a combination that I can’t wait to see the results of!!
starter's stats on 20 minutes
yikes. That’s a real tough expectation
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
Exactly
Goran is still a back-up (to a 2-time MVP mo less), and he’s heading into his 3rd year. He’s far from a complete player and is not ready to be a major contributor yet. He’s definitely going to have some great games and and will probably win a few for us, just like last year. He will continue to work on his weaknesses and improve as a player. But he will also struggle with some inconsistency like last year. That’s all part of growing as a player.
Expecting Goran to be one of the best players on the team and expecting him to put up big stats is a disservice to him. He will likely get somewhere between 15 and 25 minutes, depending on the situation. He’ll probably average 8 to 9 ppg and roughly 4 apg. I can definitely see him improving his rebounding, up to maybe 3 rpg. For a back-up, averages don’t tell you to much. Less is asked of bench players on a consistent basis, and they won’t be counted upon on a rgular basis. The stats may be the same, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t improve. I think he will improve a lot.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Friend Us On Facebook
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Follow us on Twitter
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
