Nellie Rips Into Biedrins
By Marcus Thompson
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 7:18 pm in Uncategorized.
After practice Tuesday, Nellie had to know the media would grill him about his post-game comments regarding Andris Biedrins, in which he said he was “tired” of Biedrins being lifeless and that this wasn’t the first time “the light wasn’t on at home.” Not only did Nellie know, he was ready to elaborate.
It was worse for Biedrins the second time around.
On whether his comments lit a fire under Biedrins:
“I hope so. He needs to light his own fire. We play every other day. You can’t light the fire for him every game. So that’s up to him. Give us something. I mean, rebounding is one part of the game. You need more than that. Good defensive presence. The running skills. Good pick-setting. Good passing. We need a lot of things from our 5s other than rebounding.”
On the biggest difference between Biedrins’ double-double days and now:
“A lack of aggressiveness. Running out of his scoring areas without being aggressive to catch and score.”
On why that is:
“I think it has to do with his free-throw shooting. I told him today that if I were him, I would be wanting to shoot free throws so I’m not the all-time worst free-throw shooter in the history of the NBA. If he could get to the free-throw line and even make five or six out of 10, at least it would be an improvement. I would be looking to get fouled, and I think he’s looking not to get fouled.”
On getting a shot doctor to work with his free-throw touch:
“I’ve worked with him. I’ve had everybody work with him. He’s locked in to . . . he doesn’t want to go underhanded, and his over-handed shot is basically broken. He’s never going to be a very good free-throw shooter because of his technique. It’s unfixable. You can’t fix the problems that he has. To me, I would go underhand. We brought George Johnson in here (to teach Biedrins how to shoot underhand free throws), and he decided not to do that. I tried the one-handed free throw with him, but that doesn’t work because his technique is, he doesn’t keep his hand on a platter, which all great shooters do. He tilts it, so if I have him shoot one-handed, the ball’s going to slip off, so there are major problems with his technique, and he’s not willing to change.”
On how Nelson could question a player’s passion when fans have questioned his own:
“My fuse is lit every morning when I get up. I’m very passionate about what I do and how I do it. The way that I choose to do it now is to let my assistants do a lot of work at practices and I coach the games, but the players still have to light their own fire. I can’t do that for them every game. I’ve bent over backwards with Goose trying to be positive. Whatever he’s going through, he’s not the same player this year as the last couple — or the same player that got him the big contract. Whatever that is, he’s got to get the passion back. I can’t do that.”
On why there are fewer pick-and-roles involving Biedrins:
“He doesn’t really have an inside game that you could go to. When I’ve tried to go to it to get his confidence up, he hasn’t delivered. His shot’s not there. There’s a way to be involved in a screen and role, and there’s a way to hide and not be involved. I think he chooses to hide at this point. We’re trying to demand that he get the ball and do things with it and be aggressive.”
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February 24th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Been saying it for months. Dre just isn’t going to work when he can’t wait for a slashing guard to dump him the ball and he lays it in 7 times a game. I would trade him before Magette, but both need to be gone this summer.
February 24th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Nellie, you’re on the edge of your seat for your career, and dissing Biedrins, the guy you wanted out of the draft, and now making another round of Nellie vs.? Great, can’t wait to trade another league-wide valuable backup piece for nothing… why not trade for a draft pick for ONCE? We keep our draft picks, but for some reason, the veteran pieces that we happen to come across that other playoff teams see like undervalued gold. Biedrins is valuable. Monta is valuable. Magette is…a veteran..
Well, the point is that teams want these players as a solid supporting cast. And they don’t want draft picks.
Biderins doesn’t have any offense. Monta plays at a slow pace/bad shots/bad decisions/turnovers. and Magette is basically our volume shooter, and somehow getting to the line and stopping the clock speeds up the game. What I don’t understand is that when we lose whenever the pace of the game is too slow (i.e, yesterday @ philly, via fouls, i.e, charlotte, couple weeks ago or so, via defense, i.e, the clippers, back with jack and monta, we wwere blown out via turnovers and bad defense) I cannot illustrate it anymore. Everyone is fed up with this team. I don’t even know why the hell Marcus hasn’t moved to Boston or LA yet.
And the stands are filled up every night to see two d-leaguers start. This team has been dead for fifteen long years. We haven’t had an all-star in a decade. The NBA knows it. The most they can do is put us on TNT and ESPN? What a disgrace. I don’t mind if Curry gets a chance at ROY because of it, it’s just sad that Stern, instead of suing Cohan out and pleading Ellison in (who ironically could become another, but better version of Mark Cuban, he puts us on national television. What the hell is wrong with him?
February 24th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
what in the h*ll happened to Biedrins and his FT shooting? it was not good before but man, it is absolutely embarrassing now. The problem always has been his bulk. Biedrins is just too thin to play center. He can not even check Al Horford of the Hawks.
February 24th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Dan, exactly. because he can rebound with one leg up (which is amazing because that means you’re incedibly weak) he is an NBA player. But other than that…he really isn’t
February 24th, 2010 at 8:52 pm
If Biedrins was playing for his next contract, I’m guessing his FT % , scoring, and overall energy would be up. As it stands, he’s playing like he could care less.
After so many years, he still hasn’t developed a low post game or a short range jumper. I think he peaked 2-3 years ago, then regressed. While his help defense is above average, his 1:1 defense is poor. Bench him until he wakes up. Sure, he’s on a terrible team going absolutely nowhere, but he’s being paid millions so he should stop pouting and actually put forth some effort. Where’s his pride?
February 24th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Fierce, exactly. He only played to get the ink on the paper. What an uncommitted and selfish waste.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
If Biedrins refused to shoot underhand and that’s the only way he can possibly learn to shoot free throws decently, is that insubordination, so kind of reason to cancel his contract. No team is going to take him with that contract; maybe no other team would take him without the contract. The only thing to do with him now is to put him on the bench and keep him there, unless some way can be found to suspend him, without pay. You have to wonder whether he’s pulled a scam on the Warriors, getting a big contract and then basically retiring from playing basketball.
February 24th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
LOL@Nellie questioning someone else’s passion. His lifelessness probably rubbed off on Biedrins.
February 25th, 2010 at 12:15 am
…and LOL @ the notion of Nellie paying attention, much less attempting to develop a defensive-minded big man. Who in the hell is he trying to fool?
February 25th, 2010 at 12:56 am
what’s more embarrasing , shooting 13% from the FT line or shooting underhand
February 25th, 2010 at 1:48 am
i think not wanting to get fouled is totally legit theory. he seems to give it up the second he gets it, like hot potato.
nellie should show him some old game tape of himself, he used to run the pick n roll pretty effectively and finish. he had it in him at one time, just needs to get it back.
February 25th, 2010 at 1:59 am
[...] derrière la ligne de réparation. Ce qui lui vaut la fureur de son coach Don Neslon, cité par le San Jose Mercury News [...]
February 25th, 2010 at 5:43 am
Ive been saying this for months its NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! the players its Coach Nelson they dont want to play for him..As long as hes there this year or next it wont change. I just hope he doesnt do anthing stupid by trading away his players..Its common sense people….
February 25th, 2010 at 7:54 am
I can shoot the ball underhand with one hand.
Somewhat of a standing finger roll from free throw.
Looks better than the two handed underhand.
February 25th, 2010 at 8:03 am
Nelson needs to be fired at the end of the season. His sadistic motivational development skills will make it really difficult for any free agents to come play for the Dubs.
February 25th, 2010 at 8:10 am
Foyle was better than the ’09-10 version of AB. Need I say more?
February 25th, 2010 at 8:11 am
dear sir,
I can fix Biedrins. I am going to call nellie today and see if I can get a few days to work with him. I helped shaq improve from 38-70% and he was the worlds worst. If I could just get a day or 2 you would see a remarkable difference. Thats the problem.
I am 99% from the line and have been for 25 years; I started the national basketball shooters association to revolutionize the sad state of shooting accuracy. http://www.nbsafreethrows.org or my personal site above. Someone help me make the connection and I will shuffle things around.We have mastered the science of shooting. It IS NOT A LOST ART. It is more an abstract art when players have horrific mechanics. HAve them shoot with eyes closed and you will be surprised.
Anyhow I hope I can be of help. They need my expertise more than I need them.
I can have the whole team shoot 90% from the line in 7 days or less. May need a few extra days for Biedrins. Dont need 5 years to improve this very important skill.
Theres more but thats enough for now.
Best swishes
ed Palubinskas
shooting surgeon general
225-324-6022-cell
February 25th, 2010 at 8:15 am
lol, Nellie does not even practice with his team…and he wants to convince us he is passionate about the game? lol.
February 25th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Re No. 7. No, it is not a basis for canceling a contract. Nothing in the standard contract requires him to shoot free throws underhanded, one-handed, or well.
February 25th, 2010 at 9:00 am
Is there a way to hear AB side?
February 25th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Two seasons age, Nellie brought in Sidney Moncrief to help the team with it’s collectively poor free throw shooting. Eventually, everyone improved, including Beans. Whatever he taught Beans has been lost. Nellie should bring Moncrief back.
February 25th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Nellie ripping into Biedrins? Please
Nellie is just stating the facts, telling it how it is.
February 25th, 2010 at 11:24 am
I think Moncrief is a coach now in China the last I remember (or something along the lines of international basketball). What I don’t get is why Biedrins refuses to change. He’s obviously not getting anywhere with his current stroke and doing so would help immensely.
People are calling for the trades of Monta and Maggette, but if Biedrins keeps this lack of confidence up, he would definitely be first in my books to be let go for a bad veteran contract.
February 25th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
um this whole team sucks top to bottom. EVERYBODY needs to be ripped.
there’s no shame in shooting underhand, girls. our man rick barry did. i’ll do it on the court to in a HORSE game too. ever see Semi-Pro? funny stuff. the way you shoot don’t count until it GOES IN.
http://www.nba.com/features/art_of_the_free_throw.html
February 25th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Beidrins should be ripped for his lack of aggressiveness on offense. This team is garbage.
February 25th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Biedrins showed steady improvement each season, until now. It is too soon to chuck him. On this point I think that Nellie is right. If Beans could get his free throw shooting back to 60%, his overall play would go back to double-double quality. Somebody get Moncrief out of China and back to Oakland ASAP. This needs to get fixed now, not next season.
February 25th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Injury got him out of rythem
free throw struggles hurt his confidence.
He knows he needs to play better and he will.
He’ll work hard to get his body back in off season.
One critque. He SHOULD be open to changing free throw habit/routine.
If u shooting 13% you have no other option but to change
February 25th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
they might as well have him start shooting them right handed and build his form from the ground up.
either that or have him shoot them like a girl from the shoulders.
i agree with others. this doesn’t really read like a rip job (yesterday was another story) – sounds like an honest assessment of how Beans has let the foul shooting affect his entire offensive game.
February 25th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Andris freethrow shot is bout as ugly as Charles barkely’s golf swing.
I agree with trying/learning right handed.
I’m also amphibious myself…
February 25th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
some guy: from the shoulders like a girl, a la derek fisher? lol, im kidding.But yes. He needs coach moncrief back and shooting right handed and developing his right hand a bit more would help, since this season he only goes to his right hand.
February 25th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
If writers like Marcus think this is ripping into a player, they lead a very sheltered life.
Personally, I think using this inflated language is all about selling papers (or in today’s world clicks).