Dunleavy compares Kaman to Duncan

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/la-sp-heisler30jan30,1,3221856.
column?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba

The Clipper backcourt has basically missed the season, but they're still
coming as Chris Kaman starts to happen. With Elton Brand, Chris Wilcox,
Mikki Moore, Zeljko Rebraca, Corey Maggette and Bobby Simmons, they're one
of the league's most physical teams, if not numero uno.

They were playing volleyball with the Lakers. Sometimes Kaman shot and Brand
rebounded his misses. For variety, Brand shot and Kaman rebounded his
misses.

The Clippers outrebound opponents by 2.4 a game, fifth best in the league.
This month with Kaman entering the picture, they're at a scary 6.8.

Coach Mike Dunleavy says Kaman can be "a poor man's Tim Duncan," which is
some jump. Coming off his preseason injury, Kaman was more like a poor man's
Rasho Nesterovic, throwing the ball out as soon as he got it or faking three
times before putting it up.

"I told him he was playing like a backup center," Dunleavy says. "I said,
'If that's how you see yourself, that's fine. We trust you. Go up and jam
it.' "


For local fans, not to mention Bryant, it might have been better if Kobe had
gone to the Clippers. Of course, that would have been a cruel blow for the
Lakers and would have meant counting on you-know-whom.

On the other hand, it would still be rocking around here, just on the other
side of the tracks.

Houston Coach Jeff Van Gundy on meeting Bill Clinton: "He said, 'We should
get together some time and talk about leadership.' I said, 'That would be
great.' He said, 'Yeah, I got to go to Asia for an economic summit. Then I
got to go to the Middle East.' I was thinking, 'I got TNT Thursday.' This
guy is talking about real things. I'm talking about the Pistons."

"s_knight8" <s_knight8nospam.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ctj4i9$7re@dispatch.concentric.net...
> http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/la-sp-heisler30jan30,1,3221856.
> column?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba
>
> The Clipper backcourt has basically missed the season, but they're still
> coming as Chris Kaman starts to happen. With Elton Brand, Chris Wilcox,
> Mikki Moore, Zeljko Rebraca, Corey Maggette and Bobby Simmons, they're one
> of the league's most physical teams, if not numero uno.
>
> They were playing volleyball with the Lakers. Sometimes Kaman shot and
> Brand
> rebounded his misses. For variety, Brand shot and Kaman rebounded his
> misses.
>
> The Clippers outrebound opponents by 2.4 a game, fifth best in the league.
> This month with Kaman entering the picture, they're at a scary 6.8.
>
> Coach Mike Dunleavy says Kaman can be "a poor man's Tim Duncan," which is
> some jump. Coming off his preseason injury, Kaman was more like a poor
> man's
> Rasho Nesterovic, throwing the ball out as soon as he got it or faking
> three
> times before putting it up.
>
> "I told him he was playing like a backup center," Dunleavy says. "I said,
> 'If that's how you see yourself, that's fine. We trust you. Go up and jam
> it.' "

i've watched this guy play a few times this season and poor man's duncan
might not be far off. he has got a pretty unique skill set for a guy of
that size, including a *great* off hand and some pretty wicked handles. the
big keys with guys like this always seem to be conditioning, desire, and
injury. he's definitely got the size and game.

brink