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No disrespect to Kris Humphries, but Marcin Gortat says he needed a wingman No disrespect to Kris Humphries, but Marcin Gortat says he needed a wingman
(about 9 hours later)
In assessing reasons for his recent individual boom, Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat has spent time determined there are a few major factors. In assessing reasons for his recent individual boom, Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat has spent time determining there are a few major factors.
He’s getting more opportunities, for one, and players around him, particularly point guard John Wall, have performed better. The other, he asserts, is who’s playing alongside him in the front-court. He’s getting more opportunities, for one, and players around him, particularly point guard John Wall, have performed better. The other, he asserts, is who’s playing alongside him in the front court.
The Wizards began the season experimenting at power forward. Kris Humphries spent his first 11 NBA seasons as an interior presence who later developed a dependable midrange jumper. This season, his second with the Wizards, he was promoted to the starting lineup and instructed to lurk on the perimeter and shoot three-pointers to spread the floor. The venture lasted 14 starts before Humphries was replaced by Jared Dudley. Humphries was then traded to the Phoenix Suns on deadline day as part of a package for Markieff Morris, Washington’s latest starting power forward. He now plays for the Atlanta Hawks. The Wizards began the season experimenting at power forward. Kris Humphries spent his first 11 NBA seasons as an interior presence who later developed a dependable midrange jumper. This season, his second with the Wizards, he was promoted to the starting lineup and instructed to lurk on the perimeter and shoot three-pointers to spread the floor. The venture lasted 14 starts before Humphries was replaced by Jared Dudley. Humphries was then traded to the Phoenix Suns on deadline day as part of a package for Markieff Morris, Washington’s latest starting power forward. Humphries now plays for the Atlanta Hawks.
“With me and Kris, it just completely, completely didn’t work,” Gortat said after a morning shootaround in Minneapolis last week. “It’s nothing against Kris. He just didn’t fit in with me. I need a guy who can stretch the court for me and for John in order for us to be successful and people didn’t respect his jump shot like they respect Jared’s or Markieff’s. And even if Markieff is not shooting threes out, he can drive to the paint, he can do a lot of things with the ball and Kris couldn’t do it.” “With me and Kris, it just completely, completely didn’t work,” Gortat said after a morning shoot-around in Minneapolis last week. “It’s nothing against Kris. He just didn’t fit in with me. I need a guy who can stretch the court for me and for John in order for us to be successful, and people didn’t respect his jump shot like they respect Jared’s or Markieff’s. And even if Markieff is not shooting threes out, he can drive to the paint, he can do a lot of things with the ball and Kris couldn’t do it.”
[Lakers shock Warriorsin biggest regular-season upset in NBA history] [Lakers shock Warriors in biggest regular season upset in NBA history]
Since returning from a knee infection that forced him to miss three games in mid-January — a rare instance of the 31-year-old Gortat missing time because of a health issue — Gortat has been the consistent presence in the middle the Wizards envisioned when they adopted their four-out, one-in offensive system this season. Since returning from a knee infection that forced him to miss three games in mid-January — a rare instance of Gortat, 32, missing time because of a health issue — Gortat has been the consistent presence in the middle the Wizards envisioned when they adopted their four-out, one-in offensive system this season.
Over the past 24 games, the 7-footer from Poland, who is in the second year of a five-year contract worth $60 million, is averaging 13.8 points and 10.7 rebounds and shooting 59.8 percent from the field. The field-goal accuracy is tops in the NBA among players averaging double-digit field-goal attempts in at least 15 games since Jan. 16, and he’s posted 16 double-doubles during the stretch. Over the past 24 games, the 7-footer from Poland, who is in the second year of a five-year contract worth $60 million, is averaging 13.8 points and 10.7 rebounds and shooting 59.8 percent from the field. The field goal accuracy is tops in the NBA among players averaging double-digit field goal attempts in at least 15 games since Jan. 16, and he’s posted 16 double-doubles during the stretch.
“In a way, we take it for granted that he’s a double-double guy,” Dudley said. “That he has great touch left, right hand. Can pass. Because when you have all that stuff, those guys are all-stars. When you’re 7-foot and can do that — and skilled — you’re an all-star. And I think that’s why we push him where we think he can even be better. I think that I would like to see even more positive encouragement with him . . . You can’t always get on a guy 24/7.” “In a way, we take it for granted that he’s a double-double guy,” Dudley said. “That he has great touch left, right hand. Can pass. Because when you have all that stuff, those guys are all-stars. When you’re 7-foot and can do that — and skilled — you’re an all-star. And I think that’s why we push him where we think he can even be better. I think that I would like to see even more positive encouragement with him. . . . You can’t always get on a guy 24/7.”
Gortat spent his first six NBA seasons playing with the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns in systems similar to the one Washington implemented this season. His skill-set suits the operation because he’s one of the league’s premier rim-running and pick-and-rolling big men. But he got off to a slow start and received some harsh criticism from Coach Randy Wittman after grabbing one rebound in 27 minutes in a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in November. Gortat spent his first six NBA seasons playing with Orlando and Phoenix in systems similar to the one Washington implemented this season. His skill-set suits the operation because he’s one of the NBA’s premier rim-running and pick-and-rolling big men. But he got off to a slow start and received criticism from Coach Randy Wittman after grabbing one rebound in 27 minutes in a blowout loss to Oklahoma City in November.
“I took that really personally, really seriously,” said Gortat, who grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds against the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 29 and added 17 in Saturday’s loss to the Pacers. “I’ll never forget that . . . And guess what? I might have three rebounds today. Does this mean I’m a bad rebounder? [Stuff] like that happens.” “I took that really personally, really seriously,” said Gortat, who had a career-high 20 rebounds against Philadelphia on Feb. 29 and 17 in Saturday’s loss to Indiana. “I’ll never forget that. And guess what? I might have three rebounds today. Does this mean I’m a bad rebounder? [Stuff] like that happens.”
[Wizards lose pivotal game in final seconds][Wizards lose pivotal game in final seconds]
Gortat leads the Wizards in rebounding percentage at 17.9, but his strength remains as a roll man. He ranks fourth in the NBA in points per possession (1.19) and third in scoring frequency (59.7 percent) as the roll man among players who have completed at least 100 pick-and-rolls this season, according to NBA.com. Gortat leads the Wizards in rebounding percentage at 17.9, but his strength remains as a roll man. He ranks fourth in the NBA in points per possession (1.19) and third in scoring frequency (59.7 percent) as the roll man among players who have completed at least 100 pick and rolls this season.
His pick-and-roll potency offsets weaker parts of his game. First, he’s not nearly as efficient as a post-up player; Gortat ranks 45th out of 52 players in scoring frequency (41.1 percent) and 45th in points per possession (0.80) on post-ups among players with at least 100 post-ups this season. Then there’s Gortat’s style around the basket. Though he’s shooting 65.8 percent on shots less than five feet from the basket, teammates have regularly displayed frustration with his tendency to lay the ball in or fade away from the basket instead of attempting to dunk. His pick-and-roll potency offsets weaker parts of his game. First, he’s not nearly as efficient as a post-up player; Gortat ranks 45th out of 52 players in scoring frequency (41.1 percent) and 45th in points per possession (0.80) on post-ups among players with at least 100 post-ups this season. Then there’s Gortat’s style near the basket. Though he’s shooting 65.8 percent on shots less than five feet from the basket, teammates have regularly displayed frustration with his tendency to lay the ball in or fade away from the basket instead of dunking it.
“We want him to be aggressive towards that where sometimes when you’re dunking the ball, some guys either have to get there early so it opens up threes on the back side or fouls, getting into the bonus,” Dudley said. “So we tell him to do that a lot. Especially against guys that are the same size because those are the guys he tends to hook and fadeaway: the [Hassan] Whitesides, the [DeAndre] Jordans, where you try to get at them and dunk, sometimes they don’t want to get dunked on or sometimes you might get a foul and that’s something we need.”“We want him to be aggressive towards that where sometimes when you’re dunking the ball, some guys either have to get there early so it opens up threes on the back side or fouls, getting into the bonus,” Dudley said. “So we tell him to do that a lot. Especially against guys that are the same size because those are the guys he tends to hook and fadeaway: the [Hassan] Whitesides, the [DeAndre] Jordans, where you try to get at them and dunk, sometimes they don’t want to get dunked on or sometimes you might get a foul and that’s something we need.”
Gortat said he notices his teammates’ frustration when he misses a shot around the basket and understands. He admits he sometimes complicates matters when a simple move would suffice but he’s a “finesse” player capable of scoring in different ways around the basket. That’s his game, and it’s gotten him this far.Gortat said he notices his teammates’ frustration when he misses a shot around the basket and understands. He admits he sometimes complicates matters when a simple move would suffice but he’s a “finesse” player capable of scoring in different ways around the basket. That’s his game, and it’s gotten him this far.
“A lot of credit goes to John, obviously, for being a great point guard and being a great distributor of the ball,” Gortat said. “But at the same time, I believe I got more touches. We are sharing the ball. If you want to win in this game, you got to get everybody involved. And that’s just how it works. I just think a lot of things changed. I’m involved more. I have better rhythm. I have more confidence. I get to play four quarters more. It’s automatic.”“A lot of credit goes to John, obviously, for being a great point guard and being a great distributor of the ball,” Gortat said. “But at the same time, I believe I got more touches. We are sharing the ball. If you want to win in this game, you got to get everybody involved. And that’s just how it works. I just think a lot of things changed. I’m involved more. I have better rhythm. I have more confidence. I get to play four quarters more. It’s automatic.”