DeJuan Blair: The Next Paul Millsap?
NBA October 8th. 2009, 3:45pm
That’s the guess of ESPN’s Ric Bucher, who took in DeJuan Blair’s impressive NBA debut Tuesday night. The rookie from Pittsburgh’s line against Houston: 22 minutes, 16 points, 19 rebounds (eight offensive). The San Antonio News-Express raved about his rebounding ability. This post should serve as a reminder that Blair was thought to be a 1st round draft talent, but fell to the 2nd round (37th overall) because of concerns about his knees. Blair was the 9th power forward selected in the June draft. Of note: Manu Ginobili was a 2nd round pick; Tony Parker went late in the 1st. Our NBA title pick will be San Antonio or Orlando. [Ric Bucher Twitter, Yahoo Sports Twitter]
99 Responses to “DeJuan Blair: The Next Paul Millsap?”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
October 8th, 2009 at 3:47 PM
Nope.
The only thing less impressive than Summer League stats is preseason stats.
October 8th, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Spurs lost by 14
October 8th, 2009 at 3:51 PM
And to think the Blazers passed on him for another over-rated Euro.
I think Orlando takes a step back. Barnes was a good pickup, but they lost a lot of what made them work during the playoffs last year. Although if D-Ho comes back a much improved offensive player then the previous point will be moot.
October 8th, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Knicks in nine.
October 8th, 2009 at 3:55 PM
but they lost a lot of what made them work during the playoffs last year. Although if D-Ho comes back a much improved offensive player then the previous point will be moot.
i’m drinking Orlando’s Koolaid, even though I dont’ like them. That is a whole bunch of talent. If Howard added a 2nd low post move (even another bad one) and 10 percent better free throw shooting, they’re golden.
October 8th, 2009 at 3:55 PM
How this guy fell to the 2nd round is beyond me.
October 8th, 2009 at 3:55 PM
Greg Oden has had a good preseason too. Is he the next Wilt?
October 8th, 2009 at 3:57 PM
Lakers – Cavs. Lakers in 6.
October 8th, 2009 at 3:58 PM
I am cool with the Magic in the East. hell, i see a rematch of the finals.
October 8th, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Lakers – Celtics. With the over/under on times Garnett meanmugs the camera set at 5,381.5
October 8th, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Isn’t he undersized? 19 rebounds is pretty impressive.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Didn’t TBL love his guy at Pitt?
October 8th, 2009 at 4:02 PM
take the over…that’d be licence to print money.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:03 PM
I want the Magic to get to the Finals cause I want to see Vince’s talent get recognized on a broad scale for the first time since…2001. However, I have a feeling the Laker boys will repeat.
I don’t see Cleveland getting past either Boston OR Orlando if they’re healthy; those teams are too stacked, especially ORL.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:04 PM
Yeah, but his wingspan is ridiculous.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:04 PM
BTW how come there’s been no mention of the Cavs franchise already printing off NBA Finals tickets?? I read it on, I think it was ‘Ball Don’t Lie’.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:04 PM
As D Wade said last night, “Orlando is stacked”
October 8th, 2009 at 4:05 PM
First person to catch Garnett’s ire: Robert Swift, charlie ward sitting on the rockets sideline, Tyler Hansborough, or Danilo Gallinari?
October 8th, 2009 at 4:07 PM
It’d be one of the unassuming white guys…likely Swift.
I still rank Calderon talking shit back to Garnett and standing up to him one of the best moments of last season (or was it 2007-2008?).
October 8th, 2009 at 4:07 PM
I want to see Garnett meanmug vs Hansborough’s stare. I got the scrappy guy.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:07 PM
He’s god Rodman’s wingspan with Jamarcus Russell’s build. UNSTOPPABLE KILLING MACHINE.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:08 PM
There’s no way Garnett is playing the entire season. The guy’s old. I think Lebron will be an even bigger force this year. I wouldn’t bet against Cleveland, unless you think Shaq submarines the entire thing.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:08 PM
BTW how come there’s been no mention of the Cavs franchise already printing off NBA Finals tickets?? I read it on, I think it was ‘Ball Don’t Lie’
i brought it up yesterday in a thread. no post on it. I guess they have been doing that for years
October 8th, 2009 at 4:09 PM
I don’t really worry about Boston anymore, The team isn’t getting any younger and as LeBron enters into his prime, he won’t lose a 7 game series. (Sheed does add another dimension though) Orlando, meh… I mean if Shaq can stay healthy and motivated, the Cavs have someone who can atleast put a body on Howard, because if Orlando shoots the ball like that did against Cleveland in the playoffs last year, no one’s gonna beat em, which i don’t see happening. Fuck Carter. Orlando/Cleveland in the east, SA/LA in the west. SA in 6
October 8th, 2009 at 4:09 PM
listening to ther score in chicago right now and they’re discussing an annual poll of GMs in which they can’t pick their own people for the best this and that in the league. listen online. have you heard of this poll before?
October 8th, 2009 at 4:10 PM
they beat cleveland in 6, sorry
October 8th, 2009 at 4:11 PM
because they just decided to print all their playoff tickets at once.
who the fuck cares?
October 8th, 2009 at 4:11 PM
I don’t really worry about Boston anymore
i’m more worried about Boston than Cleveland
October 8th, 2009 at 4:12 PM
hard to think of him as old since he came into the league as a teenager, but this will be his 14th season. wow.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:12 PM
damn. 14 years in the league already. went by quick
October 8th, 2009 at 4:13 PM
@sparty- is Orlando going to beat Detroit this year?
October 8th, 2009 at 4:14 PM
boston matches up better against orlando than they do against cleveland.
cleveland matches up against boston better than than they do against boston.
orlando matches up against cleveland better than they match up against boston.
moral of the story…whoever gets the 1 seed is going the finals out fo the east.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:14 PM
Knicks save money by not even bothering to print up regular season tickets, let alone payoff tickets.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:14 PM
fixed.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:16 PM
moral of the story…whoever gets the 1 seed is going the finals out fo the east
same thing was said last year spencer
October 8th, 2009 at 4:16 PM
Cleveland is def. a scary team though. Parker is a good player to have, but his skills are on the decline. I didn’t even know you guys got Leon Powe till yesterday, but he’s a great energy guy. Unfortunetly, your two main centers are a combined 120 years old. Shaq is almost 40; Z, I don’t know how old he is, but he looks and moves older than Shaq.
Plus, Shaq is in a contract year and needs to play in the paint…which is where Lebron does most of his damage.
I think it’ll work out fine for the most part, but I still see ORL taking it to the Finals. VC is motivated, and you can hate all you want, but the dude is clutch and will come through when he wants to.
People also forget that JAMEER is back, and he was playing at an all-star level before his injury. That team is loaded and I didn’t even mention Lewis.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:17 PM
The east:
Orlando should be more worried about Boston
Boston should be more worried about Cleveland
Cleveland should be more worried about Orland
October 8th, 2009 at 4:17 PM
true…lemme amend that then.
whoever gets lucky and avoids the worst matchups will go to the finals from the east.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:18 PM
so do the people who have been overpaying him since 2001. he is too lazy and too big of a diva to get recognition. if he had 1% of mj’s drive he would have been a super duper star.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:18 PM
GMs said Parker was best offseason move, and Wizards will be most improved. on a commercial break now, lots more to comeafter the break. no, i don;t work for the station. i work for you, fellow TBLers, and I don;t even like b-ball
October 8th, 2009 at 4:19 PM
i would think so. definitely not the same pistons.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:19 PM
Damn I 3 minutes late and an ‘o’ short.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:20 PM
If he gets back before the playoffs
October 8th, 2009 at 4:20 PM
i dunno if it’s laziness because he’s always in shape and doesn’t break down…he just doesn’t have that desire to rip the heart out of his opponents like MJ did. he’s simply content with getting his 20-40 points and seeing one of his dunks on sportscenter.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:20 PM
Wait, so let me get this right. Hasheem Thabeet was a top 5 pick. DeJuan Blair DOMINATED him despite being half a foot shorter and we’re supposed to be surprised that this guy is looking good?
Hawks over Spurs in 4.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:21 PM
I think San Antonio, if healthy, will give the Lakers a run for thier money…if Artest adjusts well though, I can also see the Lakers steam-rolling through.
A large majority of people have actually never seen him play. Watch Orlando games this year, I stand by the dude, and he gets the “lazy” rap, but when he is focused, he is still one of the best guards in the league.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:21 PM
+1…that made me pee.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:22 PM
what was NOT to love about Blair at Pitt? Remember when he flipped Thabeet?
ps – loved Thabeet as a draft choice. really hope he sticks in memphis, which looks damn good on paper.
roy – memphis G who is at Sactown, Tyreke Evans.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:23 PM
definitely not the same pistons
i still see them in the playoffs.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:24 PM
i do. i remember all the love you were giving him. so i am not surprised that there is a post about Blair as soon as he did something well. even if it was the friggin preseason.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:24 PM
Biggest disappointment coming up in ‘10?
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Boston just falls apart…if healthy, they’re dangerous, but they’re also old as hell. I can easily see Garnett going down, Allen injuring his ankle, and Big Baby leading the Celtics in points, which can never be a good sign.
Also, Washington is going to be dangerous, I can see them taking the 4th seed.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:24 PM
He’s lazy when he’s not happy. He tipped off opposing players when he was in Toronto. Fuck that guy.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:24 PM
i think they get in as the 7 or 8 seed. but really not sure what to expect.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:25 PM
From an article on Waiting for Next Year
in short, who gives a shit?
October 8th, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Thabeet is garbage. He neds to put on weight and has no offensive game to speak of. He’s definitely a project.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:25 PM
if i was a boston fan, i’d be worried about having two PF’s who both have a tendancy to fall in love with their jump shot.
having sheed and KG firing 18 footers is not a recipe for success.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Not enough basketballs in Memphis
October 8th, 2009 at 4:26 PM
when is he focused? contract years. so he has maybe 1 contract year left before he retires. good luck with that.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:26 PM
you forgot about Rasheed collecting about 25 techs.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:27 PM
spencer did you see big z might retire at the end of the season
October 8th, 2009 at 4:27 PM
know what? you guys don’t need no stinkin’ GMs
as an aside, the kids have Stuart Little 2 on. Geena Davis is so fine, maybe not in the face, but damn, what a body. goes for Stuart Little 1 too
October 8th, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Excellent point
October 8th, 2009 at 4:28 PM
people who like to bash the cavs.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Irish … D-Ho said yesterday on the radio that he added 10-12 more pounds of muscle. Scary stuff, but I don’t know if that’ll help with what he was lacking and that’s his back to basket stuff.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:28 PM
If Rondo ever learned how to shoot that team would never score in the paint.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:29 PM
That was from a game against Seattle. I still don’t know if its true or not; if it is, then its fucked up, but I would like to believe that it isn’t.
Even when he was averaging only 16 ppg with Toronto in 2003/2004, dude was nailing clutch jumper. My point is, he’s in his hometown, he’s trying to restablish himself in the league again, and he has help from a REALLY talented cast.
And if you don’t think dude has hops anymore:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5cOhMP2oLg
Trust me, watch it.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:29 PM
example question: what player does the most with the least?
answer: okur
October 8th, 2009 at 4:32 PM
Here’s the problem with Carter. He needs someone to yell at him. Butch Carter did that, which is why he developed into an MVP candidate in 2000. Lenny Wilkens made him a better player, but did not light a fire under him. As a result, VC got complacent.
Ditto for Lawrence Frank, who looks like he’s 5 and assumingly treats his players like that as well. Stan Van Gundy has already started calling VC out, and again, when motivated (i.e – his coach pushing him), VC plays to his potential, which is bad news for opponents, especially with a team this good.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:33 PM
you can take the boy out of the bitchassness but you cant take the bitchassness out of the boy.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:33 PM
big z.
dude can’t move, can’t jump…still gets you a double double pretty much every night and has range out to 20 feet. average defender who can take advantage of undsiciplined players (but gets beat by the elite).
October 8th, 2009 at 4:35 PM
@wheels- Dan Patrick interview? scary is right
October 8th, 2009 at 4:37 PM
in short, who gives a shit?
i thought it was amusing at first. then mmonasty told me they have been doing it for years.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Chicago Bulls will suck this year
October 8th, 2009 at 4:39 PM
they will make it farther than the magic.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:40 PM
They’ll be lucky to sniff the playoffs
October 8th, 2009 at 4:40 PM
Biggest disappointment coming up in ‘10?
Frailblazers again. wont live up to the hype. again
October 8th, 2009 at 4:40 PM
you know who sucks this year?
sacramento.
pure garbage.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Maybe the best midrange perimeter shoot the Cavs got.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:44 PM
I consider myself a Bulls fan, but I think you are wrong. They’ve got bad season written all over them. Nobody who can consistently score, and expectations running high because they went seven with the C’s. I’m telling you they have a crappy year this year, get a good pick in the draft, and then get D-Wayde in free agency.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Totally off topic, but who’s gotten/is getting NBA 2k10. I’m getting it sometime this week for a cheaper price, if you guys wanna XBOX Live it, holla.
I know I’m not the only one on here who still plays video games Saturday afternoons and “resting a hangover” days (also known as Sundays).
October 8th, 2009 at 4:48 PM
No NBA live Karma? i have never played 2K
October 8th, 2009 at 4:48 PM
noah will be better, rose the same or better, salmon the same or better. tyrus thomas and his lack of development is ruining the team and the furtherance of rose. if he would just bust his ass up the floor, he could be tyson chandler to rose’s chris paul
October 8th, 2009 at 4:50 PM
welcome to college football coutnry.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:50 PM
The only one of those guys who can even remotely score consistently is Salmon and that scares me. I like the future picture for them especially with my boy D-Rose running the show, but I just have a bad feeling about this season.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:50 PM
poll says best coaches are 1. jackson, 2. popovich, 3. sloan
best manager/motivator of people: jackson, popovich, rivers, in order
best in-game adjustments: brown, jackson, popovich
October 8th, 2009 at 4:51 PM
I’m telling you they have a crappy year this year, get a good pick in the draft, and then get D-Wayde in free agency
I agree
October 8th, 2009 at 4:52 PM
that’s gotta be larry brown right?
cuz it sure as hell isn’t mike.
October 8th, 2009 at 4:58 PM
im with irish…the blazers will be another huge disappoitment, oden out of the league after this season (natural causes)
October 8th, 2009 at 5:13 PM
i’ll take a crappy year to get dwade. him and rose will be just nasteeeee together
October 8th, 2009 at 5:16 PM
If you’re into realistic gaming, the 2k series takes the cake, and its not even close.
I was a huge Live guy until about 2005, which is when I played the 2k series. Live just feels too arcade-ish for my liking.
October 8th, 2009 at 5:17 PM
NBA Live is horrible once you’ve played the NBA 2K games. Just horrible.
October 8th, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Same goes for the college versions, obviously.
October 8th, 2009 at 5:18 PM
I still can’t believe people picked Oden over Durant…I remember some people questioned Durant cause he couldn’t bench 120 lbs or whatever it was. He was only what…18? I just keep thinking back to how Pippen was in his rookie year and how he looked by the 98 Finals. Durant’s going to get built well; it’s just a matter of time.
October 8th, 2009 at 5:20 PM
EA still takes the cake with Fifa 10 though. I’m a huge sports gamer…not much of anything else really, aside from maybe Street Fighter occasionally. I whip ass at Madden, Fifa and NBA 2k.
October 8th, 2009 at 5:43 PM
They finished 4th last year, higher than a majority of the analysts had them. At best they will be picked to finish 3rd this year. There really isn’t that much hype for them.
October 8th, 2009 at 5:50 PM
October 8th, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Durant is a scoring machine, but I can’t fault the Blazers for going with Oden. They already had two scorers, plus Martel Webster was a promising SF before getting hurt last year. If a guy like Oden pans out it’s huge. Just look at Orlando. Having a guy that controls the paint and the glass on the defensive end is a very nice and rare asset. They swung for the fences, I can’t blame them for that.
October 8th, 2009 at 7:46 PM
spece,yes, larry
October 9th, 2009 at 9:54 AM
If a guy like Oden pans out it’s huge. Just look at Orlando. Having a guy that controls the paint and the glass on the defensive end is a very nice and rare asset
too bad O-Done will never do what Dwight does