Im Sorry

[just do it]

but Banks is just plain BAD! Lost and Scared is the best way thay I can explain his play

 

[Chaplin]

What are you talking about? He didn't give us any big leads, but he was effective while out there.

 

[mribnik]

but Banks is just plain BAD! Lost and Scared is the best way thay I can explain his play

I just mentioned it in another thread, but I liked the way he played. He needs to refine his passing skills, but he was trying to see the angles and make passes he wasn't used to making. In time I think he'll get it.

 

[BirdMan21]

As long as he realizes that this team needs him more just to come in and not lose the lead and give Nash a rest, I think he can help. He just tends to try and come in and make things happen...and he just isn't good at that yet in this offense. He is still young, maybe he will learn it eventually.

 

[AmareFan]

I thought he played better today than he has in the past few games....he hustled, made a few shots and had a steal before the half. He will get there. It's all a matter of playing time.

 

[Absolute Zero]

I think a lot of you guys need to get off his back. The guy hardly gets any minutes. How can you be an effective player without many minutes? You just can't step out there once every two weeks and play great. It doesn't work that way. Without the PT, all the players that are riding the pines are having their skills diminished as well as their ability to integrate their games when they do get out there.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Yeah, I don't see what the person who started this thread saw today.

He was under control, didn't try to do too much, passed, and made a few nice buckets.

I think he even had a good defensive play as well.

Nice job I thought.

 

[Folster]

I think we might need him to stop the penetration of Harris and Terry. Banks has good perimeter defense. He just gets called close for fouls because of his lack of playing time and respect from the refs.

 

[just do it]

he may need to play to give Nash and Bell a rest, however play him with Diaw and Barbosa and don't let him do the playmaking cuz he can't.

 

[TJ]

he was ok today. 6 minutes, 4 pts and a steal to end the 1st quarter (which he chould have made had he had an extra .5 secons on the clock)

 

[azirish]

I only caught the fourth quarter, so I'm not sure what Banks looked like. In any caser, I think it is too early to simply give up on Banks.

If I had a quarter for every post saying that Leandro would never be able to play point guard, I'd be rich. People would go on and on ragging about what Leandro couldn't do and now he's given serious consideration as sixth man of the year.

Certainly Banks and Barbosa are very different kinds of players. Still, Banks has the potential of being a very good, physical type defender (think a smaller Raja) who is physically able to get to the basket and draw contact along the lines of a Maggette. He may be a Starbury type passer, but there is a value in having someone who can drive and kick.

What I don't expect from Banks is a John Stockton/Steve Nash PG. What he needs to do become more focused, take fewer jump shots, pass to the open man, and use his speed and strength. It seems to be harder than it sounds, but Leandro showed what can be done with someone who started with even less preparation.

 

[Chaz]

I think a lot of you guys need to get off his back. The guy hardly gets any minutes. How can you be an effective player without many minutes? You just can't step out there once every two weeks and play great. It doesn't work that way. Without the PT, all the players that are riding the pines are having their skills diminished as well as their ability to integrate their games when they do get out there.

I agree, Banks has not looked very good but this is a tough system to get "deprogrammed" for, especially for a PG.

He is a talented player and I am not ready to give up on him.

Take what we can get and hopefully coach will work him in when he can. What really kills my support for him is when he is turning over the ball and passing up open shots. Missed shots and not pushing the ball are unfortunate but don't kill the team.

If I had a quarter for every post saying that Leandro would never be able to play point guard, I'd be rich.

Yea, him and Joe Johnson would never be a consistent shooter.

 

[elindholm]

I don't think the Banks/Barbosa comparison is a valid reason to hold out hopes for Banks's prospects as a point guard.

1. Banks is already 25 years old; Barbosa is still only 24. It's much more common for a 23-year-old, foreign player to improve than it is a 25-year-old who has played in the U. S. his whole life. Barbosa had to overcome a different style of play and a language barrier. Banks is what he is.

2. One thing Barbosa had going for him even at the beginning was good shooting results. I won't say good "mechanics," because they aren't, but it goes in. His percentages have gotten better, but they were already promising his rookie year. Banks's percentages have always been somewhere between mediocre and unacceptable.

3. Even with his improvement, Barbosa still isn't a point guard and probably never will be. Now that he's basically playing starter's minutes, he is averaging barely four assists per game. He is almost never on the floor without either Nash or Diaw, the Suns' two primary playmakers.

 

[Chaz]

Many talented players never "figure it out" as in how to find a game in the NBA. Banks has a lot of talent I think and it is up to him and the coaches to develop it.

I don't think anyone is saying he will ever be the player Barbosa is but the point is valid that many fans give up players and make 'final' judgements prematurely.

 

[Ryanwb]

James Jones is the weak teet on this boar.....

 

[azirish]

It is almost impossible to compare different players, beause there is always SOMETHING that's different. Mike James of the T-Wolves got a full MLE to be their starting PG, but is not getting more assists than Leandro who plays SG most of the time and is generally teamed up with Boris:

Mike James
Minnesota Timberwolves
Position: G
Height: 6-2 Weight: 195
College : Duquesne
Player file | Team stats
2006-07 Statistics
PPG11.6
RPG2.4
APG4.3
SPG.72
BPG.09
FG%.426
FT%.873
3P%.360
MPG29.0


Leandro Barbosa
Phoenix Suns
Position: G
Height: 6-3 Weight: 188
From : Brazil
2006-07 Statistics
PPG16.1
RPG2.4
APG4.2
SPG1.07
BPG.17
FG%.465
FT%.862
3P%.388
MPG30.6


Another really odd stat is that Banks at 1.3 assists per 9.9 minute game would translate into 5.1 assists per 30 minutes.

 

[elindholm]

Mike James of the T-Wolves got a full MLE to be their starting PG, but is not getting more assists than Leandro who plays SG most of the time and is generally teamed up with Boris

You lost me. Barbosa is a better player than James, and once his contract extension kicks in, he'll be making more money. James isn't much of a player, but the Wolves have a hard time attracting free agents, so they (slightly) overpaid for a low-efficiency combo guard. I'm sure they would have rather had Barbosa for the same money, but he wasn't available.

Another really odd stat is that Banks at 1.3 assists per 9.9 minute game would translate into 5.1 assists per 30 minutes.

In other words, slightly more than Barbosa. You've got it: Neither of them is much of a PG. But Barbosa is a much better SG.

 

[just do it]

Banks comes in for Nash and we don't score for the last 3 min of the qtr, he blows and is no way a fit for this team.

 

[just do it]

BUMP!!!

Banks, sucks... period, this team does not score when he is on the floor.

 

[mribnik]

BUMP!!!

Banks, sucks... period, this team does not score when he is on the floor.

Can you please give this guy a break? He gets about 5 minutes a game and is supposed to direct the highest scoring offense in those 5 minutes. Any playing time he can get is a positive thing if you ask me, and he wasn't playing that terrible either. Steve Nash forced a few passes tonight that made me cringe too. Banks had a couple of good defensive plays on Parker as well.

 

[Chaplin]

BUMP!!!

Banks, sucks... period, this team does not score when he is on the floor.

If you don't have anything constructive to post, why post at all?

You hate the guy, fine!

 

[Evil Ash]

BUMP!!!

Banks, sucks... period, this team does not score when he is on the floor.

But they did stop the Spurs during his time in there. Prior to his going in the game,the Suns were allowing the Spurs guards to run up the court unguarded and by the time some tried to stop him it was too late (there were several runners hit by Ginobli and Parker within 6 ft of the basket).

When Banks pressured them in the backcourt, the momentum stopped.

In short, players can help in other ways besides OFFENSE *gasp*

 

[jbeecham]

I thought Banks did a decent job on Parker tonight in the few times he guarded him. Banks also drove hard to the basket a few times, although he still isn't a good finisher.

 

[cly2tw]

I thought Banks did a decent job on Parker tonight in the few times he guarded him. Banks also drove hard to the basket a few times, although he still isn't a good finisher.

All Banks needs is confidence. He is definitely a player that can earn that contract given some development here. It's unfortunate that Diaw was not in form to start the season, so that the burden on him to be the playmaker in place of Nash was too big for him to blend in more smoothly.

He will help if he stays on. However, I'd have no problem shipping him out for either Posey or Nazr. Bell has been playing too many minutes too, just like last year before he got injured in the Mavs series.

 

[Mr.Dibbs]

He just looks lost out there.