First to 50 in the West

[Lurker]

Sorry, Mr. Faulty Memory.  Fisher's 0.4 shot in the pivotal game 5 is what killed the Spurs that season.  (Should have had the refs/timekeeper from Atlanta last night).  Duncan averaged 22.1 pts on 52.2% shooting, 11.3 rebs, 3.2 assts and 2.0 blks in the playoffs that year.  I'm sure glad Malone was around to slow him down...

What did TD against Samaki Walker the previous year.

I don't know...how well did Malone do against Duncan the previous year?  Was Malone the Timmy-stopper?

[WayOutWest]

Sorry, Mr. Faulty Memory.  Fisher's 0.4 shot in the pivotal game 5 is what killed the Spurs that season.  (Should have had the refs/timekeeper from Atlanta last night).  Duncan averaged 22.1 pts on 52.2% shooting, 11.3 rebs, 3.2 assts and 2.0 blks in the playoffs that year.  I'm sure glad Malone was around to slow him down...

What did TD against Samaki Walker the previous year.

I don't know...how well did Malone do against Duncan the previous year?  Was Malone the Timmy-stopper?

I don't know, just wondering of Malone did any better against TD than Samaki.

[Lurker]

Sorry, Mr. Faulty Memory.  Fisher's 0.4 shot in the pivotal game 5 is what killed the Spurs that season.  (Should have had the refs/timekeeper from Atlanta last night).  Duncan averaged 22.1 pts on 52.2% shooting, 11.3 rebs, 3.2 assts and 2.0 blks in the playoffs that year.  I'm sure glad Malone was around to slow him down...

What did TD against Samaki Walker the previous year.

I don't know...how well did Malone do against Duncan the previous year?  Was Malone the Timmy-stopper?

I don't know, just wondering of Malone did any better against TD than Samaki.

Here are Duncan's stats from the 2003 and 2004 playoffs.  Hard to tell if Malone did better than Samaki for at least 3 reasons: 1) Spurs played more games in 2003 playoffs, 2) I can't find stats for an individual series, and 3) I can't find box scores for that period.

Year/Games/FG%/FT%/Rebs/Assts/Stls/Blks/Pts
02-03 24 42.5 0.529 0.677 15.4 5.3 0.6 3.3 24.7
03-04 10 40.5 0.522 0.632 11.3 3.2 0.8 2.0 22.1

[Ted]

Posting up weaker defenders?  How many players did Malone post up who were stronger than he was?

I don't understand what you're asking. Are you implying Malone often posted up against stronger players? Malone was the strongest player of his generation. In later years, Shaq was bigger, and Robinson often gave Malone problems, but outside of those two, no one was as strong as he was.

By-the-way, saying he posted up people but couldn't create his own shot -- seems to be some incongruity in those statements. 

Have you played basketball? When you post someone up, you simply put yourself in a position where you can receive the ball from someone else. That's was posting up is. That's what Karl Malone did. He posted you up, or he played a perfect pick and roll; both offensive strategies that require the help of another person.

You might be mistaking "posting up" with something Charles Barkley used to do a lot. He would receive the ball near the arc, and then slowly back his opponent down toward the basket, either shooting a passing from a double team. The difference between the two players was that Barkley could get the ball there by himself. Malone did not do that. He moved to a position without the ball and waited to receive it.

[JoMal]

Have you played basketball? When you post someone up, you simply put yourself in a position where you can receive the ball from someone else. That's was posting up is. That's what Karl Malone did. He posted you up, or he played a perfect pick and roll; both offensive strategies that require the help of another person.

That is flat out the stupidest description of posting up I have ever heard. Posting up refers to a one on one game where a larger player backs down a smaller one, usually, as he faces away from the basket. Take in one of WOW's dog shows, Ted, and watch how the winner 'posts up' on the loser. THAT would be closer to your definition.

[westkoast]

Ted so Vlade Divac or Hakeem never created their own shot because they got a pass into the post?!  Cuz I could show you many high lights of Hakeem getting the ball in the post but still having to create a shot because the defense was already set....

[Randy]

Posting up weaker defenders?  How many players did Malone post up who were stronger than he was?

I don't understand what you're asking. Are you implying Malone often posted up against stronger players? Malone was the strongest player of his generation. In later years, Shaq was bigger, and Robinson often gave Malone problems, but outside of those two, no one was as strong as he was.

That was my point Ted -- you said that he posted up weaker defenders -- since everybody with the exception of Shaq was weaker than Malone, I'd say he pretty much posted up everyone.  Doesn't sound like he had a problem scoring with an assist to me.

By-the-way, saying he posted up people but couldn't create his own shot -- seems to be some incongruity in those statements. 

Have you played basketball? When you post someone up, you simply put yourself in a position where you can receive the ball from someone else. That's was posting up is. That's what Karl Malone did. He posted you up, or he played a perfect pick and roll; both offensive strategies that require the help of another person.

You might be mistaking "posting up" with something Charles Barkley used to do a lot. He would receive the ball near the arc, and then slowly back his opponent down toward the basket, either shooting a passing from a double team. The difference between the two players was that Barkley could get the ball there by himself. Malone did not do that. He moved to a position without the ball and waited to receive it.

I have played basketball -- I've watched basketball all of my life and I have NEVER heard of "posting up" that didn't mean a player backing up his opponent into the post to score over them (with the basketball).  I've never heard the phrase used in any other way.  Barckley turned it into a new art style though because he could back somebody into the post and use the entire shot clock to do it!  That's almost as boring as watching the Spurs play! 

[WayOutWest]

I have played basketball -- I've watched basketball all of my life and I have NEVER heard of "posting up" that didn't mean a player backing up his opponent into the post to score over them (with the basketball).  I've never heard the phrase used in any other way.  Barckley turned it into a new art style though because he could back somebody into the post and use the entire shot clock to do it!  That's almost as boring as watching the Spurs play! 

FYI: "posting up" does NOT mean backing up an opponent.  You can beat an opponent to the "spot" and hold it then catch and shoot.  Shaq did this with regularity durring his career and it was still considered "posting up".  There are plenty of ways to "post up" and not "back up" a player.

[westkoast]

I have played basketball -- I've watched basketball all of my life and I have NEVER heard of "posting up" that didn't mean a player backing up his opponent into the post to score over them (with the basketball).  I've never heard the phrase used in any other way.  Barckley turned it into a new art style though because he could back somebody into the post and use the entire shot clock to do it!  That's almost as boring as watching the Spurs play! 

FYI: "posting up" does NOT mean backing up an opponent.  You can beat an opponent to the "spot" and hold it then catch and shoot.  Shaq did this with regularity durring his career and it was still considered "posting up".  There are plenty of ways to "post up" and not "back up" a player.

Chris Bosh and Kevin Garnett come to mind as well.  They catch the ball in the post but end up shooting a fade away jumper.

[WayOutWest]

Chris Bosh and Kevin Garnett come to mind as well.  They catch the ball in the post but end up shooting a fade away jumper.

Exactly, funny to hear posers talk about "posting up".  I guess Randy NEVER saw Kareem play "post up" basketball since he regularly just caught the ball, swung left shot right or swung right shot left without "backing up" his opponent. 

[Ted]

Seriously, what are you guys talking about?!

Posting up at all levels of basketball is known as establishing a good scoring position and calling for the ball. This is basic BASIC basketball.

If you're not familiar with the "post up" in basketball, the following video can help you understand it.

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-To-Play-Basketball-Power-V-Post-Up-6184374

[Ted]

I have played basketball -- I've watched basketball all of my life and I have NEVER heard of "posting up" that didn't mean a player backing up his opponent into the post to score over them (with the basketball).  I've never heard the phrase used in any other way.  Barckley turned it into a new art style though because he could back somebody into the post and use the entire shot clock to do it!  That's almost as boring as watching the Spurs play! 

You are wrong. It's a basic basketball principle. Look it up anywhere, in a book, on the web, maybe . . . um . . . on the court?

[Randy]

So basically, you are using the definition to include posting up (i.e. without the ball) an opponent the same way you posted an opponent with the basketball.  I saw Malone do both of these moves -- with and without the basketball. 

[WayOutWest]

So basically, you are using the definition to include posting up (i.e. without the ball) an opponent the same way you posted an opponent with the basketball.  I saw Malone do both of these moves -- with and without the basketball. 

Randy, "posting up" does not mean "backing up" or as they say in basketball "backing down".  Backing up/down is PART of post up basketball NOT the whole thing.

[Randy]

To "post up" is to establish a position in the low post, the area near the basket below the foul line, usually in order to take advantage of a smaller defender. The offensive player usually faces away from the basket, so that his body can protect the ball from the defender. From this position, options such as spinning or backing down the defender to close in to the basket for better scoring opportunities become available to him.

Well, it's establishing position in the low post -- I've seen it done by footwork, quickness, arriving to the position first or using strength to establish the position.  Seems to basically be the same thing to me.  It's all about establishing physical presence -- and the turn around (Kobe does this as did MJ) J is the same basic principle -- force the player to focus on not giving up any more space in the post and then turn and do a falling jump shot.  The defender has to readjust from their trying to keep you from gaining any more post space and that readjustment gives the shooter the space he needs to shoot a 5 to 8 foot jumpshot.  It's the same principle though.  The physical action of establishing the position is what allows him the space to shoot the shot.