When will Hill really give Darko the starting position?

[Project Darko 0]

quote:

Originally posted by Tough Break There:

Darko should have been starting from game one...It would be interesting to see how well he'd be playing right now if Hill had done that.

 

 

That's half the point. The Magic can NOT have his price rise, and still do what they want to do.

[Donzy 0]

I agree with Darko starting that finally puts battie on the bench, and I feel that Battie just absolutely sucks. It appears Hill will continue to bench his better players...anybody ever heard of j.j. redick...when's he gonna get to start

[Secretly Space Jesus 670]

I think the Darko situation has been consistently mishandled all year.

 

Throughout last year's offseason, Darko was talked up by everyone as being one half of the next twin towers, how he'd played incredibly in the world games, put on 20 pounds of bulk, was an integral part of the Magic's future, had developed cancer curing breath, etc...

Basically they really made it seem like Darko was a significant part of the team's plans. Then, while renegotiating his contract, the magic at the last minute yank a deal off the table that Darko was about to sign. Then, they choose to start Tony Battie, a career backup player over Darko.

 

Yes, Darko is an adult, in the most basic sense, but lets also look at a couple facts: Darko entered the draft at age 17, and since has been repeatedly called one of the biggest busts in the last 2 decades. Imagine for a second that from the time you were 17 to 21, everyone, including the national media, was calling you a disappointment on a profound scale. It'd screw with your head, and absolutely wreck your confidence.

So when the magic pulled the deal and didn't start Darko, I think it hurt his confidence a bit. Some nights he wouldn't have the fire he needed to off the bench, but I think that he would've had that, or at least have brought it more often, if he'd been starting.

As for the inconsistency questions, or the questions about his toughness and effort: What better way to punish a starter for not playing hard than to bench them?

I think one thing is clear though: If Darko stays after this year, he'll likely be doing it only after being promised that he'll start next year.

[Project Darko 0]

Once Darko is signed, whether it's here or elsewhere, i can assure you you'll see more freedom in his game. I'll go as far saying, had he signed that deal this summer, we'd see alot more offensive freedom with Darko.

 

He was put on this "low post only leash" to keep his value down. That high low between D&D this orginization hyped, and promised us during the offseason, has been not been seen. Which makes no sense...unless you're taking someone out of there comfort zone, to keep value down.

 

How impressed are you with Darko as a low post only player? How impressed were you last year, and during the WC's, when Darko was not FORCED into the post, 20+ lbs heavier?

 

I can't wait until next year. When he's got a signed deal, and his assetts can be utilized, instead of hidden.

[~O~ 565]

*As I've notice from Battie, he has been consistent all year, especially last year when he only had 1 game without scoring.

 

As for Darko, he has the capability of bringing the energy but Darko won't bring the energy ever game but he sure is starting.

[Magic31 0]

quote:

Originally posted by FENDI:

Darko needs consistency to start again. And Tony has been an integral part of our wins this season. We were 4-12 without him.

 

Ya and Battie is real consistant. Please, go look at Battie's game log, come back and then tell me that he needs to be a starter. He's had several (more than 10) games where he plays 20+min and only scores 0-4 pts. We may be the only team in this league that has a reserve averaging better figures in every stat catagory than the starter.

 

Darko deserves to be the starter and noone can argue that. The reason that we were 4-12 without Battie is because Darko and Dwight got tiered, and the only two people we could put in was Pat and Bo.

[Robert56 0]

So when will Darko start again? AFter tonight's game he should be starting the next game but knowing coach Hill he'll come off the bench. He was the Magic's player of the game tonight, how many time does that go to a bench player?

[mire 0]

just drop the subject on darko starting please

 

logic != brian hill

 

we'll see what summer brings...

[athena 0]

^^ summer won't bring anything to brian hill (i. e. brains)