Nowitzki: Bargs is way more athletic than I ever was

[rahzel2k4]

he shut me up. i get frustrated to no end when he used to take off balance jumpers all the time (like masrco), not always go strong to the basket (like marco) and never help on d. Andrea Bargnani, this is my official apology to you.

[CACK]

dirk shud rename himself to irk for no D

[garbagnani]

Bargnani plays the PF most of the time, and Bosh plays the C, unless the opposing C is too big, which Bosh and Bargs will switch around on defense.

Meanwhile, it is not the offense that Bargnani is providing, it is his defense that makes him a complete player as compare to Dirk on only excel in his offense.
Dirk is better:
- Post game (Dirk is better, but Bargs can be more skillful in this)
- Rebounding (Bargs is getting there, might slightly below Dirk)
- Aggressiveness (Dirk will always be better here, and because he is the leader of the team)
- Pump fakes (Dirk has lots of experience here, and I think he will always be better)
- Offensive awareness (Bargs cannot learn this)

Bargs is better:
- Defense (much better than Dirk)
- Blocks (much better than Dirk)
- Defensive awareness (slightly better)
- Positioning (better than Dirk)

The defense blows out Dirk, so if you are including blocks, it would be a different comparison.

Bargs is always the C, bosh the pf

[Nostradunkus]

Bargnani cant dribble like Dirk, never will be able to.

[Nostradunkus]

All for the Bargs haters. Remember that big men take the longest to develop.

Bargnani will continue to get better and better

How good will he get? Dirk level? Thats disappointing, im not into Dirks game. Jump shooting big men are a waste of time.

[Undefeated]

Bargnani cant dribble like Dirk, never will be able to.

Wrong. Had you even seen Dirk doing a cross-over like Bargnani? Not only that, but can change direction when dribbling?

[GamePoint]

All for the Bargs haters. Remember that big men take the longest to develop.

Bargnani will continue to get better and better

How good will he get? Dirk level? Thats disappointing, im not into Dirks game. Jump shooting big men are a waste of time.

Waste of who's time? They're have been plenty of big men throughout the history of the NBA who were excellent jump shooters. I'm guessing you thought it was a waste of Dallas' time when Dirk led them to the finals? Only to run into Wade and the refs.

Get over yourself, big men have to be able to shoot the ball in today's NBA. One of the most dominant bigs right now is Dwight, and one of his biggest criticisms is his inability to be able to develop a close-mid range jumper.

[jalenrose#5]

Now while those 4th year stats are food for thought, you can take them with a grain of salt. Dirk was a number one option in Dallas then, Bargnani is number 2 here. Also, not as many plays are ran for him. Hence the lower point totals. Lastly, Dirk played 4 more minutes. Bargnani could probably score about 3 points and grab a board in that time, realistically. So the numbers aren't that far off.

But as for the comparison, it still requires a few more years before anything concrete can be made.

[Kabookalu]

Bargnani cant dribble like Dirk, never will be able to.

Like the case with DeRozan, people often mistaken dribbling with footwork. Bargnani is an awesome dribbler for his size; Dirk is still better but not by much. Where Dirk totally destroys Bargnani in is his footwork.

Wrong. Had you even seen Dirk doing a cross-over like Bargnani? Not only that, but can change direction when dribbling?

Well actually....yeah.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2WlLgJLnGo

The thing is Bargnani probably has more crossovers this year alone than Dirk has had his entire NBA career. I think if Dirk tried crossing someone over right now, it would look awkward. Bargnani is more fluid with his crossovers.

[Undefeated]

The thing is Bargnani probably has more crossovers this year alone than Dirk has had his entire NBA career. I think if Dirk tried crossing someone over right now, it would look awkward. Bargnani is more fluid with his crossovers.

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say...
It's so annoying how people keep bringing up that Bargnani has no handles. Bargnani can do more than just a crossover which even than most bigs can't do... To top things off, his ability to change directions left or right when attacking is astonishing.

[Gold Chain]

All for the Bargs haters. Remember that big men take the longest to develop.

Bargnani will continue to get better and better

How good will he get? Dirk level? Thats disappointing, im not into Dirks game. Jump shooting big men are a waste of time.

Dirk was an MVP.

Dirk is money.

[gamer4Life]

I think the player most similar to Bargnani now is Yi Jian Lian.

[Indeed]

I think the player most similar to Bargnani now is Yi Jian Lian.

Hmm, no, Yi is more an athletic guy who can shoot.
Like Amir +offensive skill -defensive skill.

Right now Yi is a hustle guy who can put up 18/10, but no defense.
He is not strong nor big, but he is good as a first big off the bench (Odom), and can play C a little bit.

[Lionel Messi]

Yi sucks...he's a good shooter, decent athlete but he's the softest mofo u'll ever see.

[gamer4Life]

Yi sucks...he's a good shooter, decent athlete but he's the softest mofo u'll ever see.

Sounds familiar.

By the way:

Andrea Bargnani
Toronto
Position: Center
Height: 7-0 Weight: 250
From: Rome, Italy
Player file | Team stats
2009-10 Statistics
PPG 16.8
RPG 6.1
APG 1.1
SPG 0.4
BPG 1.3
FG% 0.472
FT% 0.816
3P% 0.356
MPG 34.0


Yi Jianlian
New Jersey
Position: Forward
Height: 7-0 Weight: 250
From: Shenzhen, China
Player file | Team stats
2009-10 Statistics
PPG 16.2
RPG 6.7
APG 0.3
SPG 1.0
BPG 1.2
FG% 0.466
FT% 0.810
3P% 0.385
MPG 34.1

Personally, I think Yi is about where Bargs was last year. when Jay took over.

[pegcity]

Barg's 4th year: MPG 34.3 PPG 17.2 RPG 6.5 BPG 1.4

Dirk's 4th year: MPG 38.0 PPG 23.4 RPG 9.9 BPG 1.0

Just food for thought.

Dirk was number 1 option this year and had Steve Nash setting him up and lastly playing more minutes.

[Tofubeque]

Saying Yi is the same height as Bargs is like saying Steve Nash is the same height as... I dunno, Kidd or Wade.

[Cthulhu]

too bad he can't rebound like dirk.

well, he sure can defend better than dirk!

Ummm...no. Dirk has finished top 10 in defensive win shares twice. Let me know when Bargs is top 25 once.

[Cthulhu]

Bargnani plays the PF most of the time, and Bosh plays the C, unless the opposing C is too big, which Bosh and Bargs will switch around on defense.

Meanwhile, it is not the offense that Bargnani is providing, it is his defense that makes him a complete player as compare to Dirk on only excel in his offense.
Dirk is better:
- Post game (Dirk is better, but Bargs can be more skillful in this)
- Rebounding (Bargs is getting there, might slightly below Dirk)
- Aggressiveness (Dirk will always be better here, and because he is the leader of the team)
- Pump fakes (Dirk has lots of experience here, and I think he will always be better)
- Offensive awareness (Bargs cannot learn this)

Bargs is better:
- Defense (much better than Dirk)
- Blocks (much better than Dirk)
- Defensive awareness (slightly better)
- Positioning (better than Dirk)

The defense blows out Dirk, so if you are including blocks, it would be a different comparison.

You Toronto homers really can be vexing. You just lose a lot of credibility when you make posts like these.

Bargs is "slightly" below Dirk? Do you even watch/follow basketball?

THREE times Dirk has finished TOP TEN in the NBA in RPG.
NINE times Dirk has finished TOP TEN in the NBA in defensive RPG.
TWICE Dirk has finished TOP FIVE in the NBA in defensive rebound %.
Dirk is NUMBER TWENTY-FIVE ALL-TIME IN NBA HISTORY in defensive rebounds.

Bargs highest defensive rebound % is 17.1. Dirk's is 25.1.

This is a guy who averages 11 RPG in the playoffs.

Can Bargs become a better rebounder? Sure. Near Dirk's level, not even close. Dirk was one of THE BEST defensive rebounders in the NBA. Bargs is considered a poor rebounder.

Slightly my ass.

As for Bargs being a better defender, lmao!

This coming from an awful defensive team?

TWICE Dirk has finished 6th in the NBA in defensive win shares. He is TENTH in the NBA among active players in career defensive win shares. You realize there is more to defense than blocks & steals right? Even in those, peak Dirk averaged 1.4 and 1.3 BPG, right at Bargs level. As for steals, Dirk has averaged over 1 per game six times. Bargs never has.

I like Bargs a lot. But don't spew out ignorant things you clearly know nothing about. You make your fanbase look ignorant.

[Voodoochile]

Bargnani is NBA's leading shotblocker in this decade :p