What's new
By:
Filters

Mehmet Okur Appreciation Thread (2004 - 2011) - You Will Be Missed ;_ ;

Okur has been my favorite Jazz player since I was a teenager!

I remember hanging with the Jazz during that 20 or so game losing streak, when Boozer and Kirilenko were both hurt for half the season.... and pre-Williams.
My dad would always ask me, "Why do you keep watching those guys? They suck."
But I still watched every game, frustrated as ever.

Then Memo gets that last minute put back layup over Robert Horry and the Spurs, and I almost jumped through the roof at 12am!

I remember thinking I had never seen a Jazz man so clutch in my life during that season, let alone a big man!

Thanks for all the great years Memo... and I hope you end up back in Utah once your contract is up :)
 
BluesRocker said:
For crying out loud! Do you even remember why we couldnt get past teams like the lakers and spurs? Do you think it had something to do with not being able to compete with their bigs?........ He gave up more points on the defensive end than he ever scored.
.
Click to expand...

I seem to remember him playing pretty sturdy defense on Yao in The 07' playoffs.... No one here is claiming him to be the best guy on the floor at basketball. But to not understand that he was an integral part of the teams success through the mid 2000's is complete ignorance and/or stupidity.

He was as boring as watching paint dry?... I don't even know how to respond to that... He was about as exciting as jazz ball could get after a k decided he didn't want to try anymore. He may not have always been the best baller on floor, but he was certainly one of my favorites off the floor. humble, hardworking, soft spoken, and talented. What else could you want from the guy?
 
WinningUgly said:
I would not be surprised to see him wearing a Jazz unifrom again once his contract runs out and his price comes down to earth. Also I believe that he will have a great season in New Jersey with Deron and no Boozer to wear him down.
Click to expand...
If he'll come back for less than half the price, maybe. But a moneyballing, poor-defending center at $10 million is still probably a moneyballing, poor-defending at $3 million to $5 million.

Because Okur does not control the paint, he is only useful as a backup center and/or clutch shooter.

P.S. Merry Xmas
 
jope said:
I seem to remember him playing pretty sturdy defense on Yao in The 07' playoffs.... No one here is claiming him to be the best guy on the floor at basketball. But to not understand that he was an integral part of the teams success through the mid 2000's is complete ignorance and/or stupidity.
Click to expand...
When Okur valiantly shut down Yao, vaulting the Jazz into the second round <<sigh>>, he did so at the expense of part of his offense. And because most bigs are faster and/or stronger (albeit shorter) than Yao, Okur has less success doing so against other bigs, including the Laker bigs.

Boozer is also guilty of the same baffling absence of legit D; even more puzzling is how Sloan let them play so much and let them get away with no defense to speak of, especially when Boozer stopped being able to score over Lakers' Twin Towers (and of course couldn't defend against them).

I continue to be surprised how so many people ignore the importance of a center who can defend (even if he doesn't score too much), as evidenced by the majority of NBA champs (and those who failed to do so such as the high-scoring but defense-less Phoenix Suns in the same 2000's decade).

He was as boring as watching paint dry?... I don't even know how to respond to that... He was about as exciting as jazz ball could get after a k decided he didn't want to try anymore. He may not have always been the best baller on floor, but he was certainly one of my favorites off the floor. humble, hardworking, soft spoken, and talented. What else could you want from the guy?
Click to expand...
Help defense.

However, I agree with the rest. I will miss his interviews and his money shot.

Unfortunately, there is an "O" in Okur, but no "D."
 
The difference between Okur and Loozer is that the Duke Puke had everything needed to be a good to great defender, but chose NOT to be because he saved his energy and strentght to get his stats. Okur doesn't have the physical neseccities to be a good to great defender. He held his own perhaps a bit more against the big cneters but the athletic bigs gave him trouble on defense especialy with Boozer constantly crying out "HELP MEMO" after his man had blown by him.

The thing that I have never quite figured out is here you have a guy who has some old values, family first, fans first, team first, organization first before self and he is a great presence in the locker room, plays hurt, probably risking his career becase the team is short a couple of players and there are still some people out there who blast him. Yet the same people criticize other players for not playing hurt, for taking out 4-5 months because of a minor injury (Yes Boozer), for not dying to be in Salt Lake City, for not being eager to play for the Jazz etc, etc. was Memo really the reason why we could not get past teams like the Lakers or Spurs? Boozer who dirtied his pants when he saw Gasol or Duncan had nothing to do with it? We could not defend as a team because the guys who could shoot a few jumpers were laibilities on the defensive end, and the guys who could play some defense couldn't hit the side of the barn? I am willing to bet that when his current contract runs out there will be many contenders out the who are willing to sign Memo and go for the ring. Memo had somethin that many, many players lack even some superstars. He could take and make the big shot. There are not many NBA players that can do that on a regular bases.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top