TheRifleman

Somebody has to encourage some fan base for this team and it might as well be me.

This team has fought through injuries all season and yet played together with real team chemistry. Now Peja not playing so far hasn't hurt - too much - BUT what could they do with him shooting and driving Fox up the wall in the WCF?

I hope he is competitve and is trying hard to get into this all-important series!

This could well be a VERY exciting WC finals - if Peja is ready for some action and really wants that RING.

Any thoughts?

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Ron

A couple:

(1) When and if he does come back, he may upset the applecart in that the Kings are playing pretty well without him.

(2) Will he be able to jump all the way off that foot to get proper extension, thereby not affecting his play and jumper?

(3) He will give the Kings a big lift emotionally should he make it back in this series.

(4) He has something to prove to himself, Rick Fox, and everyone in regard to last year's playoffs.

Should be interesting.

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TheRifleman

I agree with all of your points, as they are and have been valid points when any player returns after injury. We saw it with Zo's return to the Heat and when Vince tried to return to the Raptors....just this year and last year for the aforementioned players.

But, I am hoping that the positives will outweigh the negatives and make this into a series for the ages. Those kinds of series are long remembered when they happen.

Peja is a pure shooter, albeit, not one of the best looking shots - but still a pure shooter. I think the Kings might get a real lift from his return and hopefully, for the sake of basketball history, a successful return in time to make this into one of those truly great, great series.

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Ron

Pure shooters...

Boy, that is something the NBA has lacked in numbers for a long, long time.

Mitch Richmond was such a shooter in his prime.

I can't really say that Reggie Miller is a pure shooter, because he is so inconsistent.

Paul Pierce, IMO, is a pure shooter.

There isn't too many of them out there...can you think of others?

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TheRifleman

I think you and I differ on what a pure shooter is....or a pure scorer.

To me, a pure shooter is one who usually has a sweet jumper- but doesn't get to the rack that much.

A player like Kobe is a pure scorer to me and not a pure shooter - yet. He has a nice mid-range shot, but not a sweet 3 point shot. Another in the same vein, is TMac, a pure scorer, but not a pure shooter - yet. One can develop a sweet shot with repetition, but a scorer's mentality is far different from a pure shooter to me.

I admire some pure shooters, but I do prefer a Kobe or a TMac because of their all around attacking the rack to get a score.

Some pure shooters to me:
Reggie
Ray Allen
Dell Curry
Dirk
Big Dog

Some pure scorers to me:
Kobe
TMac
Paul Pierce
Iverson
Kidd

Then you have a player who is oddly enough both shooter & scorer! Larry Bird was both, as he shot very few threes, and always tried to score any way he could.

A player today who has both traits is Vince Carter. He is a pure shooter to me (incredibly beautiful 3 point release, but can score other ways when he has to) and also a pure scorer. Mitch was also a combo, beautiful shot, but took it to the rack when in his prime. Great to watch!

Most pure scorers or the combo like Bird, Mitch, and Vince have high lifetime PPG averages, where pure shooters don't have a high lifetime PPG(20 + PPG).

At any rate, that is my feeling on scorers and shooters.

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Shaqs big toe

If Peja was healthy, it might ipen things right up for the Kings. There'd be less sagging with a gunner like him standing out on the perimeter.

Hopefully he can get back and really test the Lakers D. I'd love to see him burn Rick Fox

TheRifleman

I also would like to see Peja play. He always appears as a pure shooter, albeit a lot like Reggie, not what I could say is as aesthetically pleasing to the eye like a Ray Allen or a Vince Carter release. He seemed to be taking it more to the rack this year, but I still wouldn't classify him as a pure scorer. Maybe - in time, but I doubt it - as one usually either has that in them from the start - unlike a scorer who can develop a good shooting touch.

But his presence would certainly help in the ability to shoot department - but as another said, it could also upset the applecart a little. I'm not so inclined to believe that, as the Kings didn't seem to have any trouble getting CWebb back into the lineup after his injury.

BTW, has anybody heard anything at all about Peja returning to action? I would think he would be chomping at the bit to get some playing time in - this is the wcf!!

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Jamel Irief

According to reports Peja's ankle is still weak and he won't play in game 3. It could change by Friday.