Marshall adds driving to 3-point resume
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Burt Graeff
Plain Dealer Reporter
Donyell Marshall is a rare breed of NBA power forward -- a 6-9, 230-pounder who can hit the 3-pointer, along with putting the ball on the floor and taking it to the basket.
But it's easy to hang out on the perimeter and fire up 3-pointers, which Marshall had been doing for three weeks before Thursday night's 94-85 victory over Denver at The Q.
In six of 10 previous games, in which he played 144 minutes, Marshall failed to get to the free-throw line, but had 31 shots from 3-point range.
Not a good ratio. Eliminating the threat of taking the ball to the basket makes it easier for A defender to get into a 3-point shooter's face.
"We talked about this," said Cavaliers coach Mike Brown. "I told him that when I was an assistant at Indiana, the thing I thought that made him so tough to defend is he not only was capable of shooting the 3-pointer, but he was also capable of putting the ball on the floor.
"He's really a small forward with size who can put the ball on the floor and go by defenders. He doesn't have to catch and shoot all the time."
Mixing it up turned out to be a formula for success.
Playing 30 active minutes against the Nuggets, Marshall was a key to the Cavaliers snapping a three-game losing streak.
Looking like a spry 32-year-old, Marshall had 16 points, a season-high 12 rebounds, matched a season high with three steals and had no turnovers in 30 minutes. Midway in the third quarter, he pump-faked, took the ball to the basket and scored a layup that pushed the Cavaliers lead to 56-50.
Moments later, he took it to the hoop again, was fouled, and hit 1-of-2 free throws.
"The biggest thing people need to fear is his ability to put the ball on the floor," Brown said.
Mixing it up gave Marshall four clean 3-point looks, and he hit two.
"When I played in Utah [1990-92]," Marshall said, "coach [Jerry] Sloan told me to try to get layups . . . that it would help my [perimeter] shooting.
"It worked [against the Nuggets]. Teams had been concentrating on taking away my 3-pointer, but the two 3s I made came on wide-open shots."
Tonight's Cavaliers-Miami Heat matchup at The Q brings together two of the top 3-point shooting power forwards in the NBA. Marshall's 36 3-pointers are tied for fourth among the league's power forwards.
The Heat's Antoine Walker's 42 makes from beyond the arc lead all NBA power forwards.
The best reserve production - primarily Marshall and Damon Jones - in nearly a month aided mightily in the victory over the Nuggets.
Behind Marshall and Jones (a season-high 17 points, three rebounds), the bench contributed 30 points and 15 rebounds. It was the reserves' greatest contribution in 13 games - since 31 points and 23 rebounds in a 102-84 rout of Orlando in mid-November.
Brown was particularly impressed with the Cavaliers' defense, which has been scrutinized for much of the season. Contesting most shots and often jumping the passing lanes, Denver was held to 38.3 percent (31-of-81) from the field.
The 50 misses were a season high by an opponent.
"It was good to see," Brown said.
Plain Dealer
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Burt Graeff
Plain Dealer Reporter
Donyell Marshall is a rare breed of NBA power forward -- a 6-9, 230-pounder who can hit the 3-pointer, along with putting the ball on the floor and taking it to the basket.
But it's easy to hang out on the perimeter and fire up 3-pointers, which Marshall had been doing for three weeks before Thursday night's 94-85 victory over Denver at The Q.
In six of 10 previous games, in which he played 144 minutes, Marshall failed to get to the free-throw line, but had 31 shots from 3-point range.
Not a good ratio. Eliminating the threat of taking the ball to the basket makes it easier for A defender to get into a 3-point shooter's face.
"We talked about this," said Cavaliers coach Mike Brown. "I told him that when I was an assistant at Indiana, the thing I thought that made him so tough to defend is he not only was capable of shooting the 3-pointer, but he was also capable of putting the ball on the floor.
"He's really a small forward with size who can put the ball on the floor and go by defenders. He doesn't have to catch and shoot all the time."
Mixing it up turned out to be a formula for success.
Playing 30 active minutes against the Nuggets, Marshall was a key to the Cavaliers snapping a three-game losing streak.
Looking like a spry 32-year-old, Marshall had 16 points, a season-high 12 rebounds, matched a season high with three steals and had no turnovers in 30 minutes. Midway in the third quarter, he pump-faked, took the ball to the basket and scored a layup that pushed the Cavaliers lead to 56-50.
Moments later, he took it to the hoop again, was fouled, and hit 1-of-2 free throws.
"The biggest thing people need to fear is his ability to put the ball on the floor," Brown said.
Mixing it up gave Marshall four clean 3-point looks, and he hit two.
"When I played in Utah [1990-92]," Marshall said, "coach [Jerry] Sloan told me to try to get layups . . . that it would help my [perimeter] shooting.
"It worked [against the Nuggets]. Teams had been concentrating on taking away my 3-pointer, but the two 3s I made came on wide-open shots."
Tonight's Cavaliers-Miami Heat matchup at The Q brings together two of the top 3-point shooting power forwards in the NBA. Marshall's 36 3-pointers are tied for fourth among the league's power forwards.
The Heat's Antoine Walker's 42 makes from beyond the arc lead all NBA power forwards.
The best reserve production - primarily Marshall and Damon Jones - in nearly a month aided mightily in the victory over the Nuggets.
Behind Marshall and Jones (a season-high 17 points, three rebounds), the bench contributed 30 points and 15 rebounds. It was the reserves' greatest contribution in 13 games - since 31 points and 23 rebounds in a 102-84 rout of Orlando in mid-November.
Brown was particularly impressed with the Cavaliers' defense, which has been scrutinized for much of the season. Contesting most shots and often jumping the passing lanes, Denver was held to 38.3 percent (31-of-81) from the field.
The 50 misses were a season high by an opponent.
"It was good to see," Brown said.
Plain Dealer
mg: I get a little uneasy about the whole situation that is about to happen...