At first, I was going to tear into Skip Bayless for this commentary, but decided not to.
Admittedly, I like most of his commentary...I think that him and Stephen A make a good combo.
As far as his commentary with KG? I don't think, sadly, that he fully understands what KG was called on to do in Minny.
Flip Saunders asked KG to play ALL 5 positions, sometimes...not because he or KG wanted to showboat, but because he HAD TO, and he knew that KG was talented, smart and experienced enough to do so.
See article:
http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/7868121/2012-nba-playoffs-kevin-garnett-transformation-skinny-sf-all-nba-pf-center-boston-celtics-looking-tough-outFlip Saunders was desperate. The Minnesota Timberwolves' coach had lost his starting point guard during the 2004 Western Conference finals against the Lakers. His backup point guard was injured. Even a third point guard, imported from the CBA, was injured.
So who did Saunders decide should run the Minnesota offense?
Who else? Kevin Garnett. "It was him and Freddy Hoiberg. They were my point guards," Saunders said.
And what did Garnett take away from it all?
"It was the worst experience of my life," Garnett said. "But I have a lot of respect for the point guard position just because of that."
The Timberwolves lost the series in six games and, as it turned out, that would be the last time the franchise participated in the playoffs. The next season he was back at his natural, power forward position, which is where he continued to play all the way up to the third week of February 2012.
KG played every position in Minny, and did well. The man averaged over 5 assists for several seasons in Minny, as well as played down low:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VQVYrtnYzsYou can see Kevin McHale's influence all over KG's game in some of those moves..the up-and-unders...
Skip Bayless is sadly ignorant if he fails to fully research exactly WHAT KG was called upon to do in Minny. It is this kind of blatant ignorance that makes ESPN seem biased toward/against certain players sometimes.
And KG being a good, loyal soldier like he was/is - did exactly what Flip wanted...and he is doing what Doc wants, to - evidently.
I won't post it here, but ask Josh Smith and Al Horford what KG did to them - in the post - in that clinching game 6 vs ATL last yr...28, 14 and 5 blocks.
Slightly off-topic, but I recall Michael Jordan's comments about certain players that "he" thought could play back in his era (Kobe, Dirk, a couple of others I can't recall). I thought it was odd he left out KG.
I think that in Michael's omission of KG, he probably (ignorantly) thought that KG being tall "should" play center or down low "exclusively", which I don't agree with in KG's case..
KG, being the talent that he was, would've revolutionized the 80's.
But back to Skip...I like his and A's commentary, but I think he's off on this one.
He should go talk to Flip Saunders.