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The Pistons' inside game took a couple of steps in the right direction Monday. Center-forward Mehmet Okur returned to practice after being out with an ankle injury, and center Zeljko Rebraca did some five-on-five work after missing all of camp as he rehabilitated from his heart procedure over the summer.
Coach Larry Brown said Okur looked good enough to play in Wednesday's exhibition
against Boston, the Pistons' fourth game and Okur's first.
"Zelly went for a little while and Memo was great, he was really good," Brown said. "He's just a good player. I don't know if any coach would have a problem with him. He just can play. He has good basketball skills. He can put it on the floor. He can shoot it outside and he has a low-post game which is really important for this team." Ticketmaster
Brown wants to have an inside-outside offense, with the team getting the ball
inside to its big men -- Okur, Rebraca, Ben Wallace and Elden Campbell. Unlike
last season, when the players would screen-and-roll and look for Chauncey Billups
or Richard Hamilton to bail them out from the outside, Brown would rather look
inside first with the pass or dribble penetration to score.
While Okur and Rebraca haven't played, Wallace has averaged 14.7 points and
11.7 rebounds in three exhibitions. Ticketmaster
"That's why we're trying really hard to get Ben to be a little more confident
in his offense," Brown said. "It's not going to happen overnight.
He's so used to giving the ball up and going to the boards. Some of the things
he does sometimes look kind of awkward and strange and other times you go, 'Wow.'
"With Memo and Elden and Corliss (Williamson) and when Rebraca comes back,
we have to establish an inside game. I talked to Chauncey a little bit about
it today. Last year I think we thought about outside first. Those guys have
really good skills on the perimeter, but we've got to make people respect our
inside game to get a chance to get fouls. Then when it goes inside and we have
a chance to kick it outside . . . it's going to make it so much easier for everybody."
That's where a healthy Rebraca could help. Mostly an inside player with good
post moves, the center is slowly working his way back and hopes to play soon.
"I feel good," he said. "Practiced for about one hour. I did
some five-on-five work with the team and hopefully after three or four practices
I'll be ready to play in a game. Maybe the end of the week. We'll see. Ticketmaster
"This was better because last year I was worried that something else would
happen at practice or in the game with the heart. I don't have that worry now."
NOTEBOOK: Guards Hubert Davis (left hamstring) and Bobby Sura (back) worked
out on the side, and Brown is eager for them to return whenever Arnie Kander,
the strength and conditioning coach, gives the OK. . . . With Okur and Rebraca
out, the Pistons have been able to give more reps in practice to rookie Darko
Milicic and Campbell. "Had those two guys not been here it probably wouldn't
have been that way," Brown said. "So in some ways it might have been
a blessing." Ticketmaster
Milwaukee 87, Cleveland 81: Rookie LeBron James didn't do much but sell tickets
to his home exhibition debut for the Cavaliers. He finished with 10 points on
4-of-14 shooting for the Cavs (2-1). The No. 1 overall draft pick, who played
at Gund Arena in high school, added six rebounds and three assists. Brian Skinner
scored 20 points to pace the Bucks (2-2). Because of James, 16,354 came out
to see James' first game at Gund. It took only 12 seconds for James to energize
the home fans and give them a glimpse of the future. After picking up a loose
ball, James threw a long pass to Ricky Davis, who went in for a dunk for the
game's first basket.
Atlanta 98, Minnesota 86: At Omaha, Neb., Obinna Ekezie scored 15 points for
the Hawks.
Notebook: Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal requested an MRI on his aching left
heel because it hasn't improved since he injured it more than two weeks ago.