Patrick Ewing-itis

Most of you reading this blog (all 3 of you) are probably wondering what "Patrick Ewing-itis" is and how I came about this term.

As we all know Mr. Ewing was a heck of a center for the New York Knickbockers. Ewing was everything. He was handsome, incredible, he wrestled bears....okay sorry off track but anyway.

As good as he was, I can remember times (1999 NBA Playoffs) where Good Ole' Pat was too banged up to play. It was always terrible news to hear, but it seemed to me the Knicks at times would play better without him.

Yes, that's right. Sometimes the Knicks played better without Patrick Ewing the future Hall-of-Famer. Where the Knicks honestly a better team without Pat? (They evidentually thought so as they would trade away Ewing in the coming years. Big mistake.)

The point of this Ewing story has to do with the LSU Tigers upset against the #3 ranked Florida Gators 66-56 Saturday afternoon.

I know I have heard it a million times since LSU won that game, "Is LSU a better team without Glen Davis?"

Well folks I am here to give you the answer to why this "illusion" has come up.

Big Baby is the focal point of the offense. That's a solid given. The number one weapon for this LSU squad is Big Baby.

Of course having Big Baby on LSU is a terrific thing to have (18 ppg, 10 rpg), but in some cases it can hinder a team. I do not feel players like Garrett Temple are not trying as hard with Davis in the game, I simply feel Temple steps back and says, "Okay the main thing is to get the ball to Glen. If I have some open shots I will take them."

Without Big Baby Saturday, players such as Temple and Terry Martin were able to really do whatever. I almost like to think LSU was pushed into a corner by a bully and they just snapped and attacked back.

The combinaton Big Baby not being the focal point of the offense and being in desperation mode is why the LSU Tigers were so successful Saturday against the Florida Gators. The fact of it is, the team was relying too much on Davis when they should not have. Hopefully when Big Baby returns we will see an LSU team attacking from all areas of the court...not a team that relies on Big Baby's play alone.