Allen Iverson unhappy with "his butt on the bench"

[andreusito]

Allen Iverson is already unhappy with his role in Memphis.

 

He made his season debut on Monday after missing time with a hamstring injury.

 

Iverson played 18 minutes in the team's overtime loss to the Kings, scoring 11 points.

 

"I had no problems (with the hamstring). I had a problem with my butt sitting on that bench for so long," Iverson told the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

 

When a reporter suggested that the Grizzlies' bench needed Iverson's scoring punch, he disagreed.

 

"No. I'm not a bench player. I'm not a sixth man," Iverson added. 'Look at my resume and that'll show I'm not a sixth man. I don't think it has anything to do with me being selfish. It's just who I am. I don't want to change what gave me all the success that I've had since I've been in this league. I'm not a sixth man. And that's that."

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/62548/20091103/iverson_already_unhappy_with_role/

[moeroadkill]

and so it begins

[La Bomba]

I try to be supportive of this move, but sometimes, in instances like this, I can't.

[Cobb]

Pull Conley out and see what him and Mayo can do. It's still early in the season so why not.

[Erick Blasco]

Pull Conley out and see what him and Mayo can do. It's still early in the season so why not.

 

Ball Don't Lie has the answer to why not:

 

You insufferable twit. You're minutes removed from your first game of the season that's supposed to see you get it right, for the first time in a "professional" career that stretches back to 1996.

 

"I'm not a reserve basketball player. I've never been a reserve all my life and I'm not going to start looking at myself as a reserve. To answer the question, 'No, I'm not a bench player. I'm not a sixth man. Go look at my resume and that will show you I'm not a sixth man."

 

I've seen your resume. It's pathetic. An MVP, that Shaq should have won. Lots of scoring, and precious little growth since people learned they could make money off you.

 

Iverson made 5 of 9 shots, which is great for him, and pretty impressive for a player working in his first game of the year, while injured, on a new team. Sure, Udrih and Martin were trying to check him, but 5 of 9 is five of nine.

 

That said, as soon as he came in the game in the first half, the ball movement for the Grizzlies stopped. Dead in its tracks. And a giant Grizzlies lead became a close game, though Iverson was hardly singularly at fault for this.

 

And in the second, when he was hitting shots? He turned it over. He tried to help too much on defense, which allowed his man (Beno) to move into open spots for a made shot, or to initiate the eventual collapse of the Memphis defense with the start of the penetration. Iverson started fast breaks with bad misses, and caused a three-second violation by refusing to shoot with Zach Randolph(notes) (30 and 16) camped out in the lane.

 

Iverson was hurt, and it was his first game. But lots of uniquely talented NBA players have to play in first games, or through injuries, year in and year out. And they don't act all Alvin Robertson-y on defense and, well, all Allen Iverson-y on offense. They take a step back until the system makes sense. Until the wounds heal.

 

He was bad. Real bad. And that was before we heard the postgame reaction.

 

And this just continues to stink. The guy just doesn't get it, and it hurts.

 

 

 

http://sports.yahoo....ent-off?urn=nba,199822

Edited November 3, 2009 by Erick Blasco

[Amare320]

Obviously the coach was considering he'd just come of injury, how silly it would of been to play him 40 minutes in his first game back anyway, this complaing is defiantly premature il tell you that.

[bigdog17k]

and so it begins

 

Exactly what I was thinking when I read the topic title. -_-

[kingfish]

Surprise surprise. This dudes a bum, I thought he wanted to change his career and his life around but guess not. What was the point in brining him to the Grizzlies, they are stupid if they wanted Conley to develop you dont bring in a guy like AI. They just never learned from the Stuckey situation in Detroit, smh.

[La Bomba]

Conley wasn't playing too poorly from what I saw. I didn't watch the whole game but he seemed more aggressive. He played his usual bad defense, but that's not much different from everyone else on the team. If Iverson is going to complain about not getting minutes in his first game off of injury, than I can't imagine what he says after those games that Conley gets hot or when there is a close game that needs to be "managed."

[Art]

Iverson is not a bench player start him period.

[Real Deal]

Memphis @ Sacramento

Iverson: 11 PTS on 5-9 FG (55.6%), 1 AST, 2 TO, 18 MIN

Conley: 13 PTS on 5-11 FG (45.5%), 6 AST, 2 TO, 36 MIN

 

Memphis @ Golden State

Iverson: 18 PTS on 8-12 FG (66.7%), 3 REB, 7 AST, 4 TO, 28 MIN

Conley: 8 PTS on 3-10 FG (33.3%), 6 REB, 6 AST, 5 TO, 30 MIN

 

And neither of them play defense, so numbers tell most of the story. Iverson needs to play more.

[ChosenOne]

Memphis @ Sacramento

Iverson: 11 PTS on 5-9 FG (55.6%), 1 AST, 2 TO, 18 MIN

Conley: 13 PTS on 5-11 FG (45.5%), 6 AST, 2 TO, 36 MIN

 

Memphis @ Golden State

Iverson: 18 PTS on 8-12 FG (66.7%), 3 REB, 7 AST, 4 TO, 28 MIN

Conley: 8 PTS on 3-10 FG (33.3%), 6 REB, 6 AST, 5 TO, 30 MIN

 

And neither of them play defense, so numbers tell most of the story. Iverson needs to play more.

 

It really is just that simple.

 

He does need to shup up for a while because he is just comming off an injury.

[Art]

It really is just that simple.

 

He does need to shup up for a while because he is just comming off an injury.

 

Iverson has played through injuries throughout his whole career so he has a lot to be upset about. If Memphis wanted to develop there young players they should have never signed A.I. Hopefully the Griz can trade him to a contender for some value.

[Multi-Billionaire]

Iverson has played through injuries throughout his whole career so he has a lot to be upset about. If Memphis wanted to develop there young players they should have never signed A.I. Hopefully the Griz can trade him to a contender for some value.

 

Specifically the Lakers... I really hope he gets traded there and see if Real Deal can still defend AI the way he has. If he gets traded there, it'll be so funny, watch when AI says to media he doesn't talk to Phil Jackson (although Phil is too good to let something like that happen), but one thing that is inevitable is he'd ask to start ahead of Fisher.

 

That'd be so funny. I would throw all kind of stats comparing the starter Fisher and AI off the bench after every Laker game, the way Real Deal is throwing stats comparing Conley and AI now. See how he can still defend AI.

 

Of course, chances he's going to Lakers are almost nil but if Grizzlies finally felt screwed about the Gasol trade, they'll send AI there for future picks just to get even.