Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Journal reports: It's still early, and there is a lot of basketball left to be played, but if his early season play is any indication of things to come, Seattle SuperSonics power forward Vin Baker could be ready to finally, after all this time, silence his critics.
Baker followed up his 28-point, 14-rebound performance in the team's first intrasquad scrimmage last week with a 10-point, 11-rebound, six-block outing Wednesday night that helped the Sonics defeat the Los Angeles Clippers, 96-85, before 7,988 fans at KeyArena.
Already, the difference in Baker's game is noticeable. No longer is he standing under the basket, watching as his teammates zip up the floor. No longer does he watch as an opponent sweeps in for an uncontested dunk. No longer do fans wonder why their 6-foot-11, $86 million man has not grabbed a rebound.
Baker is battling for rebounds, and because he has lost weight, he is quick enough to get off the floor several times in the span of a few seconds.
The one part of his game that Baker has yet to display is his back to the basket in the low post. It will be interesting to see how Baker fares, whether the loss of weight prohibits him from dealing with stronger players, or whether he is able to beat them with his quickness.
"It'll come," Baker said. "Tonight, I was working more defensively and the rebounds. When I get that part of my game going, the rebounds and blocks, then the rest will come."