[quote="Charles":zr3pw4cz]Complimentoni, davvero giù il cappello!
Non posso non mettere lì la gufatina
.. Belinelli MIP??[/quote:zr3pw4cz]
adesso arriva reddy e si incazza
Dal sito di NOH
As a first-round pick of Golden State in 2007, Belinelli entered the league billed as a potential starting-caliber player, part of Italy’s recent wave of talent after countryman Andrea Bargnani was the No. 1 overall pick in ’06. However, during Belinelli’s three previous seasons, he never quite earned the full confidence of the two teams he’s played for, the Warriors and Raptors. When Belinelli was named New Orleans’ starting shooting guard, it marked the first time the 6-foot-5 shooting guard has entered an NBA season knowing he was a prominent part of the plan.
“I’m happy, but I worked a lot to be in this position, to be a starter,” said Belinelli, a free agent next summer. “For me, everyone knows this is an important year. I’m happy to be playing. I’m happy because my coaches, teammates and this organization have confidence in me. It’s all on me now to work hard, be better and do everything the coaches ask me to do.”
Hornets teammates will tell you that Belinelli – often among the last players still working out in the gym after many practices – is one of the best perimeter shooters they’ve seen. His accuracy is so impressive at times that some Hornets have actually gotten angry when Belinelli has passed up open shots. In Game 1 of the regular season, Paul had an exchange with his fellow starting backcourtmate that illustrates the confidence the players want Belinelli to have on the court.
“In the first game against Milwaukee, I missed three or four shots, all open three-pointers,” Belinelli remembered, before smiling. “I didn’t take the fifth shot when Chris passed me the ball. After that, he came over to me and said, ‘Hey, shoot the ball! When I pass the ball to you, I’m thinking every time it’s going in.’
“When CP tells you that, it’s important,” Belinelli continued in his accented English. “You can feel the confidence coming from these guys. I have to be happy about that.”
Among the trio of Green, Smith and Belinelli, the Italian is the only one who has never qualified for the NBA postseason, something he says is a big part of his motivation (incidentally, Green and Smith made a combined four playoff trips with the Sixers but did not advance past the first round).
“For me it’s big to make the playoffs,” Belinelli said. “Everyone tells me the playoffs are great and it’s a different atmosphere, the basketball is more intense. I’m really curious and I want to make the playoffs. I think we have everything to do that.”
); dopo 3 anni di digrazie cestistiche, il Beli si merita tutto ciò. E soprattutto, nessuno gli ha regalato nulla, s'è conquistato il posto in quintetto sfornando prestazioni fenomenali in pre-season.