Get the ball to Brett (Maher)

It must be the day for pointing out NBL great's slow starts, this article (below) is about Adelaide veteran star Brett Maher. Another great shooter whose numbers have been down to start this season. Unlike John Rillie the ironman (how many consecutive games played now?) in my last post ... Maher is often injured so I had just put his less than stellar numbers so far this season down to that. Lanard Copeland thinks differently ... click on the title below to read the full article.

AdelaideNow... Get the ball to Brett
Get the ball to Brett
Article from: The Advertiser


BOTI NAGY, BASKETBALL WRITER

October 14, 2008 11:31am

UNTIL Adelaide consistently gets the ball into Brett Maher's hands, it will continue to struggle, according to legendary future NBL Hall of Fame guard Lanard Copeland.

The MVP of Melbourne's 1993 NBL championship, 'Copes' played the last 56 of his 532 career games (20.2 points average) with the 36ers before retiring after the 2007-08 season. An interested spectator on Saturday at The Cage where his Tigers - who retired his famous No. 21 uniform last season - belted his 36ers 119-91, he said Maher was the key to an Adelaide revival.

'I think Aaron Bruce can play,' he said of the Sixers' dynamic new young playmaker. 'But when Brad Davidson was on, he looked to get Brett more involved.

'Brad knows it only takes a couple of jump shots to get Brett going. He is a match-winner but you have to get the ball to him.

'I didn't think Brett was used effectively at all. With him not having any first-half impact, that's when the Tigers won the game.