| Przybilla Gets It Done With Effort Authored by Billy Ray - January 22, 2005 - 12:27 am
When Joel Przybilla was signed to a contract in the off-season, the expectation was that he would backup starting center Theo Ratliff, not that Przybilla would take that spot away.
After an unsuccessful run in Milwaukee where he never shook the injury bug or the high expectations that came with being the ninth pick in the draft. Originally drafted by Houston Przybilla was traded to Milwaukee where Przybilla suffered through and injury plagued season. His second campaign showed promise, but not anything near what was expected out of a highly touted lottery pick.
In Przybilla’s third season in the league he faced more injuries. It would prove to essentially be his last year in Milwaukee.
After only playing 5 games for the Bucks in the 2003-2004 season, Przybilla was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a multi-team multi-player deal. Przybilla flourished with the Hawks equaling or exceeding the marks he set for scoring in his first and third seasons in only 12 games. He also was averaging 8.4 rebounds per game, almost 4 per game better than his best rebounding season in Milwaukee.
But then, injury bit again, and Przybilla’s resurgence collapsed almost as quickly as it started. With the Atlanta Hawks in rebuilding mode, there was not a guarantee that Atlanta would compete for his services. On August 25th 2004, the Trail Blazers brought Przybilla to Portland.
Upon his arrival in Portland it was expected that he would serve as Ratliff’s backup, receiving anywhere between 10-15 minutes a game in spot duty. But when Ratliff went down with an injury in a game against Memphis and never regained the explosiveness that the Blazers needed, Maurice Cheeks turned to Przybilla in hopes of getting a spark.
That spark has erupted into a fire for the Trail Blazers and Przybilla. As a starter Przybilla has averaged 8.7 rebounds 7.6 points and half a block in 29.7 minutes per game. Przybilla made his presence known in a game at Sacramento. Przybilla set career highs for points (17), field goals made (8) field goals attempted (14), offensive rebounds (10), total rebounds (22), and minutes (41) while also tying his career high with 12 defensive rebounds.
Przybilla has been one of the lone bright spots in a season that has been marred by inconsistent play. Effort has been a key to his success. Diving for loose balls, chasing down long rebounds and following up teammates shots have resulted in many positive rewards for the Blazers.
Przybilla has become one of the few reliable players that the Blazers can depend upon to produce. While foul problems still plague him from time to time, Przybilla is fast becoming a player that the Blazers cannot afford to lose for long stretches of a game, resulting in Cheeks’ subbing Ratliff in to allow Przybilla the opportunity to play later in the game.
At 24 Przybilla was quickly in danger of becoming a ‘bust’ by today’s NBA standards. But he seemingly has found a niche on a basketball team that is in desperate need of rebounding and timely baskets out of the center position.
Unlike some players in the league, Przybilla has earned his spot to start, and under no reason should he lose that spot unless someone earns it away from him.
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