Webber’s tank not empty

Yes, C-Webb can play

For those of you who think Chris Webber is a shell of his former All-Star self, for those who believe the forward won’t be able to make a meaningful contribution toward a championship, I’d like to offer this gentle rebuttal.

You don’t know what you’re talking about, dude.

OK, that dude thing may be a bit strong. But I don’t get where all this C-Webb-hating is coming from.

Webber is not the dominant force he was earlier in his career. He is coming off the ugliest 20.2-point, 9.9-rebound season I’ve ever seen.

But he did average 20.2 points and 9.9 rebounds. I’ll take that over a good-looking 10 and 5 any day.

It didn’t make sense for the Mavericks to pursue Webber. He’s a defensive liability on a team that demands effort and accountability on that end of the court.

But Webber remains a player with tremendous offensive skills. He understands how to play the game and is the best passing big man of his generation. He will have a positive impact.

Antoine Walker made a valuable contribution to Miami’s championship run last season. If he can do it, why can’t Webber?

Take that, dude.

Full of doubt

I doubt that Denver would have signed Nene to a six-year, $60 million contract if the club knew he would be this limited 14 months after his torn knee ligament. “It is embarrassing for me because I cannot do much,” said Nene, who is averaging 6.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in just under 18 minutes. “It’s in my mind. I don’t feel well. I feel weak. I feel embarrassed.”

I doubt that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will accept this as a rational response, but New Jersey’s Nenad Kristic regrets not playing for his national team this summer because he suffered a season-ending injury later. “I’m never going to plan things anymore, plan things for my career,” said Krstic, who didn’t play for Serbia because he didn’t want to risk an injury. “It’s always something. Bad things happen to me.”

I doubt that New York’s Stephon Marbury is playing as strong defensively as any point guard in the league right now. I doubt that because Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said it, and because I’ve seen what Detroit’s Chauncey Billups and the Mavericks Devin Harris are doing.

I doubt anyone cares that Melvin Ely has asked Charlotte to trade him. OK, Ely cares. But the forward has averaged 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds for his career. The other 29 teams in the league are not going to beat a path to his door.

Quoteboard

•”Once you get rid of Michael Jackson, the Jackson 5 is gone. You haven’t heard of Tito since Michael left.”

– Chris Webber on what has happened to the Philadelphia 76ers since Allen Iverson was traded.

•”I don’t mean to shortchange anybody else or anything. But he’s the best basketball player on the face of the Earth. I don’t think it’s even close.”

– Chicago coach and former point guard Scott Skiles on Steve Nash.

•”We’ve definitely been a different team. I think it brought us together. Sometimes, a little adversity helps.”

– New York’s Eddy Curry on the Knicks going 7-4 since the team’s brawl with Denver.