I thought it was obvious in watching the game that Willie played like a teenager on his first date. He was nervous, he didn’t play his game, he made lots of mistakes. And KAT took advantage. I wonder if we watched the same game? It was a major embarrassment. But I’m still committed to giving Willie his chance to develop into a great player (for us). It’s just troubling to see him take five steps back.
Well, obviously it wasn’t obvious to everyone. Yes, I’ll give you that Willie seems to get jittery playing against KAT. I think it goes back to their college days where they were the twin towers on the UK 38-1 team. KAT was the super star then, the go to guy and Willie was the garbage man (Again after 3 years with the team, first Nerlens Noel, then Julius Randle, and finally KAT).
I believe Willie wants to prove against his old pal that he is more than a garbage man and tries too hard.
However, saying that he was a major embarrassment and took five steps back is IMHO an exaggeration. Perhaps an over-reaction to how you would have liked Willie to have played? I was hoping to see him have a really good game and I know I was disappointed that he didn’t have a better game.
But to say he had a terrible game is not true and fails to give KAT his due as the top-notch talent he is. Did you read the scoring breakdown I included? Willie gave up 17 points in the first half to a very talented KAT who was on his game. I stand by my comment that he scored some baskets that were strongly contested by Willie, it’s what he does.
Yes, there were some defensive lapses that led to baskets, too, in particular, playing off of him and allowing him the perimeter shot. But KAT is a handful for anybody, he can inside out you to death. The one basket Willie allowed him in the second half was when he let him get the superior position in the paint. Note, one basket.
Really, the only way to contain KAT, is for your team mates to help by double teaming him (and maybe pray).
My original comment was a reply to someone saying Koufos played better defense on him. Again, I don’t think that is obvious, I think it is debatable. KAT scored 9 points during a critical part of the game in the 4th quarter while Willie was on the bench and Koufos was in the game. I don’t know if they all were scored on Koufos or not, but the 4 FT definitely were. I am not putting down Koufos, I like him a lot, just saying I don’t think he did a great job on stopping KAT, either. The 9 points definitely were not scored on Willie, he was on the bench, so 9 points in 7 minutes doesn’t seem to be all that much better than Willies’ 8 points in 7-1/2 minutes in the 1st and 9 points in 8-1/2 minutes in the 2nd. KAT is KAT, he gets his points
But funny thing is, in the 3rd quarter of a very tight game, with several lead changes and ties, KAT did not score until the 4:28 mark. He scored on the previously mentioned post up where Willie let him get the superior position, but even then, Willie was draped all over him and KAT could have even been called for the offensive foul but Willie was given the foul (not complaining about the call, it could have gone the other way, though). That’s the only points KAT scored on Willie in the second half.
Last 3 minutes of the game, after KAT scored those 9 points in the 4th, Willie came back in, and KAT did not score again, again during the most critical part of the game.
Now, during the second half, in 10-1/2 minutes, he only scored 3 points on Willie. Something limited his scoring during that part of the game and it was a critical part of the game. If you’re a Wolve’s fan you might have looked for KAT to have taken the game over, like he is certainly capable of, especially after his first half. Maybe it was Willie’s jittery teenage girl act that distracted him. Hey whatever works.
Now, I am not saying Willie had a great game or even a good game, I am just saying that to say that his play was a major embarrassment and he took five steps back is too harsh. KAT is a heckuva a player and hard to stop. When he is on like he was in the first half he is hard for anybody to stop (including Koufos).
And as for did I even watch the same game? Yes, I did, thank you very much, did you? Did you even watch the second half? I watch the entire game, almost always on DVR, often not until the next day. I watch it on delay and usually already know the outcome. I rewind and replay interesting parts as I watch because I like to analyze plays. Not saying I’m very good at analyzing, but I try.