No idea what to say here. This isn't a slump. This is a whole different team.
I've heard the pleas, so a theme night it will be. Pretty Girls? Pretty Boys? Pretty llamas? Who knows?
Boxscore
Alrighty folks, time to do this. Wish I had some comfort food for you about the team, but...well its ugly. Truth is that whatever disruption Kevin's forced reinsertion caused really ballooned beyond just Kevin by the end of this trip, although I think you could say that the difference between the ugly losses early in the trip, and the uglier losses late, was that early in the trip we had a productive player in the lineup who disrupted everybody else, while late in the trip we had a completely unproductive player in the lineup who disrupted everybody else.
So, its back to a Pretty People thread. Truth is that I was not planning on doing many more of these. The idea just seemed a little played out, and just did not seem to fit the vibe this season when the basketball has been interesting enough on its own. Well..no longer. So without further ado I will take the suggestion proffered in this thread, and do a Pretty Girls of Disaster Movies thread. Except that the women are suffering around here too, and frankly disaster movies are not a great place to find packs of pretty girls -- the theme should have been horror movie/Scream Queens methinks (and if the Kings keep playing like this we'll do that one too) -- so we'll split the difference: The Prettier Side of Disaster Films: Guys, Girls, and a Llama.
Greene ( D+ ) -- a mirror image of the game against the Magic, got off to the hot start and completely disappeared. Drew Wade to start, played solid defense, but the great ones sometiems don't care. Splashed in a three to begin things, had a near out of control drive end up being called a +1 rather than a charge, added a block on defense too. But airballed his next three, and after returning threw up a wild shot, got a T, and was back to bad Donte again. Overpenetrated and threw a bad pass at JT's feet with a 1:00 to go in the half. 1 of 2 FTs just before halftime for his first points since scoring the first 6 of the game, but missed the buzzer beating layup attempt at the end of the half. Started the third off shaky again, getting his shot blocked on the drive and missing a jumper, and with us still dragging Westphal quickly replaced him (and not the biggest source of the drag) with Omri. Was back for the garbagetime of the 4th, and didn't play well, missing everything he put up and generally lacking that infectuous enthusiasm (indeed how could you have it after this trip?).
Tea Leoni (Deep Impact)
Thompson ( C- ) -- lane violation again, come on, get your head in game, blocked a shot early on O'Neal, but Beasely's mobility a major issue early and we eventually subbed him out to get a betetr matchup. Got an o-board that was big time blocked by O'Neal. Dunk down the lane courtesy of Reke. Strong take +1 with a couple of minutes to go in the half, but missed the FT again. Was active on the glass in the third, but could get nothing to fall, again. Grabbed an offensive rebound, but blocked on the follow by Wade of all people. Forced a turnaround jumper that had no chance. Was replaced for the final time with 4 minutes to go in the quarter. Given the minutes probably would ahve eventually worked this into another poor double double like he did in Orlando. But still not a good game. Remember when he had that hot streak early and people around here were talking about him as 20-10 material? Somebody needs to hang an Out to Lunch sign around his neck pending his return from mental vacation.
Liv Tyler (Armageddon) -- rivals, so to speak, as both cheesy meteor threatens Earth twins came out the same summer in competition that year
Brockman ( C ) -- quick illegal screen for his first foul, looked too short to guard Jermaine and O'Neal was off to the fast start. Got an inside score on a roll after setting the pick for Reke. Missed a jumper again in the early third. Cleanup hoop on a Jason miss. Decidely pedestrian all around effort this time. Small sample size of course, but fits in with what we all should have known: Brockman's best role is probably off the bench as an energy sparkplug. As a starter has looked small and not been able to provide that change of pace energy boost.
John Cusack (2012) -- the rom com king did a disaster flick to qualify -- awwww, isn't he cute? Of course including him meant hat I did not get to go with Amanda Peet or Thandie Newton for one of the ladies under my self imposed one pretty person/one movie rule. So boo.
Martin ( F ) -- this was just a wow. Worst game of his career? Quite possibly. At the start of this trip Kevin came back, and it seemed to disrupt everybody else. The whole team suffered, but Kevin himself looked pretty Kevinish. Bu these last two games...just wow. Now the hwole team is disrupted, byut Kevin has had back to back games where he looks nothing like Kevin Martin, uncomfortable, flat, and just looked like he quit out there. Yesterday I gave him a D-, because for a few minutes at the start oif that game he was at least helping wiht his passing. But tonight? Are you kidding me? He killed us with terrible early play, racking up 4 TOs in the first 6 minutes of the game. Missed his first shot, turned it over, got his only hoop off a screen, then a third turnover on a bad pass, beaten by Wade in the post. Missed another shot, then a layaup. Blew a backdoor cut, but got fouled. And the thing that I think has helped us sprial too is his usage -- just was never going to be taken out apparently no matter how poorly he did. To call that a double standard would be an understatement, but if a coach is goign to thrwo that sort of respect at you, you damn well betetr reward it with something. And tonight there was absolutely nothing. Back to back 5p 1-7shooting nights? And this time swapping out the 5 assists which bolstered the grade i Orlando for 5 TOs which finished it here. Came back in and immediately passed on a shot and threw a bad pass instead, even missed the technical FT on Jermaine O'Neal at the end of half. Came out in second half as we ran a series of staggered pciks to get him free, and he did his semi-flop motion to get to the line. And again only hit 1 of 2. Then missed an open 18 footer. Drove and blocked by Wade. And finally was mercifully done for the night. Probably as big a relief to him as to the rest of the team. Westphal had some interesting quote about how he knew that his kids were going to fight back, and how he would like to see everybody else do that too. Now who do you think that everybody else referred to? Kevin was apparently last seen with a towel over his head and his face in his hands in the lockerroom after the game. That seemed to about sum things up.
Mark Wahlberg (The Perfect Storm) -- Clooney was there as well of course, but I distinctly recall tagging him once a long time ago in my first attempt at a pretty guys thread, and I think this is the first time for Wahlberg. Also meant no Diane Lane/Karen Allen/Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio under my 1 actor/1 movie rule. In any case still uttlery amazes me that Marky Mark has somehow so totally ditched his cheeseball music past that he not only becomes an A-list actor/sex symbol, but nobody but me even mentions his origins. The Funky Bunch have to be going, daaamnnn.
I've heard the pleas, so a theme night it will be. Pretty Girls? Pretty Boys? Pretty llamas? Who knows?
Boxscore
Alrighty folks, time to do this. Wish I had some comfort food for you about the team, but...well its ugly. Truth is that whatever disruption Kevin's forced reinsertion caused really ballooned beyond just Kevin by the end of this trip, although I think you could say that the difference between the ugly losses early in the trip, and the uglier losses late, was that early in the trip we had a productive player in the lineup who disrupted everybody else, while late in the trip we had a completely unproductive player in the lineup who disrupted everybody else.
So, its back to a Pretty People thread. Truth is that I was not planning on doing many more of these. The idea just seemed a little played out, and just did not seem to fit the vibe this season when the basketball has been interesting enough on its own. Well..no longer. So without further ado I will take the suggestion proffered in this thread, and do a Pretty Girls of Disaster Movies thread. Except that the women are suffering around here too, and frankly disaster movies are not a great place to find packs of pretty girls -- the theme should have been horror movie/Scream Queens methinks (and if the Kings keep playing like this we'll do that one too) -- so we'll split the difference: The Prettier Side of Disaster Films: Guys, Girls, and a Llama.
Greene ( D+ ) -- a mirror image of the game against the Magic, got off to the hot start and completely disappeared. Drew Wade to start, played solid defense, but the great ones sometiems don't care. Splashed in a three to begin things, had a near out of control drive end up being called a +1 rather than a charge, added a block on defense too. But airballed his next three, and after returning threw up a wild shot, got a T, and was back to bad Donte again. Overpenetrated and threw a bad pass at JT's feet with a 1:00 to go in the half. 1 of 2 FTs just before halftime for his first points since scoring the first 6 of the game, but missed the buzzer beating layup attempt at the end of the half. Started the third off shaky again, getting his shot blocked on the drive and missing a jumper, and with us still dragging Westphal quickly replaced him (and not the biggest source of the drag) with Omri. Was back for the garbagetime of the 4th, and didn't play well, missing everything he put up and generally lacking that infectuous enthusiasm (indeed how could you have it after this trip?).
Tea Leoni (Deep Impact)
Thompson ( C- ) -- lane violation again, come on, get your head in game, blocked a shot early on O'Neal, but Beasely's mobility a major issue early and we eventually subbed him out to get a betetr matchup. Got an o-board that was big time blocked by O'Neal. Dunk down the lane courtesy of Reke. Strong take +1 with a couple of minutes to go in the half, but missed the FT again. Was active on the glass in the third, but could get nothing to fall, again. Grabbed an offensive rebound, but blocked on the follow by Wade of all people. Forced a turnaround jumper that had no chance. Was replaced for the final time with 4 minutes to go in the quarter. Given the minutes probably would ahve eventually worked this into another poor double double like he did in Orlando. But still not a good game. Remember when he had that hot streak early and people around here were talking about him as 20-10 material? Somebody needs to hang an Out to Lunch sign around his neck pending his return from mental vacation.
Liv Tyler (Armageddon) -- rivals, so to speak, as both cheesy meteor threatens Earth twins came out the same summer in competition that year
Brockman ( C ) -- quick illegal screen for his first foul, looked too short to guard Jermaine and O'Neal was off to the fast start. Got an inside score on a roll after setting the pick for Reke. Missed a jumper again in the early third. Cleanup hoop on a Jason miss. Decidely pedestrian all around effort this time. Small sample size of course, but fits in with what we all should have known: Brockman's best role is probably off the bench as an energy sparkplug. As a starter has looked small and not been able to provide that change of pace energy boost.
John Cusack (2012) -- the rom com king did a disaster flick to qualify -- awwww, isn't he cute? Of course including him meant hat I did not get to go with Amanda Peet or Thandie Newton for one of the ladies under my self imposed one pretty person/one movie rule. So boo.
Martin ( F ) -- this was just a wow. Worst game of his career? Quite possibly. At the start of this trip Kevin came back, and it seemed to disrupt everybody else. The whole team suffered, but Kevin himself looked pretty Kevinish. Bu these last two games...just wow. Now the hwole team is disrupted, byut Kevin has had back to back games where he looks nothing like Kevin Martin, uncomfortable, flat, and just looked like he quit out there. Yesterday I gave him a D-, because for a few minutes at the start oif that game he was at least helping wiht his passing. But tonight? Are you kidding me? He killed us with terrible early play, racking up 4 TOs in the first 6 minutes of the game. Missed his first shot, turned it over, got his only hoop off a screen, then a third turnover on a bad pass, beaten by Wade in the post. Missed another shot, then a layaup. Blew a backdoor cut, but got fouled. And the thing that I think has helped us sprial too is his usage -- just was never going to be taken out apparently no matter how poorly he did. To call that a double standard would be an understatement, but if a coach is goign to thrwo that sort of respect at you, you damn well betetr reward it with something. And tonight there was absolutely nothing. Back to back 5p 1-7shooting nights? And this time swapping out the 5 assists which bolstered the grade i Orlando for 5 TOs which finished it here. Came back in and immediately passed on a shot and threw a bad pass instead, even missed the technical FT on Jermaine O'Neal at the end of half. Came out in second half as we ran a series of staggered pciks to get him free, and he did his semi-flop motion to get to the line. And again only hit 1 of 2. Then missed an open 18 footer. Drove and blocked by Wade. And finally was mercifully done for the night. Probably as big a relief to him as to the rest of the team. Westphal had some interesting quote about how he knew that his kids were going to fight back, and how he would like to see everybody else do that too. Now who do you think that everybody else referred to? Kevin was apparently last seen with a towel over his head and his face in his hands in the lockerroom after the game. That seemed to about sum things up.
Mark Wahlberg (The Perfect Storm) -- Clooney was there as well of course, but I distinctly recall tagging him once a long time ago in my first attempt at a pretty guys thread, and I think this is the first time for Wahlberg. Also meant no Diane Lane/Karen Allen/Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio under my 1 actor/1 movie rule. In any case still uttlery amazes me that Marky Mark has somehow so totally ditched his cheeseball music past that he not only becomes an A-list actor/sex symbol, but nobody but me even mentions his origins. The Funky Bunch have to be going, daaamnnn.
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