So let's have no more discussion about how Thornton is not important and Jimmer can replace him and whatnot ok?
Oh, and BTW Coach Smart, if you want to earn your surname how about you don't a) pull our two remaining stars, and the only guys other than JT doing anything, early in the 3rd, and then b) turn around and reinsert them in the 4th with us down 27. What was the point? If somebody gets hurt in that kind of nonsense its a fireable offense.
Okay, well rules are rules, and the rules say Theme = Girls. Oh darn.
Boxscore
Salmons ( F ) -- not much to say here and no hesitation on theis grade. Just looks completely dead out there. His game has come to match his personality. The killers though are the open missed threes, where he went 0-6 tonight leading another terrible outside shooting display (we were 4-19 as a team). The offense works, you get a wide open shot from out there...and just horrible. That just kills a team's spirit. We left him in and left him in and he finally hit a couple of one on one type shots in the 4th quarter with us down 30, but come on now. Guy has to do something here to dispel the fear that age may have gotten him. Hitting a wide open shot while anybody still has confidence to look for him out there might be a start.
Brooklyn Decker -- Andy Roddick may not have much success on the court anymore, but he's doing pretty well off it
Hickson ( D ) -- his wild inconsistency reared its ugly head this time, as coming off a strong game he just laid an egg. Airballed his first shot and invisible all game long. Just never involved and could have been any scrub. Could not effect Brand's shot at all, althoough a number of those points came against Cousins too. I'm going with the might as well have not been out there D rather than the I really really wish he hadn't been out there F some of his teammates can look forward to.
Leyla Milani -- of Iranian descent. There's probably some remark there to be made about her being made to wear burka, but I've used that before and so will let it go.
Cousins ( B- ) -- we got treated to a spate of his blown layups right from the start of this one as he blew three early layups off the first set play to start the game, and had that problem finishing inside again throughout the early going. Was making the tough ones though, was big on the boards, and took over when Reke went to the bench as our two young stars were virtually the only guys who came to play in this one other than JT off the bench. Had some more efficiency adventures as he first got swiped in the eye, and then blocked back to back by Brand (and was notably unable to slow Brand the other way, or perhaps unwilling to risk foul trouble to do so). Was doing a much better job managing his fouls and you saw him consciously puling his arm back on attempted swipes, and he knew he screwd up when he picked up his second foul finally going for one. Even twisted out of the way on a few plays where he was thinking of taking a charge. Just in general you could see the game to game intelligence and learning curve again, where he identified a problem and instantly there were results. Not that it helped him much in this game as his coach got bizarre on his rotations and kept on subbing Boogie and Reke out just when they were needed most, culminating in sitting both of them for the bulk of the 3rd as we go embarrassed, and then for some reason returning them for the 4th with us down 27. Had a few late moments filling out the statsheet, including a nice pass (a welcome sight) to Outlaw for what should have been an easy little flip, but it was Outlaw after all. Eventually got called for a flagrant foul late in the game purely on reputation. Wasn't brilliant out there, but was again a solid presence inside while the game was still on, and he and Reke were the only reasons to even tune in tonight.
Lee Hiyori
Fredette ( D- ) -- ok, note 1: he's a rook. But note 2: he;s not ready. not close to ready, and this grade was an F until near the end of the game. Given the start with Thronton out, but unable to do anything from the position and looked overmatched in the process. Got one little pullup to go, but it was surrounded by more of his passing up open shots, taking tougher ones, getting swarmed by guys who don't respect his handle, overpenetrating and looking for bailout passes, turnovers, and various defensive misadventures. In short he really hurt us in the early going on this one, and rookie or not we can't afford that anymore. A couple of years ago, ok, losing is part of the early rebuild and you accept the rookie lumps along the way. But now the Beno whsipers are building, and I can't truly deny them. We're missing him, and Jimmer has yet to come close to filling that role. passing up shots, then hit a little pullup, blown by on defense, and got badly picke on an other. You can see those littel freeing moves he makes with the ball are being smothered by the length of NBA defender and we haven't seen an answer yet. Finally late in the garbagetime made a nice pass to set up Cousins and took a 28 foot 3ptr and drained it. The latter of course being a gotta make it shot or your coach yanks you and you get an atomic wedgie in the lockerroom for making the guys run the court just so you can chuck a prayer. Still, gave me enough, if barely, to pull him out of F land. My get Jimmer off the ball and run some plays to spot him up theory is of course now becoming in vogue, but I still think that might help. Looks intimidated right now and needs to see some shots go through.
Sofia Vegara -- for Slim. XOXO.
Oh, and BTW Coach Smart, if you want to earn your surname how about you don't a) pull our two remaining stars, and the only guys other than JT doing anything, early in the 3rd, and then b) turn around and reinsert them in the 4th with us down 27. What was the point? If somebody gets hurt in that kind of nonsense its a fireable offense.
Okay, well rules are rules, and the rules say Theme = Girls. Oh darn.
Boxscore
Salmons ( F ) -- not much to say here and no hesitation on theis grade. Just looks completely dead out there. His game has come to match his personality. The killers though are the open missed threes, where he went 0-6 tonight leading another terrible outside shooting display (we were 4-19 as a team). The offense works, you get a wide open shot from out there...and just horrible. That just kills a team's spirit. We left him in and left him in and he finally hit a couple of one on one type shots in the 4th quarter with us down 30, but come on now. Guy has to do something here to dispel the fear that age may have gotten him. Hitting a wide open shot while anybody still has confidence to look for him out there might be a start.
Brooklyn Decker -- Andy Roddick may not have much success on the court anymore, but he's doing pretty well off it
Hickson ( D ) -- his wild inconsistency reared its ugly head this time, as coming off a strong game he just laid an egg. Airballed his first shot and invisible all game long. Just never involved and could have been any scrub. Could not effect Brand's shot at all, althoough a number of those points came against Cousins too. I'm going with the might as well have not been out there D rather than the I really really wish he hadn't been out there F some of his teammates can look forward to.
Leyla Milani -- of Iranian descent. There's probably some remark there to be made about her being made to wear burka, but I've used that before and so will let it go.
Cousins ( B- ) -- we got treated to a spate of his blown layups right from the start of this one as he blew three early layups off the first set play to start the game, and had that problem finishing inside again throughout the early going. Was making the tough ones though, was big on the boards, and took over when Reke went to the bench as our two young stars were virtually the only guys who came to play in this one other than JT off the bench. Had some more efficiency adventures as he first got swiped in the eye, and then blocked back to back by Brand (and was notably unable to slow Brand the other way, or perhaps unwilling to risk foul trouble to do so). Was doing a much better job managing his fouls and you saw him consciously puling his arm back on attempted swipes, and he knew he screwd up when he picked up his second foul finally going for one. Even twisted out of the way on a few plays where he was thinking of taking a charge. Just in general you could see the game to game intelligence and learning curve again, where he identified a problem and instantly there were results. Not that it helped him much in this game as his coach got bizarre on his rotations and kept on subbing Boogie and Reke out just when they were needed most, culminating in sitting both of them for the bulk of the 3rd as we go embarrassed, and then for some reason returning them for the 4th with us down 27. Had a few late moments filling out the statsheet, including a nice pass (a welcome sight) to Outlaw for what should have been an easy little flip, but it was Outlaw after all. Eventually got called for a flagrant foul late in the game purely on reputation. Wasn't brilliant out there, but was again a solid presence inside while the game was still on, and he and Reke were the only reasons to even tune in tonight.
Lee Hiyori
Fredette ( D- ) -- ok, note 1: he's a rook. But note 2: he;s not ready. not close to ready, and this grade was an F until near the end of the game. Given the start with Thronton out, but unable to do anything from the position and looked overmatched in the process. Got one little pullup to go, but it was surrounded by more of his passing up open shots, taking tougher ones, getting swarmed by guys who don't respect his handle, overpenetrating and looking for bailout passes, turnovers, and various defensive misadventures. In short he really hurt us in the early going on this one, and rookie or not we can't afford that anymore. A couple of years ago, ok, losing is part of the early rebuild and you accept the rookie lumps along the way. But now the Beno whsipers are building, and I can't truly deny them. We're missing him, and Jimmer has yet to come close to filling that role. passing up shots, then hit a little pullup, blown by on defense, and got badly picke on an other. You can see those littel freeing moves he makes with the ball are being smothered by the length of NBA defender and we haven't seen an answer yet. Finally late in the garbagetime made a nice pass to set up Cousins and took a 28 foot 3ptr and drained it. The latter of course being a gotta make it shot or your coach yanks you and you get an atomic wedgie in the lockerroom for making the guys run the court just so you can chuck a prayer. Still, gave me enough, if barely, to pull him out of F land. My get Jimmer off the ball and run some plays to spot him up theory is of course now becoming in vogue, but I still think that might help. Looks intimidated right now and needs to see some shots go through.
Sofia Vegara -- for Slim. XOXO.
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