and with the #1 pick in the 2009 NBA draft the Kings select...

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

Yeah, that's the well known drawback, and for us I consider it to be a major one. If he is a major star level offensive player, you probably have to take him anyway, but there is no hope, none, defensively for a Hawes/JT/Griffin trio up front. Griffin's hustle is offensive in nature, he is not long, has no shotblocking instincts, and I think has a more lively off the floor body than true brute lower body strength body. And contrary to what people sometimes like to claim, players rarely dramatically change their stripes by the time they hit the NBA. If he's 20-10, then you just have to accept it and try to figure out some way to load the team up with defending rolleplayers to make up for your best players being crappy defenders. But if he's anything less...something has to give.

While I agree that Griffin has show NOTHING defensively yet at the college level, I really dont think the coach wants him to because of all the energy he is forced to use on the other end. I would like to see him be a LOT more aggressive, but if he gets into foul trouble the team is royally screwed.

He doesnt have the tools to be a dominant defensive player .. they just arent there. I do think he can be an at least average defender though, he has the strength to keep a lot of the thinner PF's off the block .. you never know.

Wishful thinking perhaps, But this team has a 'no defense' culture. Its going to take a lot to fix that ... All of these players can play better defense than they are right now ..

 

[nbrans]

Wow, Hansbrough looks bigger than Griffin.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

Willie Warren is keeping Oklahoma in it right now. This is the best Ive seen him play this year.

 

[PurpleHaze]

Wow, Hansbrough looks bigger than Griffin.

I agree - at least one inch maybe close to two inches taller. Also, everyone has been raving how buffed Griffin is - and he is - but Hansbrough is just as chiseled.

 

[nbrans]

Griffin really isn't looking very impressive this game. He's finally up against a front line that's as big as he is, and you can see how he's not able to dominate and get the garbage points and rebounds that have been his bread and butter all season. He's getting most of Oklahoma's boards, but he's also losing quite a few to offensive boards. It's a pretty good preview of how he's going to have to adjust in the NBA.

Still, you can see the offensive potential with his spin moves and quickness in the post. He has that Boozer-esque step-back jumper, which could be a go-to move. But he's not really impacting the game, especially defensively, and UNC is getting way too many offensive boards that Griffin should be pulling down.

 

[Sarunas]

On the off chance that a collison or maynor isnt available by the time our houston pick comes, has anyone else been impressed with Kalin Lucas from Mich. State? His overall body of work this year has really impressed me (Big ten player of the year). Hes looked very good in all the games I have watched of him, and I was even impressed with him last year as a freshman. Obviously a lot depends on workouts, but he would be someone I would not be unhappy with in the late first round.

 

[nbrans]

Lucas has to prove he can shoot consistently. He's tough and solid, but shooting less than 40% in college really doesn't bode well for the NBA. I think he'll stay in school.

 

[rainmaker]

Yeah, Griffin really hasn't been that impressive today, but you can see the potential. It really is difficult to try to determine how a college players game will translate to the nba. While Griffins outside game really needs some work, you can see the effect zone defenses have on him. In more of a one-on-one nba environment, he might be more comfortable on offense.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Griffin really isn't looking very impressive this game. He's finally up against a front line that's as big as he is, and you can see how he's not able to dominate and get the garbage points and rebounds that have been his bread and butter all season. He's getting most of Oklahoma's boards, but he's also losing quite a few to offensive boards. It's a pretty good preview of how he's going to have to adjust in the NBA.

Still, you can see the offensive potential with his spin moves and quickness in the post. He has that Boozer-esque step-back jumper, which could be a go-to move. But he's not really impacting the game, especially defensively, and UNC is getting way too many offensive boards that Griffin should be pulling down.

To be fair, he's being constantly doubled by UNC.

 

[nbrans]

To be fair, he's being constantly doubled by UNC.

His offense has been okay (he needs to attack more, which he's doing now), but it's more the number of points inside and the offensive boards he was giving up that were making me feel like he just wasn't impacting the game as much as he needed to. He's started off the 2nd Half well offensively (and wow that was a sick dunk), but still, he's got to impact the game more defensively and on the boards if Oklahoma is going to have a shot.

 

[rainmaker]

I'm suprised at how much of an effect hansborough is having on griffin. I know its one game, but griffin really does look like he has been taken out of his comfort zone.

 

[Fresno King]

Griffin has made the adjustments againast UNC. Why don't we just draft him first and Ty Lawson late in the 1st rd with Houston's pick?

Griffin is too good to pass up - the only sure thing in the draft.

I'll worry about where/how the Kings will use him later. I'm sold on this guy.

 

[nbrans]

He made the adjustments offensively, but he's been terrible defensively.

 

[Bricklayer]

Query: not having watched the game, I assume that Griffin's help defense as usual has been non-existent, but how has 23 and 16 while holding a 20-10 college guy (Hasbrough) to 6pts and 6rebs not amounted to some level of dominance? Have they not been matched up directly?

 

[nbrans]

Query: not having watched the game, I assume that Griffin's help defense as usual has been non-existent, but how has 23 and 16 while holding a 20-10 college guy (Hasbrough) to 6pts and 6rebs not amounted to some level of dominance? Have they not been matched up directly?

Hansbrough spent a lot of the game in foul trouble in the 1st half, and they mostly had Taylor Griffin on Hansbrough. B. Griffin was mostly guarding Thompson, who he didn't contain.

And yeah, the help defense was completely nonexistent. His offense was pretty darn impressive though.

 

[VF21]

Query: not having watched the game, I assume that Griffin's help defense as usual has been non-existent, but how has 23 and 16 while holding a 20-10 college guy (Hasbrough) to 6pts and 6rebs not amounted to some level of dominance? Have they not been matched up directly?

I don't know how Griffin usually looks, but his road to 23/16 was about as unimpressive a game stat as I've ever watched. From the beginning, the Sooners looked overmatched. Their body language (or maybe lack of swagger would be a better term) spoke volumes. I was not impressed.

Edit and disclaimer: I have to admit to being more intrigued by Tiger Woods, however, and may not have given full attention to the game. I kept switching back and forth ...

 

[Vlade4GM]

He had a couple of nice moves that impressed me, but ultimately didn't show me anything new or overly impressive in general. I don't think his game was quite as good as his statline but it was still a solid game considering how much attention he gets defensively.

 

[KingGiant49erFan]

Wow, I only caught the second half, but I feel like i watched a different game than the rest of you..

 

[KF8]

Griffin had his usual game, but his teammates did not not come through.

 

[swisshh]

Telling bit of the game: First quarter stat of Griffin's production with Hansborough off/on the bench.

With Hansborough on the floor, Griffin had 0 points(at the time of the stat they showed) and 11 points with Hansborough off the floor.

Hansborough didn't put up a lot of stats, but he made a bigger impact by giving Griffin trouble and working the offense without needing to score.

As a scorer, Griffin will get it done, but as a star or impact guy, it just isn't there. He didn't even care about defense with his team behind double digits.

You can get those type of players at many draft positions, I don't see why you'd waste a #1 on it.

 

[Pangloss]

Wow, I only caught the second half, but I feel like i watched a different game than the rest of you..

I'm right there with you. Griffin faced constant doubles and UNC was very aggressive in denying him catches on the block, but he still got his. I'm not even sure the criticism levied at Griffin earlier in this thread concerning the games first ten minutes are fair: he did an excellent job passing out of the doubles; his teammates simply had neither the confidence to take nor the ability to make shots shots(though it should be said that UNC did a good job of recovering back to their men today for the most part). Defensively he provided little help defense. Those skills are just not in his toolbox at the moment, and may never be. All that being said, though Oklahoma as a whole were badly outclassed this game, Griffin held up his end.

To nbarans-- should it not be noted that the reason Hansbrough was in foul trouble was that despite receiving considerable help, he couldn't guard Griffin?

 

[swisshh]

Oh I'd say Hansborough was limited because of the foul trouble Griffin put him in. And Griffin will be a much better NBA player thans Hans. It just that Blake looks like Antoine Walker out there and that doesn't excite me.

 

[nbrans]

Wow, I only caught the second half, but I feel like i watched a different game than the rest of you..

That's because he stunk the first half of the first half.

 

[nbrans]

To nbarans-- should it not be noted that the reason Hansbrough was in foul trouble was that despite receiving considerable help, he couldn't guard Griffin?

That wasn't his problem, and before Hansbrough left he was actually doing a really good job helping to shut down Griffin -- Griffin didn't score in the first half until Hansbrough was on the bench. The first foul came when they were tangling for a rebound, and I don't recall the second foul, but it was the last one he picked up in the game.

So, no. That wasn't the reason.

 

[Pangloss]

Telling bit of the game: First quarter stat of Griffin's production with Hansborough off/on the bench.

With Hansborough on the floor, Griffin had 0 points(at the time of the stat they showed) and 11 points with Hansborough off the floor.

Hansbrough didn't put up a lot of stats, but he made a bigger impact by giving Griffin trouble and working the offense without needing to score.

As a scorer, Griffin will get it done, but as a star or impact guy, it just isn't there. He didn't even care about defense with his team behind double digits.

You can get those type of players at many draft positions, I don't see why you'd waste a #1 on it.

Those stats are deceptive, Griffin was in pass out of the double mode the first ten minutes or so, taking what, two shots during that stretch? The refs eventually started calling fouls and Hansbrough took his place on the bench. Rumors of Hansbrough's defense have been greatly exaggerated.

 

[nbrans]

Those stats are deceptive, Griffin was in pass out of the double mode the first ten minutes or so, taking what, two shots during that stretch? The refs eventually started calling fouls and Hansbrough took his place on the bench. Rumors of Hansbrough's defense have been greatly exaggerated.

Not quite the whole story. Griffin missed his first couple of shot attempts and Hansbrough played good D. Griffin was indeed passive early, but Hansbrough played perfectly respectable defense, and I'm not even a fan. They weren't matched up on each other much after the first half.

 

[Dwadeforlife3]

Either Blake Griffin or Hasheem Thabeet. I wouldn't be disappointed with either pick, but anyone else hell the **** no. Anyway John Wall the next Dwade is the top pick in the 2010 Draft, so the Kings need to suck one more year and the rebuilding process is finally done.

PG> JOHN WALL (DWADE)
SG> Kevin Martin
SF> does it really matter
PF> Jason Thompson/(Blake Griffin Or Hasheem Thabeet)
C> Spencer Hawes

That would be a great team, but John Wall might be take time to be like Dwade.

 

[Pangloss]

That wasn't his problem, and before Hansbrough left he was actually doing a really good job helping to shut down Griffin -- Griffin didn't score in the first half until Hansbrough was on the bench. The first foul came when they were tangling for a rebound, and I don't recall the second foul, but it was the last one he picked up in the game.

So, no. That wasn't the reason.

I'll have to re-watch the game, but I concede the point about the fouls. I still think Hansbrough's defensive impact has been overstated in this thread and it was simply a conscious effort by Griffin to become more aggressive that was the turning point in his performance, but perhaps I am mistaken.

 

[nbrans]

I'll have to re-watch the game, but I concede the point about the fouls. I still think Hansbrough's defensive impact has been overstated in this thread and it was simply a conscious effort by Griffin to become more aggressive that was the turning point in his performance, but perhaps I am mistaken.

No, I agree with you that the difference was Griffin's aggressiveness, and once he started attacking he did well. I'm not trying to say Hansbrough shut him down, just saying his defense was good and was a factor. But the biggest difference between the first half and second half was that Griffin attacked in the second half.

 

[HighFlyingMonkey]

Griffin was impressive offensively today, in my opinion. There were several moves that stood out to me that give me hope about his game translating to the pros. One was the smooth fadeaway jumper and the other was the quick spin out of the post for the dunk. He reminds me a lot of Amare, actually.

The problem was his defense. He let his man (I think it was Thompson?) get inside position too easily a few times in the post, didn't rotate all that well, and generally looked lethargic and uninterested on that end. But to be fair, he WAS Oklahoma's offense (guys like Warren completely disappeared), and he was facing NBA-level size and length with double teams on the catch, so it must have taken a lot out of him. I know he doesn't usually look this bad. Yet still, it could be concerning. I think he can be a good defender if he just ups his intensity level, bodying up on his man in the post, bumping cutters on their way to the hoop. And he certainly has time to learn rotations, he's only 20 years old.

As for Hansbrough, you can stick a fork into his draft stock. He was just completely bamboozled by the elder Griffin's length, traveling and throwing up junk a bunch of times.