Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Greene ( A- ) -- well, glad to start off with this one, because folks its all downhill from here on the grades. Looked more than solid as a fill in starter, and was our best player on the night. Yet it was a bit of a schizophrenic night, and first half in particular. Again and again used his size and mobility to attack the hoop -- this is the new thing that obviously he always had the ability to do, but that last year he almost never did. And its why he had such a big game tonight. On the flip side, the three point chucker reared his ugly head again. Took no fewer than 8 threes on the night, making only two of them. Most of the early ones were in rhythm, but by the second quarter he had forgotten how he was effective early and was just chucking at the first touch of leather. Started off the third going back to the drive, but it was a forced attempt and he got bailed out by the foul call. Stuck with it though -- likely after an interesting conversation with coach at halftime, and immediately used another drive. Had some good defensive stands against John Salmons in the second half -- this the other half of the new stuff that has Donte suddenly looking promising again. Made a nifty move on the drive to start the 4th , but got fouled and missed both FTs -- missed 3 in a row there which we could not really afford late in the game. Later got set up by Sergio for yet another three, and....actually thought about it! Dribbled in 4 feet and then drained the 19 footer. Progress. Made a strong interior post move to draw us back within 7 with his 24th point, but that was about his, and our, last stand. Far from a perfect effort, but a career one, and our best. And while its obviously not the last word on the Noc thing, it is true that we wouldn't have had a chance to see this if Noc hadn't missed the game. Reke's the blue chipper, but we've all of a sudden got a number of other kids who could be impact players.
Thompson ( D- ) -- THUD. So after a very strong 20-10 week how does Jason follow it up...well, let's put it this way, Richter scales all across the globe registered the thud. Came out and was backed right down and overpowered + scored over to start this one. The Bulls I thought had a very good defensive gameplan on both Jason and Reke, and while Reke eventually found ways to be productive, Jason never did. Struggled enough early that he was fairly quickly replaced by K9. Was largely checked off the boards and the hustle game was squelched before it ever got started. Had some of his normal blown layup problems -- should maybe change his nickname to "Stays After It" Thompson, for how often the announcers use that phrase for him as he blows an inital layup before grabbing his own miss and going back up again. The new Moses Malone. But today had more than just the bad layup problems, had bad turnover problems as the Bulls swarmed around him and poked and tips the ball away time and again. Not able to be effective with the passing game eiher, and we got a nifty 7TO to 0ast ratio out of him tonight. Made a clever play to start the third, pulling the chair out from under Taj Gibson when he got overaggressive banging in the post. But returned to the struggle, and now added to things were foul problems (there were a few shaky callas along the way). Finally did get away with a clear mugging of Salmons late, but mostly some tough calls. Played down the stretch, and padded his stats up a little, but really got pummeled by Noah on the glass in those final minutes.
Hawes ( D ) -- quite the duo of doom we had manning the power positions tonight -- doom for us. Started off the game getting blocked at the rim, which I suppose was about as good a prophetic metaphor as you were going to get fro this one. Briefly showed activity as he got a block himself and then and made a nice pass, but just could not hit a jumper or convert inside. Watched Noah show him how to finish with a series of big dunks in traffic in the first quarter, and its funny how these two players have flip flopped. Last year everybody was convinced that Spencer was on his way while Noah was going to struggle (despite my occassional protestations that Noah's per minute production was actually pretty impressive). Now somehow Spencer seems to have regressed rather badly while Noah has really settled in with his simpler roleplayer game and just physically dominated the matchup. Spencer started off the third so quiet as to be completely invisible, fluttering about in the high post area getting not much of anything accomplished. Did come back for his best moment of the night near the end of the quarter with a strong finish +1 courtesy of Reke to pull us back within 9. But then as the Bulls turned it back on, delivered maybe his worst moment, taking an open 16 foot jumper and airballing it by a foot. That's where you see the confidence issues really breeding -- while he shouldn't be shooting threes, Spencer is a good shooter, or could be. To airball a simple little jumper aftr getting pushed around all night...Flutter. That was about it for his night as Westphal opted to go with other people rather than continue to wait for Specer to compete. Hard to say who was worse, an incomptent Jason or an ineffectual Hawes, but we haven't been getting much more than this from Spencer all season, so Jason turning into a pumpkin too likely hurt us more.
Udrih ( B- ) -- had a fairly quiet first quarter, but did move the ball around, and would have hit a three had K9 not traveled on the pass. Didn't let Rose get off on offense, and that was the matchup -- Reke's having to deal with the big defensive guards now, and Beno is getting checked by the PGs. Mentioend before that is a problem for us since a need to find a way to get Reke over on the twerps so he can beat them up. Sort of scrabbled his way into an effective third helping us hang around, hitting a shot here, a shot there, making just enough plays to probably help more than hurt, and combined with Roses's poor night, holding his own. Which going in would be about all you could have asked for out of Beno. Lost some of his minutes on the night as Westphal out of desperation turned to Sergio Rodrigues, and Sergio played well. With Sergio and Evans bascially being our 2nd and 3rd best players on the night, Beno had to watch from the bench for long stretches pf the 3rd and 4th. I read this as a borderline B-/C+ performance for Beno, and bumped it to the higher side given Rose's ineffectiveness.
Evans ( B- ) -- as expected drew Salmons defensively, and had all he wanted there. As menetiond above, I thought Chicago had a very good defensive book on JT and Reke, who have been the two biggest engines of our recent success. And Salmons was very keyed in on his driving tendencies. reke got him once on a circus shot, but Salmons cut him off a few times and forced him into a travel on his next attempt, and Reke didn't test him agian until he got help from a pick. Was smart that way tonight -- ratehr than keep on attacking Salmons 1 on 1 in iso type sets, he stepepd back and largely picked his spots when a pick was set, he had a step on the break etc. Meant less impact, but showed some maturity. When he briefly got freed from Salmons, was set to chew up Pargo in the post to start the second quarter, but was not able to hit the first layup, hit the second, and then turned it over in the face of a double team. Meanwhile watched Pargo just explode for 10 points in 54 seconds, and maybe it was the quickness issue wiht the superquick guard going all Eddie House on us. Because thing was that Reke played a GREAT defesnive game for the most part other than that mini-stretch. He really locked inot Salmons and gave him a taste of his own medicine -- stayed in front of him and blocked two of his shots, got another block on Rose in the quarter, and just in general made his impact on that sife of the floor while the offense was struggling. Part of the Chicago book was also to let him shot jumpers, and while Reke generally knows that is a shaky shot for him and doesn't like to take it, he was forced into a number this time out and just couldn't hit them. Made a bad decision at the end of the third, had a wide open three, knew that was not his shot, hesitated and turned the ball over trying to refeed the post instead of taking it. Was in at Sg to start the 4th next to Rodrigiuez, and did well. Got another block/steal, then converted the flying layup on the break. Had another burst of sloppiness, missed a three, got a drive blocked, threw a pass too high to JT, but then wrapped things up pretty strong in the late minutes. And here's the thing -- not a spectacular night for Tyreke, but he seems to be settling in now so that even on a tough night, against a tough defensive opponent, he STILL gets 20pts on the night. And he feels talented enough that he gets 20pts and I pondered whether this might be a C+ game. Gave the half grade bump though for the impressive defense.
Thompson ( D- ) -- THUD. So after a very strong 20-10 week how does Jason follow it up...well, let's put it this way, Richter scales all across the globe registered the thud. Came out and was backed right down and overpowered + scored over to start this one. The Bulls I thought had a very good defensive gameplan on both Jason and Reke, and while Reke eventually found ways to be productive, Jason never did. Struggled enough early that he was fairly quickly replaced by K9. Was largely checked off the boards and the hustle game was squelched before it ever got started. Had some of his normal blown layup problems -- should maybe change his nickname to "Stays After It" Thompson, for how often the announcers use that phrase for him as he blows an inital layup before grabbing his own miss and going back up again. The new Moses Malone. But today had more than just the bad layup problems, had bad turnover problems as the Bulls swarmed around him and poked and tips the ball away time and again. Not able to be effective with the passing game eiher, and we got a nifty 7TO to 0ast ratio out of him tonight. Made a clever play to start the third, pulling the chair out from under Taj Gibson when he got overaggressive banging in the post. But returned to the struggle, and now added to things were foul problems (there were a few shaky callas along the way). Finally did get away with a clear mugging of Salmons late, but mostly some tough calls. Played down the stretch, and padded his stats up a little, but really got pummeled by Noah on the glass in those final minutes.
Hawes ( D ) -- quite the duo of doom we had manning the power positions tonight -- doom for us. Started off the game getting blocked at the rim, which I suppose was about as good a prophetic metaphor as you were going to get fro this one. Briefly showed activity as he got a block himself and then and made a nice pass, but just could not hit a jumper or convert inside. Watched Noah show him how to finish with a series of big dunks in traffic in the first quarter, and its funny how these two players have flip flopped. Last year everybody was convinced that Spencer was on his way while Noah was going to struggle (despite my occassional protestations that Noah's per minute production was actually pretty impressive). Now somehow Spencer seems to have regressed rather badly while Noah has really settled in with his simpler roleplayer game and just physically dominated the matchup. Spencer started off the third so quiet as to be completely invisible, fluttering about in the high post area getting not much of anything accomplished. Did come back for his best moment of the night near the end of the quarter with a strong finish +1 courtesy of Reke to pull us back within 9. But then as the Bulls turned it back on, delivered maybe his worst moment, taking an open 16 foot jumper and airballing it by a foot. That's where you see the confidence issues really breeding -- while he shouldn't be shooting threes, Spencer is a good shooter, or could be. To airball a simple little jumper aftr getting pushed around all night...Flutter. That was about it for his night as Westphal opted to go with other people rather than continue to wait for Specer to compete. Hard to say who was worse, an incomptent Jason or an ineffectual Hawes, but we haven't been getting much more than this from Spencer all season, so Jason turning into a pumpkin too likely hurt us more.
Udrih ( B- ) -- had a fairly quiet first quarter, but did move the ball around, and would have hit a three had K9 not traveled on the pass. Didn't let Rose get off on offense, and that was the matchup -- Reke's having to deal with the big defensive guards now, and Beno is getting checked by the PGs. Mentioend before that is a problem for us since a need to find a way to get Reke over on the twerps so he can beat them up. Sort of scrabbled his way into an effective third helping us hang around, hitting a shot here, a shot there, making just enough plays to probably help more than hurt, and combined with Roses's poor night, holding his own. Which going in would be about all you could have asked for out of Beno. Lost some of his minutes on the night as Westphal out of desperation turned to Sergio Rodrigues, and Sergio played well. With Sergio and Evans bascially being our 2nd and 3rd best players on the night, Beno had to watch from the bench for long stretches pf the 3rd and 4th. I read this as a borderline B-/C+ performance for Beno, and bumped it to the higher side given Rose's ineffectiveness.
Evans ( B- ) -- as expected drew Salmons defensively, and had all he wanted there. As menetiond above, I thought Chicago had a very good defensive book on JT and Reke, who have been the two biggest engines of our recent success. And Salmons was very keyed in on his driving tendencies. reke got him once on a circus shot, but Salmons cut him off a few times and forced him into a travel on his next attempt, and Reke didn't test him agian until he got help from a pick. Was smart that way tonight -- ratehr than keep on attacking Salmons 1 on 1 in iso type sets, he stepepd back and largely picked his spots when a pick was set, he had a step on the break etc. Meant less impact, but showed some maturity. When he briefly got freed from Salmons, was set to chew up Pargo in the post to start the second quarter, but was not able to hit the first layup, hit the second, and then turned it over in the face of a double team. Meanwhile watched Pargo just explode for 10 points in 54 seconds, and maybe it was the quickness issue wiht the superquick guard going all Eddie House on us. Because thing was that Reke played a GREAT defesnive game for the most part other than that mini-stretch. He really locked inot Salmons and gave him a taste of his own medicine -- stayed in front of him and blocked two of his shots, got another block on Rose in the quarter, and just in general made his impact on that sife of the floor while the offense was struggling. Part of the Chicago book was also to let him shot jumpers, and while Reke generally knows that is a shaky shot for him and doesn't like to take it, he was forced into a number this time out and just couldn't hit them. Made a bad decision at the end of the third, had a wide open three, knew that was not his shot, hesitated and turned the ball over trying to refeed the post instead of taking it. Was in at Sg to start the 4th next to Rodrigiuez, and did well. Got another block/steal, then converted the flying layup on the break. Had another burst of sloppiness, missed a three, got a drive blocked, threw a pass too high to JT, but then wrapped things up pretty strong in the late minutes. And here's the thing -- not a spectacular night for Tyreke, but he seems to be settling in now so that even on a tough night, against a tough defensive opponent, he STILL gets 20pts on the night. And he feels talented enough that he gets 20pts and I pondered whether this might be a C+ game. Gave the half grade bump though for the impressive defense.
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