Because we can look like absolute roadkill one moment, but you damn well better put a pickaxe through our brain while you have a chance, or we'll get up and chase you down.
Link to Boxscore
Afflalo ( C- ) -- while we were the walking dead out there, occasionally would put forth a 1 on 1 effort that occasionally bore some fruit, but we were more dynamic without him.
Cousins ( C ) -- I mean, this is impossible to grade, so let's just split the difference. For 3/4 played one of his worst games, or maybe it was "played" because he was just shuffling and did not look like he wanted to be there. TOs, dumb fouls, no D. A legitimate and ridiculous F through 3. And then Joerger made the call to bring him back down the stretch, and he took over the game, scored 12 points in 6 min, fouled out Howard, and brought effort on both ends. So...
Koufos ( D ) -- Kosta might have an excuse with that nasty knuckle injury of his, but he was poor, had no touch on offense, and we were poor with he and Cuz shuffling about moaning "brains!" for 3/4. did do a nice job breaking up an alley oop attempt ment for Howard however.
McLemore ( A ) -- loses a "+" here simply because nobody w s mentioning that Hardaway Jr. was lighting him up the other way. but that minor detail aside, this has to be right up there with best games in Ben's career. He finally hit those threes, a career high number of them in fact. He dove back on the boards, grabbing 9, he notched 4 steals...I mean, if his guy had not scored 28, there would be a "+" to this A.
Collison ( A- ) -- not as good as the perhaps career-with-Kings best outing last time, but given that he had no backup and was called on to go nearly the entire game, and still had it in him to get the game winning layup in the final seconds, still a great effort
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Barnes ( C ) -- don't know what was up, but seemed to come right into the game looking for a fight. Got overupset at an early foul call against him, which I think was even correct, and I had to flip announcers for awhile with Napear in full stick the knife in the back and twist it mode. But funny thing was, at some point the distraction became feisty, the anger turned to fire, and he helped us launch our comeback with defense and tough boards.
Cauley Stein ( B ) -- just damn solid and using that length again. Some good experience in there vs. Howard, and he blocked him off the boards a few times. The Hawks seemed to be more ready for his offense, but scored anyway.
Tolliver ( A- ) -- and so his run of f-u bricklayer! games continues after I called him not talented, as he did what he is supposed to do, which was bomb threes, including some contested ones, and gave us a superior defensive effort to help power our comeback.
Richardson ( INC ) -- he only got his first half stint again, as the games keep getting tight, and Ben was great this time out. Hit a three to start the 2nd, did not get taken advantage of, but no other production.
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