GRRRFFFFFF!!!!
I'm really not sure what to do with these after such a pathetic loss. Feel like I should go back and rewatch it to see who is responsible, but I never tape these things:
Peja ( A- ) -- very aggressive offensively. Got himself started from the beginning of the game with an uncharacteristic mix of inside hoops, and then moved outside and started really lighting the Hornets up from all over the floor. One thing that I liked tonight was that he made his teammates better on offense -- my steady critique of the idea of Peja as franchise player is that he doesn't make others better, just concentrates on himself. But tonight he set several guys up for open jumpers, including Bibby for his game tying three at the end of the 4th. Disappeared late in the game and in OT to earn the "-".
Webber ( C+ ) -- wasted a tremendous start to this one -- in the first quarter he ignored the back to back situation, attacked the middle, finished the first quarter with a 10pt 10reb double double. Very Duncanesque. But calmed down therafter, and it became clear that despite the inside work, really did not have the legs on the jumpshot at all. Kept his head about it for a long time, but started to struggle and get jumper happy down the stretch. Forgot how he was scoring early. Got to the line a lot -- unusual for him -- and knocked down the FTs. But was irrelevant at best, and a hindrance at worst, down the stretch of the game. Just ran out of gas.
Miller ( B+ ) -- grabbed aggressive boards up and down the floor, and was willing to take just enough shots down the stretch to help us hang in there. Big numbers, but for the second night in a row something was missing. Just never seemed to take over the game for any stretch. More like game long solid work on the glass than any one stretch where he grabbed every one and was actually unstoppable.
Christie ( B- ) -- started the game with great energy on defense and leading our passing attack, but was once again unable to sustain. Had Baron under control, but started to lose it in the third quarter. In what is becoming an interesting pattern, again found himself pinned to the bench down the stretch because of the play of Maurice Evans. Not sure we saw him after the third quarter. And not sure whether that was a good idea, because Doug wasn't playing a bad game and I wouldn't have minded having SOMEBODY out there to guard all those perimeter bombs the Hornets were hitting.
Bibby ( D+ ) -- how to grade this? Came back to earth with a real thud, but hit the huge shot to tie the game in the last couple of seconds and then led us in OT. Sometimes the fatique card gets played too much, but certainly looked like it today. Briefly came alive during the third quarter, but until his late revival just a game long struggle on offense, missing open shot after open shot. Began to struggle on defense as the game went along as well. These are the nights where not having Bobby really kills us. Carried us offensively in the OT with Webb long gone and Peja pulling one of his disappearing acts but also repeatedly blew defensive assignments vs. Baron Davis and Dan Dickau down the stretch and in overtime, leaving them to kill us formt he three point line.
Ostertag ( C ) -- almost an incomplete. Not as bad as last night, but basically came in again and did a whole lot of nothing. Did not return for a second half stint, and that was fine because he didn't earn one.
Evans ( B ) -- moved squarely into the role of 6th man this game, playing the whole way down the stretch and into OT in place of Christie. Extremely efficient offensive game again, and his energy was critical in keeping us in it. But we're beginning to get a better feel for Mo on defense now, and he is NOT a consistent stopper at this point. Guess we were encouraged by his performance against Marbury, because we kept on trying to put him on Baron Davis tonight. But a no go for the most part -- just unable to contend with Davis' quickness, and down the stretch was missing guys out on the three point line.
Songaila ( C+ ) -- came in during the second quarter and continued Webb's aggressive play on the glass. A little more of the same in the second half, but certainly no real impact.
Martin ( C- ) -- short first half stint where he didn't do much. Abruptly that bench is starting to look pretty shallow again. Got to be a little concerned here that Kevin doesn't play himself out of the rotation the way Barnes did last month. Needs another good game here to restore momentum.
Adelman ( C ) -- started out the game as well as you could ask -- we were doing all the things we always talk about, rebounding, defending, hustling. But ouos shooting sucked, and we could never open up a big lead. Worse yet, our laziness finally bit us in the butt. We would open up little 10 pt leads get sloppy, and the lead would evaporate just instantly. And we let the Hornets hand around so long that they believed -- all it took then was for them to go unconscious from the three point stripe, and boom, instant loss. Rick tried the bench, and the bench pretty much sucked. Big move of the game was also debatable -- Rick found and obviously trusts Mo Evans. And Mo was playing well. And the end result in this game was that Rick actually went with Mo exclusively throught the 4th and OT, and left Doug sitting on the bench. Mo gave us energy as always, and Bibby stepped up and hit the clutch shot to tie it. But our perimeter defense was so awful down the stretch that not having Doug out there just felt...weird.
I'm really not sure what to do with these after such a pathetic loss. Feel like I should go back and rewatch it to see who is responsible, but I never tape these things:
Peja ( A- ) -- very aggressive offensively. Got himself started from the beginning of the game with an uncharacteristic mix of inside hoops, and then moved outside and started really lighting the Hornets up from all over the floor. One thing that I liked tonight was that he made his teammates better on offense -- my steady critique of the idea of Peja as franchise player is that he doesn't make others better, just concentrates on himself. But tonight he set several guys up for open jumpers, including Bibby for his game tying three at the end of the 4th. Disappeared late in the game and in OT to earn the "-".
Webber ( C+ ) -- wasted a tremendous start to this one -- in the first quarter he ignored the back to back situation, attacked the middle, finished the first quarter with a 10pt 10reb double double. Very Duncanesque. But calmed down therafter, and it became clear that despite the inside work, really did not have the legs on the jumpshot at all. Kept his head about it for a long time, but started to struggle and get jumper happy down the stretch. Forgot how he was scoring early. Got to the line a lot -- unusual for him -- and knocked down the FTs. But was irrelevant at best, and a hindrance at worst, down the stretch of the game. Just ran out of gas.
Miller ( B+ ) -- grabbed aggressive boards up and down the floor, and was willing to take just enough shots down the stretch to help us hang in there. Big numbers, but for the second night in a row something was missing. Just never seemed to take over the game for any stretch. More like game long solid work on the glass than any one stretch where he grabbed every one and was actually unstoppable.
Christie ( B- ) -- started the game with great energy on defense and leading our passing attack, but was once again unable to sustain. Had Baron under control, but started to lose it in the third quarter. In what is becoming an interesting pattern, again found himself pinned to the bench down the stretch because of the play of Maurice Evans. Not sure we saw him after the third quarter. And not sure whether that was a good idea, because Doug wasn't playing a bad game and I wouldn't have minded having SOMEBODY out there to guard all those perimeter bombs the Hornets were hitting.
Bibby ( D+ ) -- how to grade this? Came back to earth with a real thud, but hit the huge shot to tie the game in the last couple of seconds and then led us in OT. Sometimes the fatique card gets played too much, but certainly looked like it today. Briefly came alive during the third quarter, but until his late revival just a game long struggle on offense, missing open shot after open shot. Began to struggle on defense as the game went along as well. These are the nights where not having Bobby really kills us. Carried us offensively in the OT with Webb long gone and Peja pulling one of his disappearing acts but also repeatedly blew defensive assignments vs. Baron Davis and Dan Dickau down the stretch and in overtime, leaving them to kill us formt he three point line.
Ostertag ( C ) -- almost an incomplete. Not as bad as last night, but basically came in again and did a whole lot of nothing. Did not return for a second half stint, and that was fine because he didn't earn one.
Evans ( B ) -- moved squarely into the role of 6th man this game, playing the whole way down the stretch and into OT in place of Christie. Extremely efficient offensive game again, and his energy was critical in keeping us in it. But we're beginning to get a better feel for Mo on defense now, and he is NOT a consistent stopper at this point. Guess we were encouraged by his performance against Marbury, because we kept on trying to put him on Baron Davis tonight. But a no go for the most part -- just unable to contend with Davis' quickness, and down the stretch was missing guys out on the three point line.
Songaila ( C+ ) -- came in during the second quarter and continued Webb's aggressive play on the glass. A little more of the same in the second half, but certainly no real impact.
Martin ( C- ) -- short first half stint where he didn't do much. Abruptly that bench is starting to look pretty shallow again. Got to be a little concerned here that Kevin doesn't play himself out of the rotation the way Barnes did last month. Needs another good game here to restore momentum.
Adelman ( C ) -- started out the game as well as you could ask -- we were doing all the things we always talk about, rebounding, defending, hustling. But ouos shooting sucked, and we could never open up a big lead. Worse yet, our laziness finally bit us in the butt. We would open up little 10 pt leads get sloppy, and the lead would evaporate just instantly. And we let the Hornets hand around so long that they believed -- all it took then was for them to go unconscious from the three point stripe, and boom, instant loss. Rick tried the bench, and the bench pretty much sucked. Big move of the game was also debatable -- Rick found and obviously trusts Mo Evans. And Mo was playing well. And the end result in this game was that Rick actually went with Mo exclusively throught the 4th and OT, and left Doug sitting on the bench. Mo gave us energy as always, and Bibby stepped up and hit the clutch shot to tie it. But our perimeter defense was so awful down the stretch that not having Doug out there just felt...weird.
Yes, Peja had a great game, so someone was obviously getting the ball to him. Even the Hornets announcers were commenting that all of the Kings were getting the ball to and "riding" Peja's hot hand.
