Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Greene ( A- ) -- And here is a name you absolutely did not expect to find in this position (although one KF member called for it before the game, so tip fo the cap and all that). Not only started, but played the entire first quarter, as did most of the starters in a strange sub pattern. Hit a corner three in the rhythm of the offense, and Peja was doing the Peja disappearing act of his back the other way. Not going to say it was because of Donte, but Donte looked perfectly comfortable out there against him. Came back in the second quarter and that's when the fun began -- Donte got hot, hitting FTs, draining a second corner three, and then starting to pepper in shots from all over the court. Also tried to chuck up a heat check 28 footer unfortunately, and took a solid elbow to the jaw trying to defend the post against David West. Had a big quarter, and I think was our leading scorer with 13 of his 15 pts by half. Certainly led us in minutes, which for a guy not even active every game this season was pretty remarkable. And looked very comfortable out there. Was no real sign of nerves. Moved well. Was settled in the offense. Rarely forced. You just would not have known that this was a rookie in his first real non-garbagetime NBA action. Now, this would not normally be an A-. He disappeared after half, and was replaced by Bobby Jackson for the stretch run. He did little other than score. Did not use his size on the glass, and has no natural passing instincts at all as far as can be seen. But for a kid who has been barely been clinging to the active roster this season, in his first major action, his first start...bump him up to the A-. He could still do better. But he did more than well enough to call this night a major success. Now we see if this can be sustained. Donte had a big game in preseason too...and then promptly disappeared. And just as critically for him, Kevn and Cisco are coming back soon, and where the minutes will come from after they do is a big ?.
Thompson ( C+ ) -- had a really poor first half in nearly every way, which is holding this grade down despite a nice bounceback after half. Nothing to start against West except some hustle. And West was lighting him up as well. It was just really an empty first half and Jason was continuing to really kind of look lost as a starter out there. Not sure of what he was even trying to do, so can't even tell if teams have done somethng with their gameplacns to neutralize him. But just when things were looking most glum, it was a night and day 3rd quarter. Came out with great energy and sort of trailed along in Salmon's wake hitting the boards, finshing inside,and repeatedly hurting the Hornets. This is why this win was a good experience for us -- winning this year I don't care about, but Greene and Thompson both got some good experience at it, and that's a different beastie altogether. Nothing again after the 3rd, and no question of this actulaly being a good game for Jason. But was a factor during our run into the lead.
Miller ( B- ) -- sometimes you get so caught up in watching the kids that you don't pay as much attention to the old standbys, and so I can probably tell you less about Brad's game this time out than I normally could. Its not that he was invisible, but it is that the least invisible thing he did was repeatedly turn the ball over. It was in fact a turnover palooza. But was modestly efficient with his shot, just taking what was given him (mostly little jumpers), modestly effective on the glass, and Tyson Chandler is not the sort of player who is going to hurt you with his offense (other than a few of the patented Paul to Chandler alley oops). Stayed out of the way, did his job, was not a factor. The wart was the sloppiness (and a pair of missed FTs before half).
Salmons ( A ) -- big big game -- so big in fact I was looking at the mythical "+" here. The Hornets look bad right now, and while there are plenty of little problems for them, the big ones are that their wing play is just awful . They can't find two starters worthy of the name form the giant Peja/MoPete, Butler, Wright, Posey scrum, and John ended up being checked by the mighty Rasual Butler foir much fo the night. And as he was having one of those feeling it/will not be denied nights, there was no chance. But not only that, but the infamous sticky fingers had a little of the stick washed off of them for the evening, and when John didn't score himself, he was also dishing off 6 assists. On defense there was nobody in particualr for him to guard, so we even started off the game having him try to check CP3 (messed up our rotations actually and had CP3 ending up getting isolations against various of ouor big men, who he of ocurse killed. Had a big third quarter pushing us out to the 9pt lead, and then came back and had a big run in the middle of the 4th before handing the baton over to Bobby Jackson for hte finish.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hawes ( B- ) -- a better than the numbers first half in most ways. Tyson Chandler was in there, so of course it was Spencer Hawes the SF we got out there in the early going. Were falling in the early going, staying on his hot streak from last night, but then dried up as the game went on. Blocked a Chandler hook (yes you hear that right, a Chandler hook), and may have gotten his hands on a coouple of other shots, or at least altered them. Kinda got a steal against CP3, at least if it counts as one if somebody dribbles into your back and losing the ball off your leg. The rebounding was nothing to write home about despite having adistinct size advantage on eveyone but Chandler. Was a pest and more of a factor than the shruggish numbers indicate, but never able to sustain any real damage and ended up with a Mikkiish 9pt 6reb line.
Brown ( B- ) -- came in firing in the second quarter, and was hitting this time. Dropping any pretense of playing PG, but combining with Spencer to push us back into it in the ealry going. Came back in at the end of the third and threw a terrible crosscourt pass as we were trying to set up a shot to close the quarter, sending the Hornets the other way on the break. Fortunately they did not get it off in time, but Reggie was NOT happy with Brown for the mistake -- I'm guessing the very thing that Reggie would have stressed that under no cirumstances could we do. Anything but a turnover guys, and then Brown turned it over. Maybe knocked Bobby into ashell, becuae he was ineffective thereafter.
BJax ( A- ) -- nothing offensively for the longest time, but was finding people with his passes in the early going and making hustle plays. Things began to fall apart in the early 4th without Beno when we were getting 24 second violations, and I thought maybe it was time to pull Bobby. But a funny thing happened on the way to the glue factory for this old horse. All of a sudden it was Bobby Jackson who exploded to win this one for us, not the kids. In a flashbakc to 2002, he drained big shot after ig shot, came up with steals, and found a fountain of youth to stay in front of and phsycially challenge Paul (his former teammate, so he's seen a lot of him in practice). Impressive for a guy who has played most of the season like he had a giant fork sticking out of his back. So, Bobby for the win. Not sure when, or if, I'll be saying that one again. But for a night it was nostalgia.
Theus ( ) -- starting Greeene = impressive + paid off. Playing all sraters except Thompson all 12 1st quarter minutes = more oddness.
Thompson ( C+ ) -- had a really poor first half in nearly every way, which is holding this grade down despite a nice bounceback after half. Nothing to start against West except some hustle. And West was lighting him up as well. It was just really an empty first half and Jason was continuing to really kind of look lost as a starter out there. Not sure of what he was even trying to do, so can't even tell if teams have done somethng with their gameplacns to neutralize him. But just when things were looking most glum, it was a night and day 3rd quarter. Came out with great energy and sort of trailed along in Salmon's wake hitting the boards, finshing inside,and repeatedly hurting the Hornets. This is why this win was a good experience for us -- winning this year I don't care about, but Greene and Thompson both got some good experience at it, and that's a different beastie altogether. Nothing again after the 3rd, and no question of this actulaly being a good game for Jason. But was a factor during our run into the lead.
Miller ( B- ) -- sometimes you get so caught up in watching the kids that you don't pay as much attention to the old standbys, and so I can probably tell you less about Brad's game this time out than I normally could. Its not that he was invisible, but it is that the least invisible thing he did was repeatedly turn the ball over. It was in fact a turnover palooza. But was modestly efficient with his shot, just taking what was given him (mostly little jumpers), modestly effective on the glass, and Tyson Chandler is not the sort of player who is going to hurt you with his offense (other than a few of the patented Paul to Chandler alley oops). Stayed out of the way, did his job, was not a factor. The wart was the sloppiness (and a pair of missed FTs before half).
Salmons ( A ) -- big big game -- so big in fact I was looking at the mythical "+" here. The Hornets look bad right now, and while there are plenty of little problems for them, the big ones are that their wing play is just awful . They can't find two starters worthy of the name form the giant Peja/MoPete, Butler, Wright, Posey scrum, and John ended up being checked by the mighty Rasual Butler foir much fo the night. And as he was having one of those feeling it/will not be denied nights, there was no chance. But not only that, but the infamous sticky fingers had a little of the stick washed off of them for the evening, and when John didn't score himself, he was also dishing off 6 assists. On defense there was nobody in particualr for him to guard, so we even started off the game having him try to check CP3 (messed up our rotations actually and had CP3 ending up getting isolations against various of ouor big men, who he of ocurse killed. Had a big third quarter pushing us out to the 9pt lead, and then came back and had a big run in the middle of the 4th before handing the baton over to Bobby Jackson for hte finish.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hawes ( B- ) -- a better than the numbers first half in most ways. Tyson Chandler was in there, so of course it was Spencer Hawes the SF we got out there in the early going. Were falling in the early going, staying on his hot streak from last night, but then dried up as the game went on. Blocked a Chandler hook (yes you hear that right, a Chandler hook), and may have gotten his hands on a coouple of other shots, or at least altered them. Kinda got a steal against CP3, at least if it counts as one if somebody dribbles into your back and losing the ball off your leg. The rebounding was nothing to write home about despite having adistinct size advantage on eveyone but Chandler. Was a pest and more of a factor than the shruggish numbers indicate, but never able to sustain any real damage and ended up with a Mikkiish 9pt 6reb line.
Brown ( B- ) -- came in firing in the second quarter, and was hitting this time. Dropping any pretense of playing PG, but combining with Spencer to push us back into it in the ealry going. Came back in at the end of the third and threw a terrible crosscourt pass as we were trying to set up a shot to close the quarter, sending the Hornets the other way on the break. Fortunately they did not get it off in time, but Reggie was NOT happy with Brown for the mistake -- I'm guessing the very thing that Reggie would have stressed that under no cirumstances could we do. Anything but a turnover guys, and then Brown turned it over. Maybe knocked Bobby into ashell, becuae he was ineffective thereafter.
BJax ( A- ) -- nothing offensively for the longest time, but was finding people with his passes in the early going and making hustle plays. Things began to fall apart in the early 4th without Beno when we were getting 24 second violations, and I thought maybe it was time to pull Bobby. But a funny thing happened on the way to the glue factory for this old horse. All of a sudden it was Bobby Jackson who exploded to win this one for us, not the kids. In a flashbakc to 2002, he drained big shot after ig shot, came up with steals, and found a fountain of youth to stay in front of and phsycially challenge Paul (his former teammate, so he's seen a lot of him in practice). Impressive for a guy who has played most of the season like he had a giant fork sticking out of his back. So, Bobby for the win. Not sure when, or if, I'll be saying that one again. But for a night it was nostalgia.
Theus ( ) -- starting Greeene = impressive + paid off. Playing all sraters except Thompson all 12 1st quarter minutes = more oddness.
Last edited:
