Kevin 33, Reke 25....Team: 94pts. Again. Loss. Again.
Greene ( INC ) -- nothing before being replaced in the early going -- one ill advised shot, 4 minutes of time, and never returned to the game. Sacramento: we do player development right.
Thompson ( D ) -- no progress on the slump front. Our 24 year old PF put up 7pts 4reb and 2ast before fouling out. Their 24 year old PF put up 32pts 14rebs 7ast. Advantage: Jazz. We, and he, were dead flat to start, so we replaced him with Brockman early on in this one. Started the 2nd quarter, tried to post Koufus, but got it smushed by Kirlilenko on the help. Another post move that was challenged and did not go. Lack of awareness up top and got the ball stripped. Led to immediate replacement by Brockman again. Returned later in the half and did a better job defensively and on the boards. Missed the open side jumper in the early third. Finally scored on a rainbow layup thing that just fell through. Little better in the early 3rd. Westphal kept on putting him back in the game though, maybe both for confidence reasons and because the other PFs were faring no better (Spencer was however, and I don't get that one). Struggles would have been more tolerable if he could have in any way ,shape or form contained Milsap. He could not. Down the stretch got fouled at the 3:15 mark and hit 1 of 2. O-board and follow of a Udoka missed three at the 2:30 mark, fouled out on an offensive foul trying to post at the 2:05 mark. Some bits of semi life here on offense, but just destroyed on the other end and on the glass, so no way to go higher than this.
Hawes ( B- ) -- couple of early boards, and did a nice job on the glass before the half. Another mopup hoop in the early third. Rarely involved, but when he was he did well. Faded in the third -- missed the wide open jumper on the little Reke dump. Then hesitated on a side jumper causing us to get a three second violation. And started chucking up bricked threes -- I swear I wish I knew what went on in Spencer's head sometimes. Or maybe not -- I wouldn't want to catch it. And...that was it. For whatever reason, despite being easily the most effective big we had on the night, he was done for the night as we largely smallballed from that point on out. Given that he was yanked only a few seconds after his final three point brick, he might have Fluttered himself right out of this one.
Martin ( A- ) -- here was the bounceback game that just had to be coming at some point. And in some ways maybe Kevin's best overall game of the season. Yes he scored 48 once early in the season, but tonight was maybe his best effort within the team concept (and yet again, as I have noted, we still could not score on his watch). Certainly his best job of working with Tyreke. You could say most of it was against NBDL level scrubs, but its not as if the main guys the Jazz had out are primarily known for their defense. Jazz started off with Price on him while they guarded Reke with Brewer (the OG), and it was maybe their most effective matchup against him, and one they should have stayed with. Charged into the lane for the pair of FTs for our first score at 7:28 (yes we started that slow). Missed by Reke stranding at the 3-pt line on the break. Was doing a good job swinging the ball around in the early going, of course the same trait which taken too far had resulted in a historicaly bad string of games for him. When the Jazz went to the bench for even scrubbier scrubs, finally saw a strong aggressive take at the end of the 1st, slashing hard and fast and not flopping around looking for the foul. Returned for a cheapie foul in mid 2nd, and was getting beat on defense repeatedly in the period as well. Got the +1 on the break when Price carelesly slapped him on the arm on the break -- never get that play. What do you hope to accomplish? Either slam him into the stands or keep your hands to yourself. Three on the break as Evans drew and kicked. Then another foul. Came on down the stretch of the half in his most aggressive offensive stretch in 4 games. Grabbed two boards to start the third, and on and off helped there all night. Then airballed his first second half three. Played better defense on an ineffective Price in the early 3rd. Rare for him open court steal one on one vs. Brewer leading to an open court layup (may actually have been a foul). Lost Brewer on a screen for the next one and then missed a wide open three. Started the 4th missing a pair of shots because he fell back into old habits and was too damn focused on drawing the foul ratehr than hitting the shot. Hit the standstill three when there was nobody to flop into on the break. Jumped into Korver for a foul along the baseline. Good pass to Reke in the post. Three on a pass back the other way from Reke in the high post. Drive and threw it over his head for the finsih to get us within 4 at 88-84. Got careless and picked by Gaines at the 4 miunte mark, and then fouled him trying to get it back. Hit another three courtesy of a Reke kickout at the 1:30 mark. Utah gave him the layup at the 15 second mark up by 7. And so there you have it. The bounceback game, and probably about as well rounded as you are going to see a Kevin game. And yet the team did not take the cue. Kevin played well, Reke played well. Everybody else was flat as they've been.
Evans ( B+ ) -- passing was a tad off early and repeatedly turrned it over on attempted kickouts as the Jazz stepped into the passing lanes. Added a travel trying to beart Brewer. Had several early steals, and ran a good break with Omri. Then went on the attack again and began attacking the hoop. Got careless and was picked in the open quart by superscrub somebodyortheother Gaines, went to the floor for the ball and hurt his hip. Still came back the other way with a power drive +1, but grimacing and holding his hip. Really went to war with Gaines and Price, banging his way inside again and again. Started the 3rd with a jumper. Then an aggressive take to draw the foul, but still gimping out there. 1 on 1 three rimmed out. Too many jumpers in the third, maybe hip related or maybe just settling. Back in in the 4th with the nice hesitation dribble on Millsap for the hoop. Took a pass from Kevin in the post, and then drove again courtesy of a Kevin pass for the foul. Hit in the mouth on defense at the 3:00 mark. Kicked the ball to Kevin for a three at the 1:30 mark. Next time down made the same drive, but this time the help defender did not leave Kevin, and Reke slammed inside to draw another foul. Looked like he was having trouble getting out of a chair at the 30 second mark and have to be a bit concerend for tommorow. Tough drive slamming into Brewer at the 25 second mark, but AK47 came over to block it and that was it for us. Strong game marred by some turnovers and too many dry jumpers for a stretch, and best he has worked with Kevin to date.
Greene ( INC ) -- nothing before being replaced in the early going -- one ill advised shot, 4 minutes of time, and never returned to the game. Sacramento: we do player development right.
Thompson ( D ) -- no progress on the slump front. Our 24 year old PF put up 7pts 4reb and 2ast before fouling out. Their 24 year old PF put up 32pts 14rebs 7ast. Advantage: Jazz. We, and he, were dead flat to start, so we replaced him with Brockman early on in this one. Started the 2nd quarter, tried to post Koufus, but got it smushed by Kirlilenko on the help. Another post move that was challenged and did not go. Lack of awareness up top and got the ball stripped. Led to immediate replacement by Brockman again. Returned later in the half and did a better job defensively and on the boards. Missed the open side jumper in the early third. Finally scored on a rainbow layup thing that just fell through. Little better in the early 3rd. Westphal kept on putting him back in the game though, maybe both for confidence reasons and because the other PFs were faring no better (Spencer was however, and I don't get that one). Struggles would have been more tolerable if he could have in any way ,shape or form contained Milsap. He could not. Down the stretch got fouled at the 3:15 mark and hit 1 of 2. O-board and follow of a Udoka missed three at the 2:30 mark, fouled out on an offensive foul trying to post at the 2:05 mark. Some bits of semi life here on offense, but just destroyed on the other end and on the glass, so no way to go higher than this.
Hawes ( B- ) -- couple of early boards, and did a nice job on the glass before the half. Another mopup hoop in the early third. Rarely involved, but when he was he did well. Faded in the third -- missed the wide open jumper on the little Reke dump. Then hesitated on a side jumper causing us to get a three second violation. And started chucking up bricked threes -- I swear I wish I knew what went on in Spencer's head sometimes. Or maybe not -- I wouldn't want to catch it. And...that was it. For whatever reason, despite being easily the most effective big we had on the night, he was done for the night as we largely smallballed from that point on out. Given that he was yanked only a few seconds after his final three point brick, he might have Fluttered himself right out of this one.
Martin ( A- ) -- here was the bounceback game that just had to be coming at some point. And in some ways maybe Kevin's best overall game of the season. Yes he scored 48 once early in the season, but tonight was maybe his best effort within the team concept (and yet again, as I have noted, we still could not score on his watch). Certainly his best job of working with Tyreke. You could say most of it was against NBDL level scrubs, but its not as if the main guys the Jazz had out are primarily known for their defense. Jazz started off with Price on him while they guarded Reke with Brewer (the OG), and it was maybe their most effective matchup against him, and one they should have stayed with. Charged into the lane for the pair of FTs for our first score at 7:28 (yes we started that slow). Missed by Reke stranding at the 3-pt line on the break. Was doing a good job swinging the ball around in the early going, of course the same trait which taken too far had resulted in a historicaly bad string of games for him. When the Jazz went to the bench for even scrubbier scrubs, finally saw a strong aggressive take at the end of the 1st, slashing hard and fast and not flopping around looking for the foul. Returned for a cheapie foul in mid 2nd, and was getting beat on defense repeatedly in the period as well. Got the +1 on the break when Price carelesly slapped him on the arm on the break -- never get that play. What do you hope to accomplish? Either slam him into the stands or keep your hands to yourself. Three on the break as Evans drew and kicked. Then another foul. Came on down the stretch of the half in his most aggressive offensive stretch in 4 games. Grabbed two boards to start the third, and on and off helped there all night. Then airballed his first second half three. Played better defense on an ineffective Price in the early 3rd. Rare for him open court steal one on one vs. Brewer leading to an open court layup (may actually have been a foul). Lost Brewer on a screen for the next one and then missed a wide open three. Started the 4th missing a pair of shots because he fell back into old habits and was too damn focused on drawing the foul ratehr than hitting the shot. Hit the standstill three when there was nobody to flop into on the break. Jumped into Korver for a foul along the baseline. Good pass to Reke in the post. Three on a pass back the other way from Reke in the high post. Drive and threw it over his head for the finsih to get us within 4 at 88-84. Got careless and picked by Gaines at the 4 miunte mark, and then fouled him trying to get it back. Hit another three courtesy of a Reke kickout at the 1:30 mark. Utah gave him the layup at the 15 second mark up by 7. And so there you have it. The bounceback game, and probably about as well rounded as you are going to see a Kevin game. And yet the team did not take the cue. Kevin played well, Reke played well. Everybody else was flat as they've been.
Evans ( B+ ) -- passing was a tad off early and repeatedly turrned it over on attempted kickouts as the Jazz stepped into the passing lanes. Added a travel trying to beart Brewer. Had several early steals, and ran a good break with Omri. Then went on the attack again and began attacking the hoop. Got careless and was picked in the open quart by superscrub somebodyortheother Gaines, went to the floor for the ball and hurt his hip. Still came back the other way with a power drive +1, but grimacing and holding his hip. Really went to war with Gaines and Price, banging his way inside again and again. Started the 3rd with a jumper. Then an aggressive take to draw the foul, but still gimping out there. 1 on 1 three rimmed out. Too many jumpers in the third, maybe hip related or maybe just settling. Back in in the 4th with the nice hesitation dribble on Millsap for the hoop. Took a pass from Kevin in the post, and then drove again courtesy of a Kevin pass for the foul. Hit in the mouth on defense at the 3:00 mark. Kicked the ball to Kevin for a three at the 1:30 mark. Next time down made the same drive, but this time the help defender did not leave Kevin, and Reke slammed inside to draw another foul. Looked like he was having trouble getting out of a chair at the 30 second mark and have to be a bit concerend for tommorow. Tough drive slamming into Brewer at the 25 second mark, but AK47 came over to block it and that was it for us. Strong game marred by some turnovers and too many dry jumpers for a stretch, and best he has worked with Kevin to date.
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