We got Stuckied.
Cisco ( C- ) -- hit the first shot of the game and got active early. But active in both good and bad ways with turnovers and fouls too (the fouls would become his story fo the game). Returned briefly in the second, but quickly picked up his third foul and sat the rest of the half. Quickly picked up his 4th, and should have had his 5th, not once, but twice in the early third. the first time the 5th was a shaky call when Prince tripped himself, and somehow the refs phantomed it on Beno to give both guys 4 fouls instead. Then a few minutes later Cisco again got his 5th...somehow called on Thompson instead. After the early burst, game aside from the fouling was largely ineffective. Prince pretty much ignored him, and neither small guard matchup (Stuckey/Iverson) was in his favor. Also fumbled several good looking backdoor passes by Brad.
Moore ( C ) -- started off getting creamed on the glass by a very active Amir Johnson, and responded by letting him free for dunk after dunk as well. That'll show him. Showed more life on the glass in the second quarter before leaving in favor of a scrappy Thompson, but that was about it for Mikki. Was back in the third, but you would never have known it, and in a dozen second half minutes came up wiht a grand total of 0pts 1reb.
Miller ( B+ ) -- combined with Cisco for all our early points, and was pretty smooth both with the jumper, and cutting down inside to take passes for layups. Started bricking the jumper as the game went along, but began to put up big rebounding numbers mucking around inside off of his own misses and getting little follows. In particular feasted when a pathetic Jason Maxiel brought his stubby self into the game with no energy or height. Missed a gimme follow at the rim down the stretch which hurt, and had multiple of his backdoor passes to Cisco and Kevin just barely off the mark and flubbed by fumble thumby recipients. Interior help defense was pathetic as he practically offered to take Stuckey's coat as he blasted through the lane again and again. I think big numbers here would justify an A-, but I was less pleased wiht the details to this one, so went half a grade lower.
Salmons ( B ) -- wrapped up by Prince in the early going, but came to life down the stretch in the second quarter, in particular with Kevin in there to draw some defensive attention away from him. Not sure any of his points were against Prince, but lit up Stuckey, A.I. and friends at will (which I think is more a blunder by Curry actually (shocker) -- the better macthup is the small quick guys on Kevin, and Prince on Salmons). Was quiet in the third, but a little burst in the mid 4th helped keep us within striking distance. Lack of size against post up SFs was again put on display as Prince took him down on the baseline to work his post game on him late. For the seocnd game in a row though gave us an uncommon effort on the boards -- John normally rebounds like an OG, which he in fact is. But the last couple of games he's put up solid SF board numbers.
Udrih ( D ) -- blown right by repeately by Stuckey in the early going, resumed getting lit up by Stuckey in the third quarter, and when he got sent to the bench on a phantom 4th foul that should have gone to Cisco (or more likely nobody) it may have been a blessing. Finally got his first, and only, two points on a pair of FTs to close the third quarter and get us back wihtin 7. Left the game late in the 4th limping, although whether it was a true injury or a Ciscoesque I did bad maybe if I limp it'll look better thing is an open question. Stuckey was certainly blowing by him like he had one leg. Must say, erratic and error prone as the early season Beno was, I liked him a lot better than this neautered non-factor Natt has created. Free him up Natt, for better or worse -- how could it get worse? We got outscored at the point tonight 38-4.
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Martin ( C ) -- came into the game trying to do work as a passer, and set up Miller nicely for a layup with one of them. Also turned it over on another. Was playign the role pretty well, and as it turned out was better with the passing than he was with the scoring tonight. Kept on trying, and bricking threes. Was better inside, and took Iverson once nicvely in there. Often has problems wite quick defenders, but figured out to use his size this time. finally got another hit to close the first half and bring us within one. After half it was a struggle, but somewhat of his own making. Has to at some point here quit trying to play the refs, and start playing basketball. Really struggled with the shot (4-15), but inside at least some of it was again because he was looking for the refs to bail him out on every play rather than just finishing strong. Had a few good takes, and the early passing was nicely executed to salvage this somewhat despite the 30% shooting.
BJax ( B- ) -- little in the first half other than foul trouble as he could not slow down the Stuckey express. Better defense after half as he began to make use of his physicality, but was still headed toward an empty night until he suddenly came up with the play of the game. Great attempt to hero us back into it with 3 minutes to go, after Brad and Kevin misconnected on a backdoor pass (and with Kevin throwing his head back and quitting on the play) Bobby (who does not quit) snuck behind a casual Iverson in the backcourt, stole the ball, and then dribbeled into the corner to can the big three in Stuckey's face. Think it brought us to within three, and was as close as we would get to pulling the upset (if indeed it would have been that big of an upset with no Sheed/Rip).
Thompson ( B+ ) -- came in with hustle and more turnover problems, but began to impact things in the second quarter, although it was a wild mess as usual. We had bad passes, turnovers, blocked attempts, airballs, and yet through it all just by sheer energy also had putbacks, tipped balls, a hustle save out of bounds, and with the Pistons apparently trying to throw the game with a totally ineffective Maxiel/Hermann forntcourt, Jason ran circles around them. In the late third was back to run the floor and get putbacks and dunks....and of course to get balls slapped away and fouls. Wild, messy game, and frankly nothing you can remotely build anything on the future star type front. But had a discernible impact as a majro garbage/hustle pace changing player, and so I bumped him a bit.
Brown ( D+ ) -- the second half of our PG duo of doom (doom for us). I thoguht we had better pacing with him in there in the early second, even though his own production was limited. Played a little better defense too, as he was able to get up and pressure the ball. But after half it was rough sledding, with Stuckey jsut going off against whoever he was facing. He ran by Beno with quicknmess, and just powered right through the skinnier Bobby at will. Bobby was overpowerd in the 3rd, and then beaten repeatedly down the stretch after he came in to replace Beno. His response was to attempt a wildly inappropriate one one one hero three with under two minutes to go that was just not what was needed. Still going to call this marginally betetr than Beno's night, but 2 points on 1-6 shooting, and as mentioend we got outscored 38-4 at the point. Ouch.
Cisco ( C- ) -- hit the first shot of the game and got active early. But active in both good and bad ways with turnovers and fouls too (the fouls would become his story fo the game). Returned briefly in the second, but quickly picked up his third foul and sat the rest of the half. Quickly picked up his 4th, and should have had his 5th, not once, but twice in the early third. the first time the 5th was a shaky call when Prince tripped himself, and somehow the refs phantomed it on Beno to give both guys 4 fouls instead. Then a few minutes later Cisco again got his 5th...somehow called on Thompson instead. After the early burst, game aside from the fouling was largely ineffective. Prince pretty much ignored him, and neither small guard matchup (Stuckey/Iverson) was in his favor. Also fumbled several good looking backdoor passes by Brad.
Moore ( C ) -- started off getting creamed on the glass by a very active Amir Johnson, and responded by letting him free for dunk after dunk as well. That'll show him. Showed more life on the glass in the second quarter before leaving in favor of a scrappy Thompson, but that was about it for Mikki. Was back in the third, but you would never have known it, and in a dozen second half minutes came up wiht a grand total of 0pts 1reb.
Miller ( B+ ) -- combined with Cisco for all our early points, and was pretty smooth both with the jumper, and cutting down inside to take passes for layups. Started bricking the jumper as the game went along, but began to put up big rebounding numbers mucking around inside off of his own misses and getting little follows. In particular feasted when a pathetic Jason Maxiel brought his stubby self into the game with no energy or height. Missed a gimme follow at the rim down the stretch which hurt, and had multiple of his backdoor passes to Cisco and Kevin just barely off the mark and flubbed by fumble thumby recipients. Interior help defense was pathetic as he practically offered to take Stuckey's coat as he blasted through the lane again and again. I think big numbers here would justify an A-, but I was less pleased wiht the details to this one, so went half a grade lower.
Salmons ( B ) -- wrapped up by Prince in the early going, but came to life down the stretch in the second quarter, in particular with Kevin in there to draw some defensive attention away from him. Not sure any of his points were against Prince, but lit up Stuckey, A.I. and friends at will (which I think is more a blunder by Curry actually (shocker) -- the better macthup is the small quick guys on Kevin, and Prince on Salmons). Was quiet in the third, but a little burst in the mid 4th helped keep us within striking distance. Lack of size against post up SFs was again put on display as Prince took him down on the baseline to work his post game on him late. For the seocnd game in a row though gave us an uncommon effort on the boards -- John normally rebounds like an OG, which he in fact is. But the last couple of games he's put up solid SF board numbers.
Udrih ( D ) -- blown right by repeately by Stuckey in the early going, resumed getting lit up by Stuckey in the third quarter, and when he got sent to the bench on a phantom 4th foul that should have gone to Cisco (or more likely nobody) it may have been a blessing. Finally got his first, and only, two points on a pair of FTs to close the third quarter and get us back wihtin 7. Left the game late in the 4th limping, although whether it was a true injury or a Ciscoesque I did bad maybe if I limp it'll look better thing is an open question. Stuckey was certainly blowing by him like he had one leg. Must say, erratic and error prone as the early season Beno was, I liked him a lot better than this neautered non-factor Natt has created. Free him up Natt, for better or worse -- how could it get worse? We got outscored at the point tonight 38-4.
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Martin ( C ) -- came into the game trying to do work as a passer, and set up Miller nicely for a layup with one of them. Also turned it over on another. Was playign the role pretty well, and as it turned out was better with the passing than he was with the scoring tonight. Kept on trying, and bricking threes. Was better inside, and took Iverson once nicvely in there. Often has problems wite quick defenders, but figured out to use his size this time. finally got another hit to close the first half and bring us within one. After half it was a struggle, but somewhat of his own making. Has to at some point here quit trying to play the refs, and start playing basketball. Really struggled with the shot (4-15), but inside at least some of it was again because he was looking for the refs to bail him out on every play rather than just finishing strong. Had a few good takes, and the early passing was nicely executed to salvage this somewhat despite the 30% shooting.
BJax ( B- ) -- little in the first half other than foul trouble as he could not slow down the Stuckey express. Better defense after half as he began to make use of his physicality, but was still headed toward an empty night until he suddenly came up with the play of the game. Great attempt to hero us back into it with 3 minutes to go, after Brad and Kevin misconnected on a backdoor pass (and with Kevin throwing his head back and quitting on the play) Bobby (who does not quit) snuck behind a casual Iverson in the backcourt, stole the ball, and then dribbeled into the corner to can the big three in Stuckey's face. Think it brought us to within three, and was as close as we would get to pulling the upset (if indeed it would have been that big of an upset with no Sheed/Rip).
Thompson ( B+ ) -- came in with hustle and more turnover problems, but began to impact things in the second quarter, although it was a wild mess as usual. We had bad passes, turnovers, blocked attempts, airballs, and yet through it all just by sheer energy also had putbacks, tipped balls, a hustle save out of bounds, and with the Pistons apparently trying to throw the game with a totally ineffective Maxiel/Hermann forntcourt, Jason ran circles around them. In the late third was back to run the floor and get putbacks and dunks....and of course to get balls slapped away and fouls. Wild, messy game, and frankly nothing you can remotely build anything on the future star type front. But had a discernible impact as a majro garbage/hustle pace changing player, and so I bumped him a bit.
Brown ( D+ ) -- the second half of our PG duo of doom (doom for us). I thoguht we had better pacing with him in there in the early second, even though his own production was limited. Played a little better defense too, as he was able to get up and pressure the ball. But after half it was rough sledding, with Stuckey jsut going off against whoever he was facing. He ran by Beno with quicknmess, and just powered right through the skinnier Bobby at will. Bobby was overpowerd in the 3rd, and then beaten repeatedly down the stretch after he came in to replace Beno. His response was to attempt a wildly inappropriate one one one hero three with under two minutes to go that was just not what was needed. Still going to call this marginally betetr than Beno's night, but 2 points on 1-6 shooting, and as mentioend we got outscored 38-4 at the point. Ouch.
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