Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Interesting game from an analytical standpoint. Tale of two halves. Some problems made obvious.
I think something fun for a theme tonight. So how about Theme = Cryptids.
What is a cryptid you might ask? Well, basically a modern day mythological beastie, given a pseudoscientific name to sound more legitimate. Big Foot is a cryptid. So is the Loch Ness Monster. I'll stick to more obscure and hence perhaps more amusing ones.
Boxscore
Casspi ( D- ) -- got the start but just never looked comfortable and the ball was swinging the other way with Landry and Greene munching up 30 shots between them. Worse yet is the continuation of the defensive problems, and has developed a nasty tendency of late to lose guys and be 15 feet away as they drain open threes on us. Shuffled his feet after catching the ball in the paint in easy scoring position, then another turnover trying to get it to Landry. Bad spacing. Airballed a three and seems to be having real problems hitting open standstill threes for some reason. Had a brief highlight with a very nice spinning drive in the early 2nd. Then got out running the break and took the in rhythm feed from McGuire for the layup. Would be his last score. Nice passing work with Beno and Hawes on one play -- if they gave out 2 assists like they do in hockey, he would have gotten one. In the third had a nice dropoff pass to JT on the break, but did not last long, and I think it was the defense that did it to him. Back in the final quarter and was quiet beyond a bad pass on the break for his 4th turnover. Got blown by by Hill several times, and appropriately for this game got beat for the closing dunk by JRich.
Batsquatch -- so cheesy its stuck using a derivative ripoff name, if your livestock ever going missing up in the Pacific Northwest, try to keep a straight face for the insurance adjuster as you blame it on this critter.
Landry ( B- ) -- started off this one looking determined to put the poor night in L.A. behind him. Got a weak foul called against him when Amare fell into him off balance, forced a post move against Amare that you need to pass out (he's been looking like a bit of a black hole so far), but got it back and laid it in. Then got inside position on Amare and was fouled going up. Block on Amare, but pretty much worked over defensively early. Missed a jumper, but then hit the next two. And wa doing a nice job on the glass in the early going. Came in midway through the second after we got good play off the bench, and split apir of long jumpers to finish the half wiht 10pts 5rebs and on pace for a 20-10 night. Missed the jumper to start the third. Got some FTs as the game began to get physical, and while many of them rattled and did not look pure, they all went in. Missed the side jumper. Had a ball slapped away in the post, triggering a Suns break. Hit the jumper late in the quarter with us fading. Kicked it to Donte for the three. Layup out on the break. Missed a shot, but poked away a steal from behind to stop the Phoenix break. Got fouled in the post again. The good rebounding early faded however, and Amare pummled him on the glass in the second half on his way to doubling him up 14rebs to 7. And Amare is of course a notriously weak rebounder. Got blocked in the post by Frye, and finished the night at 18pts 7rebs, but on only 6-15 from the field. Big step froward from the first game, and the thing that is so easy to see is that Landry is man, not a boy. There is none of this will he or won't he, does he have confidence or does he not, is he scared, is he intimidated, is he distracted...none of that stupid stuff we always have to worry about with Jason and Spencer. Landry is a confident offensive performer. No hesitations, always looking to attack, doesn't care who he's facing. Now the question that has yet to be answered is is that confidence really warranted. Is he truly a primary weapon who should have the green light and a major chunk of the offense designed for him. Or is he just a lesser player with moxie who will take those shots, but maybe you'd be better spreading it around.
Lake Tianchi Monster -- up on the northern border between North Korea and China there is a huge volcanic crater which has filled in with water to form a lake (somewhat like Crater Lake, only bigger -- heck of a volcano). And according to locals there is a monster living in the lake. Or maybe a number of monsters, its a little fuzzy. Far from being some ancient Chinese/Korean mytholgical beast though, the first sighting weren't until 1903 when a buffalo like beast was said to have attacked some people before being shot 6 times and retreating into the water. Later sightings have it appearing like a seal, or yes, surprise surprise, like a plesiosaur who apparently waited aroud 70 million years, hiked across several hundred miles of land, and hopped into a volcanic crater thousands of feet off the ground. Sometimes the creature is said to have a human-like face. At all times it is just very very silly.
Thompson ( B- ) -- you know, watching these past couple of games since Landry arrived and assumed the goto inside scorer duties, a new possible career arc has occurred to me for Jason. I mentioned earlier in the year the similarity of his numbers at a similar age to Drew Gooden. But he has slid so naturally into a 10 and 9, 9 and 7 type support role next to Landry that another possibility has occurred to me -- Nick Collison. The 9 and 9 type part time starter/useful PF/C bencher, who doesn't munch many shots, keeps it simple, rebounds, and is a useful and occasionally even impactful roleplayer. That was kind of Jaosn tonight, and for a half in Golden State. Kind of out of the pressure cooker, and seemingly settling in fairly smoothly into the support role. First couple of inside attempts were bricked and knocked away clumsily. Then hit an open side jumper from Reke on a scrmable play. Solid boardwork in the early going. No hesitation on an open jumper when it came. Good strong post move, and even some active interior defense. In the third airballed a long open jumper, but came back with a dunk on the break. Avoided foul trouble, but began to get into it with the refs in the 3rd during a physical battle with Lopez, who ran over him for several scores. Stepped into a passing lane for a steal late as we were fading, then picked up an offensive foul. But the fouls were never a major issue nor a major distraction. And his clumsiness and finishing problems were not highlighted, just part of the background. Overall this role just kind of felt natural (which is not to say a Collison/Landry frontline is exactly high level stuff).
Mongolian Death Worm -- ah! ahh!! Mongolian Death Worm!! Ahhhh!! So, um, next time you happen to be out wandering around the Gobi desert, try to avoid the 5' long red worms that can spit sulferic acid and electrocute you like an electric eel ok? Oddly no expedition has ever found one. But that's probably just because anybody who does encounter one is obviously wormfood.
Greene ( B- ) -- I've begun to really feel for Donte -- in a lot of ways he's really been the ultimate trooper for this team. Yanked in and out of the lineup, one night he gets big minutes, the next almost none. One night he's a starting power forward, the next a backup shooting guard, and everything in between. When you think about its a testament to him being a lot brighter than there was any reason to think he was after his first year that he can even remember all the plays from all the different positions he is asked to play, let alone develop any chemistry with any of the constantly rotating groups of teammates with whom he's thrown on the floor. Tongiht coming off a nothing role as a backup something or the other in Golden State, he was suddenly elevated back to starting 6'11" shooting guard against a team that he had played PF against the last time we saw them. And he got off to a dynamic start with not one, not two, but three three point plays int he first quarter alone, two on the break, and then one on a strong drive. Mixed in some strong post defense as well, although JRich was scoring on everyone, including Donte (be nice if our rotations didn't involve leaving him wide open at the three point line). In the third missed the spinning drive, but knocked down the three in the mid quarter. Another three off the kickout from Landry. A tough drive that did not fall. Faded late, as in the 4th all he had were a couple of missed jumpers, including one an open three on the kickout from Reke, and a turnover trying to feed Landry in the post -- something Donte and Reke both did on what were clearly just new teammate miscommunication type errors. After the hot start fell back to finish up with a 6-15 night to match Landry's, but it was overall a solid game, and anight after playing 14 minutes as a forgotten man, it was 42 as a featured player this time out. Such is the life of Donte Greene.
Mothman -- a prime example of the power of hysteria, the Mothman suddenly popped up in West Virginia in the late 60s as a young couple claimed it chased them down the road at 100mph. The next night people went out looking for it, and of course there were more sightings. Soon sightings were cropping up all over the area. But, ooh scary, seemed to abruptly die off after a tragic bridge collapse a month later. So now some people say it was a space alien, others a portent of doom, others a really pissed off insect seeking revenge for the invention of bug zappers. If you really want to know more, there was an incredibly boring movie made about it maybe 5-6 years ago starring Richard Gere that should cure you of any fascination.
I think something fun for a theme tonight. So how about Theme = Cryptids.
What is a cryptid you might ask? Well, basically a modern day mythological beastie, given a pseudoscientific name to sound more legitimate. Big Foot is a cryptid. So is the Loch Ness Monster. I'll stick to more obscure and hence perhaps more amusing ones.
Boxscore
Casspi ( D- ) -- got the start but just never looked comfortable and the ball was swinging the other way with Landry and Greene munching up 30 shots between them. Worse yet is the continuation of the defensive problems, and has developed a nasty tendency of late to lose guys and be 15 feet away as they drain open threes on us. Shuffled his feet after catching the ball in the paint in easy scoring position, then another turnover trying to get it to Landry. Bad spacing. Airballed a three and seems to be having real problems hitting open standstill threes for some reason. Had a brief highlight with a very nice spinning drive in the early 2nd. Then got out running the break and took the in rhythm feed from McGuire for the layup. Would be his last score. Nice passing work with Beno and Hawes on one play -- if they gave out 2 assists like they do in hockey, he would have gotten one. In the third had a nice dropoff pass to JT on the break, but did not last long, and I think it was the defense that did it to him. Back in the final quarter and was quiet beyond a bad pass on the break for his 4th turnover. Got blown by by Hill several times, and appropriately for this game got beat for the closing dunk by JRich.
Batsquatch -- so cheesy its stuck using a derivative ripoff name, if your livestock ever going missing up in the Pacific Northwest, try to keep a straight face for the insurance adjuster as you blame it on this critter.
Landry ( B- ) -- started off this one looking determined to put the poor night in L.A. behind him. Got a weak foul called against him when Amare fell into him off balance, forced a post move against Amare that you need to pass out (he's been looking like a bit of a black hole so far), but got it back and laid it in. Then got inside position on Amare and was fouled going up. Block on Amare, but pretty much worked over defensively early. Missed a jumper, but then hit the next two. And wa doing a nice job on the glass in the early going. Came in midway through the second after we got good play off the bench, and split apir of long jumpers to finish the half wiht 10pts 5rebs and on pace for a 20-10 night. Missed the jumper to start the third. Got some FTs as the game began to get physical, and while many of them rattled and did not look pure, they all went in. Missed the side jumper. Had a ball slapped away in the post, triggering a Suns break. Hit the jumper late in the quarter with us fading. Kicked it to Donte for the three. Layup out on the break. Missed a shot, but poked away a steal from behind to stop the Phoenix break. Got fouled in the post again. The good rebounding early faded however, and Amare pummled him on the glass in the second half on his way to doubling him up 14rebs to 7. And Amare is of course a notriously weak rebounder. Got blocked in the post by Frye, and finished the night at 18pts 7rebs, but on only 6-15 from the field. Big step froward from the first game, and the thing that is so easy to see is that Landry is man, not a boy. There is none of this will he or won't he, does he have confidence or does he not, is he scared, is he intimidated, is he distracted...none of that stupid stuff we always have to worry about with Jason and Spencer. Landry is a confident offensive performer. No hesitations, always looking to attack, doesn't care who he's facing. Now the question that has yet to be answered is is that confidence really warranted. Is he truly a primary weapon who should have the green light and a major chunk of the offense designed for him. Or is he just a lesser player with moxie who will take those shots, but maybe you'd be better spreading it around.
Lake Tianchi Monster -- up on the northern border between North Korea and China there is a huge volcanic crater which has filled in with water to form a lake (somewhat like Crater Lake, only bigger -- heck of a volcano). And according to locals there is a monster living in the lake. Or maybe a number of monsters, its a little fuzzy. Far from being some ancient Chinese/Korean mytholgical beast though, the first sighting weren't until 1903 when a buffalo like beast was said to have attacked some people before being shot 6 times and retreating into the water. Later sightings have it appearing like a seal, or yes, surprise surprise, like a plesiosaur who apparently waited aroud 70 million years, hiked across several hundred miles of land, and hopped into a volcanic crater thousands of feet off the ground. Sometimes the creature is said to have a human-like face. At all times it is just very very silly.
Thompson ( B- ) -- you know, watching these past couple of games since Landry arrived and assumed the goto inside scorer duties, a new possible career arc has occurred to me for Jason. I mentioned earlier in the year the similarity of his numbers at a similar age to Drew Gooden. But he has slid so naturally into a 10 and 9, 9 and 7 type support role next to Landry that another possibility has occurred to me -- Nick Collison. The 9 and 9 type part time starter/useful PF/C bencher, who doesn't munch many shots, keeps it simple, rebounds, and is a useful and occasionally even impactful roleplayer. That was kind of Jaosn tonight, and for a half in Golden State. Kind of out of the pressure cooker, and seemingly settling in fairly smoothly into the support role. First couple of inside attempts were bricked and knocked away clumsily. Then hit an open side jumper from Reke on a scrmable play. Solid boardwork in the early going. No hesitation on an open jumper when it came. Good strong post move, and even some active interior defense. In the third airballed a long open jumper, but came back with a dunk on the break. Avoided foul trouble, but began to get into it with the refs in the 3rd during a physical battle with Lopez, who ran over him for several scores. Stepped into a passing lane for a steal late as we were fading, then picked up an offensive foul. But the fouls were never a major issue nor a major distraction. And his clumsiness and finishing problems were not highlighted, just part of the background. Overall this role just kind of felt natural (which is not to say a Collison/Landry frontline is exactly high level stuff).
Mongolian Death Worm -- ah! ahh!! Mongolian Death Worm!! Ahhhh!! So, um, next time you happen to be out wandering around the Gobi desert, try to avoid the 5' long red worms that can spit sulferic acid and electrocute you like an electric eel ok? Oddly no expedition has ever found one. But that's probably just because anybody who does encounter one is obviously wormfood.
Greene ( B- ) -- I've begun to really feel for Donte -- in a lot of ways he's really been the ultimate trooper for this team. Yanked in and out of the lineup, one night he gets big minutes, the next almost none. One night he's a starting power forward, the next a backup shooting guard, and everything in between. When you think about its a testament to him being a lot brighter than there was any reason to think he was after his first year that he can even remember all the plays from all the different positions he is asked to play, let alone develop any chemistry with any of the constantly rotating groups of teammates with whom he's thrown on the floor. Tongiht coming off a nothing role as a backup something or the other in Golden State, he was suddenly elevated back to starting 6'11" shooting guard against a team that he had played PF against the last time we saw them. And he got off to a dynamic start with not one, not two, but three three point plays int he first quarter alone, two on the break, and then one on a strong drive. Mixed in some strong post defense as well, although JRich was scoring on everyone, including Donte (be nice if our rotations didn't involve leaving him wide open at the three point line). In the third missed the spinning drive, but knocked down the three in the mid quarter. Another three off the kickout from Landry. A tough drive that did not fall. Faded late, as in the 4th all he had were a couple of missed jumpers, including one an open three on the kickout from Reke, and a turnover trying to feed Landry in the post -- something Donte and Reke both did on what were clearly just new teammate miscommunication type errors. After the hot start fell back to finish up with a 6-15 night to match Landry's, but it was overall a solid game, and anight after playing 14 minutes as a forgotten man, it was 42 as a featured player this time out. Such is the life of Donte Greene.
Mothman -- a prime example of the power of hysteria, the Mothman suddenly popped up in West Virginia in the late 60s as a young couple claimed it chased them down the road at 100mph. The next night people went out looking for it, and of course there were more sightings. Soon sightings were cropping up all over the area. But, ooh scary, seemed to abruptly die off after a tragic bridge collapse a month later. So now some people say it was a space alien, others a portent of doom, others a really pissed off insect seeking revenge for the invention of bug zappers. If you really want to know more, there was an incredibly boring movie made about it maybe 5-6 years ago starring Richard Gere that should cure you of any fascination.
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