And we're off.
In honor of a good hard fought game in which bodies went flying and blood was spilt (literally), theme will be: Great Moments in the History of Basketball Pugilism:
in progress...
Greene ( B ) -- ah, Donte Greene, the journey continues. This time it was back in the starting lineup with Casspi being given a rather odd night off -- you know, those 15mpg are pretty exhausting and all. So Donte got the start as maybe our best hope vs. Durant, and he acquitted himself well in the early going. Got an alley oop dunk to start the game (Spencer's real value has been as a passer), and while he picked up 2 quick fouls trying to guard Durant it was time fro Westphal to stubbornly refuse to give him the automatic hook because of them, and he left him out there to play. Good thing too, and it seemed to get him mad and he immediately responded with a great drive and reverse dunk. Good defense and DUrant, right on him, hadn in his face, and Durant still shot over him. Missed a jumper, and then gambled for steal but missed at midcourt. More good defense on Durant who again hit the three anyway. Good physical drive and finish +1 through contact. But missed the FT. Forced a drive, got blocked, and think that triggered him getting pulled just before the end of the first. Returned in the late 2nd, drove along the baseline and got fouled, and tied it at 50 with the FTs. Got the third foul on him just before half when Durant slammed into him. Had played about 14 minutes by half, and good competitive minutes. Slop here and there, but had challenged Durant and made him work. And yet would play only 5 more. In the third missed the stop and pop on the right side. Then a running drive came up short. Pulled, and never returned, Played no minutes at all in the 4th as once again it was the old guy crew of Ime, Noc, Cisco eating up those minnutes, and this wihtout Casspi even being active.
[yt=McHale Clothelines Rambis]X7r6vXeOfyQ[/yt]
McHale's famed flying clothesline on Rambis (ironically coaching McHale's old team in Minny now) at the height of the Celtics/Lakers rivalry -- far better than all that fake stuff you see in the WWE.
Landry ( B+ ) -- 3rd straight strong game for Landry, and if he wants keep up putting up 20-8 type numbers every night, he will answer the question of whether he's a starter squarely int he affirmative -- basically another David West. Missed his first jumper, then got a layup from Spencer, muscled up a layup through heavy traffic for the +1, but missed the FT. Fouled and missed the first before hitting the second. Powered up another post shot, and was carrying us in the early going. Traveled in the post. Int he second quarter his and Hawes' lack of rebounding really began to hurt us as we got pounder in there. Out of the timeout at the 5:30 mark hit a jumper. Another jumper set up by Reke. After half got blocked inside, and trying to get the ball back inadvertently clawed Westbrook over the eye and bloodied him, sending him to the lockerroom for stitches. Step back jumper out of the timeout at the 6:30 mark. Then a catch and shoot 18 footer. Slipped the pick and roll and got the dunk. Offensive reb and good finish through traffic. Started the 4th with a missed shot up against the clock. Post move and got fouled against the double team. Only made 1 of 2 FTs. Missed the post move in traffic. Came up with a help block on Westbrook to trigger a break inside the 2:00 mark. Better early than late in this one, which goes against his rep coming over. But playing and getting minutes like a major starter. You could feel the difference in the rebounding when Jason came in. But you can also feel the sea change in just steady professional confident play while Carl is out there. Very much belongs.
[yt=Mailman Clocks Zeke]6bM-Y4UoiAY[/yt]
The situation: Zeke is upset that he has been passed over for the Dream Team in favor of Stockton. Being a punk even back then he starts spouting off to the media about how Stockton is a token, has accomplished nothing etc. Mailman takes umbrage and decides to let him know about it with a vicious flying elbow -- the smack was so loud you can hear it on the vid. Zeke went down with 40 stitches.
Hawes ( C+ ) -- one of those huh games where Spencer flashed skill, did a lot of the little nifty things right, and yet once again forgot the meat and potatoes. Pass to Donte for the ally oop to start things, nice drive and dish to Landry to follow. Got boarded over by Krstic, but got the block. Ran the floor and took the nice pass from Reke for the dunk -- with Landry providing a steady source of throw it to him and let him go one on one post play, dunks off movement have become an increasing percentage of Specner's play. In the n2nd turned it over on the pass trying to get it to JT. Short on the jumper. No rebounding in the second stint either. Set a big screen on Durant that knocked him off his feet and was called illegal. Slowed after half, and JT began to eat most of the minutes. Hit a running hook to start the quarter. Later got fouled, but missed both FTs. In the 4th competed well for an offensive board. Swept to the hoop with a long hook and came up short. Wil again get some bumps here for some nifty skill plays, as a passer in particualr -- you can clearly see the Webb/Vlade/Miller heritage there. But these grades are always going to be capped as long as we, and Spencer, are getting killed on the boards. Second game in a week in which Nenad Krstic, noted softie and averaging fewer than 5rebs a game, has killed Spencer on the glass. Just should not happen.
[yt=Kermit nearly kills Rudy T]1k1i4Ddngg8[/yt]
A very famous event which really caused the NBA to start taking a closer look at oncourt thuggery in the late 70's. A scuffle ensued at midcourt, Rudy T comes racing up court, whether to get involved or to break it up who knows, and Kermit Washington spins on him, lines him up, and levels him with a right cross. The blow crushed Rudy's face, and he nearly died as spinal fluid leaked into his throat. As an aside, I have no idea why we have the black and white with the artsy treatment here, just the only short and to the point vid I could find.
Udrih ( C ) -- a quiet game, and even quieter than the modest numbers (10pts 5ast) when you consider that 3 of those points came off freebie technical free throws when the Thunder melted down in the 2nd quarter. Scored over by Sefalosha back to back times early, and Thabo is not a scorer. Missed a three. Missed the point blank layup from Reke, and was shaky on layups all night. Started the second getting the technical FT on Green's T. Lost his man and hit the pullup. Then a little layup. Dish to Cisco for the side J. Drove and got it blocked. Steal along the baseline and got out on the break and set up Reke. Nice quick move got him all the way to the hoop and just blew the layup. Another technical FT, this time on Westbrook's play. Then a third FT off a 3rd T, this one on Durant (we had technical's on the Thunder's three best players before half - a perilous situation for them and after half I think I might have been whispering sweet nothings in their ears about their mothers if I had been on the court). Very little after half. Got stripped inside to start the third, missed the jumper, but racked up a loot of empty minutes. In the 4th caused a 24 second violation when he refused to shoot the ball and started to swing it too late. Stepped up to hit a potentially big three from Reke, but it was too little too late.
[yt=The Brawl at the Palace]h2-I01cDdhY[/yt]
Stern no doubt wishes this tape could be burned. Unfortunately its the digital age, and everything, except for really funny pictures of Sergie Monia, lives on forever.
In honor of a good hard fought game in which bodies went flying and blood was spilt (literally), theme will be: Great Moments in the History of Basketball Pugilism:
in progress...
Greene ( B ) -- ah, Donte Greene, the journey continues. This time it was back in the starting lineup with Casspi being given a rather odd night off -- you know, those 15mpg are pretty exhausting and all. So Donte got the start as maybe our best hope vs. Durant, and he acquitted himself well in the early going. Got an alley oop dunk to start the game (Spencer's real value has been as a passer), and while he picked up 2 quick fouls trying to guard Durant it was time fro Westphal to stubbornly refuse to give him the automatic hook because of them, and he left him out there to play. Good thing too, and it seemed to get him mad and he immediately responded with a great drive and reverse dunk. Good defense and DUrant, right on him, hadn in his face, and Durant still shot over him. Missed a jumper, and then gambled for steal but missed at midcourt. More good defense on Durant who again hit the three anyway. Good physical drive and finish +1 through contact. But missed the FT. Forced a drive, got blocked, and think that triggered him getting pulled just before the end of the first. Returned in the late 2nd, drove along the baseline and got fouled, and tied it at 50 with the FTs. Got the third foul on him just before half when Durant slammed into him. Had played about 14 minutes by half, and good competitive minutes. Slop here and there, but had challenged Durant and made him work. And yet would play only 5 more. In the third missed the stop and pop on the right side. Then a running drive came up short. Pulled, and never returned, Played no minutes at all in the 4th as once again it was the old guy crew of Ime, Noc, Cisco eating up those minnutes, and this wihtout Casspi even being active.
[yt=McHale Clothelines Rambis]X7r6vXeOfyQ[/yt]
McHale's famed flying clothesline on Rambis (ironically coaching McHale's old team in Minny now) at the height of the Celtics/Lakers rivalry -- far better than all that fake stuff you see in the WWE.
Landry ( B+ ) -- 3rd straight strong game for Landry, and if he wants keep up putting up 20-8 type numbers every night, he will answer the question of whether he's a starter squarely int he affirmative -- basically another David West. Missed his first jumper, then got a layup from Spencer, muscled up a layup through heavy traffic for the +1, but missed the FT. Fouled and missed the first before hitting the second. Powered up another post shot, and was carrying us in the early going. Traveled in the post. Int he second quarter his and Hawes' lack of rebounding really began to hurt us as we got pounder in there. Out of the timeout at the 5:30 mark hit a jumper. Another jumper set up by Reke. After half got blocked inside, and trying to get the ball back inadvertently clawed Westbrook over the eye and bloodied him, sending him to the lockerroom for stitches. Step back jumper out of the timeout at the 6:30 mark. Then a catch and shoot 18 footer. Slipped the pick and roll and got the dunk. Offensive reb and good finish through traffic. Started the 4th with a missed shot up against the clock. Post move and got fouled against the double team. Only made 1 of 2 FTs. Missed the post move in traffic. Came up with a help block on Westbrook to trigger a break inside the 2:00 mark. Better early than late in this one, which goes against his rep coming over. But playing and getting minutes like a major starter. You could feel the difference in the rebounding when Jason came in. But you can also feel the sea change in just steady professional confident play while Carl is out there. Very much belongs.
[yt=Mailman Clocks Zeke]6bM-Y4UoiAY[/yt]
The situation: Zeke is upset that he has been passed over for the Dream Team in favor of Stockton. Being a punk even back then he starts spouting off to the media about how Stockton is a token, has accomplished nothing etc. Mailman takes umbrage and decides to let him know about it with a vicious flying elbow -- the smack was so loud you can hear it on the vid. Zeke went down with 40 stitches.
Hawes ( C+ ) -- one of those huh games where Spencer flashed skill, did a lot of the little nifty things right, and yet once again forgot the meat and potatoes. Pass to Donte for the ally oop to start things, nice drive and dish to Landry to follow. Got boarded over by Krstic, but got the block. Ran the floor and took the nice pass from Reke for the dunk -- with Landry providing a steady source of throw it to him and let him go one on one post play, dunks off movement have become an increasing percentage of Specner's play. In the n2nd turned it over on the pass trying to get it to JT. Short on the jumper. No rebounding in the second stint either. Set a big screen on Durant that knocked him off his feet and was called illegal. Slowed after half, and JT began to eat most of the minutes. Hit a running hook to start the quarter. Later got fouled, but missed both FTs. In the 4th competed well for an offensive board. Swept to the hoop with a long hook and came up short. Wil again get some bumps here for some nifty skill plays, as a passer in particualr -- you can clearly see the Webb/Vlade/Miller heritage there. But these grades are always going to be capped as long as we, and Spencer, are getting killed on the boards. Second game in a week in which Nenad Krstic, noted softie and averaging fewer than 5rebs a game, has killed Spencer on the glass. Just should not happen.
[yt=Kermit nearly kills Rudy T]1k1i4Ddngg8[/yt]
A very famous event which really caused the NBA to start taking a closer look at oncourt thuggery in the late 70's. A scuffle ensued at midcourt, Rudy T comes racing up court, whether to get involved or to break it up who knows, and Kermit Washington spins on him, lines him up, and levels him with a right cross. The blow crushed Rudy's face, and he nearly died as spinal fluid leaked into his throat. As an aside, I have no idea why we have the black and white with the artsy treatment here, just the only short and to the point vid I could find.
Udrih ( C ) -- a quiet game, and even quieter than the modest numbers (10pts 5ast) when you consider that 3 of those points came off freebie technical free throws when the Thunder melted down in the 2nd quarter. Scored over by Sefalosha back to back times early, and Thabo is not a scorer. Missed a three. Missed the point blank layup from Reke, and was shaky on layups all night. Started the second getting the technical FT on Green's T. Lost his man and hit the pullup. Then a little layup. Dish to Cisco for the side J. Drove and got it blocked. Steal along the baseline and got out on the break and set up Reke. Nice quick move got him all the way to the hoop and just blew the layup. Another technical FT, this time on Westbrook's play. Then a third FT off a 3rd T, this one on Durant (we had technical's on the Thunder's three best players before half - a perilous situation for them and after half I think I might have been whispering sweet nothings in their ears about their mothers if I had been on the court). Very little after half. Got stripped inside to start the third, missed the jumper, but racked up a loot of empty minutes. In the 4th caused a 24 second violation when he refused to shoot the ball and started to swing it too late. Stepped up to hit a potentially big three from Reke, but it was too little too late.
[yt=The Brawl at the Palace]h2-I01cDdhY[/yt]
Stern no doubt wishes this tape could be burned. Unfortunately its the digital age, and everything, except for really funny pictures of Sergie Monia, lives on forever.
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