Grades v. Warriors 03/18

[Bricklayer]

Ron Artest ( B ) : 43min 26pts (10-20 FG, 1-4 3pt, 5-7 FT) 5rebs 3ast 1stl 1blk 1TO
Effective but chippy and borderline out of control game. Appeared to be arguing with Reggie by the end of the first quarter. Had 3 fouls and a technical by the middle of the 2nd quarter, but Reggie left him in anyway and he survived until the final two minutes of the quarter before being pulled. Got quite a few calls inside, and is a little hard to guard for a smallball team like the Warriors when he is allowed to just knock guys on their ***...and get the foul drawn on them. Added several of his hoops in this one in the final minute after the game was over -- was in there until the final 30 seconds in a 17pt win. You will have to ask Reggie about that.

Mikki Moore ( A ) -- 37min 19pts (8-10 FG, 0-0 3pt, 3-3 FT) 10rebs 1ast 0stl 3blk 1TO
Highly effective inside with his length against the smallballers, an mkes you wonder why he has been ineffective thus far this season in those situations. Continued grabbing boards above the heads of 6'7" guys and finishing efficiently right into the 4th. Yet still became at least the third King of the night to get into a verbal confrontation with Reggie. And hey, I understand the urge since this seems to be the way Reggie wants it, but still odd when you are having a very good night yourself and are definitely not part fo the problem.

Brad Miller ( B ) -- 34min 14pts (4-4 FG, 0-0 3pt, 6-8 FT) 13reb 3ast 1stl 1blk 1TO
ok first half, but a chippy one again arguing with refs. Began to dominate the matchup against Beidrins after half, and only the active young legs of Brandon Wright posed much of a problem. Hit every shot he took, but rarely took any, finishing the night 4-4. Did not notice the 13 rebs in any sort of dominant way, but our frontline was obviously winning the board battle, including a ridiculous sequence in the second quarter where we grabbed four straight offensive rebounds on one possession before Cisco finally finished it. Of course one fo the great smallball achilles' heels which mean that Don Nelson will never win anything that matters, but I don't care what team it is, that always frustrates the hell out of me.

Kevin Martin ( A ) -- 40min 34pts (13-22 FG, 2-4 3pt, 6-8 FT) 7reb 2ast 2stl 0blk 2TO
Started the game extremely aggressive and flying around scoring repeatedly off of looks from teammates. Really benefitted not justfrom a pass first PG, but from a pass only PG in Anthony Johnson pretty much functioning as Kevin's personal passer. Reminded me of the effect Vlade operating in that capacity ahd on Peja back in the '04 season. Also the pace and lack of opposing defense was very much in favor of Kevin's strengths. In the second quarter it got really ridiculous with alley oop after alley opp from Anthony Johnson, as the Warriors simply refused to guard that play. Kevin came out very aggressive in the third on his own -- wasn't just Johnson creating for him, but Kevin just taking it to the rack. In what has become an old story now, largely disappeared in the 4th quarter as we tried to collapse -- had 32 after three quarters, only one hoop in the 4th as NBDL super scrub CJ Watson who had tried and failed to guard him int he first half, all of a sudden was able to smother him. But given how good the AJ/Kevin duo was functioning through three quarters, and our eventual stablization and recovery, this still deserved the flat A.

 

[Bricklayer]

Anthony Johnson ( A ) -- 38min 13pts (4-11 FG, 2-4 3pt, 3-4FT) 6reb 13ast 0stl 1blk 3TO
okay now, did not really win the matchup against Baron, but really now -- there is nothing more you can ask out of Anthony Johnson than he gave tonight (and no, for those of you who haven't watched him play over his long career, this is not remotely normal). Dished out early assist after early assist running the team very well. Did not provide any offense himself until a little burst in the third quarter, and despite the thick body, not a real impediment to Baron (who dropped in his normal 24 and 8, and how was this guy not an All Star again?). But the assists, particularly looking for Kevin every time down the floor, really left an impact. Hit a rough patch and struggled mightily in the early 4th though, missing shots and turning it over against the Warriors scrubs as they mounted the big run. But stablized for the stretch run, and finished up not only obviously by far his best game for us, but likely his best of the season. Heck, when you play 11 years in the league with career averages of 5.7pts and 3.0asts, a game like this has to rank someplace really high in your career pantheon.

Francisco Garcia ( B ) -- 20min 8pts (4-7 FG, 0-3 3pt, 0-0FT) 4reb 1ast 0stl 2blk 2TO
Some effective play against the pace, and this time got to the rim. Not just a one dimensional three point shooter (which bis good considering that dimension was off tongiht -- 0-3 from beyond the arc, 4-4 from inside). Appeared to abe another one fo the players bitching at the coach, and mayeb that was why Salmons was in down the stretch despite Cisco being far more effective tonight, and healthier. Or then again, maybe Cisco just wasn't old enough for Reggie to consider for PT tonight.

John Salmons ( D ) -- 14min 2pts (0-2 FG, 0-2 3pt, 0-0FT) 3reb 0ast 0stl 0blk 1TO
Well, if I believed the man had any heart, I might give him some bonus points for showing it in playing through a tweaked ankle -- of course then again, he movd naturally so I am not sure how bad the tweakage was. Made his only real contribution when he went baseline and scored the final layup of the first half for us. Otherwise very quiet, and a bit of a mystery why he was back in to close the game ratehr than Cisco given his gimpy status and ineffectiveness, unless it be either Reggie's age fetish or his deteriorating relationship with Cisco that made the decision for him.

Quincy Douby ( C+ ) -- 9min 4pts (2-3 FG, 0-1 3pt, 0-0FT) 0reb 1ast 1stl 0blk 0TO
off the bench to chuck and chuck again. Made a spectacular leaning falling shot in the lane, but really forced the last one he got up. Even as the smallest man on the court for us at all times, was still playing SG with Cisco playing the point because that's just not how Quincy thinks the game. Minutes were limited because as everyone knows in late march fo a lottery bound season it is important to play your 30+ year old starters 40+ minutes as often as possible.

 

[Bricklayer]

Shelden Williams ( INC ) -- 5min 2pts (1-2 FG, 0-0 3pt, 0-0 FT) 0reb 1ast 0stl 0blk 1TO
had a decent length first half stint and had a strong take when the Warriors just parted like the Red Sea for him (they are prone to that) but otherwise forced and wasn't effective against the undersized mobile frontlines. Did not return after half, and about now has to be rethinking that glad to be traded so he could get an actual opportunity stuff. At least Atlanta still has playoff hopes and had good young bigs ahead of him to justify the minutes crunch.

Reggie Theus ( DORK ) -- Record 31-36. Playoffs: Impossible. .500 Highly unlikely. Mikki Moore, Age: 33 Minutes: 37; Anthony Johnson Age: 33 Minutes: 38; Brad Miller Age:32 Minutes: 34, Quincy Douby Age:23 Minutes: 9; Shelden Williams Age:24 Minutes: 5. Reggie Theus = dork. Oh, and did I mention him fighting with half of the team, IN game this time? Also of course added another one of his ridiculous late timeouts -- 33 seconds to go, 19pt lead, and he calls time? That is the sort of thing that begs for retaliation and makes you wonder why Reggie is determined to be such a prick.