There's NO reason to boo Boogie tonight. I would NOT boo the kid for having a volatile personality and whatever he said out of hurt or anger towards Vlade with regards to the way the trade was handled. There was a basis to slam Vlade. He was bush league in his handling of that trade. You know who should get booed, Kyrie when he returns to Cleveland! He wanted out. Boogie wanted in, he was loyal to the city and fans, influenced by the dollar signs in his eyes. It was his agent who wanted him out. Boogie was loyal and sacrificed his body on the court diving for balls and drawing fouls. He could have been in better shape, could have been a better leader, could have played harder defensively, could have developed a better "go-to" move out of the post, could have seen a psychologists for his mental issues, but all of these "could have beens" came in the context of the guy being fairly dominant over his tenure.
I wish Willie Cauley Stein had Boogie's competitive fire!
I have seen about three of Pelicans games this year. The team is a mess but Boogie is as good as he has ever been (if not better). But I think Boogie and Davis sort of get in each others way. Boogie played his best game of the season after Davis went down with knee injury. Jrue Holiday is overrated and overpaid. That team does not have a Big Three they have a Big Two and tonight we are fortunate we will likely face only a Big One. Bearing witness to Willie and Koufos, one gains new appreciation for Boogie. Even defensively. Watch Boogie defend the pick and roll. It looks like he has seen the play 1,000 times before and anticipates what the opponent will do before he does it. He knows where to be. Contrast this to Willie. Although he is the superior athlete, Willie defends the pick and roll as if seeing it for the first time, knowing only what the opponent will do after he does it. He guesses where to be. The aforementioned is the kind of subtlety you take for granted. What is the saying is "you only know what you lost after it is gone"? Don't get me wrong, I am glad Boogie is gone. Too much drama and angst and not enough fun or return on the emotional investment. But I don't hold any animosity towards the guy. He's a flawed person. But terrific basketball player. Yet as I said before the season began, I think De'Aaron will every bit and MORE of an impact and franchise-level player that Boogie ever was without the disciplinary issues and leadership void and we do NOT get De'Aaron if the trade does not occur.
As far as tonight, I expect Boogie is going to be so amped and pumped. He will get at least one technical and score at least 30 points. What I am curious about is the response from Willie. I want to see fire and intensity and execution from Willie, not apathy and "too cool" attitude. It could be easily be argued that Willie's career has been hindered by Cousins, and the playing time he took ahead of him, and the oxygen he sucked out of the room and hindered the potential of ALL his teammates. Well, that is in the past, so Willie needs to make a statement tonight, that the past is dead, that was then, this is now, and there is a new starting Kings center who has some skills of his own. This is a potential HUGE moment for Willie to rise to the occasion in front of a national TV audience and make a statement to his former teammate, his current teammates, the fans and the league. Let's see if he cowers or steps up.
I wish Willie Cauley Stein had Boogie's competitive fire!
I have seen about three of Pelicans games this year. The team is a mess but Boogie is as good as he has ever been (if not better). But I think Boogie and Davis sort of get in each others way. Boogie played his best game of the season after Davis went down with knee injury. Jrue Holiday is overrated and overpaid. That team does not have a Big Three they have a Big Two and tonight we are fortunate we will likely face only a Big One. Bearing witness to Willie and Koufos, one gains new appreciation for Boogie. Even defensively. Watch Boogie defend the pick and roll. It looks like he has seen the play 1,000 times before and anticipates what the opponent will do before he does it. He knows where to be. Contrast this to Willie. Although he is the superior athlete, Willie defends the pick and roll as if seeing it for the first time, knowing only what the opponent will do after he does it. He guesses where to be. The aforementioned is the kind of subtlety you take for granted. What is the saying is "you only know what you lost after it is gone"? Don't get me wrong, I am glad Boogie is gone. Too much drama and angst and not enough fun or return on the emotional investment. But I don't hold any animosity towards the guy. He's a flawed person. But terrific basketball player. Yet as I said before the season began, I think De'Aaron will every bit and MORE of an impact and franchise-level player that Boogie ever was without the disciplinary issues and leadership void and we do NOT get De'Aaron if the trade does not occur.
As far as tonight, I expect Boogie is going to be so amped and pumped. He will get at least one technical and score at least 30 points. What I am curious about is the response from Willie. I want to see fire and intensity and execution from Willie, not apathy and "too cool" attitude. It could be easily be argued that Willie's career has been hindered by Cousins, and the playing time he took ahead of him, and the oxygen he sucked out of the room and hindered the potential of ALL his teammates. Well, that is in the past, so Willie needs to make a statement tonight, that the past is dead, that was then, this is now, and there is a new starting Kings center who has some skills of his own. This is a potential HUGE moment for Willie to rise to the occasion in front of a national TV audience and make a statement to his former teammate, his current teammates, the fans and the league. Let's see if he cowers or steps up.
