A High School Team....

[newmexicuse]

My wife never watches a game with me, but she did sit down and watch the OT. Her first comment was that physically we looked like a high school team as compared to some of the brawnier LVille players. Could have used DC2 for some minutes...a real shame with him after all the heart he put into trying to get back on the court.

On a more serious note - a few thoughts:

1. Beginning of the game - it seemed like we worked the ball to Lydon at the top of the key almost every possession. The problem was he never pivoted around from which position he could drive, hit a cutter to the hoop, or shoot. Instead he stayed back to the basket from where he could only initiate a "pinwheel" offense. That is why we started the game so badly on O.

2. Much said about White's off shooting night. It happens, but the real problem was that with Battle still not himself, Gillon being off for much of the game, Lydon still not taking enough shots, that there was nobody else to pick up the slack except for TT's beginning of the 2nd half run. I hate to say it, but if Lydon is to be a bona fide star this was exactly the type of game that he needs to assert himself and take over, at least for stretches. Don't get me wrong, I love TL, but I just think many on this board and many in NBA draft rooms overrate his talents. He just isn't a go to guy.

3. Guts - this team has it. Don't know how they hung in there to make it the game that it was considering we were trashed on the boards and also couldn't hit a shot. It does prove that if we can have games where we get a couple of guys going that notwithstanding our weaknesses that we could beat anybody on a given night.

4. I hated Gillon's end of game drive with 3.8 secs on the clock. Too much time left unless he had a really clear lane, which he didn't. Gotta wait until 2 secs or less so they don't get the last look.

5. Lazarus Howard - kid is getting some confidence and stepping up his play. Good to see. He still makes some What TOs, but at least for the most part is is showing patience and playing within himself.

6. TT - needs a summer in the weight room. He is confident and smooth with his O. Love the upside, but his game is one dimensional right now.

7. Roberson - what a shame the kid was put on the spot in a game like this. Everybody knew there was no way he could step up and hit two FTs.

8. I thought the D had some nice stretches of improvement. Unfortunately, Rick made the last adjustment in OT and they found the openings down low and it was too late for us to re-adjust.

 

[tbonezone]

defensively i'd say howard was our best defender out top. underneath Tsquare is not even leaving his feet.

 

[CaptainJ]

I liked the OP because it had some good points. Not so single it out, but it hit 2 things numerous others did that I'd like to address here.

1)The "too early" on the drive thing. It may have been a hair too early, if that, but folks seem to forget that their may need to be time for a rebound and a put back. I think it didn't take too long until we got an example of such.

2)Not all of us "knew" Robey was going to miss the shots. Even if a player is a lowly 50% shooter, that's still a 50/50 chance he makes the first...not a sure fire miss. Same with the 2nd. We've certainly seen opponents with a worse percentage sink free throws against us, have we not? This whole certainty of the miss, especially those who expressed such for the first shot, is perplexing. If you had a 1 in 4 chance of winning the lottery, would you call your odds certain to fail? Am I the only one perplexed by the words he's seeing on here in regards to this "certainty"?

 

[newmexicuse]

I liked the OP because it had some good points. Not so single it out, but it hit 2 things numerous others did that I'd like to address.

1)The "too early" on the drive thing. It may have been a hair too early, if that, but folks seem to forget that their may need to be time for a rebound and a put back. I think it didn't take too long until we got an example of such.

2)Not all of us "knew" Robey was going to miss the shots. Even if a player is a lowly 50% shooter, that's still a 50/50 chance he makes the first...not a sure fire miss. Same with the 2nd. We've certainly seen opponents with a worse percentage sink free throws against us, have we not? This whole certainty of the miss, especially those who expressed such for the first shot, is perplexing. If you had a 1 in 4 chance of winning the lottery, would you call your odds certain to fail? Am I the only one perplexed by the words he's seeing on here in regards to this "certainty"?

You have good points, but in regards to the Gillon drive i said what i said because it was John driving and too many of his drive attempts never get on the glass for a rebound attempt. If it were Howard or Battle driving I would agree since the odds would have been much higher the shot at least sees glass.

In regard to the second point, it was just my personal feeling as i watched the game. Generically you are correct, but i did not say what i said as a "hindsight" post, and most unfortunately what i felt as I watched turned out to be true. Ironically, i had exactly the opposite feeling when White was fouled and I knew he was going to make all three. Same with Gillon when he had to step up and make his two.