Kekgeek grades G54 vs blazers

[kekgeek]

Conley: B-
Ant: A+
Mcdaniels: D+
Kat: D+ (first bad game in awhile)
Rudy: A
Naz: C+
Slow Mo: B
Naw: A+
Morris: D+

[kekgeek]

One year ago today in honor of NAW

https://x.com/dwolfsonkstp/status/16256 ... _u6IL2a9cQ

[Lipoli390]

Conley: B-
Ant: A+
Mcdaniels: D+
Kat: D+ (first bad game in awhile)
Rudy: A
Naz: C+
Slow Mo: B
Naw: A+
Morris: D+

Once again, you’ve nailed it with your grades, Kek. I’ll offer one small quibble and upgrade NAW to a B based on some big buckets and rebounds he had down the stretch in the 4th quarter. He and NAW combined to give us the offensive punch we needed off the bench.

This was definitely KAT’s first bad game of the season. I don’t want to see any more from him like this one. McDaniels was terrible and I’m not going to give him the finger excuse. Regarding Morris, I just don’t think he’s in full game shape yet. It’s hard to come back from a long layoff at this point in the season when the rest of the League’s players are firing on all cylinders. I think it will take Morris a month or so of regular practice and some game minutes to get his legs and rhythm. I see him contributing as expected the last few weeks of the season and in the playoffs. Meanwhile, I’d like to see us nail down a deal with Marcus Morris.

[FNG]

I believe Lip meant to upgrade Naz in the above post, not NAW.

Good job, Kek, laying out the bifurcation in last night's game. Two starters were trash last night, but we still won because of Ant and our bench. How many road games are we going to win with KAT and Jaden getting D's? Unbelievable game by Ant!

I'll quibble and upgrade SloMo to an A. We were not very good in the third quarter with him on the bench the entire quarter, but the game changed when he entered in the 4th. His defense, ball handling and vision all led to an absurdly effective +29 in only 22 minutes. Yes, NAW made the three big shots (and was a +22 himself), but it was so fun to watch Conley and SloMo orchestrate the offense to get him those open looks! This team is built on length, and what a luxury for Finchie to have Naz and SloMo on the bench on rare nights when both Jaden and KAT are off.

[Q-is-here]

It makes all the difference in the world for NAW to make those shots. Conley and Slomo can do all the orchestrating they want, but you need finishers and NAW stepped up to the plate last night. Man, love having that guy in the trenches. He seems built for playoff basketball.

It's interesting that Monte Morris is used mostly as a floor spacer for right now. I was surprised how NAW would bring the ball up while Morris was in the game. NAW actually packs a ton of responsibility into the minutes he plays. He is a part-time point guard, full time defensive stopper, and usually the 2nd or 3rd scoring option on the floor.

McDaniels has been such a key part of our #1 defense, but it's hard not to be disappointed in his lack of growth as an all-around player (rebounding, assisting, scoring). He has definitely stagnated after making year over year improvements in his second and third seasons.

[Coolbreeze44]

It makes all the difference in the world for NAW to make those shots. Conley and Slomo can do all the orchestrating they want, but you need finishers and NAW stepped up to the plate last night. Man, love having that guy in the trenches. He seems built for playoff basketball.

It's interesting that Monte Morris is used mostly as a floor spacer for right now. I was surprised how NAW would bring the ball up while Morris was in the game. NAW actually packs a ton of responsibility into the minutes he plays. He is a part-time point guard, full time defensive stopper, and usually the 2nd or 3rd scoring option on the floor.

McDaniels has been such a key part of our #1 defense, but it's hard not to be disappointed in his lack of growth as an all-around player (rebounding, assisting, scoring). He has definitely stagnated after making year over year improvements in his second and third seasons.

I agree with your points on McDaniels, and it's really too bad. But how much can he really grow when he isn't involved in the offense until he gets a kickout at the end of the shot clock. We've heard so many times that he never gets a play run for him, it's almost like the staff takes pride in that fact. Last night he didn't get a single first half field goal attempt. He's good to great every night defensively, but if they never give him any more rope offensively, this is as good as it's going to get.

[Q-is-here]

It makes all the difference in the world for NAW to make those shots. Conley and Slomo can do all the orchestrating they want, but you need finishers and NAW stepped up to the plate last night. Man, love having that guy in the trenches. He seems built for playoff basketball.

It's interesting that Monte Morris is used mostly as a floor spacer for right now. I was surprised how NAW would bring the ball up while Morris was in the game. NAW actually packs a ton of responsibility into the minutes he plays. He is a part-time point guard, full time defensive stopper, and usually the 2nd or 3rd scoring option on the floor.

McDaniels has been such a key part of our #1 defense, but it's hard not to be disappointed in his lack of growth as an all-around player (rebounding, assisting, scoring). He has definitely stagnated after making year over year improvements in his second and third seasons.

I agree with your points on McDaniels, and it's really too bad. But how much can he really grow when he isn't involved in the offense until he gets a kickout at the end of the shot clock. We've heard so many times that he never gets a play run for him, it's almost like the staff takes pride in that fact. Last night he didn't get a single first half field goal attempt. He's good to great every night defensively, but if they never give him any more rope offensively, this is as good as it's going to get.

Cool, I would point you to this year's version of Herb Jones or the Phoenix version of Mikal Bridges earlier in his career. They all play the role of point-of-attack defenders and have similarly low usage rates on offense, yet Herb and Mikal grade out as better all-around players when you look at the totality of their defense, rebounding, assist rates, and 3pt-shooting.

And you know as well as anyone that players can create scoring opportunities for themselves without having to have plays run for them. Cutting, running the floor, finding the open space, making open kickout 3s, hitting the offensive glass, etc.

Jaden is getting paid the big bucks now, so the hope is that he eventually grows into that contract, even within the context of his existing role on the team.

[FNG]

Herb Jones is one of my favorite players, and a very good comp for Jaden as Q says. But right now, Jones is the far better player. I'm holding out some hope for Jaden though, because he is 2 years younger than Herb. If Jaden can become what Jones is, that would be very good for the Wolves.

[Coolbreeze44]

It makes all the difference in the world for NAW to make those shots. Conley and Slomo can do all the orchestrating they want, but you need finishers and NAW stepped up to the plate last night. Man, love having that guy in the trenches. He seems built for playoff basketball.

It's interesting that Monte Morris is used mostly as a floor spacer for right now. I was surprised how NAW would bring the ball up while Morris was in the game. NAW actually packs a ton of responsibility into the minutes he plays. He is a part-time point guard, full time defensive stopper, and usually the 2nd or 3rd scoring option on the floor.

McDaniels has been such a key part of our #1 defense, but it's hard not to be disappointed in his lack of growth as an all-around player (rebounding, assisting, scoring). He has definitely stagnated after making year over year improvements in his second and third seasons.

I agree with your points on McDaniels, and it's really too bad. But how much can he really grow when he isn't involved in the offense until he gets a kickout at the end of the shot clock. We've heard so many times that he never gets a play run for him, it's almost like the staff takes pride in that fact. Last night he didn't get a single first half field goal attempt. He's good to great every night defensively, but if they never give him any more rope offensively, this is as good as it's going to get.

Cool, I would point you to this year's version of Herb Jones or the Phoenix version of Mikal Bridges earlier in his career. They all play the role of point-of-attack defenders and have similarly low usage rates on offense, yet Herb and Mikal grade out as better all-around players when you look at the totality of their defense, rebounding, assist rates, and 3pt-shooting.

And you know as well as anyone that players can create scoring opportunities for themselves without having to have plays run for them. Cutting, running the floor, finding the open space, making open kickout 3s, hitting the offensive glass, etc.

Jaden is getting paid the big bucks now, so the hope is that he eventually grows into that contract, even within the context of his existing role on the team.

Yeah, I agree he needs to become a bigger factor regardless of which way he does it. He's usually the first guy down the floor but we never look to push the ball up to him. He needs to get on the offensive glass for sure. And his cuts need to be more assertive and he needs to demand the ball more. I'm hoping the team didn't pay him all that money to just be a 3 & D guy, and that they want to develop his all-around game.