Re: Scrimmage - GDT
Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 10:23 pm
Okay, I'm back from the scrimmage. Kind of a weird night. Wiggins was either sick or just didn't care tonight. Gorgui seemed kind of detached. Payne was absurdly terrible...great size, athleticism and effort, but he didn't live up to the reviews he got at practice the first two days. And hopefully tonight put an end to any further discussion about whether Brady Heslip has a place in the NBA...he doesn't.
But still I came away encouraged and excited about watching this club for three games in Vegas. Towns is the real deal. I was most impressed with his post game and ball handling tonight...he's clearly comfortable handling the ball on a break. He's big and long, and was definitely the best rebounder on the court. He tried a few threes and hit one, at least, but his form was not the way he looked in his videos...more of a set shot tonight, almost like he was reluctant to put it up. But overall he looked comfortable and put up huge numbers for points and rebounds. Quick feet on defense, but subject to committing too early on defense as most rookies do.
I had only seen Tyus on TV before, so I have to admit I was stunned to see him up close. He has no musculature at all and is a very odd looking NBA player. But his game was smoother than I would have expected for his first time out. He seldom forced things, although he did misfire on a couple alley oops to Zach (seemed to me to be more Zach's fault). The game seems to come easy to him. Nice handle, good looking shot and good vision, and he was a lot quicker pushing the ball up court than I would have thought. But he is clearly going to be challenged on defense, at least in the early going. He handled Brady Heslip just fine (not saying much), and even looked okay when he was guarding Lo Brown. But the couple times he was on Lavine was a complete joke...Zach blew by him like he was a chair. But I think Tyus is going to be just fine. It's difficult to find that combination of skills and poise in a 19 year old.
Zach was terrific and engaged the entire scrimmage. He has clearly matured and is relishing being a second year "veteran". A lot of KG-like talking on defense (Towns was surprisingly vocal too) and enthusiastic play on offense. He got to the rim with ease and had a couple spectacular dunks, and also seemed very comfortable shooting from the outside. A couple more outings like this, and I may have to admit that I was wrong in questioning Flip's drafting him last year...the kid has star potential, and I never would have thought so watching him at UCLA.[right][/right]
I have not been an advocate for Lo Brown, but he might have been the best all around player on the court tonight. It's too bad he's not a very good shooter, because he seems to do everything else pretty well. He showed a confidence tonight running the point that reminded me of someone, but I couldn't think of who it was. Then it came to me. Tonight he had the swagger and court vision of Walt Frazier, without the shooting touch of course. Frazier always seemed to be able to slow the game down so that everything he did seemed effortless, and that was how Brown played tonight. He made the right pass at the right time, and got to the rim easily. If Flip doesn't sign Hummel or moves AB, I would be okay with keeping Brown on the roster to back up Ricky in the early season as Tyus adjusts to the NBA game.
Payne was unfortunately dreadful, at least on offense. He must have had 4 or 5 turnovers, and seemed to me more in the way than a positive factor. I'm not giving up on him, but he was really bad tonight.
Heslip can only do one thing...shoot. And when he is shooting 2-14 (or whatever he was tonight) he bears no resemblance to an NBA player. His defense is laughable, and he doesn't handle the ball much better than Payne. Let's remember all this when he has that one inevitable red hot game in Vegas next week.
The only filler player that impressed me at all was Tyler Stone. I had never heard of him before, but he showed me enough that I looked him up when I got home. After a forgettable freshman year at Mizzou, he transferred to SE Missouri St where he had three solid years, putting up 19 and 10 his senior year. He was undrafted, played with the Pacers in last year's summer league, and then played a year in Turkey. I think he will be this year's Othyus Jeffers (who, by the way, was invisible tonight) and show some promise in Vegas, but he doesn't play a position where we currently have any needs.
All in all kind of a sloppy game tonight, but that is to be expected. I think a starting five of Towns, Payne (hopefully much better than tonight), Stone, Zach and either Lo or Tyus at the point will be formidable in Vegas. But they'll be tested early against a Laker team with Russell, Clarkson, Randle and Upshaw. Should be a good game Friday night.
But still I came away encouraged and excited about watching this club for three games in Vegas. Towns is the real deal. I was most impressed with his post game and ball handling tonight...he's clearly comfortable handling the ball on a break. He's big and long, and was definitely the best rebounder on the court. He tried a few threes and hit one, at least, but his form was not the way he looked in his videos...more of a set shot tonight, almost like he was reluctant to put it up. But overall he looked comfortable and put up huge numbers for points and rebounds. Quick feet on defense, but subject to committing too early on defense as most rookies do.
I had only seen Tyus on TV before, so I have to admit I was stunned to see him up close. He has no musculature at all and is a very odd looking NBA player. But his game was smoother than I would have expected for his first time out. He seldom forced things, although he did misfire on a couple alley oops to Zach (seemed to me to be more Zach's fault). The game seems to come easy to him. Nice handle, good looking shot and good vision, and he was a lot quicker pushing the ball up court than I would have thought. But he is clearly going to be challenged on defense, at least in the early going. He handled Brady Heslip just fine (not saying much), and even looked okay when he was guarding Lo Brown. But the couple times he was on Lavine was a complete joke...Zach blew by him like he was a chair. But I think Tyus is going to be just fine. It's difficult to find that combination of skills and poise in a 19 year old.
Zach was terrific and engaged the entire scrimmage. He has clearly matured and is relishing being a second year "veteran". A lot of KG-like talking on defense (Towns was surprisingly vocal too) and enthusiastic play on offense. He got to the rim with ease and had a couple spectacular dunks, and also seemed very comfortable shooting from the outside. A couple more outings like this, and I may have to admit that I was wrong in questioning Flip's drafting him last year...the kid has star potential, and I never would have thought so watching him at UCLA.[right][/right]
I have not been an advocate for Lo Brown, but he might have been the best all around player on the court tonight. It's too bad he's not a very good shooter, because he seems to do everything else pretty well. He showed a confidence tonight running the point that reminded me of someone, but I couldn't think of who it was. Then it came to me. Tonight he had the swagger and court vision of Walt Frazier, without the shooting touch of course. Frazier always seemed to be able to slow the game down so that everything he did seemed effortless, and that was how Brown played tonight. He made the right pass at the right time, and got to the rim easily. If Flip doesn't sign Hummel or moves AB, I would be okay with keeping Brown on the roster to back up Ricky in the early season as Tyus adjusts to the NBA game.
Payne was unfortunately dreadful, at least on offense. He must have had 4 or 5 turnovers, and seemed to me more in the way than a positive factor. I'm not giving up on him, but he was really bad tonight.
Heslip can only do one thing...shoot. And when he is shooting 2-14 (or whatever he was tonight) he bears no resemblance to an NBA player. His defense is laughable, and he doesn't handle the ball much better than Payne. Let's remember all this when he has that one inevitable red hot game in Vegas next week.
The only filler player that impressed me at all was Tyler Stone. I had never heard of him before, but he showed me enough that I looked him up when I got home. After a forgettable freshman year at Mizzou, he transferred to SE Missouri St where he had three solid years, putting up 19 and 10 his senior year. He was undrafted, played with the Pacers in last year's summer league, and then played a year in Turkey. I think he will be this year's Othyus Jeffers (who, by the way, was invisible tonight) and show some promise in Vegas, but he doesn't play a position where we currently have any needs.
All in all kind of a sloppy game tonight, but that is to be expected. I think a starting five of Towns, Payne (hopefully much better than tonight), Stone, Zach and either Lo or Tyus at the point will be formidable in Vegas. But they'll be tested early against a Laker team with Russell, Clarkson, Randle and Upshaw. Should be a good game Friday night.