Well my stream was choppy throughout the game like the signal was sent out to Mars first and so the game impressions were a combination of that and keeping up with ESPN. It was an interesting experience. When I saw highlights, I was impressed with our pace, cohesion, O variety and team D.
We looked locked in, one of those games where the youth and vet games blend in seamlessly. It started with the LMA show and ended with the Jakob flourish. Throughout we had wave after wave of scoring to which our 33 assists attest. LMA took our first five shots, and seven of the first ten, making 4 of 7 in the 1ST Q. They gave him space, and we ran what worked, a screen and pop time and again. I like that we are not forcing LMA to start with that top of arc 3 anymore. He spreads the floor with his patented long Js and once he gets into his rhythm his accuracy, height, and high release are all but unstoppable.
It’s interesting how we’re using him differently already in this young season. We started wanting him to take 3s and that didn’t seem to take. We don’t have as much time to wait for adjustments to set in and as far as adjustments go, LMA probably has had to make the biggest one. He’s the oldest player on the team, he’s someone around whom Pop changed our style of play to cater to his strengths (we know how changing his game previously turned out), and he’s had a more traditional big game the longest so the far fewer left block post ups are noticeable (though we do still take advantage of it when it benefits us), the increased 3s are noticeable, as are the fewer FT’s and rebounds. He’s basically a floor spreading big who sets screens, passes, makes timely Js, and provides a physical presence down low. I think the pace of the transition game is challenging for him:
There’s trailing the play, and then there’s disappearing from the TV frame
But a more streamlined role catering to the best of his strengths that best fit the bubble style is being reshaped and coming along nicely.
In part because of it, we kept pace in the 1ST Q exchanging the lead on stellar movement, scoring and defending to get ahead by the end of the first 12 minutes of play. It was our first 30+ point quarter in the last five. Our movement oriented team game was on point and on the back of 11 assists we made 14-23 FG’s.
We maintained our lead at the half with everyone but Lonnie and Rudy scoring well. With DeMar back in the line-up, Lonnie has taken a noticeable step back in terms of asserting his game. Part of it is there are only so many shots to go around with our two dominant scorers in the line-up. But it hasn’t stopped DJ or Keldon from being aggressive, so hopefully Lonnie gets his game to a point where it stands out with DeMar as it does without him. Lonnie did have 4 rebounds and an assist after 24 minutes, but we do need him to be more consistent with regard to imposing his O.
On the back of 5 steals, 3 blocks, and 15 rebounds, our stellar 7-13 from 3 and 25-43FG’s from 19 assists resulted in LMA, DeMar, and Patty in double figures already. We were outrebounded 18-15, including 4-0 on O – that’s zero offensive rebounds! - and we only got to the FT line twice on 2-2 by DeMar.
Rudy flat out brought it in the second half scoring 7-11, 4-6 from 3 to tie Patty with a bench-high 21 points on 8-17, 5-8 from 3, tying Jakob and Devin for a bench-high 7 rebounds (3 on O) along with an assist and a steal. He ran with the young jets, he melded with the vets, he dunked, he moved off the ball, and he was part of the defensive and offensive force that began the 4TH Q and pulled away for good for our best 38-point to our opponent lowest 22-point final 12 minutes.
Patty had a huge O game on his terrific off ball movement, on his recognition of when to drive and when to shoot. In 24 minutes, Patty was a moving, scoring, energy machine pouring in 8-11, 5-7 from 3. Along the way he reached a historical milestone!
Rudy’s and Patty’s connection with Jakob is helping him have a resurgence of late as well. He ran the court very well, had 3 blocks, a team-high 6 O boards (that he’s actually grabbing them now rather than always tapping them out helps us secure more second possessions, that he’s finding the open man teammate to pass to all the more so) and connected on 5-7 AND 1-2FT’s. His all around game has returned and just in time. He is part of the group that went on that 4TH Q run after subbing in for LMA at 3:26 in the 3RD Q. So it was DJ, Patty, Devin, Rudy and Jakob –a mobile line-up that can defend, run in transition, and score that overwhelmed our opponents. True our opponent’s defensive rating ranks 26th, but nobody was giving us quarter when we were down two starters and we have to take advantage of all such situations. Look how good they are together:
Devin’s confidence and intelligence is noticeable from one game to the next. He’s decisive in making the extra pass, he’s relentless in skying after rebounds and looking up quickly to push or pass in transition, he chooses which shots to take and when well. His impact cannot be overstated:
Whereas Devin is more like a quiet assassin who you may not expect when he suddenly attacks on both ends (two steals, and a great block from behind), Keldon is impossible to miss. One of the benefits of fans not being in the stands is hearing more of the communication among players on the court and Keldon was yelling on D constantly! And I loved it! What a blessing to have gotten that extra pick and to have chosen him with it. On O Keldon chipped in 10 points on 3-4, 1-4 from 3, 3-4FT’s on a night when it was the vets who stepped up to take over the scoring load. But it was Keldon’s ever charged presence that kept our defense locked in.
DeMar (20 on efficient 6-9, 8-8FT’s, 6 boards, and tying DJ for team-high 11 assists) joined LMA and Keldon as one of three starters in double figures which was balanced by three bench players in double figures as well. He pushed the ball, he made great decisions of when to pass and when to score as well as when to drive or shoot his Js.
One change we look to be committed to is not going exclusively with DeMar to end quarters. It used to be a DeMar free for all where we’d spread the floor and he would hold the ball to run the clock and create something in ISO mode. But in this game in the 1ST Q DeMar passed ahead to Jakob for a dunk, in the 2ND Q we ended with a Patty 3, in the 3RD Q DeMar got into the key, drew defenders in and... passed it to an open Rudy to the left of the basket for a dunk. DeMar’s imprints and impact were still felt in these plays, but DeMar the facilitator allowed for a multi-threat attack. That DeMar was also terrific with his help D in breaking up an early alley oop attempt (then making an alley oop pass to Keldon for a dunk), his O rebound, his help D in cutting off drivers and his smart reading of the game and opportunities unfolding were integral to our success in this game.
Dejounte picked his spots well of when to score but it was really his D and his assisting that stood out and helped the team best. His 11 assists and 9 rebounds to only 1 TO is the kind of balance we need from him in terms of decision making, facilitating, and protecting the ball.
It is strange that Jakob was the only bench player who took FT’s and DeMar the only starter who got a O board. But we did improve in rebounding in the second half, winning the battle 48-34 overall, and getting a 12-4 O board advantage in the final 24 minutes. Even though LMA (0-1) and DeMar (none) didn’t contribute to our 3s, we nevertheless connected on 15-33 of them with our bench connecting on 12, part of an incredible effort to outscore the opposing bench 59-25!
A complete game with a full team effort on both ends not only scoring over 30+ points in a couple of quarters but holding our opponent to under 30 in each Q. We are just scratching our potential, but I love that we are making tweaks and adjustments to get more out of everyone as we look to balance our strengths.
NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS