Just Got Back From the Utah Flash Game

[return2glory]

I just got back from the Utah Flash game a few hours ago. It was great day watching J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker play and coming home and watching the Celtics win their 18th straight. I watched the Celtics game on Tivo.

I didn't even know the Flash were in town until an hour before the actually game. It was about an hour away from me, so it was a last minute thing. I arrived at the start of the 2nd quarter because I hit traffic.

Anyway, to the game. I got great seats. $25 for center court, 6 rows back. JR looked good. He has a good outside shot, a decent mid range game and got to the basket easily with his dribble. He has great tools to be a very good defensive player because of his quickness, great jumping ability and long arms. However at times he feel a sleep of defense in this game.

Giddens had a very good game with 24 points and 10 rebounds. But he got hurt again on a lay up in the 4th quarter. He feel on his wrist and came out of the game and didn't return. At the time I had moved right behind the Flash's bench. It was easy to move around because there was only about 500 to 1000 people in attendance. As Giddens came out, he said. " It's the same F***** wrist, referring to the wrist he hurt about a week ago. JR looked in pain, but was cheering and joking around a few minutes later, when his team came back from 18 points down and pulled out a win.

As far as Bill Walker, he got into foul trouble early in the 2nd quarter after picking up his 3rd foul. He went to the bench with about 8 minutes in the 1st half. The Flash were down 32-28, when Walker sat down, but quickly fell behind by double digits without him.

Walker looked out of sink in the 3rd quarter as well. He bounched back strong in the 4th quarter and was a key in their comeback. He got a few offensive rebounds and put backs and also had an amazing dunk in the quarter. Walker got to the line easily. buthe also missed a few close back to the basket shots. He didn't get to show his outside shot in this game. Defensively he was ok and lacked the energy I was expecting from him.

IMO, the Flash didn't go to Giddens and Walker enough. Both are both great athletes. JR is a legit 6'5, maybe even 6'5 1/2. Walker seemed about a half inch taller than Giddens. Giddens also seems to be a very nice guy. After the game he shook hands with a Celtic fan in a KG jersey. He also took pictures with them and thanked them for coming out to the game. I got a chance to shake both of their hands as they were leaving the bench.

[return2glory]

I also wanted to add that it seemed like a Celtic reunion. Giddens and Walker weren't the only Celtics at the game. Ex Celtic player Sam Vincent was the Anaheim coach and Kedrick Brown plays for him.

Ex NBA player, the former Miwaukee Buck, Paul Paul Mokeski was the Anaheim assistant coach.

[buckner1976]

I just got back from the Utah Flash game a few hours ago. It was great day watching J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker play and coming home and watching the Celtics win their 18th straight. I watched the Celtics game on Tivo.

I didn't even know the Flash were in town until an hour before the actually game. It was about an hour away from me, so it was a last minute thing. I arrived at the start of the 2nd quarter because I hit traffic.

Anyway, to the game. I got great seats. $25 for center court, 6 rows back. JR looked good. He has a good outside shot, a decent mid range game and got to the basket easily with his dribble. He has great tools to be a very good defensive player because of his quickness, great jumping ability and long arms. However at times he feel a sleep of defense in this game.

Giddens had a very good game with 24 points and 10 rebounds. But he got hurt again on a lay up in the 4th quarter. He feel on his wrist and came out of the game and didn't return. At the time I had moved right behind the Flash's bench. It was easy to move around because there was only about 500 to 1000 people in attendance. As Giddens came out, he said. " It's the same F***** wrist, referring to the wrist he hurt about a week ago. JR looked in pain, but was cheering and joking around a few minutes later, when his team came back from 18 points down and pulled out a win.

As far as Bill Walker, he got into foul trouble early in the 2nd quarter after picking up his 3rd foul. He went to the bench with about 8 minutes in the 1st half. The Flash were down 32-28, when Walker sat down, but quickly fell behind by double digits without him.

Walker looked out of sink in the 3rd quarter as well. He bounched back strong in the 4th quarter and was a key in their comeback. He got a few offensive rebounds and put backs and also had an amazing dunk in the quarter. Walker got to the line easily. buthe also missed a few close back to the basket shots. He didn't get to show his outside shot in this game. Defensively he was ok and lacked the energy I was expecting from him.

IMO, the Flash didn't go to Giddens and Walker enough. Both are both great athletes. JR is a legit 6'5, maybe even 6'5 1/2. Walker seemed about a half inch taller than Giddens. Giddens also seems to be a very nice guy. After the game he shook hands with a Celtic fan in a KG jersey. He also took pictures with them and thanked them for coming out to the game. I got a chance to shake both of their hands as they were leaving the bench.

Thanks for the full report. It seems Giddens is really settling in and from what I've heard from others who have seen the Flash play they echo your sentiments about their PG not looking their way enough and the big men not understanding how to kick out off the double in the post. I suspect these two to be in Utah pretty much the whole D-League season. I look to see them much more comfortable in 2-3min stints in the 2nd half of the year when they come back up to give Paul and Ray the occasional blow at the end of quarters.

Long term I still see Rondo and Giddens as the backcourt of the future. Both posses the same freakishly long arms that allow them to play much bigger than they are and potentially a nightmare defensively.

[Truthiracy]

I'm starting to really feel for sports players when they go through injuries... I've gone through about 10 different injuries just this year because of bodybuilding. I hope J.R. isn't injury prone, and nice to hear Kedrick Brown is still alive, I was just looking at old stats from him and Joseph Forte.

[return2glory]

I just hope JR's wrist injury doesn't keep him out too long.

[return2glory]

I'm starting to really feel for sports players when they go through injuries... I've gone through about 10 different injuries just this year because of bodybuilding. I hope J.R. isn't injury prone, and nice to hear Kedrick Brown is still alive, I was just looking at old stats from him and Joseph Forte.

He just landed hard and when he made a lap up. He got fouled on the play but came out fo the game without shooting the FT. It was the same wrist he hurt a week ago, so it was hurting him. I don't think he was fulling recovered from it. He may be out a few games.

Brown looked average at best. He didn't look like he has an NBA talent left. I don't know if he is hurt or not. He was very passive. But Kedrick looked in good shape. He isn't over weight anymore. He looks like he did when he was with us.

[BillessuR6]

Thanks for the report, R2G!

[Jammer]

Giddens pre-draft measurement in June was 6' 4" without shoes.

He was 23 years old at the time of his measurement.

He's obviously a great athlete, with long arms, and quick.

From what little I've seen of D-League games via internet streaming,
Giddens and Walker seem like giants compared to the rest of the D-Leaguers.

Now, if Giddens only had John Stockton's brain.

[cisco]

^Why does Giddens need Stockton's brain? He's a shooting guard, not a point guard.

I was always higher on Giddens than I am Walker.

[return2glory]

Giddens pre-draft measurement in June was 6' 4" without shoes.

.

I know he was measured at 6'4 without shoes. But they play the game with shoes. With shoes, I'm 6'1 and 1/2. Standing about 3 feet away for JR, he was clearly about 3 and 1/2 to 4 inches taller than me.

Tony Allen is listed at 6'4. Giddens is easily taller than TA. Sometimes you stand next to an NBA player, and you are like their is no way this guy is a tall as he is listed. Giddens looked the height he was listed at.

[Jammer]

Giddens pre-draft measurement in June was 6' 4" without shoes.

.

I know he was measured at 6'4 without shoes. But they play the game with shoes. With shoes, I'm 6'1 and 1/2. Standing about 3 feet away for JR, he was clearly about 3 and 1/2 to 4 inches taller than me.

Tony Allen is listed at 6'4. Giddens is easily taller than TA. Sometimes you stand next to an NBA player, and you are like their is no way this guy is a tall as he is listed. Giddens looked the height he was listed at.

Tony's pre-draft measurement was 6' 3.5" without shoes.

I wonder about eyeballing - without a frame of reference.

I've been measured 20 times at 6' 2 3/8' without shoes.

If you asked for a summary of the last 40 guesses at my height by acquaintances and relatives,
it was always 6' 4', 6' 4.5" or 6' 5". Not even a 6' 3" in it.

Anyway, like cisco said,
I am higher on Giddens than Walker.

Giddens, like Tony Allen, is big enough for shooting guard,
even though some, like Kobe, are 6' 5.5" (listed 6' 7"),
Giddens can handle NBA shooting guards.
He has the quicks,
I thought that Giddens smothered Chris Douglas Roberts
when the Celtics played the Nets.

Walker, on the other hand, is not as quick,
meaning he's more of an SF speedwise,
yet you say that he's only 1/2 inch taller than Giddens,
which would make Walker 6' 4.5" (there's a reason they have pre-draft camp,
Walker, like Leon Powe, Glen Davis, Perk, Rondo and Pruitt didn't show up).

Of that group only Rondo, Perk and Powe have shown they are true rotation players.

I suspect that Rondo and Perk had a guarantees to be taken in the first round,
there is no other reason for them to skip pre-draft measurements,
teams generally don't invest first round picks on players who skip the measurements,
unless, generally, there was an agreement in advance to grab a player at a certain spot.

Sort of like when Andrew Bynum came out, he discouraged everyone from
drafting him, and then the Lakers took him at 10.
After the fact, a lot of folks suspected an agreement was in place before the
draft, with Bynum making it difficult for teams ahead of the Lakers to get him
to come in.

[Man_Up]

I'm a little shocked to see that you guys are higher on Giddens then Walker.

I thought I was on a lone Island.

[Man_Up]

I'm a little shocked to see that you guys are higher on Giddens then Walker.

I thought I was on a lone Island.

[TheCelticTruth]

im higher on walker as a potential big time player because he has a few skills that can really stand out, but i see jr as more likely to be successful due to his well rounded skill set and abnormal skills for a guard (boards, ability to play big and a little rugged)

[buckner1976]

I'm a little shocked to see that you guys are higher on Giddens then Walker.

I thought I was on a lone Island.

It's nice to see. With all due respect to the more popular kid Walker(who I also like very much long term), JR was a kid I wanted us to draft at 30 long before the draft began going back to his last few games with UNM. His physical traits(strong, freakish long arms, big hands, quick feet) and his athleticism really drew me to him. I believe he can have the same impact defensively as Rondo given the time and experience. I see those 2 creating headaches for other teams backcourts in 2-3 years.

[avi623]

Long term I still see Rondo and Giddens as the backcourt of the future. Both posses the same freakishly long arms that allow them to play much bigger than they are and potentially a nightmare defensively.

Umm, let's not overdo it here. Giddens is a 23 year old first round pick playing in the D-League. If he isn't dominating we could probably have used the word "bust" already. To say based on this he is part of the backcourt of the future is premature to put it lightly.

Giddens was a knucklehead in college, is old for a rookie, and is still raw IQ wise. Until he performs at the NBA level, he is a D-League star and that's it.

[Pogue Mahone]

Long term I still see Rondo and Giddens as the backcourt of the future. Both posses the same freakishly long arms that allow them to play much bigger than they are and potentially a nightmare defensively.

Umm, let's not overdo it here. Giddens is a 23 year old first round pick playing in the D-League. If he isn't dominating we could probably have used the word "bust" already. To say based on this he is part of the backcourt of the future is premature to put it lightly.

Giddens was a knucklehead in college, is old for a rookie, and is still raw IQ wise. Until he performs at the NBA level, he is a D-League star and that's it.

Chris Mills started 57.75% of his career games. He would have likely started many more if not for injuries. To do what Mills was able to do, especially from the SG position, would be incredibly valuable.

M.L. Carr was in the ABA at the start but he is another similar player in terms of defensive disruption. He started 27 games (of a possible 56) on a team that went to the ECF in 1981-82.

Paul Pressey was more point forward that played some guard but, defensively, he is likely similar to Giddens, as well. He averaged 1750+ MP, per season, over an 11-year career.

Our own Tony Allen is likely similar from a defensive standpoint. Or how about Sam Mitchell. Or Ruben Patterson. Or a healthy Tariq Abdul-Wahad. Or maybe, and this is his most likely comp, imo, Stacey Augmon.

[Barry Lird]

...
Paul Pressey was more point forward that played some guard but, defensively, he is likely similar to Giddens, as well. He averaged 1750+ MP, per season, over an 11-year career.... Or maybe, and this is his most likely comp, imo, Stacey Augmon.

Interesting observations, Pogue. Pressey would seem a best case scenario for Giddens. He was a helluva player. If Giddens comes anything close to that, we've got a fine player on our hands.

So far, it's seeming unlikely that he'll get minutes this year, and who really knows what Danny might do to shore up the bench, Giddens might be part of a package to bring in reliable veteran bench help.

If he sticks around though, it'll be interesting to see how he progresses. He's was a stat stuffer in college, and so far, in the D-league too.

[Celtic Esquire]

Awesome report r2g!

[BillessuR6]

I loved plastic man! That lefty hook he had was a really nice hot!