Post#407 » by Axolotl » Tue Oct 8, 2019 9:45 am
I know, I know, it's the first preseason game, just a step up from the summer league, but these Bulls didn't look like a team that will see the floor in the 19/20 season playoffs.
The Bucks looked like the better coached team, the players more aware of each other and what they are about to do than the Bulls' players. The Bucks had a team, the Bulls had a bunch of guys.
The Bulls had trouble with team defence. Not encouraging, considering the Bucks were without their top guns. Then again, I expect the Bucks to be the #1 team in the east, an their 2nd stringers are pretty strong.
Glad to see Valentine back and lookin as good as he did. For a player with such a long pause from competitive basketball, he did well. He'll be a useful rotation player, which is what I was hoping for.
Coby White did very little in the way of playmaking, which was mildly disappointing. He did drive aggressively to the rim and was drawing fouls, which was nice, but didn't really contribute to team offence. Encouraging defence from him: he wants to defend, which is great to see.
Really liked Gafford's take no prisoners -attitude. He looked way better than a second round pick has any right to be in a preseason game of his rookie season. I think he'll have an impact on the opponent's defences, because he will dunk on you if you give him the narrowest of windows to do so.
Satoransky's shot was off. I would have liked to see more of Satoransky with Markkanen, Porter, LaVine. Some of the plays he made were wasted because the others couldn't read what he was going for. There's a simple play that Satoransky does that I can see working well with Markkanen: Satoransky dribbles between the defender and the shooter, and does a handout/short pass, and the shooter is open, as Satoransky is between the shooter and the defender.
Thad Young was going half throttle. At least I hope he was. But he does play within the flow, and reads the game well. His shot is ugly.
Kris Dunn was himself. Some very nice plays, other times just hard to understand what goes on in his mind. Still looks like he doesn't know what to do off the ball.
If someone expected Markkanen to be a monster, he didn't look like one. He was one of the players to bring the ball up, which I hope will continue. Shot looked smooth, but it always has.
LaVine, not going at full throttle here I assume. Loved when he exploded out of a double team on the sideline for a dunk. That man is so effortlessly fluid in his movement, and flies so high so easily. Some nice passes too, and some horrible defensive plays. Like, your man is not going to go left if you give him a free lane to the hoop. Stay in front of him, not almost by his side.
Mokoka didn't look out of place in a NBA-game.
From the basketball's perspective, travel is a nice pause from being pounded to the floor.