LoveMyRaps wrote:Some thoughts from the game:
- This type of performance is exactly what I've been wanting to see from Barnes over the past couple of weeks. He was aggressive from the jump. Simply puts, good things happen when he's got the ball.
- Literally everyone played great last night. Not a single player had a bad game
- Glad to have Yuta back. Loved his defense last night. We needed that! Once he gets his shot going, we'll have a solid role player that we can rely on.
- Precious is playing much, MUCH better. He's playing confidently while at the same time not forcing up bad shots or being selfish with the ball like he was prior. That 3pt shot looks good. I hope he keeps taking them. I have way more faith in him knocking it down from behind the arc than I do in Boucher.
- Morant is a bonafide star and what's crazy is that he's only 22. Only knock on him is his defense but given his athleticism, I'm sure he can at least become an average defender.
- We suck at closing out quarters.
- Our after timeout plays remain great. Nurse has been on point with those.
- Banton has some solid potential. He can be a rich mans Shaun Livingston.
- People keeping on the guy... but I'll say it again: Gary Trent Jr. is a stud & definitely worth keeping long term. Every team needs a guy that can score at will and get a timely bucket when needed. Trent is that guy! What he's doing at only 22 years of age on both ends of the floor is awfully impressive. His defense is being a tad bit overrated IMO but he's still made significant strides in that department this season and will only continue to get better.
Loads of good stuff in your assessment. I was elated to see Barnes bounce back, and it was also great to see because I think the first few possessions he turned the ball over and had some iffy defense, and then he made that three and came on again. Great to see him not hang his head.
With Yuta it is evident to me the IQ on the team goes up on both sides. With Boucher he is all about the homerun play either getting a block on defense or a three or dunk on offense. Yuta sees the floor way better and doesn't need anything called for him crashing the glass or cutting to get his offense. That's why I'd slot hi ahead of Boucher going forward.
Precious will need a few more games like this before I think he has turned a corner. Playing in Memphis is like when OG plays in Indy. There is a soft spot for these guys playing in their old college cities.
Morant is a beast, but there is no way he holds up. He is way more reckless attacking than Rose was as a young player. It is only a matter of time before he tears his knees up with that slight build of his. He put way too much pressure on his joints the way he plays. The Gary Trent Jr. foul was barely a touch foul, but you can see how awful his falls are because he goes way too hard to the rim.