-Thursday, I watched the first half of the Kansas-Portland State blowout. I have always liked Brandon Rush, and he really shined in this game early on. Rush has always been very consistent in his three years with Kansas and can do a lot of things well. Rush finished with eighteen points in thirty minutes along with six rebounds. Rush also shot four for nine from behind the three point line. In terms of pro potential, I think Rush is a sleeper, similarly to what Tayshaun Prince's stock was like coming out of college. Both players were very consistent in their college career, played for big time universities, and had NBA bodies. Likewise, people wondered if they reached their ceiling early, and would not have much room to get better in the NBA. I love Rush's pro potential and think he can be a strong contributor. Along with great size and strength, he has a large wingspan and runs the floor well. Rush does a lot of things well, including rebounding efficiently for a guard, shooting range, and playing terrific perimeter defense. Rush's biggest weakness seems to be his ball handling, but I would assume this is a skill he will work on prior to individual team workouts.
-I've also spent some time watching Kevin Love of UCLA over the last few weeks. Love is an interesting prospect because he does not have the super athleticism that many young big men do today. He is more of a polished player, who does a lot of things well. For a pro team, if you are drafting him to be a top player within a franchise, I think you are making a mistake. However, if a team is looking for him to be their fifth player, I think he is a great fit.
Some interesting videos of Love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TQkWr8tQ3Q
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JoVpjgj6GAo
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1dGLwJaayL0
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wykfvQFtCkc
-I'm still concerned about the Celtics making it through the Eastern Conference in the playoffs. Boston beat the Pistons two-out-of-three in the regular season, but the Pistons guards have played excellent in the matchup. Down the stretch of games, if Doc Rivers feels the need to play Sam Cassell over Rajon Rondo because of the experience, I see Cassell as a huge liability on defense. Cassell cannot keep up with Richard Hamilton running off screens and will not be able to stay with Chauncey Billups' physical play. In a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers, I would again be concerned with their defense on LeBron James. Boston split their four matchups with Cleveland this season and James scored 38, 33, DNP, and 26. I don't see Pierce being able to matchup with James for most of a playoff game and still able to produce at a high level on offense. James Posey appears to not have much left in his tank and Tony Allen is not big enough to defend James. The main benefit the Celtics do have on their side in a big defensive matchup is Kevin Garnett defending the basket and Tom Thibodeau creating defensive game plans.
Showing posts with label Tony Allen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tony Allen. Show all posts
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Random Thoughts from the Week
-The Bulls continue to run screen-and-roll with Ben Gordon at the top of the key at the end of games. For the last year of so, teams realize that the play off that is to double Gordon and trap him, so he cannot attack the basket. Often times, due to a lack of height, Gordon ends up getting trapped near the half court line and the Bulls do not get a shot up. The especially frutstrating part about this is that they use a non-perimeter player to set the screen, so he is not a threat when the opposition doubles the ball.
-Like Kobe Bryant does for the Lakers and Chris Paul does for the Hornets, during the Rockets twenty-two game winning streak, the entire offense ran through Tracy McGrady. Outside of an increase in points per game, by looking at the statistics, you can not see the impact McGrady truly made during the eleven games the Rockets won during Yao Ming's absence. However, by running their offense through McGrady, he was able to involve guys like Luis Scola, Carl Landry, Chuck Hayes, Bobby Jackson, and even Mike Harris to infuse the winning streak. Allowing Alston to play more off the ball and utilize his improved three point shooting is ideal for the Rockets. During the twenty-two game winning streak, Alston shot nearly fourty percent from behind the three point line, including three games where he hit four or more threes.
-In last night's game, Boston chose to put all their efforts into minimizing McGrady's impact. Paul Pierce, Tony Allen, and James Posey all took shots at defending McGrady, but it was really a team effort that forced the ball out of his hands. McGrady shot four for eleven from the field and only scored eight points. Although he still ended up having eight assists, McGrady's plus/minus ended at -27, and he basically sat out the entire fourth quarter after the Rockets were outscored 32 to 16 in the third.
-I'm guessing after last night's embarrassing loss to the Detroit Pistons, 136-120, the Nuggets are now really regretting not making a trade for Ron Artest. The Nuggets stand today one-and-a-half games out of the playoffs and average 109 points per game given up - third worst in the NBA. At this point, I do not think the Nuggets will make the playoffs. Their only capable defensive player appears to be Marcus Camby, but he cannot do it alone. Even if they do sneak into the playoffs, I would expect a very short stay.
-Like Kobe Bryant does for the Lakers and Chris Paul does for the Hornets, during the Rockets twenty-two game winning streak, the entire offense ran through Tracy McGrady. Outside of an increase in points per game, by looking at the statistics, you can not see the impact McGrady truly made during the eleven games the Rockets won during Yao Ming's absence. However, by running their offense through McGrady, he was able to involve guys like Luis Scola, Carl Landry, Chuck Hayes, Bobby Jackson, and even Mike Harris to infuse the winning streak. Allowing Alston to play more off the ball and utilize his improved three point shooting is ideal for the Rockets. During the twenty-two game winning streak, Alston shot nearly fourty percent from behind the three point line, including three games where he hit four or more threes.
-In last night's game, Boston chose to put all their efforts into minimizing McGrady's impact. Paul Pierce, Tony Allen, and James Posey all took shots at defending McGrady, but it was really a team effort that forced the ball out of his hands. McGrady shot four for eleven from the field and only scored eight points. Although he still ended up having eight assists, McGrady's plus/minus ended at -27, and he basically sat out the entire fourth quarter after the Rockets were outscored 32 to 16 in the third.
-I'm guessing after last night's embarrassing loss to the Detroit Pistons, 136-120, the Nuggets are now really regretting not making a trade for Ron Artest. The Nuggets stand today one-and-a-half games out of the playoffs and average 109 points per game given up - third worst in the NBA. At this point, I do not think the Nuggets will make the playoffs. Their only capable defensive player appears to be Marcus Camby, but he cannot do it alone. Even if they do sneak into the playoffs, I would expect a very short stay.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Thoughts from Games on 11/2/07
Tonight I watched both the Celtics-Wizards and Bulls-76ers games. I was especially interested to see how the Celtics would play in their first game with Garnett and Allen. The Bulls played disappointingly in their first game against the Nets, so I was interested to see how they would play in their home debut against the 76ers.
My Observations:
-Tonight was certainly the best game of Tyrus Thomas' career. Although he still had a few defensive lapses and made some bad turnovers, he brought energy and athleticism to the team all night. He was active on the boards and had several mouth-opening blocked shots. It really looks like he has improved his jump shot, which will be pivotal in his development. If he can consistently knock down that mid-range shot, Thomas' potential is endless.
-Maybe it's because Thomas played so well, but I still expected the Bulls to get more offense from Joe Smith. I figured he could easily average ten points each game. It's early, but I'm already doubting my initial expectations.
-Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng really struggled tonight. For a perimeter shooter like Hinrich, his field goal percentage has never been as high as it needs to be. One reason may be because he has to exert so much on the defensive end, but long-term this is a concern. Especially in the first half, both struggled to get into any type of flow.
-Andre Miller has always been a real solid point guard. He probably has never gotten the credit he should get, but he is real steady and brings a lot to the table.
-Reggie Evans brings a nice dimension to the 76ers. He works hard on both ends of the court and is unselfish. On a team like the 76ers who have little experienced talent in the frontcourt, Evans could put up career highs in rebounds and points this season.
-If the Celtics can get the type of production they got tonight outside of the Big 3, they are going to be real tough to beat. Rajon Rando, Brian Scalabrine, Tony Allen, and Eddie House all gave them positive minutes. They don't need any of these guys to score a lot, just play hard and work on defense.
-What a night for Boston. It was truely a perfect start to the season as Garnett, Allen, and Pierce all played well and had the chemistry of a group that have played together for years. Garnett definitely started his MVP campaign on the right foot with this game line:
22 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
-Gilbert Arenas really struggled tonight to get into any kind of flow. He turned the ball over early and shot 5 for 20 from the field. The game ended with the Boston crowd chanting "Gilbert, Gilbert".
-The Celtics really dominated the Wizards in every aspect tonight. They lost by 20 points, shot 0 for 15 form the three-point line, only had 9 assists, and turned the ball over 19 times. Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood were the only Wizards to play effectively.
My Observations:
-Tonight was certainly the best game of Tyrus Thomas' career. Although he still had a few defensive lapses and made some bad turnovers, he brought energy and athleticism to the team all night. He was active on the boards and had several mouth-opening blocked shots. It really looks like he has improved his jump shot, which will be pivotal in his development. If he can consistently knock down that mid-range shot, Thomas' potential is endless.
-Maybe it's because Thomas played so well, but I still expected the Bulls to get more offense from Joe Smith. I figured he could easily average ten points each game. It's early, but I'm already doubting my initial expectations.
-Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng really struggled tonight. For a perimeter shooter like Hinrich, his field goal percentage has never been as high as it needs to be. One reason may be because he has to exert so much on the defensive end, but long-term this is a concern. Especially in the first half, both struggled to get into any type of flow.
-Andre Miller has always been a real solid point guard. He probably has never gotten the credit he should get, but he is real steady and brings a lot to the table.
-Reggie Evans brings a nice dimension to the 76ers. He works hard on both ends of the court and is unselfish. On a team like the 76ers who have little experienced talent in the frontcourt, Evans could put up career highs in rebounds and points this season.
-If the Celtics can get the type of production they got tonight outside of the Big 3, they are going to be real tough to beat. Rajon Rando, Brian Scalabrine, Tony Allen, and Eddie House all gave them positive minutes. They don't need any of these guys to score a lot, just play hard and work on defense.
-What a night for Boston. It was truely a perfect start to the season as Garnett, Allen, and Pierce all played well and had the chemistry of a group that have played together for years. Garnett definitely started his MVP campaign on the right foot with this game line:
22 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
-Gilbert Arenas really struggled tonight to get into any kind of flow. He turned the ball over early and shot 5 for 20 from the field. The game ended with the Boston crowd chanting "Gilbert, Gilbert".
-The Celtics really dominated the Wizards in every aspect tonight. They lost by 20 points, shot 0 for 15 form the three-point line, only had 9 assists, and turned the ball over 19 times. Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood were the only Wizards to play effectively.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Boston's Push to the Top
Yesterday, the Boston Celtics completed a blockbuster trade that sent the Minnesota Timberwolves Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes and Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, two first round draft picks, and cash considerations in exchange for Kevin Garnett. Adding Garnett to Ray Allen and Paul Pierce bring the Celtics from a fringe-playoff team to a franchise ready to compete for the title. All three players are in the prime of their career and are hungry to win a title.
The trade, however, leaves the Celtics with only eight players outside of the superstar threesome. On those eight, three of them, Brandon Wallace, Glen Davis, and Gabe Pruitt are rookies. So, it’s clear that Celtics general manager, Danny Ainge, still has plenty of work to do before the start of the 2007-08 season.
While Garnett, Allen, and Pierce headline the team, the rest of the roster features:
Tony Allen
Allen's career has been filled with injuries and distractions, which last included a torn ACL which forced him to miss 39 games last season. Fortunately, Allen is still young and has shown flashes of great skill on the defensive end. He has a great first step, which allows him to get to the free throw line, but is a poor outside shooter. He also needs to work to limit the amount of turnovers he makes and improve his ballhandling. Allen will play both guard spots and will most likely be looked upon to play strong defense and push the ball up in transition.
Glen Davis
Davis was selected in this year's draft with the thirty-fifth pick overall. He is a skilled big man with a great touch around the basket. For someone of his size, he has great athleticism and a nice feel for the game. Weight has been an issue for Davis throughout his career, and if he can continue to keep it off then it will allow him to have the explosiveness he needs to succeed. Davis will play more minutes than most rookies, and the Celtics will look for him to score off the bench.
Kendrick Perkins
Perkins is a young, developing big man who showed flashes of excellence last year. He is a physical player, who excels at rebounding and is a good outlet passer. Unfortuantely, he has a tendency to foul too frequently and has not developed enough post moves. This season, the Celtics will not be looking for Perkins to score, but cleaning up the glass and defending the post will be vital to their success.
Leon Powe
Like Davis and Perkins, Powe will be looked upon to come off the bench and produce. Powe played well in the last month of the season, where he showed the ability to score in th post and rebound well on the offensive end. Powe excels with both his back-to-the-basket and when he faces up. He has super long arms and a great motor. He is somewhat undersized in the post, which limits what he can do.
Gabe Pruitt
Pruitt is a combination guard with a great jump shot and big-time athleticiscm. He has great range on his three point shot, but is undersized at the shooting guard position. Pruitt will be seen as an energy guy this season for Boston. When he comes in, he will need to take advantage of his shooting ability and explosiveness, and take some of the scoring pressure off of the Celtics stars.
Rajon Rondo
Rondo possesses great quickness and long arms. He has the ability to push the pace on offense, but clearly struggles to shoot from the perimeter. He is a great rebounder for a point guard, but needs more experience before he becomes one of the top guards in the East. If the Celtics do not bring in a point guard to compete with Rondo for the starting spot, his success may determine how far his team goes in the playoffs. If he can take care of the ball well and defend the opponents point guard well, the Celtics will be able to compete for the title.
Brian Scalabrine
Scalabrine is a strong defensive player with very limited ability on offense. He has good size and strength, but lacks any post game and cannot create on his own. If injuries occur to Allen or Pierce, Scalabrine may be asked to step in and defend the opponent's best player. Otherwise, Scalabrine's role should be limited this season for the Celtics.
Brandon Wallace
Wallace is a strong defensive player, who blocks shots well. Wallace was undrafted out of South Carolina, but won a spot with the team after playing in Las Vegas for the Celtics. Wallace will be an end-of-the-bench guy this year, but may play a role down the line in Boston.
So with that being said, Ainge still has several key spots on his roster to fill. He certainly needs a point guard to compete with Rondo for the starting role. More likely, the point guard that Ainge brings in will come off the bench for the Celtics, but will play down the stretch. They need a veteran point guard, who has been their before. Some options here are Earl Boykins, Brevin Knight, Troy Hudson, and Charlie Bell. Bell is the best fit of the four guys here, but he is a restricted free agent. The Bucks would like to bring Bell back to play behind Mo Williams. Therefore, I think Brevin Knight will fill the spot for Ainge and the Celtics.
Next, the Celtics need to sign a veteran backup center to play behind Perkins. Ideally, Perkins is limited to playing 25 minutes per night. So, the Celtics need a guy who will be ready to play nearly 20 minutes each game. Dikembe Mutombo, Michael Ruffin, Calvin Booth, Scot Pollard, Anderson Varejo, Chris Webber, and P.J. Brown are the best available free agents to fill this spot. Varejo and Webber will most likely resign with their previous teams. Mutombo, Ruffin, Booth, and Pollard are probably too limited to player close to 20 minutes a night. So, P.J. Brown is the choice to fill this spot.
The last remaining position to fill is a guy who can play small forward or power forward. Andray Blatche, Corliss Williamson, and James Posey are the top remaining players who could fill this role. Posey is the most logical spot to backup Pierce. Posey is a strong defensive player, who would be strong off the bench for the Celtics.
With a full, defensive-minded roster of players around Garnett, Pierce, and Allen, the Celtics should be able to compete for the title. Fielding Rondo and Knight at point guard; Ray Allen, Tony Allen, and Pruitt at shooting guard; Pierce, Posey, Scalabarine, and Wallace at small forward; Garnett, Powe, and Davis at power forward; and Perkins and Brown at center, the Celtics will be as strong as any team in the East, barring any major injuries.
The trade, however, leaves the Celtics with only eight players outside of the superstar threesome. On those eight, three of them, Brandon Wallace, Glen Davis, and Gabe Pruitt are rookies. So, it’s clear that Celtics general manager, Danny Ainge, still has plenty of work to do before the start of the 2007-08 season.
While Garnett, Allen, and Pierce headline the team, the rest of the roster features:
Tony Allen
Allen's career has been filled with injuries and distractions, which last included a torn ACL which forced him to miss 39 games last season. Fortunately, Allen is still young and has shown flashes of great skill on the defensive end. He has a great first step, which allows him to get to the free throw line, but is a poor outside shooter. He also needs to work to limit the amount of turnovers he makes and improve his ballhandling. Allen will play both guard spots and will most likely be looked upon to play strong defense and push the ball up in transition.
Glen Davis
Davis was selected in this year's draft with the thirty-fifth pick overall. He is a skilled big man with a great touch around the basket. For someone of his size, he has great athleticism and a nice feel for the game. Weight has been an issue for Davis throughout his career, and if he can continue to keep it off then it will allow him to have the explosiveness he needs to succeed. Davis will play more minutes than most rookies, and the Celtics will look for him to score off the bench.
Kendrick Perkins
Perkins is a young, developing big man who showed flashes of excellence last year. He is a physical player, who excels at rebounding and is a good outlet passer. Unfortuantely, he has a tendency to foul too frequently and has not developed enough post moves. This season, the Celtics will not be looking for Perkins to score, but cleaning up the glass and defending the post will be vital to their success.
Leon Powe
Like Davis and Perkins, Powe will be looked upon to come off the bench and produce. Powe played well in the last month of the season, where he showed the ability to score in th post and rebound well on the offensive end. Powe excels with both his back-to-the-basket and when he faces up. He has super long arms and a great motor. He is somewhat undersized in the post, which limits what he can do.
Gabe Pruitt
Pruitt is a combination guard with a great jump shot and big-time athleticiscm. He has great range on his three point shot, but is undersized at the shooting guard position. Pruitt will be seen as an energy guy this season for Boston. When he comes in, he will need to take advantage of his shooting ability and explosiveness, and take some of the scoring pressure off of the Celtics stars.
Rajon Rondo
Rondo possesses great quickness and long arms. He has the ability to push the pace on offense, but clearly struggles to shoot from the perimeter. He is a great rebounder for a point guard, but needs more experience before he becomes one of the top guards in the East. If the Celtics do not bring in a point guard to compete with Rondo for the starting spot, his success may determine how far his team goes in the playoffs. If he can take care of the ball well and defend the opponents point guard well, the Celtics will be able to compete for the title.
Brian Scalabrine
Scalabrine is a strong defensive player with very limited ability on offense. He has good size and strength, but lacks any post game and cannot create on his own. If injuries occur to Allen or Pierce, Scalabrine may be asked to step in and defend the opponent's best player. Otherwise, Scalabrine's role should be limited this season for the Celtics.
Brandon Wallace
Wallace is a strong defensive player, who blocks shots well. Wallace was undrafted out of South Carolina, but won a spot with the team after playing in Las Vegas for the Celtics. Wallace will be an end-of-the-bench guy this year, but may play a role down the line in Boston.
So with that being said, Ainge still has several key spots on his roster to fill. He certainly needs a point guard to compete with Rondo for the starting role. More likely, the point guard that Ainge brings in will come off the bench for the Celtics, but will play down the stretch. They need a veteran point guard, who has been their before. Some options here are Earl Boykins, Brevin Knight, Troy Hudson, and Charlie Bell. Bell is the best fit of the four guys here, but he is a restricted free agent. The Bucks would like to bring Bell back to play behind Mo Williams. Therefore, I think Brevin Knight will fill the spot for Ainge and the Celtics.
Next, the Celtics need to sign a veteran backup center to play behind Perkins. Ideally, Perkins is limited to playing 25 minutes per night. So, the Celtics need a guy who will be ready to play nearly 20 minutes each game. Dikembe Mutombo, Michael Ruffin, Calvin Booth, Scot Pollard, Anderson Varejo, Chris Webber, and P.J. Brown are the best available free agents to fill this spot. Varejo and Webber will most likely resign with their previous teams. Mutombo, Ruffin, Booth, and Pollard are probably too limited to player close to 20 minutes a night. So, P.J. Brown is the choice to fill this spot.
The last remaining position to fill is a guy who can play small forward or power forward. Andray Blatche, Corliss Williamson, and James Posey are the top remaining players who could fill this role. Posey is the most logical spot to backup Pierce. Posey is a strong defensive player, who would be strong off the bench for the Celtics.
With a full, defensive-minded roster of players around Garnett, Pierce, and Allen, the Celtics should be able to compete for the title. Fielding Rondo and Knight at point guard; Ray Allen, Tony Allen, and Pruitt at shooting guard; Pierce, Posey, Scalabarine, and Wallace at small forward; Garnett, Powe, and Davis at power forward; and Perkins and Brown at center, the Celtics will be as strong as any team in the East, barring any major injuries.
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