If anyone points out negatives to this win tonight, you're an idiot and can't enjoy anything.
I must be the only idiot on the board (aside from Mixum), since apparently we played The Perfect Game and I missed it. Did I enjoy the game? Sure. Did I scream at the TV more than once? Yep. If you didn't, good for you. You have more patience, or better blinders (or Rose-colored Kool-Aid). B/c I watched 48 minutes of basketball (most parts twice), and, sure 'nuff...saw some bad things.
I know, say it ain't so. We can't win unless we play The Perfect Game (TPG). Sucks that we broke out TPG so early, and Roy wasn't involved. Wish we could've held onto it for the playoffs.
Normally I'd start with the positives, and then go into the negatives, but since OP asked (and Alex thinks I'm an idiot) I'll flip the script.
1) Steve Blake still shows an inability to take advantage of a fast break opportunity. It's almost Jack-like. But I
was impressed at how JB found LMA on the dunk in the 4th.
1a) Blake and Oden were the only ones keeping us in the game in the first half. Blake was clutch from 3. When he is, he's great for us. When he's not hitting his 3's, it's tougher for me to have patience with a 6th-year vet.
2) Bayless is lacking in some basic PG skills, like not picking the ball up unless you have someone to pass to. I still think he has tons of talent and would like to see him start. I was happy to hear that he's getting all of his time in practice with the first unit.
3) Lost in all the Travis love for tonight (where I was happy to see that he attacked the rim hard and went after rebounds) the BrianFromWA Rule of Travis (BROT) is still in effect: it's a crapshoot from play to play if he'll do something insanely boneheaded or that makes you stand up and scream like Braveheart. Not game to game or quarter to quarter; play to play. I was happy to see that he redeemed himself at the end tonight.
4) Until Oden "tosses" Allen into the stands, we were still getting punked. LMA needs to realize a little earlier that if he's missing that open jumper, he should take it inside for some chippies, or get to the line to get a rhythm going, then go back outside. IIRC he was 2-8 before he even got to the line. If he's drilling that 18-footer, no worries. If he's not, it's tough for us if he keeps letting it fly.
4b) Second half, we played much tighter D, seemed to respond like pros to the refs, the trashtalk, and the game situation.
5) This isn't a negative, but something I find interesting. The first half the game was called pretty tightly on both ends. Then Doc Rivers spends an entire timeout in the ears of all three refs, and then it starts getting a little hinky. I'm not sure it's a negative, or if I don't see it; I rarely see Nate lighting up refs for bad calls. Maybe that's a reason we talk so much about "poorly reffed games" in here?
6a) It took about 4 possessions with Joel and Oden in the game together (iirc) for a guard to throw one of them the ball. Then, there were two 3 point plays in 2 possessions. I wish our guards would look more for bigs in the paint.
6b) Really enjoyed seeing Greg play tonight. Him pushing Allen out of bounds turned the tide.
6c) Not sure I like 2 PGs and Travis with the 2 C's in the game.
7) Sergio seemed taken a bit out of his game tonight. Clutch FTs at the end, but I'm not sure he is confident playing off the ball as the 2. Him with Bayless reminded me a lot of him with Jack last year, and imo it's wasting a bit of his talent and taking away from Bayless's ability to create for an open shooter. Maybe that's something both get better at throughout the year. A little along the same lines, I don't like Rudy starting at the 2, since he's always with the 2nd unit in practice with Sergio and Outlaw. It seemed to take him a bit out of his game early.
Great win. Great fun to watch. Agonizing during certain parts. I'll bet Nate finds 30 things in this, TPG, to teach the team about or to "correct".
Please point out the negative from tonight's win against the Celtics
I aim to please.
<------ this is my serious face
Well done, impressive.
