SA writer's take on last night's game

[PtldPlatypus]

I don't get it. The top says Bayless averaged 8.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. The bottom, backed up by a game log, says he averaged 18.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists.

The top actually shows his current regular season stats, while the bottom shows his summer league stats.

 

[Pontius]

So because you get 1 out of 1000 right you want us all to bow down and admit your greatness?

Jerryd wasn't ready last year. There are very few homers who would argue otherwise. Those are the same people who thought every draft pick was Jermaine ONeal, spoiling on the vine. Good lord, we could've won 99 consecutive championships with the "guaranteed All-Stars" that people were claiming existed. (re: see Telfair).

His summer league play sucked too. Was it better than last year in terms of assists? Sure, but he sure as hell didn't look ready to play. Whatever it is he's needed he has seemed to discover as of late, but a whole season is a lot different from three games (and mind you in one of those games he shot much like our earlier starting PG).

I'm sure everyone is excited over his progress but I also know it's only a matter of time before some moron starts screaming for us to trade Roy because he's hindering Bayless' rise to Kobe status.

Where did you come up with that 1 out of 1000 number? I don't know if the Blazers have employed that many players in my lifetime for it to even be possible. It sounds like an exaggerated number.

I'm not asking for you to admit to my greatness, I am asking you to admit to your fault. There's a difference. And only a fucking pussy cannot admit when they are wrong.

What does thinking Bayless was ready last year have to do with homerism? And I love how you use this past summer league to determine for you that Bayless wasn't ready this season, but then say he clearly wasn't ready last season after DOMINATING the summer league. The truth is that we'll never know what Bayless would've done had he been given regular minutes last season. You can only speculate that he'd have struggled. And considering that you speculated this season that he'd struggle, I have very little reason to trust your eye for talent evaluation.

You mentioned morons but aren't you the one who was defending the amount of minutes that Blake was getting earlier on in the season?

 

[Pontius]

he averaged 18.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists.

Man, those are just awful statistics for a guy playing with a bunch of scrubs while trying to makeover his game.

 

[STOMP]

He looked like shit -- there's no sugar coating it.

remind me how Batum looked in SL the year before or how Qyntel looked in SL a few seasons prior. Maybe there is a lesson for some of us to learn about the importance of those games???

STOMP

 

[KingSpeed]

The difference between Tony Parker and Jerryd Bayless physically is--besides Jerryd likely being circumcised while Tony probably has his French turtle-neck--is that Bayless is not only quick, but powerful. He's strong enough to post up a PG as well as drive.

Of course Parker is still the far superior player. If Bayless can become 75% of the player TP is, he's going to be magnificient for this team.

Why is Parker the still far superior player? You just said that Bayless has attributes that Parker does not have. Why is Parker better? Did he look better on Wednesday?

 

[Nikolokolus]

remind me how Batum looked in SL the year before or how Qyntel looked in SL a few seasons prior. Maybe there is a lesson for some of us to learn about the importance of those games???

STOMP

I'm not saying it's the be all end all, but if Summer League was his chance to audition for the backup point guard spot then he certainly didn't do enough to convince the coaches that he was ready to take the reins, hence they signed Miller.

Context. I didn't jump off the Jerryd bandwagon because I put this performance into context. Now the proof is out there that Bayless is the real deal and people are backtracking so conveniently, as if to say it all came out of nowhere. Perhaps it'd be nice if some of the people on here would admit to their gross misjudgment of his ability.

What cracks me up is that because I'm not fawning over him, or because I can be objective about what he actually put on the court in limited minutes last year and what he did prior in Summer League I'm suddenly down on him or not admitting to his greatness or admitting to some fault. I'm ecstatic that he's put together the second year that he has, and while there was always the potential (based on his draft position and production in college and high school) there wasn't much actual physical evidence at the NBA level that he was going to transform himself this drastically or this quickly.

FWIW I did start the "Free Bayless" movement and am still the president of that movement (unless a coup occurred without my knowledge?)
http://www.sportstwo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130729

 

[STOMP]

I'm not saying it's the be all end all, but if Summer League was his chance to audition for the backup point guard spot then he certainly didn't do enough to convince the coaches that he was ready to take the reins, hence they signed Miller.

What cracks me up is that because I'm not fawning over him, or because I can be objective about what he actually put on the court in limited minutes last year and what he did prior in Summer League I'm suddenly down on him or not admitting to his greatness or admitting to some fault.

you are? I must have missed where has someone accused you of this.

My point is that Summer League has repeatedly proven to be a poor gauge of a player's worth. With umpteen examples of this truism prior to this last summer, those that were writing off Bayless because of his play then were silly to do so. Whats the chances that yet again next summer we'll have some making more emphatic judgements?

STOMP

 

[Nikolokolus]

you are? I must have missed where has someone accused you of this.

My point is that Summer League has repeatedly proven to be a poor gauge of a player's worth. With umpteen examples of this truism prior to this last summer, those that were writing off Bayless because of his play then were silly to do so. Whats the chances that yet again next summer we'll have some making more emphatic judgements?

STOMP

I wasn't very clear, I should have directed this more at Pontius. I only quoted your post to address the summer league issue.

Fixed now.

 

[Pontius]

I'm not saying it's the be all end all, but if Summer League was his chance to audition for the backup point guard spot then he certainly didn't do enough to convince the coaches that he was ready to take the reins, hence they signed Miller.




What cracks me up is that because I'm not fawning over him, or because I can be objective about what he actually put on the court in limited minutes last year and what he did prior in Summer League I'm suddenly down on him or not admitting to his greatness or admitting to some fault. I'm ecstatic that he's put together the second year that he has, and while there was always the potential (based on his draft position and production in college and high school) there wasn't much actual physical evidence at the NBA level that he was going to transform himself this drastically or this quickly.

FWIW I did start the "Free Bayless" movement and am still the president of that movement (unless a coup occurred without my knowledge?)
http://www.sportstwo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130729

To be fair to you Nik, I really haven't ever included you among the Bayless haters. I've always appreciated your analysis and my comments weren't so much directed at you. I do think we have different opinions about Bayless' performance in summer league and his performance of last season, but for that I could understand where you are coming from. I just know there are few out there who couldn't accept that maybe McMillan wasn't giving Bayless enough of an opportunity to acclimate himself to the NBA game. It also bothers me that some might think that because of McMillan's coddling that Bayless somehow improved enough to warrant minutes. I saw in his play from last season and in summer league many flashes of what we are seeing now. As a former player and albeit small time, I know how difficult it is to prove yourself when playing irregular minutes while being asked to play within a system that inhibits your strengths. I took that into account while critiquing Bayless as a player.

Anyway, have a Merry Christmas and all.