Gym Sweat and Peyote

by Peter W on Jul 15, 2008 7:20 AM CDT Comment 14 comments

I recently read something to this effect: Summer League doesn't show you who can play, but it shows you who can't. - My colleague Wyn, in his T-Wolves/Mavs Game Thread Post

I second that notion entirely. Based on that premise, I think just about the entire T-Wolves Summer League squad could be excused from competition, particularly the point guards. Ugh.

Luckily it's only one game; but no matter the year, or if it's summer league or regular season, there are constants for anyone wearing a Wolves jersey, including poor perimeter and transition defense, incessant jump shooting, and the lack of free throw opportunities. I remember how last night's Mavs Summer League coach--Dwayne Casey--got fired as the Wolves HC for his inconsistency. Dwayne should be thanking the Gods for his exodus from Minnesota, because this is the kind of consistency no real basketball professional would stand for.

In Wyn's Game Thread, I read Andy G's post about Wittman's interview with the Sports Huddle crew, talking about Corey Brewer's jumper. I think it's safe to say that our man Randy was telling folks what we (and he, for that matter) wanted to hear, which isn't necessarily the truth. Maybe it was the pixellated effect of stretching the video stream across my computer screen, but last night I could have sworn I saw parents in attendance practicing the "duck and cover" drill with their kids every time the Gator hoisted one of his mortar shots. It simply goes to show you what the effects of gym sweat and peyote have on a head coach desperate to find the extra 20 wins his boss predicted.

As for Kevin Love, not great but not bad. S-N-P correctly pointed out in Wyn's thread the boy is going to have to learn how to move his feet. One can't throw those supposedly gorgeous outlet passes or tenaciously rebound while sitting on the bench with foul trouble. I saw some good instincts from Love; I found it incredible that our bevy of point guards weren't instructed to feed him the ball continuously and run the offense through him.

There's nowhere to go but up with this crew; I'm actually looking forward to the next game to see if there's any improvement.

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If Love...

...doesn’t have each and every single play run through him in the next game, I’m going to scream. I know these are summer league games but what else do the coaches need to see from a team of nobodies + Love to know that they have zero play makers and zero scorers outside of Love. You’d figure a player like Jeter, Neitzel, or Ahern would realize that the only way their bread is going to get buttered is if they run pick and roll after pick and roll with Love.

It was really nice to see him adjust to the pace of the game within the game. He showed more improvement from the 1st quarter to the 4th quarter than Brewer did from the beginning of last year to the end of it. He moved a ton without the ball, he hit the boards, he played help defense, and he made a few nice moves off the dribble. Foye, Shaddy, and Miller have to be smiling right now to see a guy that big being able to set screens and knock down the mid-range j.

Here’s my take in a fan shot:

http://www.canishoopus.com/2008/7/15/571798/it-s-only-practice-but

The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com

by Stop-n-Pop on Jul 15, 2008 7:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

In the half-court, Love moves around like Rasheed Wallace. He likes to pick & pop, post up and set screens for cutters. I’m sure it’ll look better when there are more-competent players around him. The PG’s couldn’t feed the post on the times they did get past halfcourt without turning it over.

Brewer’s struggles seemed more shot-selection than shooting touch. Since the latter was his problem last year, I’ll hold off on judging him until he settles down and tries some smarter shots. Like many predicted, he was the recipient of a couple 75-foot outlet passes for layups.

by Andy G on Jul 15, 2008 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think this is extremely well-put...

...Brewer will be just fine. Clearly he’s trying to do too much (e.g. that weird hook shot…btw I was able to watch the game, or as much as I wanted to, on replay after it ended) – probably thinks that, on a team where he is clearly one of the two best players, he has to carry the offensive load, and that’s just not his game. Once he stops doing this he’ll be fine… I do think that it’s the coaches’ responsibility to make him understand this role…hopefully Wittman will be up to the task once the season rolls around.

I’d agree with running everything through Love if these games meant anything…but these guys are trying to show the coaches what they can do, not just defer to the better players. I do think it would be a good idea anyways, however, if only because Love’s not a black hole – he’s clearly one of those guys who makes his teammates better, and if you give it to him and move smartly without the ball, you’ll probably get it back.

By the way how ‘bout Love’s first step? Looked plenty quick to me on a couple of those dribble-drives.

by plinytheelder on Jul 15, 2008 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brewers Shooting woes

It is only one sample from a summer league game, but the fact that Brewer’s shooting was attrocious last night is a bit troubling. I don’t think Brewer will ever solve his shooting problem until he makes some sort of progress with those toothpick legs he has. I didn’t seen the game last night but this observation from Belgium Wim is eerily familair.

In the second half I saw his "leaning forward/sticking ass backward" on his jumper coming back. I think that has something to do with him becoming tired. I think he needs to find a speed at which he is comfortable instead of being in Turbo all the time. He’s like the Tazmanian Devil sometimes…

Brewer is long and quick and he can get up and down the floor in a hurry. I’d like to see some more pace to his game, but his tendency to be the tazmanian devil does lead to some fun basketball to watch and can wreak havoc on opposing offenses as well as defenses. I don’t want to see this aspect of has game deteriorate as he slows down to preserve energy. However, there is no doubt that this pace takes a toll on his legs and shooting form as suggested by Wittman’s observations of Brewer’s shooting in practice and his hitting his first two shots in the game. Brewer’s shooting woes are not shot selection or the result of having bad form in my opinion. He can take 1 million shots this summer and it won’t improve his shooting percentage if he cannot get his legs underneath him in a game.

I made the suggestion for Brewer’s offseason workout during the past season. He doesn’t just need to shoot. He needs to lift weights and shoot.

Squats, Sprints (crunches/killers/whatever name), shoot 100 shots in quick succession, repeat…

All summer long, never ending.

by Andy B on Jul 15, 2008 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lets take a breath Corey...

I only saw the second half but I’ll summarize every play I saw from Corey Brewer. Gets the ball out of bounds then flies up the court at mach-10. When he inevitably runs into defenders he took a panicked jumper so as not to pick up a charge.

He still is showing he has the speed and quickness to be a good NBA player. It takes more than that.

ps. Thank to the SB Nation site for updating the page with snp’s post so I didn’t look like the d-bag repeating my exasperation with the fact that the PG’s didn’t seem to pay any attention to Love or Richard.

by Pants_ on Jul 15, 2008 7:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

On a completely unrelated subject...

...Billy Packer has finally retired/been fired. Thank you Jeebus. I wonder if this has to do with his appearance on Charlie Rose when he told Mr. Rose not to “fag out”....or something along those lines. The only bad thing here is that Packer is going to be replaced with Clark Kellog instead of the guy who yelled “Send it in Jerome!!!”

The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com

by Stop-n-Pop on Jul 15, 2008 8:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

To that subject...

Here’s a Dallas Morning News blurb, courtesy of CNNSI:

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/57911

by Peter W on Jul 15, 2008 8:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow...

...I actually thought that was a highlight of his career…that a network guy would have the balls to call it like he sees it in that big of a blow out.

The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com

by Stop-n-Pop on Jul 15, 2008 9:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

his exact words, if I remember...

...were “this game is over!” in the most incredulous voice possible.

I don’t understand the drama here – after all he said after the final that he might not be back – didn’t he just resign? Maybe I’m missing something.

by plinytheelder on Jul 15, 2008 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ps did he really say that to Rose?

if so that’s hilarious…I think I have to look for that…

by plinytheelder on Jul 15, 2008 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As always,

it depends on what you read. According to other reports, this was an agreed upon move between CBS and Packer before last season, and he requested nothing be said about it during the season. I think Kellogg is okay, but he’s very careful, so we won’t see much in the way of broadsides at tourney time any more.

by Peter W on Jul 15, 2008 11:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm just as annoyed by Nantz...

...my dad is a big golf fan and I end up watching the Masters with him on the final Sunday. April sports, for me, are far too filled with schmaltzy Nantz moments. Here’s hoping that Dick Vitale is the next to retire.

The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com

by Stop-n-Pop on Jul 15, 2008 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

On the fouls thing. I think Oden almost fouled out of his first Summer League game. I think he made about 1 or 2 more fouls in the 2nd half, so yea, he pick up his game a lot in the 2nd. He’s gonna be OK, no worries there.

I’m not entirely sure they should be post feeding Love that much. The goal of these games is not to win em, it’s to see what people can do in game situations. We know what Love can do, the only reason he’s there is to warm him up a bit for the regular season and get him accustomed to the systems.
Though it would off course be nice if we didn’t get blown out by a team with no top 10 picks in it…

by Wim (Belgium) on Jul 15, 2008 10:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs