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***Jazz vs Sixers tonight @7!*** Lyles to Debut!

Errrr .... Lyles just comes into the game and my wife hollers, "Hon, can you help me find my phone?"
"It's probably under the bed. Do you want me to call the number?"
"I shut it off. I can't find it, can you help look?"
*&^&*(%... "uh, okay."
<finds phone + 3 more honey do's, returns to the game just as Lyles goes to the bench>
Divorce her.
 
My thoughts on Lyles. For those who were disappointed, I get it. You have things you can point to as to why you feel that way.

I was encouraged, but first the bad.

Somebody mentioned his lack of rebounding "instinct". I'm not sure that's what I'd call it, but I sort of thought the same thing. His timing and his strength on the glass was poor.
Obviously, he didn't shoot the ball very well. Fish mentioned he has a little twist in his release - not too concerned about that, but certainly not a positive thing.
His feel for defense didn't look very good, help defense left a little to be desired.
Overall, I think his biggest issue is his lack of strength, but that's true with almost every 19 year old in the NBA. Perhaps I'm being overly optimistic, but I think most of this can be corrected with just playing basketball - hadn't played 5 on 5 since the NCAAs - and getting stronger. His feel for rebounding and for help defense will get better just by playing. QS mentioned his feel for the game being one of his biggest strengths, so I'm not worried. In regard to the release on his shot, I'm sure it was that way at UK and it was that way in his workout with the Jazz and if it didn't discourage the Jazz I have confidence it won't be a problem.

The good: He showed a good feel offensively. Had the two pump fakes and drawn fouls. Besides the one very nice pass to Cooley, he simply looked comfortable passing the ball. He seemed to understand how to set effective picks without picking up offensive fouls. Despite the strange little hand twist mentioned earlier, I think his shot is a thing of beauty. He's nearly 6'11", has a high release and should be able to get his jump shot off whenever he wants. I'm confident he'll start knocking it down even in this summer league as he gets in better shape, gets more reps and more comfortable on the floor. It was mentioned that the defense was giving him the shot. Well, I think he's a guy who will force the defense to pick it's poison. Either give it to him or he has the ability to put it on the deck and go by you and finish (like he did on the ridiculous traveling call) or find the open man. Ultimately I think if Lyles is going to be a really good player, it will be due to his offensive versatility to knock down shots if you give him space or make plays off the bounce if you don't. To be great, you have to be able to create and get your shot off and he can do that. The question is whether he can knock shots down consistently and I'm confident he'll get there. I was impressed with how he wasn't shy or passive. The gave him shots and he took them. He got to the line six times which was impressive. We didn't see anything in the post and I think that's an underrated part of his game that can be used on occasion.

In regard to the rebounding issues and lack of strength, this is a 19 year old who spent his entire college season playing the wing and now the Jazz have him playing the 4. That will take some getting used to. I thought he rebounded fine at Kentucky, but he was never the main rebounder as a 3.
 
Poor guy... what else does he need to do to get a contract....

He has a contract....

The Jazz have paid him a lot of $$$ to play basketball and are now giving him a lot of minutes to play in SL. Even if they do cut him, I'm sure he will get picked up based on his performance to the end the year last year and now with what he has been doing in SL. I struggle to feel bad for him.
 
@Seattle: Nice post. I thought Lyles handled the speed and physicality adjustment very well. Maybe this is due in part to his experience at UK. He didn't look phased at all. The game wasn't too fast for him. He played very under control, didn't rush and didn't hesitate making the play he wanted to make. You can tell he's thinking the game, and his IQ looked the highest of anyone one on the floor. I think that might be his greatest talent. A guy like Gordon Hayward can dominate a game with his IQ and decision making, and I think Lyles has the potential to be similar.

With Hood, Exum and Hayward, the Jazz are assembling a versatile group who can all make reads and consistently make the right decision in the flow of the game. If Quin really knows how to put that to work like people say he can, the results could be pretty impressive.
 
Reporter: "Did you get lost out there at all with limited practice?"

Lyles: "Not at all, I picked the plays up pretty quick"



Wow... the confidence. I like it.
 
People acting like they forgot the previous 2 games of Cotton. Stop acting as if he's some can't miss prospect. He's an end of the bench player... if the Jazz think Neto gives them something different/better as a 3d option I have no problem letting Cotton go. He was completely out of his depth when faced by NBA players in the game against the Celtics and then against mediocre Spurs team. He gets bullied in D by bigger guards. It's nothing against him, but that's the truth and the majority of players he will have to guard in the league are closer to Rozier/Smart than to TJ McConnell. I like the guy too and he's really entertaining to watch, but come on, lets not go overboard...
 
People acting like they forgot the previous 2 games of Cotton. Stop acting as if he's some can't miss prospect. He's an end of the bench player... if the Jazz think Neto gives them something different/better as a 3d option I have no problem letting Cotton go. He was completely out of his depth when faced by NBA players in the game against the Celtics and then against mediocre Spurs team. He gets bullied in D by bigger guards. It's nothing against him, but that's the truth and the majority of players he will have to guard in the league are closer to Rozier/Smart than to TJ McConnell. I like the guy too and he's really entertaining to watch, but come on, lets not go overboard...

He got bullied by Marcus Smart. That happens to most PG's.
 
People acting like they forgot the previous 2 games of Cotton. Stop acting as if he's some can't miss prospect. He's an end of the bench player... if the Jazz think Neto gives them something different/better as a 3d option I have no problem letting Cotton go. He was completely out of his depth when faced by NBA players in the game against the Celtics and then against mediocre Spurs team. He gets bullied in D by bigger guards. It's nothing against him, but that's the truth and the majority of players he will have to guard in the league are closer to Rozier/Smart than to TJ McConnell. I like the guy too and he's really entertaining to watch, but come on, lets not go overboard...

Neto shoots 20% from Euro 3pt last season.



Talk about a can't miss prospect...
 
Reporter: "Did you get lost out there at all with limited practice?"

Lyles: "Not at all, I picked the plays up pretty quick"



Wow... the confidence. I like it.

It's fascinating to me, Nickkky, how whenever you disappear from a thread for a while, ThaPhunkPhenomenon appears, and whenever he disappears for a while, you return.

Such a shame, given that you have remarkably similar personalities - down to the bizarre usernames and gratuitous, irritating signatures.

I'd almost consider you to be mirrors of each other, aside from the fact that ThaPhunkPhenomenon speaks in a broken English that none of us are smart enough to realize is a total façade to make his vernacular sound different from a regular poster on these forums.
 
He got bullied by Marcus Smart. That happens to most PG's.
He (smart) looked very very good tonight
Fun player to watch live and up close in the arena
 
It's fascinating to me, Nickkky, how whenever you disappear from a thread for a while, ThaPhunkPhenomenon appears, and whenever he disappears for a while, you return.

Such a shame, given that you have remarkably similar personalities - down to the bizarre usernames and gratuitous, irritating signatures.

I'd almost consider you to be mirrors of each other, aside from the fact that ThaPhunkPhenomenon speaks in a broken English that none of us are smart enough to realize is a total façade to make his vernacular sound different from a regular poster on these forums.

LOL .. sit down, son...
 
I waded through the comments looking for the obvious comparison of Lyles to who else, but Memo, a young Memo. No, he doesn't have the shot, yet, but he does have a nice touch. He's also a little more mobile and thinner, but then I didn't see Memo play when he was 19. Also, like Memo, he is very smooth in his movements on the court and though not quick very coordinated. To me it's obvious. I think he may have more upside on defense because he has better lateral movement than Memo had. Doesn't look like much of rim protector for his height but neither was Memo.
 
It's fascinating to me, Nickkky, how whenever you disappear from a thread for a while, ThaPhunkPhenomenon appears, and whenever he disappears for a while, you return.

Such a shame, given that you have remarkably similar personalities - down to the bizarre usernames and gratuitous, irritating signatures.

I'd almost consider you to be mirrors of each other, aside from the fact that ThaPhunkPhenomenon speaks in a broken English that none of us are smart enough to realize is a total façade to make his vernacular sound different from a regular poster on these forums.
If your suspicion is right phunk is complimenting himself in his sig? Based on the personalities of these two usernames I think there is a chance you are right. How people find time for this alt game (and why they would even bother doing it if they can find the time) is a mystery to me.
 
Cotton seemed kind of down when asked about the Raul Neto signing.

Noticed this too. Must say I thought Cotton was all class in that post game interview with Steve Brown.

Was Trey Burke at the game tonight? I noticed Ingles there so he must have flown halfway around the world in the last 48 hrs to be at our last SL summer league game.
 
If your suspicion is right phunk is complimenting himself in his sig? Based on the personalities of these two usernames I think there is a chance you are right. How people find time for this alt game (and why they would even bother doing it if they can find the time) is a mystery to me.

Not an expert at Alt making, but pretty sure the first rule is to not get caught and having the same personalities is pretty much a definite No No, let alone tying yourself to yourself by mentioning yourself in the sig.


Flc pretty much has no clue.
 
Noticed this too. Must say I thought Cotton was all class in that post game interview with Steve Brown.

Was Trey Burke at the game tonight? I noticed Ingles there so he must have flown halfway around the world in the last 48 hrs to be at our last SL summer league game.

Ingles had to sign his contract.
 
Not an expert at Alt making, but pretty sure the first rule is to not get caught and having the same personalities is pretty much a definite No No, let alone tying yourself to yourself by mentioning yourself in the sig.


Flc pretty much has no clue.
Maybe phunk is me because our personalities are very different and based on what you say that's presumably what an alt would try to achieve. Then again he mentions me in his sig as well, but not in a complimentary manner like he does you, so that would also fit with trying to throw everybody off the track.

If he is me then he is using this technique to throw me and everybody else off the track. Truly diabolical! It had been working very well... until now.
 
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