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Stars Season Opener Game Thread: 8PM Mountain Time

Taylor needs development. Part of that is the mental toughness and honesty to fight through things and improve. It is not totally unusual.
 
The Ignite were flat out horrible plus they quit. I thought the two draft picks looked very good. Juzang must be hurt. Christoper is a baller. I think the sleeper the Stars have is Michael Devoe. He put up 21 in a short amount of time. He was the MVP in the ACC tournament one year and might be a guy Ainge and company keep an eye on.
 
I think we found something good with Christopher. He has the size, skillset and athleticism to be a really solid role player guard off the bench.
 
Sarr has to be the early favorite for the #1 pick. I'm not sure Holland would even go top 7 in a relatively strong draft.
I'm not going to read too much into Hollands performance tonight but there is serious competition for him in the top 10 of this draft.
 
I'm not going to read too much into Hollands performance tonight but there is serious competition for him in the top 10 of this draft.

This is the third game I've watched him. Maybe he's just coasting, or he's knicked up, but he just isn't having an impact on either offense or defense. He looks small and actually more or less average defensively so far, and his skills off the dribble aren't sharp enough to beat defenders. He needs open space and a running start and to finish above the rim. He doesn't seem like a confident shooter, especially off the dribble. I'm just wondering what it is he's supposed to be great at. I guess he can slash to the rim.

It's obviously very early, but I'm not even convinced that he's looked like an NBA starter thus far, let alone a #1 pick.
 
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That Ingnite team was really bad, so a little difficult to take much away. Holland was really bad, not sure how he's getting #1 hype, although I did watch a 5 minute stretch from one of his previous games where he was amazing, so maybe he puts it together for full games at some point. Hendricks was matched up with Holland for part of the game and did a really nice job on him, so maybe we'll just go with the narrative that Taylor shut him down.

This was the type of game I was hoping to see from Hendricks. He really impressed me with his ability to defend on the perimeter, yet he was able to play really great help defense as well. 3 steals and 3 blocks were nice, although I'm realizing some of the stocks numbers in the G-League can get inflated based on the talent level. From a size and athleticism stand point he looked like didn't belong in the G-League, which is one of the main things to look for in the G-League. Offensively he has a looooooong way to go, but I liked him being aggressive and getting involved and not being afraid to put up shots.

Brice having a passing/playmaking game is making me rethink how I feel about him. He looked too talented for the G-League as well, which again is what I'm mainly looking for. I don't think there is anything good he will be able to learn from the G-League offensively, but I also don't necessarily think he's ready to play NBA minutes defensively.

Overall I thought it was a good showing from both our rookies. I also really liked Taevion Kinsey's game, he was fun to watch.
 
That Ingnite team was really bad, so a little difficult to take much away. Holland was really bad, not sure how he's getting #1 hype, although I did watch a 5 minute stretch from one of his previous games where he was amazing, so maybe he puts it together for full games at some point. Hendricks was matched up with Holland for part of the game and did a really nice job on him, so maybe we'll just go with the narrative that Taylor shut him down.

This was the type of game I was hoping to see from Hendricks. He really impressed me with his ability to defend on the perimeter, yet he was able to play really great help defense as well. 3 steals and 3 blocks were nice, although I'm realizing some of the stocks numbers in the G-League can get inflated based on the talent level. From a size and athleticism stand point he looked like didn't belong in the G-League, which is one of the main things to look for in the G-League. Offensively he has a looooooong way to go, but I liked him being aggressive and getting involved and not being afraid to put up shots.

Brice having a passing/playmaking game is making me rethink how I feel about him. He looked too talented for the G-League as well, which again is what I'm mainly looking for. I don't think there is anything good he will be able to learn from the G-League offensively, but I also don't necessarily think he's ready to play NBA minutes defensively.

Overall I thought it was a good showing from both our rookies. I also really liked Taevion Kinsey's game, he was fun to watch.
I do think Hendricks will actually benefit from the G-League. He either needs to get skilled or learn that he isn't skilled and know what he can/can't do at the pro level.

For him to succeed he will really have to refine his game and get tougher on the interior.
 
I do think Hendricks will actually benefit from the G-League. He either needs to get skilled or learn that he isn't skilled and know what he can/can't do at the pro level.

For him to succeed he will really have to refine his game and get tougher on the interior.
I would agree with that.

He looks strong, but doesn't play like he has any strength.
 
The other day I was watching the Stars game and my GF was like "Oh you want to watch the game?" (she will "watch" Jazz games with me sometimes which is more just she will pay attention for a few minutes at a time while she does something else) and I told her it's too embarrassing. I watched it alone in the bedroom on the computer.
Cy: *watching G League on his PC*
GF: Babe, what are you doing?
Cy: Uh… nothing. Hang on.
GF: You’ve been in there a while. Are you on the computer?
Cy: I’m… looking at porn.
 
Cy: *watching G League on his PC*
GF: Babe, what are you doing?
Cy: Uh… nothing. Hang on.
GF: You’ve been in there a while. Are you on the computer?
Cy: I’m… looking at porn.
GF: Come to bed...
Cy: Honey Taylor is about to do something so stupid and I can post the **** out of it.
GF: Nevermind the moment passed.
Cy: Hell yeah!!!
 
I would agree with that.

He looks strong, but doesn't play like he has any strength.
The good - The shot looks good still. He got in some plays and protected the rim. He only looked like a goober with the ball 50% of the time and was able to unload the ball less-spastically a few times.

The bad - He moves really well but at time is jogging and I wonder how good of shape he is in. Physically he looks good but there is a difference with endurance. There are times I am like if he runs the court thats a dunk or a rebound he can get but he seems to hit a wall and you can kind of see it. I'm slightly concerned about his motor and aggressiveness. He reminds me of my son in soccer and basketball... he is around the play a lot but not playing with the force to make enough of those plays. He made more of those blocks and plays but he holds back too much. Get in there and mess stuff up a bit more with loose balls and on defense.

I would tell him to focus on being a spot up and small motion shooter... so dance around a screen to get the three off. I would also like to see him involved in infinity pick and pops and pick and rolls (GTFOH Potter). Don't worry about dribble drives or dribbling into any kind of shot attempt for now... this is where the bread is buttered.
 
The good - The shot looks good still. He got in some plays and protected the rim. He only looked like a goober with the ball 50% of the time and was able to unload the ball less-spastically a few times.

The bad - He moves really well but at time is jogging and I wonder how good of shape he is in. Physically he looks good but there is a difference with endurance. There are times I am like if he runs the court thats a dunk or a rebound he can get but he seems to hit a wall and you can kind of see it. I'm slightly concerned about his motor and aggressiveness. He reminds me of my son in soccer and basketball... he is around the play a lot but not playing with the force to make enough of those plays. He made more of those blocks and plays but he holds back too much. Get in there and mess stuff up a bit more with loose balls and on defense.

I would tell him to focus on being a spot up and small motion shooter... so dance around a screen to get the three off. I would also like to see him involved in infinity pick and pops and pick and rolls (GTFOH Potter). Don't worry about dribble drives or dribbling into any kind of shot attempt for now... this is where the bread is buttered.
He looks like a guy who is being taught to play in a way he never has before. When I watched his college clips, it was sometimes hard to tell what position he was actually playing at times. I think the Jazz are trying to put him in a box and have him learn a defined role. He looks a lot like he is thinking through his coaching rather than playing basketball. Normally this is bad, but for him it is probably needed.
 
He looks like a guy who is being taught to play in a way he never has before. When I watched his college clips, it was sometimes hard to tell what position he was actually playing at times. I think the Jazz are trying to put him in a box and have him learn a defined role. He looks a lot like he is thinking through his coaching rather than playing basketball. Normally this is bad, but for him it is probably needed.
With defensive aggression I agree you need to be measured a bit. Its when there are rebounds or loose balls that I'd like to see him going and getting some of those rather than waiting for it to come to you.

There is definitely a lot of thinking going on there.
 
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