Orlando Game

[Jim Hill <jahill@leasingservice.com>]

I just got back from the game.  There were some very positive aspects of the
play that I noticed.

The passing around the parameter.  It was like watching Hoosers, "Four
passes before you shoot!!".  I loved it.

It also helped neutralize T-Mac and Hill on defense.  Speaking of T-Mac,
what kind of hops must you have when as the 2 guard they have you jump
center? (Battie won the jump for those who didn't see the game).

Walker showed me something tonight that I'd not seen before, a fake when
surrounded under the hoop.  Instead of going straight up and into the
defender, he actually upfaked.  What a dimension to his game that adds.  I
don't remember him being stuffed under the hoop all night.

In the beginning of the game when they were moving the ball around it gave
Battie (Who started) a chance to rotate under the hoop and set up for a
rebound on a miss.  It was wonderful.  And this was against Orlandos first
team.  Later they ran the same play for VP and it didn't work. (As an aside,
they should play Griffin at the same time as VP, he picks up a lot of balls
that bounce off VP's hands).  As the game wore on, the passing stopped so
that the center didn't have time to rotate underneath.  Again like last year
there was no one in rebounding position when the shoot was put up from
outside.  You might as well count those as turnovers. It was a different
game.

There was a fair amount of missed defensive assignments based on the
on-court coaching being done by Brown, Griffin and McCarty, interestingly
enough.

Pierce looked better as the game went on.  I was surprised that Anderson,
Moiso, Williams and Blount had so few points.  Blount should have 8-10
points a game with proper position underneath.  Moiso looks like he should
score more as well.  He is very athletic, almost fluid at times.  I hope he
invests the time in a summer of big man camps.  Kenny looked tired most of
the game.  Williams picked a lot of balls off the floor.  Seemed to work
hard.  We need 10-14 points a game from him though.

T-Mac showed how much fun it is to watch the game played above the rim with
a circus stunt shot.  He also showed some class when Carr bounced the ball
off his head, I think in error, and didn't retaliate.

Hill was his typical class act.

The second string center (Garrett?) for Orlando can play on my team.  What a
stroke!  Hard worker, tries to move his feet.  And what a stroke!

Doc Rivers let the C's win this game at the end.  He left the scrubs in but
continued to coach until the end of the game.  Showed a lot of class and did
it without rubbing it in.  May be my favorite coach in the league.  It was
like he was showing respect to the club for some reason.  He let all the
home fans leave happy.  Unfortunately I heard the boo birds out for the
first time.  Truly disappointing.  There was good effort put out tonight.
I'm sorry I Herren didn't play though.

Hope I didn't bore anyone.  <Jim