Defying Joe's dictum and still pulling one out of the trash bin.

[JB <jbmetzea@yahoo.com>]

   It's a good thing that both of Memphis' centers are hurt. If they had
even one, they might have given us a clawing tonight. They have absolutely
no rebounding. Vitaly and Battie controlled inside. Grant Long and Tony
Massenberg worked at it, but neither of them ever were centers and they are
both damaged goods, on the downside of their careers.
   Too many turnovers and forced shots, to call ourselves a playoff team. We
played two great stretches. As usual, to start the game and to start the
second half. When our team is fresh, we play intense defense and we run. At
that pace, we can usually blow out most teams. Once the leads were
established, we stood around and watched Antoine or Paul force shots.
   Kenny tonight was too comfortable passing off, to Walker, instead of
pushing the pace, except, as stated, for those two stretches. I'll give him
the benefit of possible fatigue, of having to guard Jason Williams and
Brevin Knight, for big minutes, while each of them had plenty of rest, which
he did pretty well. That was my biggest concern going into the game.
   Eric Williams played some great stretches defensively and in the first
half went right to the hoop, but in the second half, even he settled for
jumpers.
   Pierce got into early foul trouble and was no real factor. There was a
long, scoreless stretch in the 4th quarter, when he was doubled and tripled,
but Walker (and Anderson, once) insisted on forcing it into Paul, resulting
in several turnovers.
   Walker had some moments, when he got to the hoop and got the whistle. His
shots in the paint were routinely blocked. It's a good thing the ref's gave
him a few, at the end. Both he and Pierce seemed to be deserving of a few
more than they got 
   Gasol is getting the publicity, but Shane Battier is the best rookie I've
seen, by far.  He can do it all. Very poised. Pau really was weak. He has
athletic moves and can shoot, but is a string bean and avoids contact.
Battier almost won the game by himself, with outside shots and drives into
traffic. I don't know what the knock on him was, tonight he played like an
all-star.
   
               JB
                   
     
                   

                           Unchain My Heart!