Soon to make the New York Times' Worst Sellers List

by Jake Whitacre on Feb 12, 2008 6:17 PM EST in Recaps

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Highest Plus/Minus: Brendan Haywood (+14)
Lowest Plus/Minus: Nick Young (-20)

Rule No. 1. If something's been working for 3 quarters, there's no way it will work for 4: Sure, you've built up a sizable lead by working the ball inside to Jamison and Haywood and letting Mason and Stevenson do damage beyond the arc, but that tomfoolery doesn't work in crunch time. When the going gets tough, you need to go forget about things like experience, talent, who has the hot hand, player matchups, and other unimportant stuff like that and just go to your bread and butter: isolation plays to Nick Young.

Rule No. 2. Dominant interior players are useless in late game situations: Brendan Haywood has put up 20 and 10 in the game, but he's not going to be needed for the last 5 minutes because all the plays are going through Nick. Since there's not going to be any need for rebounding, inside scoring, or interior defense you might as well just take him out and let the enjoy the closing minutes from the bench.

Rule No. 3. When all else fails, refer to the playbook.

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yeah....

second game in a row haywood and jamison have disappeared down the stretch. Haywood is bearable, because hes not that great and doesnt usually play 4th quarters. But Jamison is the man on this team, triply especially with caron and gilbert out, and for him to become passive and contribute near nothing in the 4th quarter 2 close games in a row is unacceptable.

The nick young thing is beyond me, i cant even begin to explain what was going on. Getting a gifted and promising scorer like young the ball in the 4th quarter is one thing that might have been bearable, but what irked me most was that they werent even running plays for him! It was strictly clear outs with the occasional pick and roll. What the hell was that? He was playing well at the start of the 4th, but let him be a part of the offense, not the whole offense! Post jamison up and have young cut off of him, or something. Anything but what happened.

We should have won last night, or at the least we shouldnt have lost like that. The 4th quarter was terrible and i put the blame on jamison and eddie jordan. If eddie jordan is calling isolations for nick young at the end of the game, jamison needs to yell at him and remind everyone who the all-star is and who the rookie is. Maybe it was a "get nick young experience" thing, but what kind of experience is he gonna get from a 4th quarter collapse because he wouldnt stop shooting the ball? Teach him not to shoot the ball? Terrible.

by Wooz on Feb 12, 2008 6:29 PM EST reply actions

Blatche's bad shots

He should be shooting 60% with all the tips and gimme baskets he gets. He shoots way too many bad shots. And he seems to think he can lead the break. Same as Opec, when he gets on the court.

My prediction for Nick is, he gets traded before next year. Addition by subtraction. I bet EJ goes to EG and says, get me some veterans. I'm sick of rookies on the bench.

by billyjoe on Feb 12, 2008 9:13 PM EST reply actions

Too true

There's a vein in my neck that bulges dangerously whenever Blatche or Opec put their head down and start bouncing the ball upcourt to lead the break. Back when I played on playgrounds, we mocked the inevitable turnover with references to "Tragic Johnson." Tragic needs to take a seat next to Ernie on the bench, or I'm gonna need to see a doctor about this vein in my neck.

"Now, obviously individual production does not unilaterally equal better team production, but there's a high level of causation."

by Vanilla Gorilla on Feb 13, 2008 11:25 AM EST up reply actions

This is brilliant

And I co-sign it.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Feb 12, 2008 9:36 PM EST reply actions

jake you nailed it.

very funny.

vanilla gorilla also makes a great point about blatche. you think he would have learned after all the turnovers not to try to take the ball up court. i've only seen opec try to do it once, but i'd think he'd have learned from watching blatche too...

by DarrellWalkerFan on Feb 13, 2008 2:56 PM EST reply actions