Yah, Brooks is not filling the Nate / DJ role well right now. He's costing himself that guaranteed 2-year deal!
I actually thought that Kirk had a good night. This team doesn't need scoring from him, or assists for that matter. It just needs him to initiate the offense relatively quickly, or let the bigs initiate the offense directly off of misses. I think KH did that all game for the most part. --I think there's a relatively good chance that Flip Saunders is the worst coach in the league. The TWolve's meltdown and failure to foul after the missed call on Butler was bizarre. Even more than that, it seemed like Flip consistently put his players in positions where they would fill. I'm not sure why you would dump the ball into Dieng and expect him to be able to execute. He needs those little slants that Skiles used diagram for Curry. I also think there's a ton more you should be able to to do with Wiggins and Martin as your wings, and Rubio's creativity is all but gone in the Wolves' sets. --Andrien Payne looks like he's going to be at least a good backup in the league. I wonder why Atlanta traded him. I feel like there should be more to that story. --Every time Pau Gasol misses a game I wonder whether the team would be better without him. On nights when Dunleavy, Butler and Snell are playing well, the answer probably is yes.
We're replacing 18 PPG and a guy that opponents have to guard with 6PPG and opponents leave him wide open to double team someone who is a threat to score. Good thing Saunders is a bad coach or the results may have been like Charlotte. Minny sure looks good on paper.
http://www.basketball-reference.com...c6stat=&order_by=per&order_by_asc=&offset=100 That's among all guards. Dante Exum is the only PG that has a worse PER, but he has a future. Surely there is a guard who can score a little, get a few assists, and initiate the offense quickly. Hell, Ben Gordon has an 11 PER. CJ Watson 13.5. Devin Harris (who we chose not to sign) has a 14.9 PER. One OK game out of 15 is not really helping things.
It's almost sad seeing Kirk out on the floor. I use to like him a lot, now I can just barely tolerate him. I have no confidence in Aaron Brooks but he's not useless. Jesus that PER stat is scary. And Dante Exum is a great defensive point guard for a young guy, so he gives the Jazz something.
Derrick Rose had knee surgery Friday morning. Pau Gasol was sidelined by an illness, and Taj Gibson sprained his left ankle in the first quarter. No problem for the Chicago Bulls, who turned to their emerging star and skilled center for a short-handed victory. Jimmy Butler had 28 points and 12 rebounds in Chicago's 96-89 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Joakim Noah finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in a solid all-around performance. Read more http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400579154
