The Prospect Watch

[BudweiserCeltic]

The DLeague section of NBA.com has a blog about the prospects playing in the league:
http://my.nba.com/forum.jspa?forumID=5700022068

The latest entry was focused on assigned players from the NBA, and it has some write-ups about Giddens and Walker that I thought some of you might be interested in:
http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5700028130

J.R. Giddens, Utah Flash
The only first-round pick currently on assignment to the NBA D-League, Boston’s Giddens has had a successful stint with the Utah Flash so far, averaging 20.8 points and 7.2 rebounds in five games. Giddens has been deadly-accurate from the field for a guard, connecting on .566 (43-76) of his field-goal attempts. He has also recorded a blocked shot in all five games.

Bill Walker, Utah Flash

Walker is one of the NBA D-League’s top scorers, ranking 11th overall and leading all assigned players with 21.6 points per game. He has scored 19 points or better in four of his five games to start the season and has been a fixture in Utah’s starting lineup while on assignment from the Celtics.

[celticmaestro]

TP, nice find. Good to see the guys doing well, I hope they'll be able to play their way into our rotation in the future along with Gabe Pruitt, although not necessarily this year.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I really don't care who, but one of the two should get on our roster soon and put some minutes in. I think both can be energy players and skilled enough to hold their own right now.

[cordobes]

The guy's a beast in this league, a real load in the low post, as they say. He is a big-time talent, and was a level above almost everyone,  if not everyone,  on the court. He's only 6-foot-6, but he's got a lot of bulk and natural skill. At times, Walker has had too much bulk, apparently, sometimes battling weight issues. I'm not sure he's in tremendous shape right now. He's also a wildcard in terms of his demeanor and attitude. In his short stay with the Celtics earlier this season, he got into a an altercation with Kevin Garnett at practice and Tracy McGrady in a game against Houston. Celtics broadcaster Tommy Heinsohn referred to Walker as the 'most combative of the Celtics.' Without trying to read too much into body language, etc., Walker didn't appear to be pumped about being in Bakersfield and doesn't appear to be thrilled about playing in the D-League. It's that attitude, apparently, that is keeping him from the NBA

http://www.examiner.com/x-441-Golden-State-Warriors-Examiner~y2008m12d8-Two-NBA-DLeague-games-four-teams-and-five-prospects

I think that the lack of skills is his primarily problem; but since watching him in college that I've questioned if Walker is mentally ready to play in the NBA.

Anyway, I wonder if we got the right coach for them:

Giddens isn’t much of a 3-point shooter, and he doesn’t do anything that overwhelms you but at game’s end, when you assess his play he’s usually left a positive imprint.

Giddens is averaging 20 points and seven assists per game, and shooting an impressive .566 from the field.

Apparently, Giddens has some Bill Walker in him also. While at the University of Kansas, Giddens was involved in a bar fight, was stabbed and received 30 stitches.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to take anger management classes. He was also suspended at New Mexico for his attitude.

I mention the attitude stuff with Walker and Giddens because during the fourth quarter of the game I saw, their coach, Brad Jones, became so incensed during a timeout, that he actually slammed his clipboard to the floor, where it proceeded to shatter into approximately a half-dozen pieces.

Jones also got a technical foul for a separate tirade, this one directed toward officials.

[BudweiserCeltic]

That game was probably from the last game against the JAM. It was the first game I saw from this team, stopped watching after halftime... it was horrible. Utah got destroyed... I wouldn't blame anyone for letting their tempers go up in that game. Their PG sucks.

I wonder why he included that tidbit from Jones in the story... it makes it seem like he was furious with Walker and Giddens; can't tell if it's true or not.

[Chris]

I really don't care who, but one of the two should get on our roster soon and put some minutes in. I think both can be energy players and skilled enough to hold their own right now.

I am in no rush.  They are down there for a reason.  It is not only because they are not seeing time in Boston, but because they have things to work on. 

The tough thing is that the guy who looked the best in preseason, and seemed to catch on quicker to the C's team concepts was Walker...but Walker is also the one with the most to work on.  If they rush him back, it may impede some of the progress he has been making down there on his perimeter game.

Giddens on the other hand, I don't know what to make of.  I assumed he would come in ready to play, and he has looked it in the NBDL, but when he was up here, he looked completely lost, and like a deer in headlights.  We can hope that they were just rookie jitters, and going to the NBDL has calmed them down a bit, but I am definitely a little worried that he was having more trouble with learning the system, and might not give us much this year.

[xmuscularghandix]

The guy's a beast in this league, a real load in the low post, as they say. He is a big-time talent, and was a level above almost everyone,  if not everyone,  on the court. He's only 6-foot-6, but he's got a lot of bulk and natural skill. At times, Walker has had too much bulk, apparently, sometimes battling weight issues. I'm not sure he's in tremendous shape right now. He's also a wildcard in terms of his demeanor and attitude. In his short stay with the Celtics earlier this season, he got into a an altercation with Kevin Garnett at practice and Tracy McGrady in a game against Houston. Celtics broadcaster Tommy Heinsohn referred to Walker as the 'most combative of the Celtics.' Without trying to read too much into body language, etc., Walker didn't appear to be pumped about being in Bakersfield and doesn't appear to be thrilled about playing in the D-League. It's that attitude, apparently, that is keeping him from the NBA

http://www.examiner.com/x-441-Golden-State-Warriors-Examiner~y2008m12d8-Two-NBA-DLeague-games-four-teams-and-five-prospects

I think that the lack of skills is his primarily problem; but since watching him in college that I've questioned if Walker is mentally ready to play in the NBA.

Anyway, I wonder if we got the right coach for them:

Giddens isn’t much of a 3-point shooter, and he doesn’t do anything that overwhelms you but at game’s end, when you assess his play he’s usually left a positive imprint.

Giddens is averaging 20 points and seven assists per game, and shooting an impressive .566 from the field.

Apparently, Giddens has some Bill Walker in him also. While at the University of Kansas, Giddens was involved in a bar fight, was stabbed and received 30 stitches.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to take anger management classes. He was also suspended at New Mexico for his attitude.

I mention the attitude stuff with Walker and Giddens because during the fourth quarter of the game I saw, their coach, Brad Jones, became so incensed during a timeout, that he actually slammed his clipboard to the floor, where it proceeded to shatter into approximately a half-dozen pieces.

Jones also got a technical foul for a separate tirade, this one directed toward officials.

jerry sloan is known for his clipboard smashing, theres actually a video on the flash site joking about it.

[winsomme]

IMO both of these guys are going to need to add a three point shot to their game in order to get serious minutes for us in the next couple years.

good D, rebounding and hitting open three's is the name of the game for wings coming off the bench...

on a side note, i would like to see one of them up here getting some minutes just to see where their games are at...

[xmuscularghandix]

both of them have shown that they CAN hit the 3, they've had good night from behind the arc. the only problem is it seems like they're either dishing it off to eachother or having to create their own shots. therefore, hitting a three in someones face off of a crossover is rarely part of the offense, or a high percentage shot. Giddens has a good shot and his money from midrange, he could get better looks if he was playing with a better point guard. It'd also help if they weren't the Kobe and Lebron of D-League.

[billysan]

IMO both of these guys are going to need to add a three point shot to their game in order to get serious minutes for us in the next couple years.

good D, rebounding and hitting open three's is the name of the game for wings coming off the bench...

on a side note, i would like to see one of them up here getting some minutes just to see where their games are at...

Agreed for the most part, I would happily accept a decent percentage 15-18 foot jumper in lieu of the 3pter. The D is a must along with rebounding for these two. A little ball handling skill from the wings would be welcomed as well. It wouldnt take much to surpass Tony Allen in that department.

I gotta wonder if they have all these attitude 'issues' why Danny would take them both on at once. It isnt like they were the only players out there. Hopefully they are just very intense and passionate, hence the appearance of attitude. OTOH, it could be a 'high risk, high reward' type scenario as well.

I am sure that if and when either can hold his own defensively while running our sets, they will be back up here for a look see. We certainly could have used one of them while Tony Allen was banged up recently. One must assume they are simply not ready to contribute at this point.

[ManUp]

Well the Flash just lost another game yesterday night. It was appearantly a really close one. The score 101-98.

Walker put up, 25pts and 5boards last night. He's averaging 22pts, 4rebs, and 1 assit in 32minutes. The stat that shocks me is that he's shooting 38% from 3pt land. The bad news is that he's averaging 3 turn overs a game.

Giddens put up, 15pts and 9boards last night. He's averaging 19pts, 7rebs, and 2 assists in 39minutes. The defense seems to be there according to the numbers he's also averaging 2 blocks and nearly 2 steals per game. The bad news he's shooting only 25% from 3pt range.

This is just what I've noticed from the boxscores. I really wish i could see these guys play some.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Well the Flash just lost another game yesterday night. It was appearantly a really close one. The score 101-98.

Walker put up, 25pts and 5boards last night. He's averaging 22pts, 4rebs, and 1 assit in 32minutes. The stat that shocks me is that he's shooting 38% from 3pt land. The bad news is that he's averaging 3 turn overs a game.

Giddens put up, 15pts and 9boards last night. He's averaging 19pts, 7rebs, and 2 assists in 39minutes. The defense seems to be there according to the numbers he's also averaging 2 blocks and nearly 2 steals per game. The bad news he's shooting only 25% from 3pt range.

This is just what I've noticed from the boxscores. I really wish i could see these guys play some.

I don't know who schedules these games, but they always seem to be at the same time the Celtics are playing.

[BudweiserCeltic]

While we're at it... let's vote for these guys for the D-League All-Star game:
http://www.nba.com/dleague/allstar2009/asb/ballot.html?referrer=DLeague&code=ET6m4V74&cid=

And here's a write-up for the guards looking for a spot in the game:
http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5700028365&#msg5700399546

J.R. Giddens,Colorado 14ers

Giddens is on assignment from the Celtics and it is anybody’s guess if he will still be in the NBA D-League in February, but if he is his recent play would make him a deserving candidate of an All-Star nod. After his first five games the rookie from New Mexico is averaging 20.4 points and is also one of the league’s top rebounding guards with 7.2 boards per game. He is having no problem getting his shot off on the D-League level as he connects on .566 (43-76) of his attempts from the field.

[libermaniac]

Giddens put up, 15pts and 9boards last night. He's averaging 19pts, 7rebs, and 2 assists in 39minutes. The defense seems to be there according to the numbers he's also averaging 2 blocks and nearly 2 steals per game. The bad news he's shooting only 25% from 3pt range.

FYI, the 25% from 3 point range is 2-8 shooting.  And, if you count his pre-season game (where he went 2-2), he's 4-10, which is 40%.  Not enough of a sample size to judge anything.

Also, he's shooting > 56% from the field.  That's impressive.

[cordobes]

The best news is that Giddens has made 19 of his 25 FTs. Still a small sample, but 76% is pretty encouraging (considering his abysmal FT shooting in college).

Other than that, checking the stats of players like Coby Karl, Smush Parker and Joe Crawford (Lakers 2nd rounder) gives a perspective of how easy is to fringe NBA talent to be dominant in the D-League. Btw, Courtney Sims, a 7ft undrafted stiff who played 11 minutes for the Pacers last season, is averaging 24 points (64%), 13 rebounds and 4.5 blocks. That probably explains why Don Nelson was underwhelmed by POB's 17 pts (54%), 10 rbs, 3.5 blk.