Some random impressions, as always I'm curious to hear people's thoughts...
- RJ Hunter can ball. I really have nothing more to say that hasn't been covered on this forum as well as countless news stories this morning, but wanted to acknowledge it. If Hunter along with that 3-point stroke learns to pump fake and drive to the hoop and finish/dish, look out.
- Everybody calm down on James Young. Especially when it comes to comparisons to Hunger, who's about two years older. Scalabrine on the broadcast yesterday made the point that there has been real progress in Young's defense, which he showed to some extent last night. And the guy has clearly worked on his body. Send him back to the Red Claws and give him some time.
- Mickey needs a lot of polishing on the offensive end. There was one particular possession late in the game where he drove to his left on a defender, only to realize he had no ability to finish with the left hand. That's totally understandable given his age and experience, and that's what the D-league is for. I still believe eventually this guy can play center in today's pace-and-space, small-ball NBA.
- Anyone still miffed by that Amir Johnson signing? He's really the perfect fit for this team, a guy that defends down low, is mobile covering pick and rolls on the perimeter, and has a decent offensive game including some 3-point range. The only issue was his failure to defend Thaddeus Young on post-ups on a couple of occasions. Amir and Lee should start in my opinion, especially given the fact that there are so few big, bulky centers in the Eastern Conference, the types of bigs that would give that frontcourt pairing trouble.
- Imagine a train filled with flaming garbage derailing and killing everyone on board. That, in a nutshell, is the Nets. I seriously can't wrap my head around the fact that some people believe they'll make the playoffs this year. Even if Lopez plays 82 games, this team will be awful. They've got a couple of nice young players, but they've got no sign of life, no leadership, no defensive talent or intensity, and poor ball movement. I would be shocked if the C's didn't end up with a high lottery pick next summer.