Top Players:
These were the best of the best in Orlando and look to fight for starting positions on their respective teams….
Russell Westbrook (22.3 pts, 7.8 assts, 3.5 rebs)
Clearly the best player all week, Westbrook shined and looks ready to keep this going in the regular season. Bursting with talent, the only thing he needs to work on is his control and discipline. Other than that the sky is the limit for Westbrook.
Tyler Hansbrough – (18.2 pts, 5.6 rebs)
Not the most imposing player on the court, but plays twice his size, brings an intensity and chip on his shoulder that serves him well. Hansbrough was equally comfortable pulling up for the J, driving or working in the post. Impressed with being the go-to guy down the stretch.
James Harden (14.8 pts, 3.5 rebs)
The Thunder made good use of the #3 pick in the draft. Harden is an extremely heady player with underrated athleticism. Don’t rule him out from being a star just yet. With his smarts and talent, he may surprise.
Ryan Anderson (21.4 pts, 9.4 rebs)
The biggest surprise of the week. As an afterthought in the Vince Carter trade, Anderson gave Magic fans a reason to be excited for their other new arrival with some serious skill scoring and rebounding the ball. Anderson has the innate ability to find a way to score or get to the line.
Marreese Speights (14.2 pts, 6.6 rebs)
Probably one of the most talented players on the court, but seemed to struggle with motivation issues playing against lesser talent. When Speights applied himself, he was absolutely dominant in the paint.
Roy Hibbert (20.2 pts, 9 rebs)
Quietly put up excellent numbers with solid play in the post. Hibbert is fundamentally sound and plays under control, but with a little more tenacity, Hibbert could be a star.
Serious Potential
Showed flashes and should make a solid contribution off the bench this year, or in the future…
Serge Ibaka (12.3 pts, 3.3 rebs)
Ibaka showed some real skill this week and impressed with his efficient shooting touch and aggressive presence in the paint.
Chris Douglas Roberts (13.8 pts)
Had an up and down week but when he was on, he was hard to stop off the dribble. CDR is a natural scorer and has the potential to take over a game.
Shaun Livingston (9.7 pts, 4 assts, 4.3 rebs)
In limited action, Shaun proved that he still has some game left. While putting up decent numbers, the most impressive part was the control Shaun has on the action. His passing and feel for the game are still world class.
Josh McRoberts (7 pts, 4.5 rebs)
Josh got hurt early in the week, but beforehand, was putting in the kind of effort that made people take notice. His activity in the paint was causing trouble for the opponents and his skill on the offensive side was a nice surprise, as he can lead a break and throw it down with authority.
Josh Duncan (11.4 pts)
Duncan consistently played within the team constraints and shot effectively doing it. Nothing too dazzling, but that’s a perfect fit for the Jazz.
BJ Mullens (8.8 pts, 3.8 rebs)
Mullens had one monster game this week that had us all speculating on
how good he could be. He followed that up with a couple of duds.
Extremely inconsistent, Mullens will have a tough year breaking into
the NBA rhythm right away but shows a lot of long term potential if he wants it.
On the Cusp
Fighting for the last seat on the bench…
Coby Karl (12 pts, 3.5 rebs, 4.5 assts.)
The proverbial "high bball IQ" with limited athletic ability. Karl certainly plays hard though and of course smart. And smarts and hustle can get you a spot in this league, especially when you have his shot.
Nick Fazekas (13.4 pts, 6.2 rebs)
I can’t figure Nick Fazekas out. He looks like he is in slow motion and a little lost out on the court. But in spite of that, he still produces and ended up leading the Celtics in scoring for the week. Many of his points came on garbage clean up but his size is an asset and he complements that with a capable 3 point shot.
Disappointments:
These players are good players who certainly outplayed others during the week but due to their potential, talent and expectations have to be considered disappointments for the week….
Jrue Holiday – (8.6 pts, 3 assts, 3.4 turnovers) 17th pick
Jrue had a tough week and received some harsh criticism after being touted as one of the top point guards in the draft. His team was a disaster and maybe he tried too hard to make that team work. With a real team and familiarity Jrue, will have a chance to bounce back.
Dionte Christmas – (9.3 pts, 2 rebs)
After starring at Temple but going undrafted, this was Dionte’s chance to prove he belonged. Hopefully he gets another chance.
Terrence Williams – (9.6 pts, 6.6 rebs)
Williams played well enough at times, but for being the second highest pick here (11th), we expected more out of him. Williams is a standout athlete but his offensive potential is questionable.
Eric Maynor (7.2 pts, 3.2 assts.)
Running the system for Jerry Sloan has got to be an intimidating
prospect, which is why I liked Maynor’s game this week. He played under
control, ran the sets efficiently and did not make a lot of mistakes. But his shooting woes made him a disappointment.
NJ/PHI
As you can see with Holiday, Christmas, and Williams on the disappointment list, this combo team was more frustrating than some may think. Even Speights was probably annoyed with the whole thing, seeing his low field-goal percentage. I think Holiday will be fine, and will actually say that Christmas makes the team, being a local hero as well as a specialist that the team is deficient in. I would love for Christmas to take Willie Green’s spot. Seeing that guy in a Sixers uniform is so annoying.
Word!
Package Willie Green, Dalembert, LouWill, Kapono, and Brand with the rights to Jrue Holliday, to the Bulls, for Brad Miller, Jerome James, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and Tyrus Thomas. Igoudala, Speights and Young are amazing, but their other pieces are just horendous!