That was one of the best season opening team introductions I have ever seen. Reinforcing the team concept by introducing all players and coaches and then having the starters come out like they were members of the N.W.O. Kudos to the game ops folks.
“Tree Stump” Adams – I swear, if this rugrat sees the floor before Humph, I’ll….I’ll…I’ll….this. He’s as sad as that friend of yours that dresses up in his hockey equipment and calls it a costume.
“Muscle Car” Bargnani – smiling, grabbing a board, taking it to the hole, dribbling the ball, shooting from the outside. Great game for the guy and the crowd showed their love. I hope it takes and it grows. While most of his games last year were duds, so far this year they are more like Godiva chocolates.
“Oh My” Bosh – Jermaine said coming in that it would still be Bosh’s team. 2 games in and there is no doubt. Watching his game tonight was like coming home after trick or treating and seeing everything in your bag expand to normal size chocolate bars. Sweet.
“Patton” Calderon – had a hell of a time dealing with Jackson just as he did with Miller the other night. Still think he will adapt and settle in as the season goes on, but early on it’s a concern that the Jose we saw as a backup last year just isn’t translating in the starters role, dating back to when he covered for TJ last year. Still, we traded away a nut and kept the sweet stuff and the guy pocketed his first double double of the year in a long 43min effort.
“Don’t Call Me Stephen” Graham – a little piece of me is pulling for the guy. Kind of reminds me of a girl that wants to go out trick or treating dressed like a princess, but her parents dress her up like a turtle instead: knows she can be so much more but just can’t pull it off. Pretty much non-existent tonight with a pitiful 2 points in 12min.
“The Hairdresser” Humphries – remember that jovial kid you always had in your circle of friends? You’d go out on Oct 31, have a few laughs, maybe toilet paper some trees? Then once all the fun was done, he’d go home and sit alone? He now plays for the Raptors.
“The Tinman” Jawai – representing those that just don’t go out on Hallowe’en because their heart isn’t in it.
“Kamikaze” Kapono – if nothing else, him going to the hole in the fourth certainly LOOKED like a kamikaze. Now we know why he shoots from the outside. He looked like a skeleton falling down a set of stairs. Certainly a step back from his game in Philly, but after last season, we should have expected it.
“My Glass is Half Full” Moon – no rebounds (and gee, he isn’t a guard), but otherwise a good offensive game. He was all over the place, played Maggette well, had the look on his shots that didn’t make my sphincter whistle on the intake. Seemed to lose that pompous air as well. He may look like a scarecrow, but for tonight he was putting the pumpkin in the basket.
“Jack” O’Neal – 3 nicely blocked shots. Full stop. Poor blocking out again, he couldn’t hit a shot within 4 feet of the bucket, and he was basically replaced by Bargnani for the overtime frame. Turiaf didn’t have a bitch like this since playing with Kobe. I’m sorry, but if Turiaf is outworking you, you need help. 2 of 10, 6 boards and 5 fouls. He played like he was dressed up like a one armed pirate.
“Slicker than a Mother” Parker – well, we know what Candace Parker dressed up as for Hallowe’en: Anthony Parker. How’s this: 40 minutes, 4 steals, 23 points on 7 for 10. A circus shot, some lockdown defense, some great communication on the floor……hell of an effort.
“No Will” Solomon – remember when you would come home, eat like 7 handfuls of the candy you just got and be all wired? You’d run around the house like a mad man, driving people crazy because you wouldn’t listen…then you would crash and burn? Well, Will is like that last part.
“Don’t Call Me Skreech” Ukic – another nice effort. He kept his cool, although that one sequence where Jackson was backing him down, I could swear I saw him say “OH MY F**KING GOD, SOMEBODY HELP ME”. The boxscore scares me, though. We need more than 10min from this guy if Jose is going to last. Let’s just hope Sam was playing matchups and not showing the first sign of losing faith. Like a youngster going out on his first Hallowe’en in a new city, he needs time to figure out where all the good places are, the mates to keep happy and how to earn the trust of his dad so he can stay out more.
Driving The Bus: Anthony Parker
Under The Bus: Joey Graham
Game Theme: Oh yeah…..
