The Pistons Summer League days have come and gone. Each game provided it's own questions and answers, bright spots and worrisome performances. Let's break down the playas.
Austin Daye: Grade B+
Austin looked great in the first two games but injuries ended his summer league early and on a low note with an abysmal performance against the Kings. Overall he was greatly improved in his confidence and determination, his post up game and his body control. Had he stayed healthy he may have been the biggest positive for the Pistons this summer.
DaJuan Summers: Grade C+
Looked great going to the basket and drawing fouls. The guy looks quick for a 240 pounder and when he gets aggressive and asserts himself he can make plays. I just don't see what DaJuan does that guarantees him a spot in the rotation. Jerebko has the hustle and defense, Daye has the length and skill-set, Prince can do everything and do it well. Where does DaJuan fit in? Maybe he fits in on another team or maybe he refines his game and becomes an impact player. Only time will tell.
Jonas Jerebko: Grade B
Jonas got fewer and fewer minutes as the week went on. He continues to show the relentless style that earned him a starting spot on the team last year. His physicality seemed to land him in constant trouble with the less experienced summer league refs and he needs to refine his offensive game with one or two go-to-moves on the block and a more consistent shot from range. On a side note, Jonas is the player on the summer league roster I have the fewest questions about going into the season. And that's a good thing.
Greg Monroe: Grade B+
You could see him really start to settle down against the Heat and then he had a monster game against the Knicks (27 pts. 14 rbs.). I liked the kid from the first time I saw him play and he finally started slowing down and showing us what he could do. A lot of people question if Greg is really a center. Steve Smith even mentioned he may spend some time at the three...anyway, here's why I think he is capable of playing against any center in the league and being successful. His versatility. If he can't overpower you in the post he'll simply take you outside, force you to play him 15 feet from the bucket and either A)hit jumpers B) put the ball on the deck and get by you or get you to foul him or C)drop dimes to cutters because he has pulled the opposing team's big man out of the paint and opened up a clear path to the basket. If he does match up with you in the block he can A)spin into the lane and hit you with the baby hook B) turn baseline and hit you with the short corner-turn around or C) Throw a couple of fakes and get the up-and-under-and-one as you jump to block the fake and end up fouling him on the lay-in. Couple that with a guy who consistently runs the floor and runs it well and you have the makings of a star. He needs to add strength and his defense still needs a lot of work but with Ben Wallace sticking around for two more years to guide Greg, I can't help but like his chances of becoming a good defender.
Terrico White: Grade B
Solid, that's how I would describe Terrico's summer league. He flashed his athleticism but never tried to do to much. 1.6 assists to 1.0 turnover (per game) is respectable considering how much the guy had the ball in his hands. He showed a nice shooting touch both off the dribble and on spot ups. How much he plays this season will depend largely on how fast he learns but he has the tools, and, despite a poor shooting day against New York, ended the week looking like a brilliant pick at #36.
Other Notables:
Mac Koshwal: I think Mac makes the team and I'll tell you why. 1. The Pistons need big, active bodies that can rebound, 2. The Pistons need to get tougher. Mac is a chiseled 6'10" 255 and does the dirty work. Every team in the league needs guys like Mac, guys that hit the weights and then crash the boards. He looks like another guy that would blossom under the tutelage of Ben Wallace.
Edgar Sosa: Not sure Sosa makes the team but he showed enough to give the Pistons pause. He is quick, passionate about his game and plays hungry. He's not a great shooter but he'd be joining a Pistons team where he wouldn't have to be. Plus he a New York City point guard and they come tough. If the Pistons don't pick him up for the minimum someone else probably will.
All Pistons, No Filler
Showing posts with label Mac Koshwal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mac Koshwal. Show all posts
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Thomas and Smacked
In an 83-92 loss to the Miami Heat that featured little offensive flow, fouls galore and 35 turnovers between the two teams there were a few bright spots for the Pistons in their first game this summer at the Thomas and Mack Arena.
The playas:
Austin Daye...DNP
DaJuan Summers...20 pts. 3 rbs.
I get the feeling DaJuan is playing just good enough to get himself traded. He is definitely at his best going to the basket where his size and strength allow him to draw fouls (7-8 FT). Steve Smith referred to him as a "tweener". I'm not sure why. DaJuan's a small forward, there's no hint of power forward in his game. He doesn't post up. His rebound numbers are marginal and he shoots a lot of threes. He shot a respectable 6-13 but had more turnovers (5) than rebounds.
Jonas Jerebko...DNP
Greg Monroe...20 pts. 6 rbs. 2 blks. 1 stl.
Greg needed this game. He showed his versatility in his shot selection with face-up jumpers, a turn-around jumper in the short corner, dunks, lay-ups and hook shots. He slowed down when he got the ball, tried to read the defense and make the appropriate move. He scored 20 and looked capable of more, but with many of the Pistons' point guards trying to showcase their skills in an effort to make an NBA roster he was missed on some pick-and-rolls and poor post entry passes. I don't know if the coaches are telling him to hound the ball 30 feet from the basket but he is recovering to his man too slow resulting in fouls and dunks for the opposition around the basket. He also has a bad habit of reaching when attempting to block or disrupt a shot. Instead of holding his arms straight up he lowers in a half-contest-half-shot-block move that always results in a foul. Greg needs a repeat performance or better next game and I think he'll get it. He seems to be settling down and getting more comfortable with the NBA game.
Terrico White...11 pts. 3 rbs 1 ast. 1 blk. 2 stls.
The Pistons' coaches wanted Terrico to be more aggressive this game and he was for spurts but at times I found myself wondering if he was still on the floor. His stat line looks pretty good and, again, he only committed one turnover but he shot 2-7 from the field and 1-4 from range after averaging 65% shooting from the field and 60% from range through the first three games. He had only one assist but he played almost exclusively at two guard. He still looks like a great second round value.
Other Notables:
Mac Koshwal...4 pts. 6 rbs. 1 ast. 3 stls.
Mac continues his roll as garbage man, cleaning up the boards and getting his hands in the passing lanes for steals. I am curious to see if he can put up similar numbers against tougher competition. He could be a great spot minutes, energy guy for a Pistons team that needs to add toughness.
Marquez Haynes...10 pts. 3 rbs. 2 asts. 1 blk.
Marquez was trying to play himself onto on NBA squad, flying all over the court, trying to dunk the ball over Miami's center. He was trying to get over-looked by shooting 2-8 from the field, 1-5 from range and dribbling out the shot clock on one possession. Shot an efficient 5-6 from the free-throw line and showcased his hustle.
Elijah Millsap..8 pts. 4 rbs. 1 ast.
Showed that he could shoot the jumper, which is important when you are trying to be successful in the NBA as a 6'6" guard-forward. He had a nice little crossover-dribble-to-jump-shot from about 20 feet out that showed he can do more than run the floor and get put-backs.
The playas:
Austin Daye...DNP
DaJuan Summers...20 pts. 3 rbs.
I get the feeling DaJuan is playing just good enough to get himself traded. He is definitely at his best going to the basket where his size and strength allow him to draw fouls (7-8 FT). Steve Smith referred to him as a "tweener". I'm not sure why. DaJuan's a small forward, there's no hint of power forward in his game. He doesn't post up. His rebound numbers are marginal and he shoots a lot of threes. He shot a respectable 6-13 but had more turnovers (5) than rebounds.
Jonas Jerebko...DNP
Greg Monroe...20 pts. 6 rbs. 2 blks. 1 stl.
Greg needed this game. He showed his versatility in his shot selection with face-up jumpers, a turn-around jumper in the short corner, dunks, lay-ups and hook shots. He slowed down when he got the ball, tried to read the defense and make the appropriate move. He scored 20 and looked capable of more, but with many of the Pistons' point guards trying to showcase their skills in an effort to make an NBA roster he was missed on some pick-and-rolls and poor post entry passes. I don't know if the coaches are telling him to hound the ball 30 feet from the basket but he is recovering to his man too slow resulting in fouls and dunks for the opposition around the basket. He also has a bad habit of reaching when attempting to block or disrupt a shot. Instead of holding his arms straight up he lowers in a half-contest-half-shot-block move that always results in a foul. Greg needs a repeat performance or better next game and I think he'll get it. He seems to be settling down and getting more comfortable with the NBA game.
Terrico White...11 pts. 3 rbs 1 ast. 1 blk. 2 stls.
The Pistons' coaches wanted Terrico to be more aggressive this game and he was for spurts but at times I found myself wondering if he was still on the floor. His stat line looks pretty good and, again, he only committed one turnover but he shot 2-7 from the field and 1-4 from range after averaging 65% shooting from the field and 60% from range through the first three games. He had only one assist but he played almost exclusively at two guard. He still looks like a great second round value.
Other Notables:
Mac Koshwal...4 pts. 6 rbs. 1 ast. 3 stls.
Mac continues his roll as garbage man, cleaning up the boards and getting his hands in the passing lanes for steals. I am curious to see if he can put up similar numbers against tougher competition. He could be a great spot minutes, energy guy for a Pistons team that needs to add toughness.
Marquez Haynes...10 pts. 3 rbs. 2 asts. 1 blk.
Marquez was trying to play himself onto on NBA squad, flying all over the court, trying to dunk the ball over Miami's center. He was trying to get over-looked by shooting 2-8 from the field, 1-5 from range and dribbling out the shot clock on one possession. Shot an efficient 5-6 from the free-throw line and showcased his hustle.
Elijah Millsap..8 pts. 4 rbs. 1 ast.
Showed that he could shoot the jumper, which is important when you are trying to be successful in the NBA as a 6'6" guard-forward. He had a nice little crossover-dribble-to-jump-shot from about 20 feet out that showed he can do more than run the floor and get put-backs.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Destroyed in the Desert
Tough night for the Pistons. I had my doubts about pulling out a win when it was announced that we were going to rest Jonas. A twenty-nine point loss and a lot of looks at Jared Reiner, needless to say it was difficult to watch.
The playas:
Austin Daye...5 pts. 0 rbs. 2 asts. 0-7 from the field 0-2 from range.
As good as Austin looked the first two games he looked that bad tonight. Tonight was a reminder of why we haven't traded Tayshaun Prince. I kept hearing how he was a "little banged up" and it started to sound like an excuse. The defense was keying on him (as any smart defense should do to the opposing team's go-to-guy) and frustrated Austin into a forgettable performance. Defensively he was not moving his feet and his reaching resulted in six personal fouls. I am interested to see how he bounces back from this game, that will be a good indicator of his maturity level and improvement.
DaJuan Summers...10 pts. 4 rbs. 1 blk.
DaJuan continues to show his worth getting to the rim and drawing fouls (4-5 from the line) but 3-11 from the field isn't going to get it done. With Austin having a bad night this was the chance for DaJuan to step up and say "Alright, let's go. Get me the ball and let me work." Unfortunately it didn't play out that way and an opportunity to further DaJuan's case for a consistent spot in the rotation was lost.
Jonas Jerebko...Had the night off.
Greg Monroe...7 pts. 7 rbs. 1 ast.
Greg wasn't dominated by Cousins, the player taken two spots ahead of him in the 2010 Draft, and showed some fire stepping up to foil Hassan Whiteside's dunk attempt. He shows well on pick and rolls but doesn't close-out well on defense leading to blow-bys and fouls. It was good to see him being active stealing the ball from Cousins on a post entry pass and he continues to show his ability to handle the ball in the open court and in half-court sets. I continue to like what I see from Greg. He got up the floor again for a couple of nice lay-ins and pulled down 3 offensive rebounds. Once he settles down and tones up he is going to be in good shape (no pun intended) to help the Pistons win some games next year.
Terrico White...9 pts. 2 rbs. 2 asts.
Terrico White's jumper (particularly off the dribble) is smooth. Barry mentioned his balance and you could see it in his shot. He showed his hops on a nice alley-oop throwdown from Daye and delivered another solid performance. He comitted only one turnover. Still would like to see him get a five or six assist game under his belt before the end of summer league.
Other Notables:
Mac Koshwal...10 pts. 12 rbs. 1 ast.
He's 6'10, 240, rebounds and airballs free-throws. Sound familiar? Mac Koshwal is not the second coming of Ben Wallace and I really didn't think we had a roster spot for him at the beginning of summer league. But, I warming up to the guy. He fights for boards. He's got size. Sure, he needs to clean his game up, but he seems like the kind of guy we could use in the D. I'm not saying sign the guy up immediately, but he may play himself into a Pistons' uni by the end of the week.
A.J. Slaughter...10 pts. 1 rb. 1 ast. 3-3 from the field 1-1 from range
Had a good shooting day but another small shooting guard(Hi, Ben Gordon)is not what the Pistons are looking for.
The playas:
Austin Daye...5 pts. 0 rbs. 2 asts. 0-7 from the field 0-2 from range.
As good as Austin looked the first two games he looked that bad tonight. Tonight was a reminder of why we haven't traded Tayshaun Prince. I kept hearing how he was a "little banged up" and it started to sound like an excuse. The defense was keying on him (as any smart defense should do to the opposing team's go-to-guy) and frustrated Austin into a forgettable performance. Defensively he was not moving his feet and his reaching resulted in six personal fouls. I am interested to see how he bounces back from this game, that will be a good indicator of his maturity level and improvement.
DaJuan Summers...10 pts. 4 rbs. 1 blk.
DaJuan continues to show his worth getting to the rim and drawing fouls (4-5 from the line) but 3-11 from the field isn't going to get it done. With Austin having a bad night this was the chance for DaJuan to step up and say "Alright, let's go. Get me the ball and let me work." Unfortunately it didn't play out that way and an opportunity to further DaJuan's case for a consistent spot in the rotation was lost.
Jonas Jerebko...Had the night off.
Greg Monroe...7 pts. 7 rbs. 1 ast.
Greg wasn't dominated by Cousins, the player taken two spots ahead of him in the 2010 Draft, and showed some fire stepping up to foil Hassan Whiteside's dunk attempt. He shows well on pick and rolls but doesn't close-out well on defense leading to blow-bys and fouls. It was good to see him being active stealing the ball from Cousins on a post entry pass and he continues to show his ability to handle the ball in the open court and in half-court sets. I continue to like what I see from Greg. He got up the floor again for a couple of nice lay-ins and pulled down 3 offensive rebounds. Once he settles down and tones up he is going to be in good shape (no pun intended) to help the Pistons win some games next year.
Terrico White...9 pts. 2 rbs. 2 asts.
Terrico White's jumper (particularly off the dribble) is smooth. Barry mentioned his balance and you could see it in his shot. He showed his hops on a nice alley-oop throwdown from Daye and delivered another solid performance. He comitted only one turnover. Still would like to see him get a five or six assist game under his belt before the end of summer league.
Other Notables:
Mac Koshwal...10 pts. 12 rbs. 1 ast.
He's 6'10, 240, rebounds and airballs free-throws. Sound familiar? Mac Koshwal is not the second coming of Ben Wallace and I really didn't think we had a roster spot for him at the beginning of summer league. But, I warming up to the guy. He fights for boards. He's got size. Sure, he needs to clean his game up, but he seems like the kind of guy we could use in the D. I'm not saying sign the guy up immediately, but he may play himself into a Pistons' uni by the end of the week.
A.J. Slaughter...10 pts. 1 rb. 1 ast. 3-3 from the field 1-1 from range
Had a good shooting day but another small shooting guard(Hi, Ben Gordon)is not what the Pistons are looking for.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Deja 2
The Pistons scored 89 points for the second game in a row but unlike the previous game this affair was a blow out as the Pistons defense held the Warriors to 69 points. Got a great look at Greg Monroe as the Pistons fed him a steady diet of post feeds in the second half.
The playas:
Austin Daye...20 pts. 5 rbs. 4 asts. 3 blks.
Austin wasn't quite the sharpshooter he was against the Lakers but still managed to lead all scorers with 20. At 6'11" he has a remarkable ability to create his own shot and when he spots up for the corner three it's lights out. He continues to be the Pistons go-to-guy on the offensive end, deservedly so, but he seemed to force the issue a bit tonight. His free throw shooting was off (2-5) but overall another encouraging performance.
DaJuan Summers...18 pts. 7 rbs. 1 stl
Loved DaJuan tonight. He wasn't just hanging around on the perimeter. He was in the mix underneath and hauled down 7 rebounds, even managing to out rebound Austin. Continues to knock down jumpers and slash to the basket for lay-ups and fouls. He was much more assertive this game. I would still love to see him take a couple guys down into the block and exploit his strength but I thought tonight he really showed his value at the 3 position.
Jonas Jerebko...11 pts. 7 rbs. 1 ast. 1 stl.
I thought Jonas looked better tonight and he nearly got that double-double I was hoping for. His offense is still pretty raw, but defensively he was better. He needs to stop taking that half-charge where you think he is going to take a charge but ends up stepping into the guy driving at him and then bouncing back about five feet with his hands in the air. That's never gonna go your way, Jonas. Never. Close-out, hedge the guy, take the charge, block the shot or at least contest, but please no more half-charges.
Greg Monroe...11 pts. 8 rbs. 3 asts. 2 stls.
Saw a good sampling of what Greg can do tonight and, again, I was encouraged. He led the team in rebounding, ran the floor, contested shots and made some nice passes. His free throw shooting was poor, and after seeing the squeaker dunk he threw down tonight on Brown no one should ever mention his name in the same sentence as David Robinson again. He definitely needs to get stronger, but look at the guys shoulders, he's got the frame. He just needs time. I thought his wind looked better tonight and was impressed the way he was getting up the floor. Nice improvement from Game 1.
Terrico White...7 pts. 3 rbs. 1 ast. 1 stl.
Terrico looks comfortable with the ball in his hands and his jump shot is miles ahead of where Rodney Stuckey's was (is?)particularly from range. He's going to help the Pistons, but in what capacity? Can he play point? I mean, he can bring the ball up, but 1 assist in 25 minutes is not very reassuring. Still, he has a smooth shot, athleticism and never looks like he is rattled or in a rush. He is looking more and more like a steal at 36. I would love to see that assist number rise next game.
Others
Koshwal: Not a walking turnover this game. 9 points, 6 boards and some toughness down low. Also, the dunk of the night. Nice game.
Sosa: Looked tough and quick. 6 points, 5 assists and 1 turnover. Also, the lay-up of the night.
Millsap: Led the team in steals (3) and ran the floor hard. Impressed with his hustle and all round play.
The playas:
Austin Daye...20 pts. 5 rbs. 4 asts. 3 blks.
Austin wasn't quite the sharpshooter he was against the Lakers but still managed to lead all scorers with 20. At 6'11" he has a remarkable ability to create his own shot and when he spots up for the corner three it's lights out. He continues to be the Pistons go-to-guy on the offensive end, deservedly so, but he seemed to force the issue a bit tonight. His free throw shooting was off (2-5) but overall another encouraging performance.
DaJuan Summers...18 pts. 7 rbs. 1 stl
Loved DaJuan tonight. He wasn't just hanging around on the perimeter. He was in the mix underneath and hauled down 7 rebounds, even managing to out rebound Austin. Continues to knock down jumpers and slash to the basket for lay-ups and fouls. He was much more assertive this game. I would still love to see him take a couple guys down into the block and exploit his strength but I thought tonight he really showed his value at the 3 position.
Jonas Jerebko...11 pts. 7 rbs. 1 ast. 1 stl.
I thought Jonas looked better tonight and he nearly got that double-double I was hoping for. His offense is still pretty raw, but defensively he was better. He needs to stop taking that half-charge where you think he is going to take a charge but ends up stepping into the guy driving at him and then bouncing back about five feet with his hands in the air. That's never gonna go your way, Jonas. Never. Close-out, hedge the guy, take the charge, block the shot or at least contest, but please no more half-charges.
Greg Monroe...11 pts. 8 rbs. 3 asts. 2 stls.
Saw a good sampling of what Greg can do tonight and, again, I was encouraged. He led the team in rebounding, ran the floor, contested shots and made some nice passes. His free throw shooting was poor, and after seeing the squeaker dunk he threw down tonight on Brown no one should ever mention his name in the same sentence as David Robinson again. He definitely needs to get stronger, but look at the guys shoulders, he's got the frame. He just needs time. I thought his wind looked better tonight and was impressed the way he was getting up the floor. Nice improvement from Game 1.
Terrico White...7 pts. 3 rbs. 1 ast. 1 stl.
Terrico looks comfortable with the ball in his hands and his jump shot is miles ahead of where Rodney Stuckey's was (is?)particularly from range. He's going to help the Pistons, but in what capacity? Can he play point? I mean, he can bring the ball up, but 1 assist in 25 minutes is not very reassuring. Still, he has a smooth shot, athleticism and never looks like he is rattled or in a rush. He is looking more and more like a steal at 36. I would love to see that assist number rise next game.
Others
Koshwal: Not a walking turnover this game. 9 points, 6 boards and some toughness down low. Also, the dunk of the night. Nice game.
Sosa: Looked tough and quick. 6 points, 5 assists and 1 turnover. Also, the lay-up of the night.
Millsap: Led the team in steals (3) and ran the floor hard. Impressed with his hustle and all round play.
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