Quarterback:
The Patriots are in good hands as long as Tom Brady is leading the team from under center. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and always seems to do well with what weapons he has at his disposal. He is now 36 years old and nearing the end of his career, but it seems as if age has not bothered him much based on his stats last season. He has a deal that will potentially keep him in New England until 2017 and I expect he will play out the deal.
Ryan Mallet is his backup as of now, but will he replace him when he retires? He is still a work in progress, but has made many stride, especially last season. He needs to keep improving in order for Belichick to feel comfortable with him backing up Brady. They also brought in Tebow. but I doubt he sees the field much this season. He needs to focus on improving as a quarterback.
Grade: A
Running Back:
Steven Ridley rushed for 1293 yards last season on 4.4 yards per carry and gave New England their first real rushing threat since Corey Dillon. Ridley was adept at finding the end zone last season, finishing with 12 touchdowns and he turned 82 carries in for first down, which was good for third in the league. He will be the number one running back heading into camp and deservedly so.
Brandon Bolden could push him for some carries, but I doubt that he is much of a threat to become the number one back. He is a very suitable backup and if Ridley goes down, he could become a lot more than that. Danny Woodhead left for San Diego, but New England did not put up much of a fight for him, which I believe shows their confidence in Shane Vareen. They also signed Leno Washington, but I doubt we see much of him coming out of the backfield.
Grade: B
Receivers:
Wes Welker left for Denver, which means Tom Brady will have to find a new security blanket. Danny Amendola is the top candidate to replace him, but he needs to prove that he can stay healthy. He runs good routes and catches the ball well, but I dont think he will be able to replace everything Welker brought to the Patriots offense. Julian Edelman might be getting a lot of looks in the slot as well, especially if Amendola does not pan out.
They also do not have Brandon Llyod, he did not make the impact some thought he would when he first came, but he was still pretty significant. He caught 74 balls for 911 yards and 4 touchdowns, he will be difficult to replace on the outside. They will be counting on rookie Aaron Dobson to fill one of the holes on the outside. Jones never did anything special during his time in Buffalo, but he has the potential now that he is playing with one of the best quarterbacks in the game. Dobson projects as a deep threat who will allow the slot receivers to get open. However, that will only work if teams are afraid of him. The Patriots need to try to establish him early in the season.
Rob Gronkowski has had numerous surgeries this offseason and he might not be 100% for the entire season, at least not for the majority of it. Gronk is their biggest weapon, but if he is playing injured, teams will be a lot more likely to slow him down. Jake Ballard will have to step up as a play maker because of Gronk's injuries and the fact that Aaron Hernandez will likely be in prison for the rest of his life and even if he is innocent, the Patriots have already cut him. Ballard has been in the league for three years, but has only played in one season. He has a lot of potential, but he will not be able to make up for what a heathy Gronk and Hernandez brought to the offense.
Grade: C+
Offensive Line:
Left tackle, Nate Solder played well last season, but he still has a lot of room to improve. It was only his first full season as starter at left tackle so New England should give him more time. Logan Mankins is entering his tenth year in the league and missed most of the season last year with injuries, but he hopes to be fully healthy this season. When he is healthy, he is one of the best guards in the league. Right tackle, Sebastian Vollmer, is one of the best in the league at his position, when healthy. He was resigned this year in order to keep the starting five together.
Last season, center Ryan Wendell finally got the chance to become the starter and made the most of it. He proved that he is tough and a very good run blocker. He should be the starting center for many years to come. Dan Connolly is probably the weak link on the line. He is an OK player, but he could be easily replaced in next years draft.
Grade: B
Defensive Line:
Chandler Jones is probably the most talented player on the defensive line. He has a lot of potential as a pass rusher and showed flashes last season before he suffered nagging injuries that deemed him useless. I believe he will finish with double digit sacks next season and will improve in his run stopping abilities. Rob Ninkovich is starting at the other defensive end position. He is a savvy veteran who gets sacks using a myriad of tools. If either Ninkovich or Chandler go down to injury, there is no one behind them who can bring pressure off of the end.
Vince Wilfork is still one of the best defensive tackles in the league. He disrupts a lot of plays up the middle and is one of the reasons the Patriots had a top ten run defense last season. Kevin Love will be starting next to him. He is not as talented as Wilfork, but he is solid and a very good compliment to what Wilform brings to the line. They also decided to bring in Tommy Kelly in free agency this offseason. He was prett bad with the Raiders last season, it will be interesting to see if he turns it around in New England.
Grade: B
Linebackers:
New England has three very talented starting linebackers in Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes and Dont'a Hightower. Mayo is the best player out of the group, but has been held back because Hightower and Spikes were untrustworthy. Now that they have both grown as players, Mayo will get more of a chance to be himself on the field. Spikes has been very good against the run, but showed a lot of improvement against the pass last season. If he could become a three down linebacker, he could be one of the best weapons in the league.
Hightower is a very good well rounded player. He has issues against the pass, but he can be used as a pass rusher. Like Spikes, he is also very good against the run. The only problem with the linebacking core is that they lack depth. They drafted Jamie Collins, but he is raw because he was not primarily a linebacker in college. He could be used a pass rusher. The Patriots should be very worried if one of their starting linebackers goes down because it could result in disaster.
Grade: B
Secondary:
Aqib Talib might not be as good as many thought when he was drafted, but he is talented and played very well for the Patriots last season. He is only on a one year deal, which should put him on the top of his game if he wants to land a big deal next offseason. Alfonzo Dennard found a spot on the starting lineup at the end of his rookie season and was solid. He is not a superstar, but he should be serviceable for at least the next couple of years. Kyle Arrington will likely be the starting nickel back where he is more of a natural fit. They drafted Logan Ryan this past draft and he could possibly push Dennard for the starting spot if his impresses.
This past season, the Patriots decided to move Devin McCourty to safety where he has been a lot more successful than he was playing cornerbck. He finished last season with fiver interceptions and 13 pass defensed and I expect those numbers to rise as he becomes more comfortable. Tavon Wilson is looking to take a bigger role as the strong safety this season. He was being primed last season to take the starting spot and it looks as if he will win it over in training camp. The team brought in Adrian Wilson to provide a hard hitting veteran presence. He wont be an every down player, but he will contribute a lot to the team this year. Steve Gregory was serviceable last season and will be a decent backup.
Grade: C+
Special Teams:
Stephen Gostkowski is a good kicker who converts when he is called upon. He was fourth in the league in touchbacks last season. Brian Mesko is a serviceable punter, but it does not look as if they will bring in a challenger for him in training camp. Leon Washington will give them a dynamic kick returner, something that have lacked for a while. Julian Edelman is a very good, yet underrated, punt returner.
Grade: B+
Overview:
Even with all of the turnover and off season issues the Patriots should still win the division. They will not go far in the playoffs, but I do not expect anything less than a division win. Losing Welker and Hernandez takes a big chunk out of the offense and Brady will have to find replacements. Unfortunately for Brady, that sounds easier than it actually is.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Denver Broncos Training Camp Battles Preview
Training camp is almost here, which means that the season is about to get underway for the NFL. The Denver Broncos are looking to contend for a Super Bowl and anything short wont cut it. They have most of their starters in place, but there are still some positions up for grabs. Most of the action will take place with the younger players fighting for, not only playing time, but a spot on the team.
The middle linebacker competition will be very interesting to watch in training camp and pre season games. The starting job has not been doled out and three players will be fighting for it. Nate Irving, a third year pro, is the favorite heading into training camp. He is quick and fast, but lacks strength. He has not received a lot of playing time during the past two seasons, but when he was on the field he was impressive. Steven Johnson, a second year player, signed as an undrafted free agent last year and made the team. He still has a lot to prove, which is why I think he makes a huge impression on the coaches with a big time training camp. Stewart Bradley is the veteran of this competition with five years of experience. He was once a starter with the Eagles, but he did not start the past two seasons with the Cardinals. He has experience as a starter, which gives him a leg up on his competition. I believe Steven Johnson will end up winning the competition because he is hungry to prove everyone wrong. Even though he was undrafted, his skills are about the same as Irving and Bradley. Irving will be a close second and should receive a good amount of playing time in the rotation.
As was seen in minicamp, both safety positions could be up for grabs. Mike Adams and Rahim Moore were the starters last season. Adams was not good at all. He struggled against the run and was even worse against the pass. Moore had a very good second season, compared to his first, but he still has a lot of room to improve, especially in pass defense. Quinton Carter did not get to play last season because of injury and he will be looking to come back with a vengeance. He will be gunning for Mike Adam's spot as a starter. He is much better against the run and has the speed and size to cover tight ends. David Bruton received some playing time as the starter in minicamp and looks to carry that momentum into training camp. Bruton, a special teams ace for his entire career, has the ability to play both safety positions, which may give him a leg up on the competition. Bruton will not be afraid to stick his nose in on running plays, but I have not seen enough of him on defense to judge his pass defense. The Broncos also signed Quentin Jammer, but I do not think he is a candidate to start. Rather, he will be used as a specialty player in nickel and dime situations. Call me crazy, but I think Mike Adams has a chance of being cut if he is passed over by Carter and Bruton. I think Moore and Carter win the starting jobs, but Bruton will see playing time occasionally.
The defensive tackle competition will also be a good one. Kevin Vickerson and Mitch Unrein performed well last season, but the Broncos brought in Sylvester Williams, through the draft, and Terrance Knighton, through free agency. Last season, Vickerson put on more weight, which helped him against the run. He is not much of a pass rusher, in terms of sacks, but he does push the pocket well, which helps the edge rushers get to the quarterback. Mitch Unrein came out of nowhere last season and performed very well. He is a versatile player, who should be able to find some playing time in the rotation. Terrance Knighton has always had potential, but he faltered in Jacksonville last season, but reuniting with Jack Del Rio should put him back on track. Knighton is a run stuffer with the potential to rush the passer. He will have to show coaches that he can push the pocket, if he wants to see playing time on third downs. Sylvester Williams, the Broncos first round draft pick, has the most potential out of anyone in the group. He can stop the run and rush the passer effectively, so he should at least find playing time in nickel situations. He should develop into a dominant force at some point in his career. I believe Vickerson and Williams will win the starting jobs, but Knighton and Unrein should find plenty of playing time as part of the rotation.
The running back position has yet to be figured out. The main battle will take place between Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman for the starting job. Ball is a sturdy back who is adept a finding the hole and going. He is also good at breaking tackles and it short yardage situations. Hillman is more of a playmaker, but needs to prove he can run inside the tackles. At the end of the day, Ball should win the competition, but carried will be split fairly evenly. CJ Anderson, an undrafted rookie, and Knowshon Moreno will battle for the backup position. Anderson is a strong runner, who would be a nice complement to Ball and Hillman, while Moreno is a good pass catcher who can be used on third down. Montee Ball is also a good pass catcher and blocker, which makes Moreno expendable. CJ Anderson should make the roster, but will likely not receive many carries.
Training camp is on the way and I could not be more exited. There will obviously be many more camp battles than this, but I believe these are the four most important that will effect the Super Bowl run the most.
The middle linebacker competition will be very interesting to watch in training camp and pre season games. The starting job has not been doled out and three players will be fighting for it. Nate Irving, a third year pro, is the favorite heading into training camp. He is quick and fast, but lacks strength. He has not received a lot of playing time during the past two seasons, but when he was on the field he was impressive. Steven Johnson, a second year player, signed as an undrafted free agent last year and made the team. He still has a lot to prove, which is why I think he makes a huge impression on the coaches with a big time training camp. Stewart Bradley is the veteran of this competition with five years of experience. He was once a starter with the Eagles, but he did not start the past two seasons with the Cardinals. He has experience as a starter, which gives him a leg up on his competition. I believe Steven Johnson will end up winning the competition because he is hungry to prove everyone wrong. Even though he was undrafted, his skills are about the same as Irving and Bradley. Irving will be a close second and should receive a good amount of playing time in the rotation.
As was seen in minicamp, both safety positions could be up for grabs. Mike Adams and Rahim Moore were the starters last season. Adams was not good at all. He struggled against the run and was even worse against the pass. Moore had a very good second season, compared to his first, but he still has a lot of room to improve, especially in pass defense. Quinton Carter did not get to play last season because of injury and he will be looking to come back with a vengeance. He will be gunning for Mike Adam's spot as a starter. He is much better against the run and has the speed and size to cover tight ends. David Bruton received some playing time as the starter in minicamp and looks to carry that momentum into training camp. Bruton, a special teams ace for his entire career, has the ability to play both safety positions, which may give him a leg up on the competition. Bruton will not be afraid to stick his nose in on running plays, but I have not seen enough of him on defense to judge his pass defense. The Broncos also signed Quentin Jammer, but I do not think he is a candidate to start. Rather, he will be used as a specialty player in nickel and dime situations. Call me crazy, but I think Mike Adams has a chance of being cut if he is passed over by Carter and Bruton. I think Moore and Carter win the starting jobs, but Bruton will see playing time occasionally.
The defensive tackle competition will also be a good one. Kevin Vickerson and Mitch Unrein performed well last season, but the Broncos brought in Sylvester Williams, through the draft, and Terrance Knighton, through free agency. Last season, Vickerson put on more weight, which helped him against the run. He is not much of a pass rusher, in terms of sacks, but he does push the pocket well, which helps the edge rushers get to the quarterback. Mitch Unrein came out of nowhere last season and performed very well. He is a versatile player, who should be able to find some playing time in the rotation. Terrance Knighton has always had potential, but he faltered in Jacksonville last season, but reuniting with Jack Del Rio should put him back on track. Knighton is a run stuffer with the potential to rush the passer. He will have to show coaches that he can push the pocket, if he wants to see playing time on third downs. Sylvester Williams, the Broncos first round draft pick, has the most potential out of anyone in the group. He can stop the run and rush the passer effectively, so he should at least find playing time in nickel situations. He should develop into a dominant force at some point in his career. I believe Vickerson and Williams will win the starting jobs, but Knighton and Unrein should find plenty of playing time as part of the rotation.
The running back position has yet to be figured out. The main battle will take place between Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman for the starting job. Ball is a sturdy back who is adept a finding the hole and going. He is also good at breaking tackles and it short yardage situations. Hillman is more of a playmaker, but needs to prove he can run inside the tackles. At the end of the day, Ball should win the competition, but carried will be split fairly evenly. CJ Anderson, an undrafted rookie, and Knowshon Moreno will battle for the backup position. Anderson is a strong runner, who would be a nice complement to Ball and Hillman, while Moreno is a good pass catcher who can be used on third down. Montee Ball is also a good pass catcher and blocker, which makes Moreno expendable. CJ Anderson should make the roster, but will likely not receive many carries.
Training camp is on the way and I could not be more exited. There will obviously be many more camp battles than this, but I believe these are the four most important that will effect the Super Bowl run the most.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Game Five Impressions
The Nuggets were knocked out of the tournament by the Toronto Raptors, but will get to play one more game in which the benchwarmers will receive a lot of minutes. In the fifth game, Jordan Hamilton scored a game high 23 points on 10-21 shooting, 4-10 from three, and grabbed 3 rebounds 2 steals and a blocked shot. He continued his hot shooting from the fourth game, which is a good sign. He has proven that he can hit shots from all over the court in Summer League, but he needs to do it when it counts, during the NBA season. Quincy Miller had trouble down low when he had to help with Valanciunis on defense and when he was trying to score inside. Miller should put on some more weight in order to be more effective down low. He scored 10 points, shooting 4-11, 2-3 from three, and grabbed 7 rebounds, while blocking 1 shot. It was nice to see him rebound well, while shooting well from deep, but he really needs to work on his inside game on offense and defense.
Evan Fournier had another lackluster performance scoring only 5 points on 2-7 shooting, 0-4 from three, while grabbing zero boards and dishing zero assists. I would not put too much stock into Fournier's Summer League woes because he has played much better in actual NBA games. Erick Green also struggled. Green scored 6 points on 3-12 shooting, 0-4 from three, but he had 4 assists and 3 rebounds. Green struggled to shoot and get to the rim. When he actually got to the rim, he often missed. Green should get a chance to avenge himself in the next game, with a healthy diet of minutes.
CJ again got the start, but did not receive a lot of minutes. He scored 5 points, on 2-4 shooting, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 4 assists. Hopefully, he will receive more minutes in the sixth game and play well enough to earn and invitation to training camp. Luke Harangody, another training camp hopeful, played decently. He scored 10 points on 3-7 shooting, 1-2 from three, to go along with 5 rebounds and one steal. He had trouble with defense down low, which he will need to improve on to make the team.
The Nuggets will have a sixth game tomorrow against a team that has yet to be named. Fournier, Miller and Hamilton are unlikely to receive minutes in this game.
Evan Fournier had another lackluster performance scoring only 5 points on 2-7 shooting, 0-4 from three, while grabbing zero boards and dishing zero assists. I would not put too much stock into Fournier's Summer League woes because he has played much better in actual NBA games. Erick Green also struggled. Green scored 6 points on 3-12 shooting, 0-4 from three, but he had 4 assists and 3 rebounds. Green struggled to shoot and get to the rim. When he actually got to the rim, he often missed. Green should get a chance to avenge himself in the next game, with a healthy diet of minutes.
CJ again got the start, but did not receive a lot of minutes. He scored 5 points, on 2-4 shooting, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 4 assists. Hopefully, he will receive more minutes in the sixth game and play well enough to earn and invitation to training camp. Luke Harangody, another training camp hopeful, played decently. He scored 10 points on 3-7 shooting, 1-2 from three, to go along with 5 rebounds and one steal. He had trouble with defense down low, which he will need to improve on to make the team.
The Nuggets will have a sixth game tomorrow against a team that has yet to be named. Fournier, Miller and Hamilton are unlikely to receive minutes in this game.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Game Four Impressions
The Nuggets finally got their first win in Summer League play and they get to advance to the next round of the tournament. Jordan Hamilton came out firing and it paid off, he finished with 23 points on 8-14 shooting, 4-7 from three, to go along with 4 rebounds and 2 steals. He showed that when he is on his game, he can score at will, but that needs to happen on a more consistent basis. He needs to show that he can score like that again in game five. Evan Fournier did not play well, scoring 8 points on 2-8 shooting, 2-7 from three, he also had 4 rebounds 4 assists and 1 steal. Fournier also committed zero turnovers, which proved that his 7 seven turnovers in game three was an anomaly. He only shot one shot inside the three point line, which is not something he should continue. He is a decent three point shooter, but he has the skills to score from other spots on the floor.
Quincy Miller, like Hamilton, finally had a good game shooting the ball, scoring 17 points on 6-10 shooting, 5-5 from three, to go along with 5 rebounds 1 steal and 1 block. The hot shooting was nice to see, but he could have done more to get to rebounds. Although, he was out on the perimeter a lot, where it gets a bit tougher to grab rebounds. Erick Green did not get the start, but he received a lot of minutes. Green scored 14 points on 5-9 shooting, 1-1 from three, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 1 assist and added one steal. Green showed his ability to score inside the three point line and get to the rim, both of which I have been waiting to see the entire Summer League.
CJ Harris received the start, but was limited to 8 minutes of playing time. He did play well though, he scored 7 points on 3-3 shooting and scored 2 rebounds. I would like to see him receive more minutes because he has had two promising games in a row. Luke Harangody struggled this game, going 1-6 from the field and only grabbing 4 rebounds. I am sure he will have a fantastic game next time out to make up for this lackluster performance.
The Nuggets moved onto the next round with this win and will face the Raptors to try to move on in the tournament.
Quincy Miller, like Hamilton, finally had a good game shooting the ball, scoring 17 points on 6-10 shooting, 5-5 from three, to go along with 5 rebounds 1 steal and 1 block. The hot shooting was nice to see, but he could have done more to get to rebounds. Although, he was out on the perimeter a lot, where it gets a bit tougher to grab rebounds. Erick Green did not get the start, but he received a lot of minutes. Green scored 14 points on 5-9 shooting, 1-1 from three, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 1 assist and added one steal. Green showed his ability to score inside the three point line and get to the rim, both of which I have been waiting to see the entire Summer League.
CJ Harris received the start, but was limited to 8 minutes of playing time. He did play well though, he scored 7 points on 3-3 shooting and scored 2 rebounds. I would like to see him receive more minutes because he has had two promising games in a row. Luke Harangody struggled this game, going 1-6 from the field and only grabbing 4 rebounds. I am sure he will have a fantastic game next time out to make up for this lackluster performance.
The Nuggets moved onto the next round with this win and will face the Raptors to try to move on in the tournament.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Game Three Impressions
The Nuggets, as a team, regressed from their improvements that they made in game two. Jordan Hamilton did not play due to "Personal Reasons" and that meant more playing time for players who have not played yet. Chris Harris was the only player to take advantage of the increased playing time, scoring 8 points on 3-4 shooting. Evan Fournier only scored 12 points on 4-9 shooting , but 1-5 from three point range, he also had 4 rebounds and 7 turnovers. The 7 turnovers are the most concerning part of the stat line, but that is an anomaly for him so far, as long as the turnovers don't continue, there should be no worry about this game.
Quincy Miller finished with 11 points on 5-13 shooting, 1-5 from three point range, he also had 4 rebounds and 1 block. He has not seemed to find his rhythm in any of the three games during Summer League and is not playing within the game. He needs to find his game before training camp begins, or he could be on the roster bubble. Erick Green had a decent game, scoring 9 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists, but of those 9 points, he did not score any inside the three point line. That has been a theme for him throughout summer league and it is troubling. He has had trouble getting to and scoring at the rim and that has yet to change. His shooting could get him by, but he will have limited scoring potential if he does not improve near the rim.
Luke Harangody kept up his good play in Summer League, finishing with 9 points 5 rebounds and 2 assists in limited minutes. He was efficient in the amount of minutes he received, but I am hoping he will get more in the next two games. Kyle Barone had another disappointing game, finishing with 5 points and 5 rebounds. I had more expectations for him in Summer League and he has been disappointing, especially on the defensive end.
The Nuggets got blown out again and it is starting to get disappointing. Score does not really matter in Summer League, but losing by double digits in three straight games does not inspire awe. The next game is against New Orleans on wednesday.
Quincy Miller finished with 11 points on 5-13 shooting, 1-5 from three point range, he also had 4 rebounds and 1 block. He has not seemed to find his rhythm in any of the three games during Summer League and is not playing within the game. He needs to find his game before training camp begins, or he could be on the roster bubble. Erick Green had a decent game, scoring 9 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists, but of those 9 points, he did not score any inside the three point line. That has been a theme for him throughout summer league and it is troubling. He has had trouble getting to and scoring at the rim and that has yet to change. His shooting could get him by, but he will have limited scoring potential if he does not improve near the rim.
Luke Harangody kept up his good play in Summer League, finishing with 9 points 5 rebounds and 2 assists in limited minutes. He was efficient in the amount of minutes he received, but I am hoping he will get more in the next two games. Kyle Barone had another disappointing game, finishing with 5 points and 5 rebounds. I had more expectations for him in Summer League and he has been disappointing, especially on the defensive end.
The Nuggets got blown out again and it is starting to get disappointing. Score does not really matter in Summer League, but losing by double digits in three straight games does not inspire awe. The next game is against New Orleans on wednesday.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Game Two Impressions
The first thing that jumped out at me during this game was an improved Fournier. He scored 20 points on 7-15 shooting and was 4-8 from the three point line. He had some troubles on defense, but that can be changed, considering he played good defense against NBA teams. He finished with two rebounds, but had no assists or steals. He should continue playing good on offense, but I would like to see improvement on his all around game. Jordan Hamilton played better, but he also had troubles on defense. He finished 4-11 from the field, but was 3-5 from three point range, scoring 11 points. Hamilton has troubles when he moves inside the three point line, which does not bode well for his NBA future. He has the athleticism to finish inside, but has struggled in Summer League. I would like to see him fix that in the remaining three games. He did finish with seven rebounds, which is good for a small forward.
Quincy Miller again struggled from the field, 3-9 0-2 from three point range, but he did finish with six boards and three block shots, proving he has the skills to play power forward at the NBA level. He needs to score at a better rate. He seems to play too fast and is trying to hard, which puts him out of the rhythm of the game. If he can play within himself, he will be very dangerous. Erick Green played much better than he did in the first game. He finished with 11 points on 4-8 shooting and 3-4 from three point range. He shot much better, but he still needs to work on getting to the rim. I would like to see him, like Hamilton, score more inside the three point line.
Luke Harangody played like he wants to make the team. He finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds, 3 of them offensive and he was 6-9 from the field and 2-3 from the three point line. He is undersized for his position, but he does not play like it. He is a long shot to make the final roster, but if he keeps playing like this he will have a slight chance. Kyle Barone got to start this game, but he made nothing of it. He finished with zero points and only two rebounds. He needs to improve a lot on this game if he wants to see more minutes. Darious Johnson-Odom played well. He finished with 10 points and lead the team with 6 assists. He should be in line for more minutes as Summer League wears on.
The Nuggets did not win the game, but that is not the goal of Summer League. Every important player improved on their performances from game one. They play again tonight at 8:00 mountain time and I am expecting more improvement.
Quincy Miller again struggled from the field, 3-9 0-2 from three point range, but he did finish with six boards and three block shots, proving he has the skills to play power forward at the NBA level. He needs to score at a better rate. He seems to play too fast and is trying to hard, which puts him out of the rhythm of the game. If he can play within himself, he will be very dangerous. Erick Green played much better than he did in the first game. He finished with 11 points on 4-8 shooting and 3-4 from three point range. He shot much better, but he still needs to work on getting to the rim. I would like to see him, like Hamilton, score more inside the three point line.
Luke Harangody played like he wants to make the team. He finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds, 3 of them offensive and he was 6-9 from the field and 2-3 from the three point line. He is undersized for his position, but he does not play like it. He is a long shot to make the final roster, but if he keeps playing like this he will have a slight chance. Kyle Barone got to start this game, but he made nothing of it. He finished with zero points and only two rebounds. He needs to improve a lot on this game if he wants to see more minutes. Darious Johnson-Odom played well. He finished with 10 points and lead the team with 6 assists. He should be in line for more minutes as Summer League wears on.
The Nuggets did not win the game, but that is not the goal of Summer League. Every important player improved on their performances from game one. They play again tonight at 8:00 mountain time and I am expecting more improvement.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Denver Nuggets Summer League Game One Impressions
There was not one Nuggets player who played well. Quincy Miller was impressive to begin the game, but faltered as the game went on. He finished with nine points eight rebounds and three blocks. He showed some promise in becoming a stretch four. His rebounding was promising, as were his three blocked shots. He still needs work on consistency with his outside shot, but that will come with practice. Evan Fournier, although he did not particularly play well, showed promise. He scored ten points and played some good defense. He shot 4-11 from the field, but it looked as if he just had an off game, I fully expect him to come back and play well in the next game.
Jordan Hamilton shot very poorly from the field and needs to work on his shot selection. He was 1-11 from the field and did not connect on any three pointers. He also needs to work on his defense. He committed six fouls and most of them were a result of him not playing good defense. If he wants to find a spot in the regular season rotation, he needs to play much better than this. Erick Green, the Nugget's 2013 second round draft pick, played equally as terrible. He only scored four points on 2-12 shooting and had a very rough time getting to the rim. If he shows that he is not able to get to the rim in Summer League, he will have a rough NBA career, given his size. He needs to prove that he can score against NBA competition in his next game.
Ben Uzoh had the best game of any Nugget player and played like he wants an invite to training camp. He scored 11 points on 4-7 shooting. He also added two assists three boards and two steals. He played inspired defense and had the best +/- rating on the Nuggets with +5. Look for him to get more playing time if he keeps up this type of play. I was exited to see Kyle Barone play and although he did not get a lot of playing time, he finished 4-4 from the field and grabbed two rebounds, both of them offensive. I hope to see him get more minutes as Summer League continues.
Hopefully this was the worst game that the Nuggets will play during Summer League. Everyone on the team can improve their performance from this game, especially Erick Green and Jordan Hamilton. The next game will be July 15th at 8:30 Mountain Time against the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan Hamilton shot very poorly from the field and needs to work on his shot selection. He was 1-11 from the field and did not connect on any three pointers. He also needs to work on his defense. He committed six fouls and most of them were a result of him not playing good defense. If he wants to find a spot in the regular season rotation, he needs to play much better than this. Erick Green, the Nugget's 2013 second round draft pick, played equally as terrible. He only scored four points on 2-12 shooting and had a very rough time getting to the rim. If he shows that he is not able to get to the rim in Summer League, he will have a rough NBA career, given his size. He needs to prove that he can score against NBA competition in his next game.
Ben Uzoh had the best game of any Nugget player and played like he wants an invite to training camp. He scored 11 points on 4-7 shooting. He also added two assists three boards and two steals. He played inspired defense and had the best +/- rating on the Nuggets with +5. Look for him to get more playing time if he keeps up this type of play. I was exited to see Kyle Barone play and although he did not get a lot of playing time, he finished 4-4 from the field and grabbed two rebounds, both of them offensive. I hope to see him get more minutes as Summer League continues.
Hopefully this was the worst game that the Nuggets will play during Summer League. Everyone on the team can improve their performance from this game, especially Erick Green and Jordan Hamilton. The next game will be July 15th at 8:30 Mountain Time against the Chicago Bulls.
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