So no one is heading to Mt. Zion any more?
I browse the early draft chatter (there’s a lanky French kid who plays positionless basketball... )
And I touch base on team and player dynamics, but mostly I’m enjoying this season.
All our vets, except Courtney who is just perfect, we’re headed to washout and within the last couple of years or even right now have had come to Jesus moments about their bodies, games and careers. Kanter, Vonleh, Mario, Tim, Mud, Burke, and its reasonable to include KP.
Fizz has them on a program to be fit enough to play sound defense against all comers for all their minutes while still having energy to attack early and late. This is so obviously a good idea that everyone is on board.
With the rookies, their defensive assignments are like having a manual car parked facing up a steep incline. If you want to go for a run, you must demonstrate the ability to get the car out of the spot. Of our three rookies, the undrafted one is already tearing up the road. The task for Mitch and Knox is difficult but not impossible, handle certain defensive assignments that make them worth playing while they figure out and get woven into offensive sets. Mitch didn’t score against Memphis, but provided Kanter his few minutes rest, did a little twin towers making us harder to score on and commanded boxouts. Not all of what you want to see but enough of what we very much needed from him to win. Mitch will work out the balance between challenging everything and preserving his threat, both strategically and tactically.
Knox presented a dilemma, get his footwork up to speed to cover quicker and craftier players, or get his judo up to speed to cover stronger guys. Up until the last two games I’d say it all needed and was all getting work. The last two Fizz has tested the judo. I’d like to see Knox pass the test. Randle and then Green were quickly too much for him. Obviously Blake is out of his depth, so see what happens with Stanley Johnson?
Poll
