Preseason Have Anyone Else Concerned?

[adam187]

Caveats - Obviously haven't gotten to watch much video of the games, mostly piecing together things after the fact. Also, it is preseason.

With that being said...

This team looks like a mess. I keep seeing the same old problems from last year - dominated on the glass, horrendous shooting, giving up size at every position, stagnant offense, a lack of any discernible consistency from our main players.

The team is creating more turnovers (nice improvement for sure), but still losing the total possessions battle because of our own rebounding/turnover issues.

As a fan, the crazy lineups and substitutions are killing me, I assume these will go for the regular season, but it doesn't help my fears.

Biz, my favorite players, seems like he's taken a step back.

I think it's mostly the fact that this team came out guns blazing for Summer League (making me think Dunlap was a "let's take every moment seriously" type) and now that it looks pretty ineffective in preseason has me concerned. I just don't want this season to be anything like last year.

Now someone get on here and cheer me up please.

[Chef]

wrote this on another thread.

after the preseason, i am downgrading my expectations to 10-17 wins this year. as far as i am concerned everyone except mkg and maybe (unless he shows major improvement) biz should be traded. i am not excited about any of the rotations save for player evaluations.

[Adam42R]

Caveats - Obviously haven't gotten to watch much video of the games, mostly piecing together things after the fact. Also, it is preseason.

With that being said...


Now someone get on here and cheer me up please.

I don't know if I can cheer you or me up but .... with regard to the four hour practices and the task-master reputation of Dunlap, I am wondering the possibility this is all the over saturation both mentally and physically to make the actual "game" easier to process.

The idea of physical or mental overload won't work all the time but I am wondering with a young group, if that's not the intent here. I guess we'll see if the substitutions become a lot more metered out once we get into the season and I also wonder if/hope that, they are simplifying things for the talent they will eventually put on the floor. How much have we read from Bonnell the staff saying things like Kemba needing to keep his feet on the floor more, not wanting to coach the MKG out of MKG, pushing Mulley to rebound and hit inside, etc ... Could they be trying to give them a ton of things to look at/focus on and then settle on a very simple boilerplate for sets and rotations?? I hope that's the case and we look like a much more settled team.

I still hold out hope that we can pull out 20-25 wins this year. Oh please let us!

[BrotherDave]

Pretty much exactly what I expected. Welcome to rebuilding phase 2.

At least Kemba looks improved.

[Bosnian-Bobcats-Fan]

Yeah kemba looks improved no doubt, and a bunch of people keep telling me how bad MKG looks, they gotta remember he's only 19....i don't really think preseason shows too much and no doubt MKG will be better in the regular season and i feel the same for the rest of the team

[fan_of_a_fan]

MKG isn't looking bad. He's looking very average though. He's just being given way too limited minutes on a bad team. If you were to 'per 36' his numbers he'd be averaging 10 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assist, and 2 steals per contest throughout the preseason. With numbers like that and so much untapped potential, it's way too early to even think about calling him a bust. I expect Dunlap to use him a lot (possibly start) at PF with the smaller lineups that he's beginning to fall in love with once he realize that MKG is their best rebounder besides the towering Haywood.

[ncstamey]

As I said in another thread I was in attendance for both games at the arena and MKG looks like a solid prospect. There are certianly things he needs to improve on but he has impressed me with his ability on both ends of the court... particularly on defense, he has great awareness.

The thing I'm concerned about coaching wise is obviously this rotation/over subbing that I hope ends with the regular season and MKG not playing enough this preseason. I posted his min from the last 5 games in the Cats v Bucks game thread and he basically hasn't played more than 20 min in each pre-season game after the 1st NOLA matchup. In my mind that's WAY to little PT for him. I can't fathom why they've wasted this opportunity to help adjust him to the NBA game.

[Toocool]

Clear that Dunlap is doing a lot of experimentation.
Only thing I would like to see is MKG and JT getting a lot more playing time.

[spectre]

As a few have said the lack of an inside presence on both sides of the ball is going to make our guys look worse than they really are just like last year. It's a big concern because it'll be hard to develop the young guys.

Here's to hoping Cho can put a trade off to get us someone at least competent else it's going to be another long season.

Kemba is my bright spot too, but there's still going to be times that he will try and take over because we'll be struggling offensively. He'll get slammed for it and we'll continue to see Kemba vs. Sessions all over the net.

[kitch0202]

As I've said on a previous thread, I think the presence of Tyrus and Diop (and their horrendous contracts), means that currently there's no room for that inside big. For next season that has to be the priority for us (along with somehow shifting Tyrus).

Have to agree that Kemba is currently the bright spot on this team. Really like the way his game is shaping up and feel that when we get that inside big (what great value Sullinger was at 21) he will step on again.