NBA Summer League Chat(07/18/2008) 
3:02
Matt Watson: 
Hello from Vegas! This is Matt Watson, and I'll be joined in a few minutes by Matt Moore -- we're sitting courtside watching the Pistons and Bobcats.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:02 Matt Watson
3:03
Matt Watson: 

I've been here since Wednesday and have seen more basketball than I can remember, but if you have any questions about the Summer League or this year's crop of rookies, fire away.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:03 Matt Watson
3:05
[Comment From MattMatt: ] 
Wilson Chandler: impressive today? what won't I read in the box score?
Friday July 18, 2008 3:05 Matt
3:06
Matt Watson: 

Sorry for the delay -- slight tech. difficulties ...

Friday July 18, 2008 3:06 Matt Watson
3:08
Matt Watson: 

Chandler actually looked great today. The box score actually says a lot -- 31 point in 32 minutes. He ran the floor very well -- there was one play in particular that jumped out at me when he blocked a shot, brought the ball up the floor and then passed it before taking an alley-oop.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:08 Matt Watson
3:09
Matt Watson: 

If you noticed that Nate Robinson didn't play today, don't worry Knicks fans, he's not hurt.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:09 Matt Watson
3:10
Matt Watson: 
He just had the day off.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:10 Matt Watson
3:10
Matt Moore: 
In case you were wondering, yes, David Aldridge does look cool in khakis.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:10 Matt Moore
3:11
Matt Moore: 
Let's play the massive understatement game. "Alexis Ajinca is very tall."
Friday July 18, 2008 3:11 Matt Moore
3:11
Matt Watson: 
Danilo Gallinari has already been shut down for the rest of the league, but we did see him walking around by the locker room. Hard to take too much from it, but he didn't seem to be hobbling or anything like that.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:11 Matt Watson
3:13
Matt Moore: 
Ryan from HoopsAddict told me Robin Lopez was a workout beast and a lot better than advertised. He showed it today. Hustle, energy, and a good knowledge of where he was on the floor. He also would not get a head tattoo.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:13 Matt Moore
3:16
Matt Watson: 
Yeah, Lopez looked good today. He let a couple of boards get through his hands that I thought he should have got, but as a whole he was solid out there. For the statistically inclined, he finished with 15 points and nine boards.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:16 Matt Watson
3:18
Matt Watson: 

Today's game between the Bobcats and Pistons originally looked like it was going to be Rodney Stuckey vs. DJ Augustine, but Stuckey is no longer in Vegas.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:18 Matt Watson
3:18
Matt Watson: 
He injured his toe last week and then missed the last game for personal reasons -- not sure exactly what's going on.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:18 Matt Watson
3:19
[Comment From Mark from DetroitMark from Detroit: ] 
Any big roster updates for today, in terms of the Pistons' starting line trades...?
Friday July 18, 2008 3:19 Mark from Detroit
3:19
Matt Moore: 
Ajinca had a great block, denied as a goaltend. That didn't look like goaltending.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:19 Matt Moore
3:19
Matt Watson: 
No sir, nothing to report in that front.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:19 Matt Watson
3:19
Matt Watson: 
Pistons went with Sharpe, Amir Johnson, Samb, Afflalo and Will Bynum today, same as they've been going with.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:19 Matt Watson
3:20
Matt Watson: 

There's been some talk that Bynum might compete for a roster spot this year -- I could actually see that happening. I've heard mixed reviews about his overseas play, but he's pretty fearless out there.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:20 Matt Watson
3:20
[Comment From CTownCTown: ] 
How has Amir been? I heard he was doing bad, then I heard he wasn't that bad.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:20 CTown
3:21
Matt Watson: 
Honestly, it's hard to tell. He's his usual active self, but he really doesn't get many plays called for him.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:21 Matt Watson
3:21
Matt Watson: 
Even if he's not getting boards, though, he's still right around the rim.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:21 Matt Watson
3:22
Matt Watson: 

And he's shooting a great percentage, which is what you'd expect considering most of his shots are tip-ins and dunks.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:22 Matt Watson
3:22
[Comment From rpsrpasrapsrpsrpasraps: ] 
JOEy is dominating the league Graham
Friday July 18, 2008 3:22 rpsrpasraps
3:22
[Comment From Mark from DetroitMark from Detroit: ] 
Who would Bynum compete with? Also, thanks for keeping DetroitBadBoys.com running, great updates on the home team!
Friday July 18, 2008 3:22 Mark from Detroit
3:22
[Comment From rpsrpasrapsrpsrpasraps: ] 
will nathan Jawai play tonight?
Friday July 18, 2008 3:22 rpsrpasraps
3:22
Matt Moore: 
Jawai has been playing. This is one of the weirdest stories I've heard.   He's on the official boxscores. He's playing in games.   And he's not on the ones online.   It's bizarre.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:22 Matt Moore
3:23
[Comment From rpsrpasrapsrpsrpasraps: ] 
how did he play last night?
Friday July 18, 2008 3:23 rpsrpasraps
3:24
Matt Moore: 
don't know if he played last night. Now he's vansished off the boxscore. We'll work on finding this out tonight.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:24 Matt Moore
3:25
Matt Watson: 

I guess Bynum would be competeing with Deron Washington or Trent Plaisted, but by all accounts those guys are headed to Europe. There is a roster spot for the taking, though.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:25 Matt Watson
3:25
[Comment From CTownCTown: ] 
how has deron washington played?
Friday July 18, 2008 3:25 CTown
3:26
Matt Watson: 

First of all, he's a hell of an athlete, and he's very active. That's paid off on defense, but he hasn't shown much on offense. THat was the book on him before summer league, too, so I'm not really adding much.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:26 Matt Watson
3:27
Matt Watson: 
But really, his ability to get above the rim is something to be marveled at. I asked Amir Johnson who'd win in a slam dunk contest, him or Deron, and he gave it to Deron. He can do things off two feet that most guys need a running start to do.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:27 Matt Watson
3:27
[Comment From CTownCTown: ] 
what's your favorite timeout entertainment so far?
Friday July 18, 2008 3:27 CTown
3:28
Matt Watson: 
I'd have to say the dance offs between the little kids.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:28 Matt Watson
3:30
Matt Watson: 

As for Afflalo, it's really cool to see him in a starring role like this. It's like a throwback to his college years. As a rookie, he rarely did more than D up and shoot the occasional jumper, but here he's taking on a more prominent role.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:30 Matt Watson
3:30
Matt Watson: 
That said, he's yet to take a shot today ...
Friday July 18, 2008 3:30 Matt Watson
3:32
Matt Moore: 
So, the players are scattered all over the place and it depends on which team you end up for how nce of a place you're in.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:32 Matt Moore
3:33
Matt Moore: 
The Lakers are at Platinum. And have shuttles.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:33 Matt Moore
3:33
Matt Moore: 
The Nuggets are at Palms, which is on the other side of the strip, and they have to take cabs.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:33 Matt Moore
3:33
Matt Moore: 
CORRECTION: The Raptors are at Palms.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:33 Matt Moore
3:33
Matt Moore: 
The Nuggets are at Mirage.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:33 Matt Moore
3:34
Matt Moore: 
But I hear most of them are moving tonight.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:34 Matt Moore
3:34
Matt Watson: 

MM and I are at the Embassy Suites, where most of the refs are staying.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:34 Matt Watson
3:35
Matt Watson: 
Trying to get any sleep with the constant dice games in the hallway is impossible ...
Friday July 18, 2008 3:35 Matt Watson
3:35
Matt Watson: 
Speaking of refs, I mentioned this in a post earlier today, but I wante to emphasize: fouls mean nothing in summer league.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:35 Matt Watson
3:36
Matt Watson: 
They hand them out like candy, and considering a guy needs 10 fouls before he's out of the game, it doesn't really change anybody's plans.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:36 Matt Watson
3:36
Matt Watson: 
It's gotten better as the league has progressed, though.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:36 Matt Watson
3:38
Matt Watson: 
Oh, and a rare fast break dunk from Afflalo! His teammates were on his back for a long time last year waiting for his first dunk as a rookie.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:38 Matt Watson
3:39
Matt Moore: 
Dave from NBA.com just confused DJ Augustin with the ball boy.   NBA size, ladies and gentlemen.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:39 Matt Moore
3:42
Matt Watson: 
Of all the games that I've seen so far, the guy I'm most impressed with is Kevin Love, believe it or not.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:42 Matt Watson
3:42
Matt Watson: 
The guy has been a beast out here.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:42 Matt Watson
3:43
Matt Watson: 
He's averaging 20 and 15 -- it's crazy when a rookie steps in and starts putting up better numbers than he did in college.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:43 Matt Watson
3:44
Matt Moore: 
Stephon Marbury. Clearly.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:44 Matt Moore
3:45
Matt Watson: 
Deron Washington just had a nice dunk on the break. That kid can fly.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:45 Matt Watson
3:45
[Comment From Big PoppaBig Poppa: ] 
Y'all should ask any players you run into about Dark Knight. Just sayin.'
Friday July 18, 2008 3:45 Big Poppa
3:45
Matt Watson: 
... It's too bad we'll have to wait a year or so before he returns from Europe ...
Friday July 18, 2008 3:45 Matt Watson
3:45
Matt Moore: 
NBA Players. Vegas. Movies are not on the itinerary.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:45 Matt Moore
3:47
[Comment From Big PoppaBig Poppa: ] 
Oh, right, Cirque du Soleil. My bad. Carry on.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:47 Big Poppa
3:48
Matt Watson: 
When the Pistons drafted Walter Sharpe, I didn't have a clue who he was. I'm seeing a little bit of what Dumars liked, though. He has a surprising handle for a guy who played the four in college.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:48 Matt Watson
3:48
Matt Moore: 
AND Washington can flop. The complete Spurs game out here!
Friday July 18, 2008 3:48 Matt Moore
3:48
Matt Moore: 
20 minutes, 2 points, 4 rebounds for Nathan Jawai.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:48 Matt Moore
3:49
Matt Moore: 
Joanna Shapiro is Winston the Wolf, by the way. She solves problems.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:49 Matt Moore
3:50
[Comment From rpsrpasrapsrpsrpasraps: ] 
wow I thought Jawai would do much better then that
Friday July 18, 2008 3:50 rpsrpasraps
3:52
[Comment From GibsonGibson: ] 
Samb isnt afraid to shoot but I wonder if he is just a little out of his range. He seems to keep leaving them a bit short
Friday July 18, 2008 3:52 Gibson
3:54
Matt Watson: 

I've seen Samb show pretty decent range in the past, but what I'd really like to see is he work more down low. He's never going to outmuscle guys down there, but he needs to make better use of his length up close.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:54 Matt Watson
3:55
Matt Watson: 

When he does get low, it's obvious how raw he still is.

Friday July 18, 2008 3:55 Matt Watson
3:56
[Comment From CTownCTown: ] 
I hear his english is getting much better
Friday July 18, 2008 3:56 CTown
3:56
Matt Watson: 
Well, that's progress, I guess.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:56 Matt Watson
3:56
Matt Watson: 
I kid you not, I think I just saw Keith Closs.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:56 Matt Watson
3:56
Matt Moore: 
HOLY GOD TRACTOR TRAYLOR ISHUGE.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:56 Matt Moore
3:57
Matt Watson: 
He's suiting up in the next game for the Cavs. Good to see he's kept in shape over the years.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:57 Matt Watson
3:58
[Comment From CTownCTown: ] 
his weight is listed at 289
Friday July 18, 2008 3:58 CTown
3:59
Matt Watson: 
Yeah, but what is it when he puts both feet on the scale?
Friday July 18, 2008 3:59 Matt Watson
3:59
Matt Watson: 
I kid, but I'm actually excited to see him. I watched him destroy my high school team when I was a freshman, and he preceded me at Univ. of Michigan.
Friday July 18, 2008 3:59 Matt Watson
4:00
Matt Watson: 
Plus, growing up, there was a time that Oliver Miller was my favorite player.
Friday July 18, 2008 4:00 Matt Watson
4:00
Matt Watson: 
I don't know how that ties into anything. It just seemed appropriate to mention.
Friday July 18, 2008 4:00 Matt Watson
4:02
Matt Watson: 
And with that, we bring this thing to a close. We'll be back at 6pm tomorrow during the Raptors-Warriors game. Thanks for all the questions, and we'll talk to you then.
Friday July 18, 2008 4:02 Matt Watson
4:03



 
 
 
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