by interstellarshadow » Tue Oct 28, 2014 2:45 pm
December 16, @ Washington (5-19): W 125-114
Nagid, coming off the bench had a great night, scoring 19, with 7 boards and 5 steals. Evans had 20 points, and 8 boards, while Baykurt had 20 and 2 steals, where Dobbins scored sixteen with 2 blocks and a steal. Havens and Harrington each recorded a double-double: Havens had 14 points and 13 boards, while Harrington added 12 assists to 18 points. Stukes did what he always does, but still couldn’t rescue the Americans from their disastrous season.
Record: 19-3
December 17, vs San Antonio (10-12): L 116-113
There were four seconds left in the game, with the score reading 113 all, when Outlaws PG Kurtis Scholl received an inbounds pass around 30 feet from the basket. He took one dribble and pulled up, the ball soaring over court. It hit front iron, bounced up, into the backboard, and fell into the basket, as the buzzer sounded. Despite the score, and that play, everyone in the arena knew that Harrington had resoundingly outplayed him, to the tune of 21 points, and 18 dimes, with 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. He had fouled out after 40 minutes of play, sitting out the final possessions. Who knows what would happen if he were in? Oh well, I say, we can only move on and win the next one. Dobbins also had a double-double, with 13 points and 11 boards.
Record: 19-4
December 19, vs Chicago (13-11): W 113-94
Revenge is sweet, even if we can’t exact it on San Antonio yet. Instead Chicago is subject to our fury. They shoot under 40% on the night, and Harrington’s 24 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 steals are the lead cause. Evans also had 24, making 9 of 17 shots. Dobbins had 16 points and 15 boards, including 6 offensive rebounds. Nagid also got a double-double, with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Record: 20-4
December 20, @ Brooklyn (10-13): L 119-126
I always relish playing against Brooklyn and Dudley, as each encounter validates the trade I made for Zulu. Yet, as I have traded him away, for a center who is arguably worse than Dudley (but better in my system IMO) it seems that our matchups don’t have as much meaning anymore. I don’t say that because we lost but I definitely feel it. The Center matchup is no longer directly competitive, since Havens isn’t as big or strong as Dudley, who had 32 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal on the night. He shot 11 for 22, and 10 for 21 from the line (Free throw). They also had 7 players in double figures. Baykurt put up a very nice 26 points, four rebounds, block and 2 steals, while Harrington had 20 points and 13 dimes, with four steals, and five boards in 43 minutes of play. Fouls were a big issue for our team as we had forty-five of them on the night, good to foul 5 players out.
Record: 20-5
December 23, vs Miami (14-11): L 110-102
I’m starting to see problems as we drop 2 in a row. Baykurt did quite a lot to keep us in the game, scoring 21, with 10 boards, 2 steals, 2 dimes and 4 blocks. Harrington had 26 points, 8 dimes, a rebound and 3 steals, but Dobbins decided to not actually play basketball, even when he spent his short time on the floor. Havens fouled out in 24 minutes, which seems to be a common occurrence. Marcus Alexander was able to take advantage of the void left Dobbins’ absence, scoring 29 to lead the Burn to a 8 point win.
Record: 20-6
December 25, vs Brooklyn (12-13): L 103-109
A revenge game, Havens wanted to, in no way, resemble his previous performance, and he didn’t. He scored 19 points, had six blocks, and limited Dudley to 7 points in 23 minutes. Baykurt had 24, and Evans, 23, but Harrington was outmatched by Ivan Salinas, fouling out and having a poor performance overall. Dobbins was still in the dumps, but managed to make up slightly for a 2 point, 1 for 6 performance, by getting 3 steals, 2 blocks and 8 boards, but neither I, nor coach are very happy about the three game slide that has us sitting 4 games back of New York.
Record: 20-7
December 27, @ Chicago (15-13): L 118-129
I don’t understand what is happening! 27 team dimes, 9 team blocks, and 10 team steals, to go with a 3 board margin, a 50% shooting percentage, and great numbers from the starting five shouldn’t result in a loss, right? Dobby came out of his slump with a vengeance, scoring 24 points, grabbing 10 boards, and fouling Zulu out, scoreless, in 12 minutes. Evans had 32 points, and 7 boards, plus 2 blocks and 3 steals. But 30 points from Jarrod Conway, 22 from Dickey West (Havens came off the bench for only 14 minutes of play), and 25 from Ray Johnson, who also had 14 boards. We have 2 days off before playing Miami, and I am seriously considering making a change.
Record: 20-8
December 30, @ Miami (16-12): L 95-104
This is just embarrassing! Miami are 4 games back from us (well, now 3), and we are getting scorched for the second time, and have now lost 5 in a Row!!! Alexander had 23 points, 15 dimes, and 7 rebounds, while we floundered to shoot 42 percent from the floor.
Record: 20-9
I call up Coach Ali Jones. “Can you give me any explanation why our team is completely failing to put together a complete ball game? One where, you know, we beat a team we are supposed to beat?”
“No sir. Our shots are mostly falling, we are running the plays, but we can’t seem to actually pull out a win.”
“Well, as the head coach, earning almost 4 million dollars a year, you should. That is why, I believe, that with the roster we have, a good coach shouldn’t be able to lose games in a row to teams that are hovering around .500.”
“What are you saying?”
“You know exactly what I am saying. Your services here are no longer required. I expect your office to be cleaned out by morning.”
Turning around, I call up Deshawn McGadney, a 68 year old, with 20 years of head coaching experience and 11 rings.
“Hi Coach, its Leah Jamison from the Freedom.”
“What can I do for you Leah?”
“I’m calling because we have an opening in our coaching staff. We are gunning for a championship, and our recent woes have put me at odds with Coach Jones. I’ve shown him the door. Do you want to help us get a ring, and make it your twelfth?”
“It sounds like a good job. Yet, I’m sixty-eight years old. I am not a young guy any more. Championships alone won’t do it for me.”
“I am prepared to offer you a 24 million dollar, 3 year contract. You’ll earn about 8 million a year.”
“Sounds pretty good. I’ll hook my lawyer up with your guys, and they’ll work out the terms. When do I start?”
“Tomorrow, if you can.”
“Lucky for you, I’m already in the Philly area. I want everyone ready for a shootaround, film session, and a very light practice.”
We finished the conversation, and I brooded. I hope the move would work. If it does, I made it not a moment too soon. In just under a week, we’ll be playing New York, and we have to be ready.
December 31, vs Indiana (7-22): W 78-100
Because I was flying back from a GM meeting in New York City, I missed the game. But when I finally arrived at the airport, I checked up on the box score and had some combination of laughter and tears. What have you done, Dobby? He pulled out all the stops to impress our new coach, scoring fifteen and cleaning up with a league season-high 24 rebounds, and 6 blocks. I was stunned. We held the Racers to 37% shooting, and forced them to miss 10 of 11 three pointers.
Record: 21-9
Standing: 2nd East
League Leaders:
Points: Scott Stukes, WAS: 37.1
Assists: Griffin Harrington, PHI: 11.0
Rebounds: Chris Shelton, SEA: 12.1
Blocks: McEverett Woods, NYM: 3.9
Steals: Stevie Perine, GSS, 4.3
Efficiency: Scott Stukes, 34.0
Rookie Leaders:
Points: David Burke, SDR: 13.3
Assists: Robert Radl, IND: 4.4
Rebounds: Paris Carroll, HOU: 5.9
Blocks: Lamond Woods, DAL: 1.4
Steals: Bradley Green, SEA: 1.5
Efficiency: David Burke, SDR: 14.3
Player of the Month: Scott Stukes, WAS (37.1 ppg, 1.5 apg, 7.3 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.6 bpg, 34.0 eff)
Rookie of the Month: David Burke, SDR (13.3 ppg, 1.3 apg, 5.6 rpg, 0.7 spg, 0.6 bpg, 14.3 eff)