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Bobcats-Nets Highlights
Before the game, we caught up with the 'stache for a quick Q & A:
RR: What has been the biggest surprise for you as far as playing in the NBA?
Adam Morrison: The travel is a lot different. So, you gotta take care of your body more than you did in college.
RR: What has been your favorite city so far?
Adam Morrison: I like San Antonio because it's just a nice city and the crowd was great. And obviously I think my favorite of all-time though is Orlando because of the weather.
RR: What's your favorite thing about Charlotte?
Adam Morrison: I think the small-town atmosphere. It's kinda quiet and it kinda lets you be yourself.
RR: Toughest defender so far?
Adam Morrison: I think Tayshaun [Prince]. He's just tough because he's so long, and he's obviously quick too. It's tough to get a mid-range game over him and it's tough to go to the hole because he's so long.
RR: What's the one thing you've learned that you need to improve now?
Adam Morrison: You gotta take care of your body at this level. That's the biggest thing. In college, you kinda just get up and go to practice. You gotta make sure you're icing and stretching. You gotta make sure you're keeping your body fresh.
RR: What about food?
Adam Morrison: Yeah. Nutrition's a big part of it too.
RR: Anything specific you've needed to cut down on?
Adam Morrison: I try to cut out just unnecessary meals at weird times.
Ah yes. No more 2 a.m. runs to Taco Bell for Mr. Morrison.
The Report also took in Lawrence Frank's pre-game press scrum, where the Nets' coach gave us his thoughts on the 'stache:
"He's getting better. He's getting really comfortable out there. He's coming off his best game of the year. He's got a great deal of moxie about him. He's got a great feel on the offensive end. He's not just a guy who can make shots. He understands how to use screens. He's really good with his setups. He cuts hard. He's got some go-to moves off the dribble. He's got a nice little runner going to his left. A nice little two-dribble move going to his right with the pump fake.
"He ain't afraid. He's a very talented offensive player and he's a fun player to watch. I don't necessarily look forward to seeing him tonight, but in terms of preparation, you see his development in a certain amount of time and it's good to see."
And what does the coach tell Richard Jefferson, who would be guarding the rookie most of the night?
"As much as you can, you like to direct guys. He gets a lot of shots coming off of baseline screens and trips. So you'd like to direct him to your help. It's never mano-a-mano. So, it's team defense and everyone being connected and being on a string. There are different areas you'd like to direct him to if possible and put pressure on him on the other end as well."
There you have it. Don't ever think that Lawrence Frank watches a lot of film.
Of course, slowing Morrison down was easier said than done on this night and the Report saw exactly what coach Frank was talking about. Color RR very impressed. Adam Morrison is a ballplayer.
He hit threes off catch-and-shoot opportunities. He drove left. He drove right. He hit smooth-looking shots. He hit awkward-looking shots. Most importantly, he was clutch. He went on a personal 7-3 run when the Nets looked like they were about to take the lead midway through the fourth quarter, giving the 'Cats a seven-point cushion.
Right after that, Frank put Jason Kidd on the rookie, a move (switching Kidd late in the fourth onto the other team's best offensive player) that is usually reserved for the Kobe Bryants and Paul Pierces of the NBA. That's when the trash talking started. Morrison had been chatting with Jefferson all night, but RJ told the Report, "We were just talking about video games and stuff."
Kidd changed the tone of the conversation though. He got into Morrison's body, making it tough on him to make his move, and he tried to get into his head as well. The Report couldn't hear what was said, but it was fun to watch just the same.
"He was kinda getting in my ear, but what happens on the court stays on the court," Morrison said after the game. "I have respect for him and he's obviously going to be a Hall of Famer, so I can't really say much against a guy like that."
The one (small) criticism the Report might make on Morrison's offensive game is that, with the way he plays, he won't get to the line as much as other go-to scorers around the Association. He'd rather fade away to get his shot off than throw his body into the defender to get to the line. He has three games of 10 or more free throw attempts, but he is just averaging 3.6 attempts per game so far.
"That's how I play," he said. "If you watched me in college, I try to make shots rather than just get to the free throw line."
And as far as his defense, he's obviously not great (and RJ scored 27 on him this night), but it's not because of a lack of effort. And when you think about it, there are not many defenders that can stay in front of their man on every possession these days. So, we'll keep an eye on Morrison's D, but we're not going to kill him for it just yet.
Hassan Adams gave the Nets a huge lift off the bench last night in Boston. He scored 16 points and grabbed eight boards, even displaying a jumper that the Report did not know he had. Look for him to get some more time in the near future.
If you missed LaMarcus Aldridge's chat yesterday, you can read what he had to say here.
Questions? Comments? You know what to do.
Erica - Harold, Kent.: So, what are you thinking of Rajon Rondo so far?
T-Mobile Rookie Report: Love him in the open court, but he struggles on both ends when the game is slowed down. The lack of a jumper is a huge hole in his game that he will need to fill in order to stay on the floor. This article sums up Rondo's experience pretty well.
Joe - Parts Unknown: I think the Jazz have the best picks but the Rockets got the best out of the draft by getting Shane Battier and Steve Novak.
RR: Good point, Joey. If you think about it, the Rockets did pretty well for themselves by getting Battier. They are in a position to contend right now, so getting a quality veteran like Battier was a good move in the Report's opinion, especially since he doesn't need the ball to do what he do. Novak got a surprise (at least to the Report and apparently to Novak as well) start last night, so it will be interesting to see if he continues to get more burn than the three total minutes he had seen in the previous 11 games.
Daniel - Arlington, Virg.: I hate to say it (especially since I was arguing the opposite last year with Chris Paul), but it seems like if the other guys played anywhere near as much as Morrison, the rankings would look a bit different.
But I actually have a question here - while I also hate to question such a successful team - how come the Jazz are ignoring Dee Brown? I mean, sure his last year at Illinois wasn't too productive, but when he has such potential - especially when teamed with Deron Williams (as proved by hit second to last year) - why not play him?
RR: 1. The Report maintains it's position (gotta earn the burn!) on the 'ol playing time argument, Danny. Why have you changed yours?
2. Gotta be patient with Brown. The Utah system takes time to learn and master, especially at the point. With Williams and D-Fish ahead of him, it's going to be hard for him to see any meaningful minutes anytime soon. Not sure if Coach Sloan would be willing to play him and Deron out there together, but with Williams' size, it's a possibility.
Saulo - Zaragoza, Spain: A stat leader among rookies like Sergio Rodriguez not making into the top ten? Know you favor scoring, but isn't the dazzling speed of Spanish Chocolate suited for NBA showtime? Not that he should worry. As his minutes increase and his stats rise, he will earn his spot. No doubt he will be in Las Vegas.
RR: Bold prediction there, Saulo. Like Rondo, there is no 'J' in Sergio. Love his playmaking, but the Report is not sure the playing time will be there just yet for him to earn a trip to Vegas on the rookie squad. He'd be an interesting choice for the Skills Challenge though (certainly not the Three-Point Shootout), but the vets may grab those spots.
Jason - Encino, Cal.: How come Cedric Bozeman of the Atlanta Hawks is missing from the rookie stats category? He's not a scoring machine by any means... but he's played in 11 games and started 4.
RR: Nice find, Jason. A couple of rooks are missing from the rookie stats. We're correcting the issue.
Mitch - Ajax, Ont.: Who do you think can be Rookies of the Month? I would go with Adam Morrison and Craig Smith. But I am hoping in the future, Jorge or Andrea can get one. It will happen!
RR: Good question, Mitch, as announcements will come Friday. Morrison looks like a lock, but the West could go to Paul Millsap, Smith or maybe LaMarcus Aldridge.
Vishal - Falls Church, Virg.: Do you not watch NBA games? Are you basing the rankings on who was a top draft pick? I can see the influence Jordan Farmar is having on the Lakers, a winning team none the less, and it is much more than many of the rookies in your top 10. Please watch some Lakers games. Honorable mention is not good enough, he is the real deal and there is a possibility that he might be a starter by the end of the season on a 50-win team nonetheless! How many other rookies can say that?
RR: We can confirm that the Report does indeed watch NBA games, including the occasional Laker game. Thanks for asking.
Farmar had been pretty quiet the last couple of weeks, including a couple of DNPs with the sprained ankle. Perhaps, you missed those games, Vishal. But he put together two nice performances since he came back (really liked what we saw - yes, we saw - in the Milwaukee game) and he'll probably return to the Top 10 next week.
Fred - Fort Worth, Tex.: Can you give us an update on JJ Redick? Will he play this season? Will he be traded? What is his current status?
RR: There's not much to say, Freddy. He has played in one game and he's basically the 12th man on the Magic right now. They're doing pretty well, so there's no rush to get him more burn at this point. But he's just 16 games into what should be a long career, so it's not quite time to panic.
Thanks for all of your questions and comments. Keep them coming!
