KobeMVP888 wrote:Here are my first quarter grades:
The Team: B+ Even though they are exceeding everyone's expectations, the starting five still hasn't gotten out of the gates and there are simply too many turnovers, many of which are the result of flat out dumb passes, points off of turnovers given up, porous interior defense and too many offensive rebounds/put backs allowed. I realize I am being picky and hard on a young team, but these are things that will be cleaned up, but that still frustrate me.
Luke and the Staff: A+ Yeah, I know. That is almost in full contradiction to my first grade, but the coaches don't play.
The Starters: D I have faith that once we're healthy again, this grade will improve.
The Bench: A+ Perhaps the best in the league. I suspect that Luke will leave it alone. Very exciting and seemingly a perfect blend of talent!
The Finishers: B+ Luke puts the 5 players on the floor who have had the best games and it has been a joy to watch. We have proven that we can compete with playoff teams down the stretch, even when we lose. The two Golden State blowout losses don't count.
The Players:
D'Angelo Russell: B (much improved; much to be improved)
Julius Randle: A- (at 22, he's already better and stronger than most NBA power forwards)
Nick Young: A- (Comeback Player of the Year?)
Luol Deng: D (a big disappointment so far)
Timofey Mozgov: C- (he is who he is; refs have forgotten about the verticality rule with him)
Jordan Clarkson: B+ (love him, but he's frustrating)
Lou Williams: A+ (Just a joy to watch!)
Larry Nance, Jr.: A (most fundamentally sound player on the team; his defense and high hoops IQ are incredible and just getting better)
Brandon Ingram: B (his defense makes up for his "Welcome to the NBA" scoring woes; a future DPOY candidate)
Tarik Black: B (I love him; leaves it all out on the floor. A fantastic compliment to Nance, Jr.)
Thomas Robinson: B (Great motor; quality minutes; can play with anyone out there)
Jose Calderon: C- (he's old and it shows; hurts us)
Marcelo Huertas: D (see Calderon. Not enough minutes to grade, but I'd look for a 3/D shooting guard to replace him on the roster)
Metta World Peace: C ("I love basketball" earned him the C. He should also be replaced on the roster at some point this season)
Ivica Zubac: Incomplete (Barring an injury to Mozzy or Black, we won't see much of him this season)
Mid-season grades*:
*A= Exceeding expectations
B= Meeting expectations
C= Below expectations
D= Disappointing
F= Stinks
The Team: B Although the second quarter of the season produced a terrible 5-16 record, what more could you expect from a young team who was without its young leader, D'Angelo Russell, for stretch, not to mention the injuries to Tarik Black, Larry Nance and a couple of games without Julius Randle? Young Coach Luke Walton also went through some growing pains during this stretch that included a brutal schedule. Even after a 6 game road trip, they came "home" for 1 game and then had to fly out again for some more brutality. I know there are no "excuses," but these are the lessons that young teams must learn, so finishing this quarter with a 3-2 record after weathering that storm is very encouraging. The improvement in Russell, Randle and Ingram is beginning to show and, hopefully, the 10-10 bench will get back to its ways once Nance returns and the starters will continue their improvement playing together, including Mozgov and Deng.
Luke and The Staff: B Luke's grade dropped. One example I will point to is his failure to slide Thomas Robinson into Nance's role early enough and, as it turns out, he and Tarik Black play very well together albeit it is different than the way Black and Nance play together. He also made some very questionable decisions on his rotations and who was on the floor at the end of games. In other words, he couldn't quite figure out how to keep the chemistry going after the rash of injuries. Growing pains, but he met expectations nonetheless and has us playing well again.
The Starters: B- Deng is finally playing well, Mozgov is pretty much doing what is expected of him and looks more comfortable with his young teammates, Randle and Russell are show confidence and Nick Young git hot for a stretch. Fortunately, now that he's reverting to being Nick Young again, others have stepped it up. Hopefully after the third quarter of the season, we can give this group a better grade.
The Bench: B- The grade had to drop, but the Black-Nance-Ingram-Clarkson-Lou combo was disrupted. They still outscored the opponents' benched most of the time, but they also play more minutes. Those minutes are going down now with Russell and Randle's minutes increasing, so it will be interesting to track their production during the second half of the season.
The Finishers: C- It just ain't what it was during 10-10. The fight went out of us too often down the stretch of games. Perhaps we are getting that back now.
The Players:D'Angelo Russell: B+ (came back from injury and looks like his game went up another level; more comfort and dimes, fewer turnovers, an improved post game and getting to the rim)
Julius Randle: A (at 22, he's already better and stronger than most NBA power forwards)
Nick Young: A- (Comeback Player of the Year? In a bit of a slump now, but overall his grade stays the same)
Luol Deng: C+ (clearly he's figuring it out, but needs to be more consistent)
Timofey Mozgov: C (he is who he is; refs have forgotten about the verticality rule with him; more effective low post defender than given credit for)
Jordan Clarkson: B- (too inconsistent, questionable BBall IQ, Great when he's Good, a liability when he's Bad. Needs to share the ball better)
Lou Williams: B+ (A joy to watch, but not responding well to fewer minutes)
Larry Nance, Jr.: A (most fundamentally sound player on the team; his defense and high hoops IQ are incredible and just getting better; I left his grade alone despite his injury)
Brandon Ingram: C+ (his entire game is rounding out, but not until VERY recently; had a poor second quarter)
Tarik Black: B (I love him; leaves it all out on the floor. A fantastic compliment to Nance, Jr.; I left his grade alone despite his injury )
Thomas Robinson: A (Has taken complete advantage of his minutes)
Jose Calderon: I (see 3Peat)
Marcelo Huertas: I (see 3Peat)
Metta World Peace: A, but F (Why not? 
)
Ivica Zubac: I (see 3Peat)
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. I would take making straight C's at a big time college like Stanford, if it get me a prestigious degree 
At IUPUI I have made basically straight A's and a few B's.