saw most of the game.
looked really bad.
but then I gave it some more thought -
10 players available.
3 can't physically play in the nba any longer and are only there for their trade value (haywood) and their relationship with lebron (miller, jones), and perhaps the occasional hoop when playing with a full healthy roster.
they're just done - especially on the defensive end.
1 guy isn't an nba player either yet at this stage - harris.
again - especially defensively.
1 guy is a borderline backup/3rd stringer in the league, giving full effort but is still very limited physically - delly.
that's 5 guy that simply can't compete physically against nba athletes. period.
what's left for blatt to work with tonight ?
2 guys who joined the team 3 days ago or so -
mozgov, who you can see will be a big help, but also clearly see the lack of familiarity and chemistry with the other players.
and smith - who when he's on can be helpfull, but when he's off - he's hurting the team - not to mention when the chemistry and familiarity issues are clearly and understandably present.
who's left ?
love who can't defend and missed a LOT of great looks.
thompson who tries but just isn't good enough.
and irving - who understandably reverted back to his ball hog self with almost no one to play with.
I just don't see where the defense can come from on a night like this, or even any effort that's going to be visible in a league full of athletic wings.
is the blame here that j.r. smith didn't turn into a full effort-sacrafice your body type of defensive player tonight ?
and even offensively - love got great looks.
missed too many.
irving tried but was not his night and didn't really have anyone to work with - which will change once mozgov and smith get more acclimated.
and who else ?
this team as constructed and at the present moment (trying to incorporate mozgov and smith), can not compete with all of lebron, shumpert, and marion out.
a team of cousins, gay, and a full roster of legit athletic nba role players with continuity SHOULD blow this team of irving, love, and patchwork of bodies half of whom can't play and 2 of the others just arrived - out of the gym every time.
replace the dead corpses on the bench with young athletes eager to earn their place in the league like philly has - and things would look much MUCH different (for that reporter that compared this team's "effort" to philly's).