Why we lost this game (vs. CHI)

[DERRENMATTS]

My goodness, this one hurt. I really thought we were on our way to playing better basketball, and in the 3rd quarter, we really were. We got a 7 pt lead and looked like we could put it away.

But I'll give you 3 reasons why we lost this game.

1). Tony Brown. I just couldn't understand his logic in using the lineup he had out there in the 4th quarter. We needed a rebounder in the worst way and the only big man he had out there was Blount (WHY NOT PERKINS!!!!!!!!!!!). Blount is just a pathetic rebounder. No effort whatsoever. His energy was non existent and he hurt us bad!! He really needs to get himself examined because this he is always up and down (not only his game, but also his mood). Why wasn't Brown using Perkins? Didn't he just show the night before that he can play tough and rebound? There were a few gimme's that Blount missed that I'm sure Perkins would have handled without a problem.

2). Mark Blount. This guy had no desire in the 4th quarter. He wasn't rebounding, he wasn't moving his feet, he wasn't playing good defense. He was a non factor in the final minutes of the game.

3). Our offense. In the 3rd quarter, the ball was moving around and players were scoring in rhythm because they were in sync with one another. It was good basketball and I felt confident that we were going to close this game out. But it all fell apart in the 4th. We resorted to one on one, isolation basketball and we were hardly passing the ball. It was one and done, and it was ugly.

[FLCeltsFan]

I agree completely. I saw in today's paper that Brown sent a message back to Doc asking if he should put Perk back in and Doc said he didn't know so left it up to Brown... both morons. We need a new coach desperately. Not just playing Stone Hands twice the minutes that Perk got but putting Veal in as the 6th man!! As a result of this we gave up 16 offensive rebounds and were outrebounded 47-34. Perk had 1 rebound but that doesn't tell the story, When he was in, he was in there battling for the rebounds and at least 4 times he tapped the rebound out to another player who got credit for the rebound. That doesn't show in the stats but it shows in the score.

I would add to your 3 points (which hit the nail on the head) our turnovers and free throws. We make our free throws, we would have won this game. We missed 7 free throws. Players at this level should be making their freebies. We had 20 turnovers... Blount and Pierce accounted for 10 of them. We can't win while giving the ball away that much. This wasn't youth... it was our VETS throwing the ball away. out of the 20, the vets had 13(adding in Ricky's 3).

This team has potential, but it is going to take better coaching and playing the kids through their mistakes to give them experience to develop that potential. I would rather lose with the kids on the floor and gaining experience that will improve the team for the future than to lose with the vets on the floor and just wasting away our future.

[DERRENMATTS]

I wouldn't say we need a new coach (maybe better assistants, though). I feel that Doc is improving and he will do a better job as the season prgresses.

As for Perk, I counted at least 3 rebounds that Pierce wound up with directly from Perkins because he got his hands on them and tipped it into the air. Had Pierce not been there, Perk would have been the one to gather them up. So instead of having 1, he would have at least had 4, and Pierce would have had only 8 rebs. But hey, who's counting? ;D

Turnovers are murdering us, and I have a thread on that already started.