Kemba.

[Silk City]

The guy is just too much. Right now he's in the Staples Center with Kobe, Dwight, and Gasol and is the best player on the floor.

24 points still midway thru the 3rd, filling out the whole stat sheet and only 1 turnover. And they're up 16.

It's just scary how quick he is blossoming as an elite NBA player. I'll admit that even coming into this year I wasn't convinced he'd be any more than a quality 6th man. The guy just continues to prove everyone wrong...he's not just scoring but starting to shoot at a higher clip, handle the ball better and even look less bad from 3 point land. Only Kyrie and Jrue Holiday are averaging more points for PGs in the East.

 

[upstater]

The guy is just too much. Right now he's in the Staples Center with Kobe, Dwight, and Gasol and is the best player on the floor.

24 points still midway thru the 3rd, filling out the whole stat sheet and only 1 turnover. And they're up 16.

It's just scary how quick he is blossoming as an elite NBA player. I'll admit that even coming into this year I wasn't convinced he'd be any more than a quality 6th man. The guy just continues to prove everyone wrong...he's not just scoring but starting to shoot at a higher clip, handle the ball better and even look less bad from 3 point land. Only Kyrie and Jrue Holiday are averaging more points for PGs in the East.

Let's get the stats up there, 11 minutes left, 10-19 from the field, 2-4 3 pointers, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, and get this: +30 when he's on the floor!!!

 

[upstater]

Uh, something must be wrong with ESPN stats. For that +30 number to be right, the Lakers would have had to go on a 30 point run during the 8 minutes that Kemba was out of the game.

 

[UConn5]

Kemba has made some tremendous strides this year...He had a good amount of struggles last year (he was still decent overall and good for a rookie I'd say) but this year he's made the step up to an objectively good player to have on the floor.

 

[Silk City]

http://www.thefirstrow.eu/watch/159487/2/watch-los-angeles-lakers-vs-charlotte-bobcats.html Cats down one with ball, 20 sec left

 

[61cygni]

Damn.

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Henderson really blew that layup to win the game

 

[Silk City]

Would have been nice to see Kemba take a fadeaway on Kobe rather than drive. Glad they ran the offense thru him tho

 

[superjohn]

Kemba blew by his defender got to the rim, Howard blocked him, Henderson got the rebound and missed a wide open layup. Ugh.

 

[UConn5]

Looked like Kemba had a nice avenue to the hoop, then it closed up awfully quickly...oh well. Good game from him and hopefully he continues to do it to it.

 

[Gurleyman]

He was looking so good for a while, but damn, the last five minutes were rough. Hit the wall or something - they also basically put a defensive specialist (Morris) on him at the end, so that's a sign of flattery, but I worry that last drive into nothing means next time he might not get the ball in that spot, although hopefully they can chalk that up to Dwight Howard.

Mullens was as unclutch as you can get - he missed everything. Wide open jumpers, put backs at the rim, and then the ball slips out of his hands.

This losing streak is brutal, huge blown leads, buzzer-beaters against going in, buzzer-beaters for not going in, layups ar the end blown. But last year they were barely ever competitive. Progress, sort of.

 

[superjohn]

Bobcats whole team is the guards and MKG has talent, the big guys absolutely stink.

 

[Silk City]

He was looking so good for a while, but damn, the last five minutes were rough. Hit the wall or something - they also basically put a defensive specialist (Morris) on him at the end, so that's a sign of flattery, but I worry that last drive into nothing means next time he might not get the ball in that spot, although hopefully they can chalk that up to Dwight Howard.

Mullens was as unclutch as you can get - he missed everything. Wide open jumpers, put backs at the rim, and then the ball slips out of his hands.

This losing streak is brutal, huge blown leads, buzzer-beaters against going in, buzzer-beaters for not going in, layups ar the end blown. But last year they were barely ever competitive. Progress, sort of.

Ignoring the team progress because it's an incomplete squad down low, the progress Kemba's made has been astounding

 

[zls44]

Uh, something must be wrong with ESPN stats. For that +30 number to be right, the Lakers would have had to go on a 30 point run during the 8 minutes that Kemba was out of the game.

Plus minus was off for a tech reason.

 

[UConn990411]

He was looking so good for a while, but damn, the last five minutes were rough. Hit the wall or something - they also basically put a defensive specialist (Morris) on him at the end, so that's a sign of flattery, but I worry that last drive into nothing means next time he might not get the ball in that spot, although hopefully they can chalk that up to Dwight Howard.

I think he gets tired. Between leading the team in scoring, running the offense and defending opposing point guards (there's a lot of good ones in the NBA), that's a lot of responsibility for a second-year player. Plus, he's playing about 36 mpg, compared to just 27 mpg last year.

I think Kemba's FG% by quarter is pretty telling. I got the stats today from a Bobcats blog I visit occasionally:
1st - 55.1%
2nd - 43%
3rd - 38.9%
4th - 37%
Total - 43.1% (decent for a PG)

That's something he's going to NEED to improve on to take the next step in his development. But so far, it's tough to complain about his rookie to sophomore year development.

 

[caw]

I think he gets tired. Between leading the team in scoring, running the offense and defending opposing point guards (there's a lot of good ones in the NBA), that's a lot of responsibility for a second-year player. Plus, he's playing about 36 mpg, compared to just 27 mpg last year.

I think Kemba's FG% by quarter is pretty telling. I got the stats today from a Bobcats blog I visit occasionally:
1st - 55.1%
2nd - 43%
3rd - 38.9%
4th - 37%
Total - 43.1% (decent for a PG)

That's something he's going to NEED to improve on to take the next step in his development. But so far, it's tough to complain about his rookie to sophomore year development.

You can actually see him get slower as the game wears on. He is a rocket in the first half/quarter.

 

[UChusky916]

Kemba has an 'IT' factor. He's constantly getting better and learning the details of the game. The kid is a pro with a good head on his shoulders.

I have no doubt that he will continue to transform and improve his game as he gains experience in the NBA, similar to his time at UConn.

 

[Gurleyman]

I think he gets tired. Between leading the team in scoring, running the offense and defending opposing point guards (there's a lot of good ones in the NBA), that's a lot of responsibility for a second-year player. Plus, he's playing about 36 mpg, compared to just 27 mpg last year.

I think Kemba's FG% by quarter is pretty telling. I got the stats today from a Bobcats blog I visit occasionally:
1st - 55.1%
2nd - 43%
3rd - 38.9%
4th - 37%
Total - 43.1% (decent for a PG)

That's something he's going to NEED to improve on to take the next step in his development. But so far, it's tough to complain about his rookie to sophomore year development.

There's definitely something to that. He plays hard the entire time he's out there, and I think the great ones all learn to sort of coast for a while and then turn it up in crunch time or at key moments. Kobe's logged a lot of miles at this stage of his career, so he's perhaps a bad example, but yesterday I don't think he broke a sweat in the first half.

Of course, the Bobcats aren't to the point yet where they can coast for a while and still give themselves a chance - they have to play hard. Come fourth quarter, he's probably a bit gassed, and when opponents turn up the D in crunch time, it makes it even harder.

It's also sort of a good problem - if he wasn't playing well, they'd leave him on the bench longer and he'd have more in the tank, but in a couple of the games I've seen, they've had to hurry him back out there.

 

[61cygni]

Third good game in a row in another losing effort. 27/6/4

 

[TheChamps990411]

he will be an all star for years to come. like someone mentioned hes got the it factor. the kid can flat out ball and will only get better.

 

[ctchamps]

My Christmas request was tickets to a Bobcats game! Can't wait to wear my UConn gear in Charlotte. Last time was when UConn played Wake Forest in football. My dog wore a UConn shirt and we paraded here everywhere.

She won't be with us this time except in spirit!

 

[gwhuskyfan]

16 pts tonight against Golden State 4/5 from 3 pt

 

[gwhuskyfan]

and that's just in the first half so far

 

[Silk City]

and that's just in the first half so far

These 15+ point first halves are becoming almost normal

 

[Gurleyman]

Man - that's probably been the best Boneyard NBA update jinx yet. He didn't even score in the second half.