CelticsStrong
Celtics Basketball => Celtics Talk => Topic started by: goz421 on May 11, 2018, 11:35:36 AM
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He kind of stunk the place up against the Sixers. But, a big part of the reason they got him was of his defensive numbers against Lebron. I remember reading that against Lebron he had one of the highest defensive ratings in the league. Also, The odds say his shot will come back and he will shoot better.
Also, I expect to see some Semi against Lebron as well.
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By "factor," I presume you mean that he'll be a positive factor. Because Morris is always a factor, just not necessarily a positive one.
And I certainly do hope he has a positive impact in this series, on both sides of the ball.
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Yeah, I think if we are to win this series, then Morris will have to be a bigger factor for us on both sides of the ball.
He's definitely due. He's largely been poo for the playoffs thus far, which is surprising given how well he ended the season, so hopefully we see a resurgence from him in this series.
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Morris may have gotten out of his game because he's from Philly and was too hyped.
His defense and scoring will be key this series. Bron will get a heavy dose of Morris and Semi...two guys where their points are a bonus but their physical play is more important.
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Yeah, it just feels like it will be so Marcusy this whole series. I expect both of them to have at least two big games.
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yeah they'll need him to score much more i think to have a chance here. fingers crossed.
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Morris may have gotten out of his game because he's from Philly and was too hyped.
His defense and scoring will be key this series. Bron will get a heavy dose of Morris and Semi...two guys where their points are a bonus but their physical play is more important.
and Smart too. In some fantasy world, this series is a better match-up for the C's than the Bucks and Sixers.
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Morris may have gotten out of his game because he's from Philly and was too hyped.
His defense and scoring will be key this series. Bron will get a heavy dose of Morris and Semi...two guys where their points are a bonus but their physical play is more important.
and Smart too. In some fantasy world, this series is a better match-up for the C's than the Bucks and Sixers.
I'm all for letting Morris and Smart take turns guarding LeBron. I think rather than trying to stop or contain him, we let him get his and shut down everyone else. I like these guys because we depend on them less for scoring so they focus their energy on defense. Just make him work for his points and keep him from going crazy on the assists.
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Yeah, Morris will have to be big in this series for us to have a chance. Besides guarding Lebron for stretches, we're simply going to need him to hit the shots. Can't afford him having another 1-10 shooting night or a poor series in general.
I think Tatum will be another big factor. Going to need him to be more aggressive again and hopefully put up 20 or more points consistently. It's asking a lot for a 20 year old rookie, but considering the injuries and if we want to have a chance this series, we're going to need him big time.
If we assume Lebron guards Tatum primarily all series long though, then Brown becomes a huge X-factor. I'm not sure CLE has another guy who could successfully defend either Tatum/Brown to be honest, so we have to exploit those mismatches and knock down whatever's available.
Cleveland's defense honestly doesn't scare me outside of Lebron honestly. As long as we're not bricking open looks every time down the court, we got a shot.
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I think one key to winning is to tire LeBron out. He plays 40+ minutes a game, and he counts on being able to rest during the game in order to be fresh enough to close out at the end. Watch video of him against Toronto and you will see him taking lots of possessions off because he’s hidden on their weakest offensive player. He will walk up the floor When they bring the ball up.
Whoever LBJ is guarding should run him off picks, or if they’re the ball handler, put him in a pick and roll. Do not let him rest. It’s OK if he plays good defense, so long as he’s grabbing his shorts by the middle of the fourth quarter.
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Morris may have gotten out of his game because he's from Philly and was too hyped.
His defense and scoring will be key this series. Bron will get a heavy dose of Morris and Semi...two guys where their points are a bonus but their physical play is more important.
That's a really good point. I hope you are right.
But the Morris we saw at the beginning of the season, is the Morris we saw against Philly.
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I sure as hell hope Morris brings his A game and I'd sure like to see that LeBUM-stopper we heard so much about when we traded for him.
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History Suggests Morris Could Challenge LeBron in ECF
http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/sidebar/prac-051118-history-suggests-morris-could-challenge-lebron-ecf?sf189367839=1
During his last 11 regular season and playoff games against a Morris team, James has averaged 21.1 points per game while shooting just 16.3 percent from 3-point range. Even more remarkable is the fact that James did not reach 30 points during any of those matchups, which is a feat he seemingly accomplishes every game nowadays.
Could it simply be a coincidence? The numbers suggest otherwise.
Two seasons ago, Morris was statistically the top defender of James in the entire NBA, according to Bleacher Report’s Tom Haberstroh. The veteran forward allowed just 20.5 points per 100 possessions when defending James that season, which was far below James’ average of 36.5 points per 100 possessions.
Morris’ success against James continued into the 2016 postseason, as he helped the Detroit Pistons limit the All-NBA forward to just 22.8 PPG during the first round – his lowest scoring average in a series since the 2011 NBA Finals.
That all begs the question: What advantage does Morris possess that others do not when it comes to guarding James?
“My size,” he told Celtics.com Friday afternoon following Celtics practice in Waltham, Massachusetts. “I’m 6-9, 240. I think that’s the perfect size to guard a guy like that who’s probably like 6-9, 260. So just having the height, the length and having the power, too, that all helps.”
But there are a number of players who have height, length and power in this league, so there must be something else that allows him to stand apart. Right?
“It’s his mindset,” answered teammate Jaylen Brown. “He’s tough, especially when he knows that he has other guys behind him that have his back. I think he’s going to thrive (in this series).”
Morris has already proven to Brown and the rest of his teammates this season that he can handle the matchup against James. During their last matchup on Feb. 11, Morris guarded James on 30 possessions (more than twice as many as any other Celtic defender) and surrendered just 13 points on 36.4 percent shooting from the field.
Such success, however, doesn’t come naturally. Morris says he does a substantial amount of research on James’ constantly-evolving game before each matchup, and that helps him game plan how to slow James down.
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I really hope that he becomes a factor because so far in the playoffs his value was back of the bench. You can argue that every other player made a bigger contribution than he did. I am not a big fan, but I do think that he can be very useful within a role, and if he plays solid D.
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I think one key to winning is to tire LeBron out. He plays 40+ minutes a game, and he counts on being able to rest during the game in order to be fresh enough to close out at the end. Watch video of him against Toronto and you will see him taking lots of possessions off because he’s hidden on their weakest offensive player. He will walk up the floor When they bring the ball up.
Whoever LBJ is guarding should run him off picks, or if they’re the ball handler, put him in a pick and roll. Do not let him rest. It’s OK if he plays good defense, so long as he’s grabbing his shorts by the middle of the fourth quarter.
Lebro toyed with the Raps because he wasn't spent.. The series with the Pacers went 7 but lebron scraped his butt off to dust the Pacers.. And that is what we have to do.. Keep lebron honest on defense and we do have a chance.. If ever they win this series it will not be like the last 2 where they cakewalked with a 4-0 and 4-1 series victories... This time he will bleed to advance to the Finals.
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I think one key to winning is to tire LeBron out. He plays 40+ minutes a game, and he counts on being able to rest during the game in order to be fresh enough to close out at the end. Watch video of him against Toronto and you will see him taking lots of possessions off because he’s hidden on their weakest offensive player. He will walk up the floor When they bring the ball up.
Whoever LBJ is guarding should run him off picks, or if they’re the ball handler, put him in a pick and roll. Do not let him rest. It’s OK if he plays good defense, so long as he’s grabbing his shorts by the middle of the fourth quarter.
Yeah, this is a huge factor. Hiding LeBron on guys who are no threats to score is a good tactic - except, we can field lineups where everyone is a threat to score without having any defensive liabilities. We are the most well-rounded team LeBron has come up against this post-season, and we also don't have the mental weakness Toronto has
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He did not play well against Philly save one game. He needs a good series.
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He doesn't even need to be great, he just needs to shoot his normal average, play good defense, and not make too many bone headed plays.
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I sure hope so! This series can be won by the bench guys! Morris and Smart stepping up will go a long way
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After last season's ECF it was obvious that the Celtics would have to move on from some players who had been great servants but would struggle to get beyond LBJ. When the trade that brought Morris to the C's was made I loved the fact he was a known effective defender of LeBron.
DA probably saw more in Morris than thinking this day would come and the team would need Morris to help blunt LeBron, though he must have also factored this into his thinking. The team needed to be longer and stronger when it came to playing the Cavs. Morris may have other shortcomings and certainly wasn't a perfect fit for the Stevens system, but he can be significant in this series.
At least partially I feel like this is the reason Morris is on the Celtics. He should be a factor.
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By "factor," I presume you mean that he'll be a positive factor. Because Morris is always a factor, just not necessarily a positive one.
And I certainly do hope he has a positive impact in this series, on both sides of the ball.
He WAS a positive factor last series.....for the SIXERS !!!
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His defense on Lebron has to come first. If he can score too that will be a plus but he must play great defense first and foremost.
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Will he use his powers for good or evil?
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Will he use his powers for good or evil?
Whew, Game 1 was the good kind. :laugh:
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Will he use his powers for good or evil?
Whew, Game 1 was the good kind. :laugh:
Our knight in shining armor kind!
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Told ya! Now hope he keeps it up.
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Told ya
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Told ya
Actually, I said it first, just in a different thread. ;)
I think Stevens is going to need to switch it up and start Morris instead of Baynes...Morris is probably our best bet at making LeBron have to work for his points
And just for some statistical substantiation of what we saw today:
James was guarded by Marcus Morris on 24 plays, finishing with 5 points on 2-6 shooting. (https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/995784033190793218?tfw_site=bleacherreport&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F2775828-celtics-shut-down-underdog-narrative-prove-matchup-nightmares-for-lebron-cavs)
Since 2013-14, LeBron James has at least 50 FGA against 26 players in the halfcourt. He's shooting 33% when defended by Marcus Morris. The only player to force James into a lower percentage in that span is Draymond Green.
(https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/995710262006243330?tfw_site=bleacherreport&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F2775828-celtics-shut-down-underdog-narrative-prove-matchup-nightmares-for-lebron-cavs)
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Told ya
Actually, I said it first, just in a different thread. ;)
I think Stevens is going to need to switch it up and start Morris instead of Baynes...Morris is probably our best bet at making LeBron have to work for his points
And just for some statistical substantiation of what we saw today:
James was guarded by Marcus Morris on 24 plays, finishing with 5 points on 2-6 shooting. (https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/995784033190793218?tfw_site=bleacherreport&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F2775828-celtics-shut-down-underdog-narrative-prove-matchup-nightmares-for-lebron-cavs)
Since 2013-14, LeBron James has at least 50 FGA against 26 players in the halfcourt. He's shooting 33% when defended by Marcus Morris. The only player to force James into a lower percentage in that span is Draymond Green.
(https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/995710262006243330?tfw_site=bleacherreport&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F2775828-celtics-shut-down-underdog-narrative-prove-matchup-nightmares-for-lebron-cavs)
TP to both of u!
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Told ya
Actually, I said it first, just in a different thread. ;)
I think Stevens is going to need to switch it up and start Morris instead of Baynes...Morris is probably our best bet at making LeBron have to work for his points
And just for some statistical substantiation of what we saw today:
James was guarded by Marcus Morris on 24 plays, finishing with 5 points on 2-6 shooting. (https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/995784033190793218?tfw_site=bleacherreport&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F2775828-celtics-shut-down-underdog-narrative-prove-matchup-nightmares-for-lebron-cavs)
Since 2013-14, LeBron James has at least 50 FGA against 26 players in the halfcourt. He's shooting 33% when defended by Marcus Morris. The only player to force James into a lower percentage in that span is Draymond Green.
(https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/995710262006243330?tfw_site=bleacherreport&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F2775828-celtics-shut-down-underdog-narrative-prove-matchup-nightmares-for-lebron-cavs)
TP good sir. TP.
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
Why wouldn't you?
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No, I would go with Baynes. I do worry about Thompson on the offensive boards and Baynes can contain him. This doesn't mean that Morris won't still get a ton of minutes, but I think we can maximize Baynes' minutes by having them mirroring Thompson's.
I'm curious to see if this move also allows Nance to get some action off the bench or will they stay with the same rotation.
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
Why wouldn't you?
a sizeable portion are for Baynes starting so it isn't cut and dry
No, I would go with Baynes. I do worry about Thompson on the offensive boards and Baynes can contain him. This doesn't mean that Morris won't still get a ton of minutes, but I think we can maximize Baynes' minutes by having them mirroring Thompson's.
I'm curious to see if this move also allows Nance to get some action off the bench or will they stay with the same rotation.
I'm curious too.
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
Why wouldn't you?
a sizeable portion are for Baynes starting so it isn't cut and dry
It's very cut and dry, if you think about it. It boils down to who you're putting on the bench and who's guarding LeBron. I'd rather have Tatum guard Love than put him on the bench.
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
Why wouldn't you?
a sizeable portion are for Baynes starting so it isn't cut and dry
It's very cut and dry, if you think about it. It boils down to who you're putting on the bench and who's guarding LeBron. I'd rather have Tatum guard Love than put him on the bench.
I haven’t seen many people say to bench Tatum.
Rozier Brown Tatum Horford Baynes is the alternative lineup that’s most discussed
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
Why wouldn't you?
a sizeable portion are for Baynes starting so it isn't cut and dry
It's very cut and dry, if you think about it. It boils down to who you're putting on the bench and who's guarding LeBron. I'd rather have Tatum guard Love than put him on the bench.
I haven’t seen many people say to bench Tatum.
Rozier Brown Tatum Horford Baynes is the alternative lineup that’s most discussed
Putting Brown on LeBron and Tatum on their guard seems like a terrible idea.
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
Why wouldn't you?
a sizeable portion are for Baynes starting so it isn't cut and dry
It's very cut and dry, if you think about it. It boils down to who you're putting on the bench and who's guarding LeBron. I'd rather have Tatum guard Love than put him on the bench.
I haven’t seen many people say to bench Tatum.
Rozier Brown Tatum Horford Baynes is the alternative lineup that’s most discussed
Putting Brown on LeBron and Tatum on their guard seems like a terrible idea.
I really do like Brown's ability to cover James. Don't forget that by starting Thompson, while benching Korver or JR, they kill their spacing, which allows Baynes to provide rim protection. This also allows a fresh Morris to come in and now go up against James.
One thing we know about Brown is that he seems to rise to the occasion. The kid doesn't wilt under pressure and this will be yet another great experience for him - going head-to-head with James in a game that James will probably be jazzed up for.
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
Why wouldn't you?
a sizeable portion are for Baynes starting so it isn't cut and dry
It's very cut and dry, if you think about it. It boils down to who you're putting on the bench and who's guarding LeBron. I'd rather have Tatum guard Love than put him on the bench.
I haven’t seen many people say to bench Tatum.
Rozier Brown Tatum Horford Baynes is the alternative lineup that’s most discussed
Putting Brown on LeBron and Tatum on their guard seems like a terrible idea.
I really do like Brown's ability to cover James. Don't forget that by starting Thompson, while benching Korver or JR, they kill their spacing, which allows Baynes to provide rim protection. This also allows a fresh Morris to come in and now go up against James.
One thing we know about Brown is that he seems to rise to the occasion. The kid doesn't wilt under pressure and this will be yet another great experience for him - going head-to-head with James in a game that James will probably be jazzed up for.
How much do you like Brown's ability to cover James, on a scale of 1 to 10?
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No, I would go with Baynes. I do worry about Thompson on the offensive boards and Baynes can contain him. This doesn't mean that Morris won't still get a ton of minutes, but I think we can maximize Baynes' minutes by having them mirroring Thompson's.
I'm curious to see if this move also allows Nance to get some action off the bench or will they stay with the same rotation.
Go with Morris again if TT hits the O boards well send in Baynes. Morris deserves another start. Let them fear our 5.
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
Why wouldn't you?
a sizeable portion are for Baynes starting so it isn't cut and dry
It's very cut and dry, if you think about it. It boils down to who you're putting on the bench and who's guarding LeBron. I'd rather have Tatum guard Love than put him on the bench.
I haven’t seen many people say to bench Tatum.
Rozier Brown Tatum Horford Baynes is the alternative lineup that’s most discussed
Putting Brown on LeBron and Tatum on their guard seems like a terrible idea.
I really do like Brown's ability to cover James. Don't forget that by starting Thompson, while benching Korver or JR, they kill their spacing, which allows Baynes to provide rim protection. This also allows a fresh Morris to come in and now go up against James.
One thing we know about Brown is that he seems to rise to the occasion. The kid doesn't wilt under pressure and this will be yet another great experience for him - going head-to-head with James in a game that James will probably be jazzed up for.
Brown is somewhat foul prone and I'm afraid he'll foul out in 10 minutes if you ask him to guard James full-time. While the ability is certainly there and he'll get his chance in spurts, you also need him to conserve energy for offense.
Baynes looked awful in the short spurt he got last night, so I'm not overly optimistic. He also kills our spacing too, because despite his recent success, he's not as reliable as Morris, and he's pretty much only good for a spot-up corner 3.
Have in mind that Love will have to guard someone. Since they won't stick him on Tatum, that pretty much means he'll be hanging around the perimeter with Morris. I'll take that.
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Let's just run these old geezers into the ground.
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
Why wouldn't you?
a sizeable portion are for Baynes starting so it isn't cut and dry
It's very cut and dry, if you think about it. It boils down to who you're putting on the bench and who's guarding LeBron. I'd rather have Tatum guard Love than put him on the bench.
If that matchup develops/happens in game 2 it will be a nightmare for us, imo.
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Keep starting him with TT inserted?
Why wouldn't you?
a sizeable portion are for Baynes starting so it isn't cut and dry
It's very cut and dry, if you think about it. It boils down to who you're putting on the bench and who's guarding LeBron. I'd rather have Tatum guard Love than put him on the bench.
If that matchup develops/happens in game 2 it will be a nightmare for us, imo.
I think Tatum should be able to handle Love alright. A Kevin Love post up is probably not an efficient enough play to really hurt us.
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Mook said what he said and you laughed at him. You all laughed at him and you should feel bad about it.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DdSpi5ZU8AANyHQ.jpg)
https://twitter.com/ParaDoxy11/status/996607844328902656
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Let's just run these old geezers into the ground.
heck yeah RUN THEM OUT THE BUILDING!
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Let's just run these old geezers into the ground.
i bet they use to say that in the old big 3 Celtics vs heat days
The tables have turned
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home stretch...
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He's been a factor, alright ...
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He better improve tomorrow and not look for lazy offense
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Let's just run these old geezers into the ground.
i bet they use to say that in the old big 3 Celtics vs heat days
The tables have turned
That time they had two dominating superstars and an all-star power forward with them
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He better improve tomorrow and not look for lazy offense
quick shot miss..... Cavs get in transition and score and 1
crowd goes crazy
*facepalm*
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Polarizing!! :D hope he’s back too though on that salary
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Polarizing!! :D hope he’s back too though on that salary
I thought he was pretty good for us. Defended LBJ well and hit the boards with intensity. He's an absolute bargain contract