Welp....
It was a great season boys, truly an emotional roller-coaster. Proud of the never say die attitude this team showed all year, their belief in one another, and they have definitely built and foundation that will be crucial to the development of the young guys. Just ran out of gas at the end, and went up against a team full of quality veterans that made some HUGE shots, and are probably looking at their last ride.
Team Grades
Stephen Curry - Officially vaulted himself into Elite status, top 5 PG in the NBA, one of the most exciting play makers in the game today. From the regular season 3PT record to the way he led the team in the playoffs, it was truly a magical year for him. Should be a fixture in the All-Star game for years to come, but it all depends on the ankles. Has to work on making better decisions and taking better shots, cutting down on the turnovers, and getting stronger overall. GRADE - A
Harrison Barnes - That fall was scary, and even with how serious head injuries can be, I'm glad it wasn't a knee or anything. First Team All-Rookie, has the makings of a future All-Star, needs to work more on defensive skills and 3 PT shooting consistency. Really helped the team by playing beyond his years in the playoffs, and showed toughness in taking the ball to the hoop with the first step and crossover, kept us in games when Curry and Thompson outside shots weren't falling. Showed legit pull-up jumper ability, real composure in crunch time situations. GRADE - A-
David Lee - Leading the NBA in double-doubles and making the All-Star team is impressive, no matter how you slice it. Who knows if we were actually a better team when he went out, but it's clear that he is a leader and technically the heart and soul of this team. Showed heart by playing whatever minutes he could after the injury, and I look forward to him bouncing back. At this point in his career, I don't know if much can be done in regards to his defensive "deficiency", but at least he tries. GRADE - B+
Jarrett Jack - Took a lot of blame for pounding the air out of the ball in the playoffs and making some stupid turnovers, but the plain and simple fact is that we wouldn't have even made playoffs and advanced this far without his contributions. Made big shot after big shot all year, and I hope we can bring him back at a reasonable deal. Probably the best backup PG in the NBA, could start for a handful of teams. GRADE - B
Carl Landry - Along with Jack, gave us a solid 1-2 punch off the bench all year. If this guy was 3-4 inches taller, would be a legit starting PF in the league somewhere. Nice pick and pop 15-18 foot jump shot, showed resiliency by not giving up on plays and fighting for hoops even when his shots were blocked due to his size. Another guy I hope we keep for a while at a reasonable price. Any team in the league would want this guy coming off their bench. GRADE - B
Klay Thompson - I keep trying to convince myself that his struggles and "disappearance" during some crucial games is due to the fact he's only in his second year. One thing that rings true is that he has shown the ability to take over games, seems like a humble, good kid, and made huge strides defensively. One of the top 5 pure shooters in the game today, and I hope he can use the experiences of this year to build confidence and consistency. I have by no means lost my belief in his ability, but has some work to do to restore his reputation. Grade lowered due to overall inconsistency. GRADE B-
Andrew Bogut - Defensively, the guy clearly makes this team better with his overall tenacity on the boards and willingness to contest shots at the rim, does not care if he gets dunked on. However, the lack of overall confidence on the offensive end is alarming, he used to be a legit 15 pt scorer, and watching him play hot-potato all year was ridiculous sometimes. I honestly think that there is somewhat of a Biedrins effect in relation to his free throws and offensive aggressiveness, needs to spend this off-season recapturing whatever he lost and getting more healthy and in-shape in general. But you never know about these 7 footers and foot injuries. Gave him a little extra on the grade due to a couple huge performances when we needed it, mainly game 6 vs Denver. GRADE C+
Festus Ezeli - Has the body, toughness, athletic ability and smarts to be a potential solid C in this league. Overall looked pretty lost out on the court, but for a rookie gave us some big minutes and I only see him getting better. Must work on overall offensive repertoire, catching the damn ball, and smarter use of his fouls. GRADE C+
Draymond Green - The guy started out decent, then sucked so bad I thought he should be cut, then showed up in the first round against Denver, especially game 6. Wasn't afraid of the moment, and made some big plays for us which I can probably attribute to his 4 years at MSU and playing in tons of important games. Must work on shooting and he could probably lose about 15-20 lbs and be quicker.GRADE - C
. Maybe I'm being too pessimistic?
