Game Thread Mar 03, 2025 07:00PM MT: Detroit Pistons @ Utah Jazz

[Handlogten's Heros]

Sensabaugh just processes the game too slow to be a good NBA player. He may stick around for a bit because he is talented scorer/shooter, but he is so slow, and most of it is due to mental not physical (though he is also physically slow).

Which is why I think Will should simplify his role and let him do what he does at a high level.

 

[Step-Back Lauri]

Oh boo, no Lauri again, whyyyy... He hasn't even really helped winning mostly so come on let my man loose.

 

[TheGoldStandard]

If Andy Larsen is correct, and Hardy was mainly focused on Brice in his remarks about young players not working hard enough, then this game was about as bad as you can get as a response to that criticism. Brice is going to have to redeem himself with the remaining games, or I think he could be gone in the off season.

He reminds me of many players that have the tools but never get "it". Don't make the effort to play defense, don't get back on D gums up the offense.

I really like him, I think he could be a Joe Johnson type on offense with his ability to score at his pace, but he needs to get it together, particularly his defensive effort.

The worst part of tanking is the potential for bad habits and often lacking the alpha that will push the young guys to play the right way.

 

[HermanG]

The Jazz were obviously tired playing on a back to back, but I wonder if it it's more than being physically tired.

I'm sure it's mentally/emotionally difficult to lose as much as we are, being sabotaged by the front office with the injury report, just so that the Jazz can draft your replacement. Then on top of that you get called out by your coach to the media.

I wonder if Hardy is losing the team a little.

I think the last remark can only be debated if they start looking like they dont respond to his criticism.

Trust the filter.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

I think the last remark can only be debated if they start looking like they dont respond to his criticism.

Trust the filter.

The comments he made were after the NOP game, then they came out and played the least motivated game of the year. I think you might have your timeline wrong.

 

[HermanG]

The comments he made were after the NOP game, then they came out and played the least motivated game of the year. I think you might have your timeline wrong.

My apologies. You were correct in throwing those doubts in the air then.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Which is why I think Will should simplify his role and let him do what he does at a high level.

He has all season.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

The comments he made were after the NOP game, then they came out and played the least motivated game of the year. I think you might have your timeline wrong.

I actually think he played "harder" on defense and getting back and all that... he didn't seem unmotivated to me... he seemed like he was in his head last night.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

He has all season.

Yes and no. I think he has had inconsistent minutes but its part of being a pro. It may be a lost cause but I'd love to give it a fair and long chance and there is zero downside to doing so. He may not want to babysit certain guys and he may want them to be a pro already... BUT its part of the gig to squeeze everything you can out of the guys ability. If we were trying then mothball him until he figures it out. Give him 25 games to smooth it out and show improvement.

A couple guys have been through this with Will and come out better... maybe this is just how he rolls. If he comes back and gives Brice the rope he needs at the end of the season I'm totally cool. We may be down enough bodies it doesn't matter so Brice will play. I just wouldn't write that experiment off yet. Even with the slump he has had several impressive games this year and his overall numbers are about what you'd have hoped for when you drafted him.

 

[Tanktastic]

I understand Hardy from time to time just losing it. The front office is whacking him again and again, and then the frustration just comes out. And of course he can't direct the criticism at them. And maybe somewhere, deep down he knows that Ainge will absolutely dump him if and when the team is actually trying to win and he isn't perfect.

And playing games like this doesn't tell anything about any of the young players, they're not learning anything and it's just sucking the soul out of them as well. Andy Larsen talked to Flip after the game and asked about tanking and the poor kid seemed just to... I'm not quite sure what this is: “It can definitely feel odd at times ... it’s kind of hard to — it’s not hard, but, you know, you kind of have to shift perspectives."

 

[Julius C]

If Andy Larsen is correct, and Hardy was mainly focused on Brice in his remarks about young players not working hard enough, then this game was about as bad as you can get as a response to that criticism. Brice is going to have to redeem himself with the remaining games, or I think he could be gone in the off season.

If he was critizised about his defence, then his response was actually quite good (according to the statistics): He was -16 in the Pelicans -game and -2 in the Detroit game (Kessler was -22, Springer was -23 with less playing time.) He had the second best +\- on the team. Who cares if the didn't score any points, if we are tanking?

Sensabaugh just processes the game too slow to be a good NBA player. He may stick around for a bit because he is talented scorer/shooter, but he is so slow, and most of it is due to mental not physical (though he is also physically slow).

I have only seen a couple of games from Sensabaugh, but in the game I saw last year he was actually positioning himself quite well on defence. Also in G-league his offensive game looked to me to be quick and versatile. So, quite contrary to your opinion, my opinion about him was that he actually might be a smart player and possess a good/high basketball IQ.

 

[NUMBERICA]

I kind of liked it. No stress.
I'm good with doing this for 20 more games. Rip the band-aid off and go full throttle.
Don't want to do it next season though. Tanking sucks.

Tanking is hard. Actually requires way more focus and intention than making the 10th seed.