The Bucks lost their second summer league game on Tuesday night, again on a last second buzzer beater, this time by Sam Young. Who cares! Last night was all about Larry Sanders for us Bucks fans. And maybe the Bucks can use up some of the bad luck losses here in summer league as we have already had two.
Larry Sanders
Line: 9-14, 22pts, 9reb, 2ast, 2blk
The game slowed down for Sanders last night. He was much more calm and patient when he got the ball and his decisions were decisive. In the first game it didn’t always look like he was sure what he was going to do, but whatever it was it was going to be REALLY REALLY FAST. Not Tuesday, when he had an open jumper, he took it. If it wasn’t there he passed quickly and accurately hitting other cutters and open guys, the stats record only two assists but Sanders avoided turnovers by holding the ball too long and a couple other passes led to a foul and free throws. Late in the game Sanders displayed some three point shooting with one nice spot-up three, then a rushed shot that looked more like a prayer but it went in nearly at the buzzer.
Sanders defensive presence was again felt all over the court with steals, deflections, blocks, keeping balls alive. When watching Sanders it really does feel like he is everywhere, a far cry from Dan Gadzuric who felt like he was nowhere. One thing that really impresses me with Sanders is that he has a feel for when to go for the block or hold his ground. That will lead to more floor time because he should commit less fouls this way. Sometimes the best defense is just to hold up your guy and wait for a secondary defender. Too often shotblockers try to block everything and that leads to more fouls. This is something Dwight Howard still has not learned and he is the best defensive post player in the league.
Sanders also had a straight up block on a Hasheem Thabeet jump shot but a foul was called. It was a bad call as Sanders had all ball, Webber even commented on it as not being a foul. The block displayed the explosion and intelligence Sanders has when going for the block. Thabeet does not know how to use his body to get into the defender, he willingly created space and took the shot, he just wasn’t expecting a 6-10 player to block it. Sanders felt the space and knew there would be no body contact and went after it. It was an impressive play.
Throughout the broadcast Webber seemed very impressed with the skill-set Sanders already displays, remarking that the Milwaukee coaches must be very excited to work with a blank canvas with as much natural talent as Sanders. Webber was also impressed with Sanders being everywhere, always grabbing loose balls and rebounds that were available to anyone. At one point he compared Sanders to a former teammate Gerald Wallace saying Wallace was more aggressive going to the basket but Sanders had a better shot, what they had most in common was the pure energy both brought to the game.
Brandon Jennings All Over Again?
With the game Larry Sanders played last night we as fans cannot help but get excited. This is why the NBA has started to broadcast the summer league games, because fans want to see these young guys. We want to see if our rookie has the goods or not. Summer league success will not directly lead to NBA stardom and I think we all get that. But, neither will summer league mediocrity. Several of the guys picked ahead of Sanders are not lighting it up, and that is putting it nicely. It is too early to label guys busts or stars but I would much rather have a guy we are getting a little too excited about than the other side of the spectrum where we have to make excuses for a lack of production. Sometimes the guy is just that good(maybe Sanders), sometimes the guy just doesn’t have it(Hasheem Thabeet).
It was the summer league that got most Bucks fans excited about Brandon Jennings. Last year we needed something to look forward to and Jennings provided it. He had a great summer and even through gritted teeth, members of ESPN had to take note. Why can’t it happen again? Why can’t the Bucks have itself another difference maker? There are so many bad GMs would it not make sense that a savvy and smart GM could again hit on a player, this time at 15?
Looking at the guys drafted ahead of Sanders the only three that are hands down better are John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, and Derrick Favors. If you want to throw Evan Turner in there, fine. After that, does anybody think the other 10 players are can’t miss and that Sanders cannot be much more impactful than they are?
It is good to be excited about a draft pick, especially when they produce something tangible on the floor. For the second straight summer the Bucks have another rookie that we can be excited about. A rookie that we do not have to make excuses for. A rookie that should only get better.
Go Bucks!