Happyface

2002-03:
Appeared in a career-high 80 games for the Chicago Bulls, making 31 starts in third NBA season. … Averaged career-highs of 10.7 ppg, 4.2 apg and 2.3 apg, shooting .413 from the floor, including .355 from three-point range and a career-high .806 from the free throw line. … Started the final 20 games of the season, averaging 18.7 ppg and 6.9 apg (with a 3.04 assists-to-turnover ratio), shooting .458 from the floor and .406 from three-point range. … Set career highs in three-point field goals made (86) and attempted (242). … Three-pointers made was the 14th-highest single season total in Bulls history. … Scored 20+ points on 11 occasions and reached 30+ points two times. … Recorded double-figure assists four times, recording a double-double in each of those contests (including two games of 20+ points and 10+ assists). … Led the Bulls in scoring on six occasions, including four of the final six games, and in assists 27 times, including eight of the last nine games. … Averaged 16.0 ppg and 6.0 apg, shooting .439 from the floor and .389 from three-point range in 31 starting assignments. … Averaged 14.2 ppg and 5.4 apg, shooting .431 from the floor and .369 from three-point range in 33 games after the All-Star break. … Exploded in the month of April, averaging 23.0 ppg and 6.5 apg, shooting .466 from the floor and .360 from three-point range. … Reached the 20-point plateau for the first time in his NBA career, scoring 20 points in 23 minutes off the bench versus Minnesota (12/27). … Played a career-high 50 minutes and scored 16 points with 7 rebounds and 7 assists at Milwaukee (1/10). … Played 28 minutes off the bench and scored 21 points at Washington (3/1). … Came off the bench and scored 21 points in 28 minutes at Washington (3/1). … Earned the starting position for the remainder of the season on March 6 versus Golden State, authoring his first-ever double-double with 15 points and a career-high 10 assists in 31 minutes. … Led the Bulls to victory over the L.A. Lakers, scoring 24 points with 10 assists in 32 minutes. … Scored 18 points with 10 assists versus Sacramento (3/29). … Scored a career-high 33 points with 8 assists in victory over Indiana (4/8). … Scored 19 points with 7 assists and 6 rebounds versus New Jersey (4/11). … Matched career high, scoring 33 points with a career-high 5 three-pointers in the season finale versus Philadelphia (4/15). … Missed one game due to personal reasons (11/9). … Missed one game with a sprained right ankle (12/31).



Funny thing is alot of you judge him based off of 4 games this year as opposed to everything above from last year

Also keep in mind him and Jay split time the whole first half of last season. And as you can see, once he became the fulltime starter, he blew up.

superdave

2001-02:
Averaged 11.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 32.1 minutes in 80 games played (79 starts)...converted 384-886 FG (.433) and 117-188 FT (.622)...ranked 14th in the NBA in blocks and 15th in rebounding...<b>averaged 16.5 points and 9.6 rebounds over the last 23 games of the season...recorded six 20-point games in his last 12 starts</b>...12/29/01 vs. Boston, pulled down a career high-tying 20 rebounds, to go with six points and two blocks...1/2/02 at Sacramento, recorded 13 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in 35 minutes...1/13/02 at Toronto, in 41 minutes, recorded 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks...1/18/02 vs. Cleveland, contributed 19 points and 11 boards in 34 minutes...1/21/02 vs. Denver, tallied 14 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks in 36 minutes...1/28/02 at Memphis, recorded 27 points and eight rebounds...1/31/02 at San Antonio, notched 20 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks...2/2/02 at Atlanta, scored 18 points to go with 14 rebounds and a block...2/3/02 at Boston, in 44 minutes, recorded 27 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks...3/8/02 at Chicago, poured in a career-high 30 points to with 16 rebounds and three blocks...3/18/02 vs. Houston, tallied 26 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in 39 minutes...3/25/02 vs. San Antonio, scored 26 points to go with 17 rebounds in 46 minutes of action...3/26/02 at Sacramento, tallied 23 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in 33 minutes played...3/30/02 vs. Utah, scored 28 points in 41 minutes played...4/7/02 vs. Denver, notched six blocks to go with 23 points in 40 minutes of work...


Guess who?
Michael Olowokandi.
Lesson?
Don't judge a player on the last 20 games before becoming a RFA.

__________________
Re: Nocioni Sploogefest
Noch certainly has improved a great deal from the beginning of last year and is probably the most consistent player on our team, at least in terms of how he plays and the effort he gives. He's pretty much always turned up to 11 and it's nice to have a guy like that, even if it means dealing with the occasional mistake.

Glad he's on our side.
PC Load Letter <4/6/06>

Happyface

Sorry Candyman hasnt proven to be a bust yet, and he had a damn good year last year with the Clippers. He just came off of surgery and not playing all summer as well, and hasnt even played in all of the T-Wolves games. He also just got traded to a team with a bonafide big man in Garnett as well which will obviously take away from his numbers. I'm sure he'll get his act together eventually, but as you can see there are various reasons for his slow start.

The funny thing is your condemning Olowokandi after a few games just like you've condemned Jamal after a few, compared to a whole 1/2 season or more of playing well last year. Over-react much? Dont worry your not the only one, alot of Bulls fans here seem to as well


btw, i just noticed, but isnt your bio of Candy from 2 years ago?

Kneepad

I don't think even the staunchest Crawford critics would deny the kid has talent and has put up great individual numbers in stretches.

There are two things your post does not address: 1) defense, and 2) how the Bulls play as a team with Crawford on the floor (which directly relates to wins and losses).

The simple fact of the matter is Bulls coaches and management have asked JC to do certain things on the court that he has been unable/unwilling to do. There is no other explanation for him not playing. Some of this is defense-- Hinrich is cleary a better defensive player-- which the Bulls sorely need. And some of it I believe is "point guard stuff" like getting the team into it's offense, controlling tempo, and exercising good judgement on shot selection-- also things at which I think it can be said Hinrich is better at at this point.

I would love to see Jamal trust his coaches and the Bulls as an organization that if he plays as he is asked he will be rewarded financially. Unfortunately he seems to believe that the only road to that end is for him to go out and try to put up the largest individual numbers possible.

ace20004u

Jamal did trust the orginization and look where it got him! He was working hard all summer, adding muscle and training at the Berto as he was asked to do. He was told coming into the season this would be his team to lead and he gets replaced with a rookie pg 6 games into the season or whatever? I think that last years stats illustrate what a talented player Jamal is and he would be the first to admit his shortcomings. But, it's hard to work on those things coming off the bench.

__________________
Before facing Miami on the night Pat Riley returned to coaching, Scott Skiles was asked his feeling about going against legendary coaches such as Riley and Phil Jackson, in town with the Lakers last Friday.

“They should be more concerned about going up against me,” the Bulls coach replied with a straight face.

Any reporters waiting for a laugh or a smile from Skiles never got one.

“There are 30 of these jobs,” Skiles continued. “He (Riley) has one. I have one. I’ve played against him. I’ve coached against him already. He’s a coach. He’s a very good one. He has a long, great record.

“I don’t mean to sell it short, but I’m not intimidated by anybody.”

InPaxWeTrust

ACE this is why he was replaced. He is NOT playing the way they want. He knows it and does not seem to care, hence the benching. He will stay on the bench until he starts playing how they want him to or he will be gone.

superdave

Damn good year with the Clippers?! Clippers fans were <b>ELATED</b> to see him go and couldn't show him the door soon enough. Yes, his stats were decent 12/9/1, but like Kneepad has said, there's more to it than just stats for individual stretches of games. He took away from the team, plain and simple. Find me one Clipper fan that misses the guy.

28 years old, 6 years in the league.. yeah he'll get it together eventually. He'll make all those teams pay that passed on him in the 1998 draft. Oh wait, he was the #1 pick... taken over Jamison, Carter, Pierce, Nowitzki, Hughes, Bibby, etc.


How am I condemning Crawford? I posted a bio on Michael Olowokandi just like you did for Crawford.

Yes. Kandi was expected to blow up in his 4th season in the L, much like Crawford this year. Many people pointed to the fact that he'd only been playing basketball for a few years, that he had such great size, that he finished the previous year on a tear, blah blah blah. He had a decent year, hit the FA market, and signed for around the MLE. A complete bust? No. A huge disappointment? Yes.

__________________
Re: Nocioni Sploogefest
Noch certainly has improved a great deal from the beginning of last year and is probably the most consistent player on our team, at least in terms of how he plays and the effort he gives. He's pretty much always turned up to 11 and it's nice to have a guy like that, even if it means dealing with the occasional mistake.

Glad he's on our side.
PC Load Letter <4/6/06>

superdave

Ace, Jamal's defense and floor leadership is what has kept him from the starting job. This is his fourth year in the L and he's still hasn't shown the desire to get after it on D. You've even admitted in previous posts that Kirk is playing better D.

As I've said before, BC has shown that he'll give minutes to players who bust *ss on D. They may be the lesser skilled of the two, but that isn't such a huge thing in his eyes as the casual fan. Examples: Trent over eRob, Blount over Curry (last year), Baxter over Fizer, Kirk over Jamal.

__________________
Re: Nocioni Sploogefest
Noch certainly has improved a great deal from the beginning of last year and is probably the most consistent player on our team, at least in terms of how he plays and the effort he gives. He's pretty much always turned up to 11 and it's nice to have a guy like that, even if it means dealing with the occasional mistake.

Glad he's on our side.
PC Load Letter <4/6/06>

futuristxen

the problem with Jamal's floor leadership problems is that they won't get better while he's sitting on the bench. That's something that comes with experience. Which is someting Jamal still has very little of thanks to the organization's inability to develop him as well as they should have.

This kid would do wonders under a competant coach.

And while his D leaves something to be desired, he's definitely gotten after it since being benched, and especially since the bulls went to a zone. He seems to be a good zone defender with his long arms and quickness.

Anyhow, nice thread, people do forget sometimes that this kid can actually play. Especially when he is thrown out there and left to his own devices. Put him with better talent and he'll get even better.

ace20004u

It seems to me that "playing the way BC wants" is Jamal's biggest shortcoming. Of course, BC expects Jamal to never turn the ball over, play Payton-esque defense, and throw an assist every time he handles the ball while only taking 5 shots a game! I think it is more realistic for BC to realize that Jamal is human and as such he still has some flaws. Those flaws need to be worked on for sure but benching him for a rookie is simply NOT the answer.

I watched ALL of the Bulls games...every minute...every blowout. And the only two people who seemed to be getting after it at all were Crawford and Chandler. And all of this Jamal doesn't get then into the offense is hogwash. I've seen Jamal set up the offense just fine. It's not always his fault if it doesn't result in a score! In any case, Jamal certainly should have been given more time before being yanked.

__________________
Before facing Miami on the night Pat Riley returned to coaching, Scott Skiles was asked his feeling about going against legendary coaches such as Riley and Phil Jackson, in town with the Lakers last Friday.

“They should be more concerned about going up against me,” the Bulls coach replied with a straight face.

Any reporters waiting for a laugh or a smile from Skiles never got one.

“There are 30 of these jobs,” Skiles continued. “He (Riley) has one. I have one. I’ve played against him. I’ve coached against him already. He’s a coach. He’s a very good one. He has a long, great record.

“I don’t mean to sell it short, but I’m not intimidated by anybody.”

Happyface

Your extremely exxagerating the unappreciation or dislike for Candy in LA last year, there was alot of praise for how his game had improved. I watched more than a few of those games btw since i've always liked Q(Richardson), and enjoyed watching him play, not to mention he was on my fantasy squad. Also, i'm not going to argue with you over him being a disappointment for a #1 overall pick or was it #2? Sure, he hasnt met his #1 pick hype, but he has improved every year, and is a top 15 Center in the league when healthy.

Do you really want me to post his season stats from his rookie year to his last year with LA? Hell, i could even post his stats last year, something you conveniently neglected to do, which would give him 2 consecutive seasons of good years. I'm still curious why you chose to only post his #'s from 2 years ago~

Like i said i watched more than a few of those games, i dont know how you can singly blame Candy for the Clippers losing like they always have, in fact he was a bright spot if anything. With Odoms inconsistent play and injuries, Q's inconsistency, theres alot more to criticize than a player who played very well to be a valuable comodity in the FA market from that Clippers team.

fl_flash

Ace,

Jamal Crawford has committed a grand total of 13 fouls so far this season. He's played in 10 games. Part of "getting after it" is getting in the face of the player your defending. You don't get blown for a reach-in foul when your out of reach of the player your defending. Crawford either plays so far off his man as to allow too many easy jumpers or when he finally gets close, he doesn't have the lateral quickness or strength to keep his man in front of him.

I've seen Hinrich get whistled for some pretty silly reach-in fouls so far this season. But, you know what? At least he's been sticking close enough to his man to attempt to disrupt him by reaching in. I'd like to see Jamal do that because I actually think he'd be a pretty good defender if he set his mind to it. Jamal has quick hands and that nice long reach. It's just that he doesn't. I think that is why he's been benched is because the talent to be even a decent defender is there but the effort is not.

superdave

Wow that's a lot of love for a top 15 center.

I did post his stats from last year... 12/9/1. His numbers from 2 years ago were 11/9/1. His numbers this year so far are 7/4/.5. I'm happy he gave you a good fantasy year last season, heck strike up the band. The consensus from Clippers fans and from what I saw on KCal (while in LA) and TNT (while in Chicago) was that Kandi wasn't fitting in to the team's long term plans. Truth is, he had very little interest in the FA market. In other words, almost every team in the NBA could have signed him for the MLE. He signed with Minny. Big deal.

I think you're missing the point here. The point is... Kandi was not all he was cracked up to be. He was a disappointment. He never took his game to the elusive 'next level' after finishing year 3 with a flurry of gaudy stats. He didn't fit into the Clips long term plans. He wasn't traded by the Clips. He wasn't resigned by the Clips.

This is analogous to Crawford in that everyone points at his stats from late last season. Granted the demand for Crawfords services are probably higher than Kandi (after year 3).. but the comparison holds weight.

__________________
Re: Nocioni Sploogefest
Noch certainly has improved a great deal from the beginning of last year and is probably the most consistent player on our team, at least in terms of how he plays and the effort he gives. He's pretty much always turned up to 11 and it's nice to have a guy like that, even if it means dealing with the occasional mistake.

Glad he's on our side.
PC Load Letter <4/6/06>

settinUpShop

I think Jamal's commitment to playing at Ruckers park this summer shows an interest in a playground kid of ball. I'm not sure it was totally benefitial for him to be doing that, from the mental aspect of the game. Don't these kinds of games encourage you to save yourself on defense so you can play better on offense? And certainly sharing the ball and setting up offenses are non existant. I wish JC had been able to practice these skills which are really important if you want to be a NBA point guard, as opposed to flashy cross-overs. Wouldn't he have been better served, doing defensive drills, learning how to use his length to lock down players. Wouldn't it have been better to be playing against real NBA talent in organized pick-up games the way many NBA players do? I heard this is what Tyson did this summer.

Anyway, I agree that Jamal has a load