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Players meeting…

Joy Beko: OK guys. Settle down. Settle down. We’ve got some business to take care of. Everybody can do something to get better, so we have to do that. Lightning, we need you to do better on defense. We all want to win the championship, right? We all got to get better somewhere. Coach always says if we don’t play defense, we can’t play. Right? So you, Uzek, Luis, and Petey got to be better. Lightning, you got to be the leader of that bunch. Petey, we need you to step up your defense. You do that, you get more court time, and that makes the team better! You are the best scorer we have. We want you on the floor!

Carlos Frias: Petey, you do that work on defense. Man I can’t wait to get on the court with you at the same time. Hey Walt, we see you doing the thing on defense. We appreciate you brother, but we gotta get your offense going, your ball handling, driving, and passing. We know you are Coach’s Swiss army knife; you and Beko both! Ya’ll are the base of what we do on defense, but we need you to be a threat on offense. We know you’re working on it. We see it.

Joy Beko: Cafer, we need you to assert yourself, and we gotta get you to pass. You got the stroke outside, but we need you to go hard to the hole, and pass to the open man if you can’t score.

Midas Kops: Can I say something?

Carlos Frias: Anyone can. Get whatever is on your chest off. Just trying to make sure we all are on the same page.

Midas Kops: Speaking for us shooters, we gotta start knocking these shots down. They are not going to get any easier when the playoffs start. Also, Roman, you and me gotta do more to help the bigs out. Uzek, you need to hang around with us more, too. The more of us that can play inside and outside on offense and defense makes it harder for the other teams to stop us. Which reminds me… Ozver, you could use a bit of time hanging out wit us. You too, Vendrell.

Pere Vendrell: That’s cool, but I have a first name you know.

Joy Beko: He don’t mean nothing by that; he does that to all the new guys. When he starts calling you by your name or nickname, it means something.

Pere Vendrell: And when did he start calling you by your name.

Joy Beko: My first practice.

Midas Kops: Bigs with his skill set don’t come through here often. If you can play all 5 positions at his size, we will call you what you want us to. My man walked in here defending point guards and bigs and dishing dimes like it was nothing. Vendrell, you Ozver got a look to you. You guys can bang and shoot it. Ozver can dance outside on defense some. Get used to seeing Coach Richards a lot.

Peter Bolibok: I’m gonna go ask Coach Helm if he wants me to show you bigs some post moves. None of you on my level.

Pere Vendrell: We’ll see about that. Me and the bigs got some things to take care of.

Joy Beko: Yeah, we got work to do, but you’ll always be my little---

Walt Pasman: Ahem.

Joy Beko: My apologies, Walt, he’s OUR little---

Piotr Bolibok: Let’s go on the court right now! I’ll dunk on---

Leandro Leao: Man, will you quit? The only people who don’t know you can’t dunk on those two are the new bigs in here.

Rafet Ozver: Too late. Heard it. Can’t unhear it now.

Cafer Enfes: Wait till you hear that Walt completely shuts him down. He has a hard time with big Beko, but he can’t do anything with Walt.

Carlos Frias: All right now, glad we had our laugh. We all cool and on the same page right?

Piotr Bolibok: I'm dunking on somebody out there, I'll tell you that right now...

Leandro Leao: Come on man, let's get this defense work in...

Staff meeting…

Pio Reina: Uzek is in the playoff rotation for now.

Air Allnite: Pio. he hasn’t met our metrics to be called ready. That means continuing with the bigs program and throwing him in there.

Marshall Richards: Air’s right. The kid has to show us what he can do, and what he’s willing to do.

Byron Helm: We’re not giving him any choice but to improve, and he’s off to a good start. Marshall, add another two way to the ledger.

MR: You wizard! You were working on rebounding!

BH: He’s better at that, too. So is Lecian. Now we’re working on inside defense. Kid’s best shot to play is on the wing or 3rd point guard. He’s wing playable now.

PR: Byron, nice work. What does this week look like?

BH: Kops, Bodura, Vendrell, Lecian, and Ozver. We can squeeze in a 6th, but those are the 5 I wanna get work for. If the bigs improve, we’re in good shape. If the other guys improve, we’re in good shape. If no one does, that could sting a bit.

PR: Think you can squeeze Bolibok in the paint?

BH: We can. We’ll rotate each line through the week, and should be able to finish up with the scrimmage. He’ll get work in.

PR: Air, offensive camp. Are we ready?

AA: Just say the word. Make Bolibok the priority and I promise you the offense will explode. Improve the outside shooting on this team and we get really scary.

PR: We have to get Bolibok playing defense. Bolibok has to step up if he wants to start. Bolibok’s our second leading scorer and he comes off the bench for a reason.

MR: Pio, he’s averaging 1.1 steals a game and 1.4 blocks on 20 minutes a night. We can live with him starting.

AA: You’re looking at this all wrong. What you need is to get the defensive guy up to speed on offense. Bolibok can score. Nobody looks at Pasman as a threat, but he certainly goes out and takes away his opposite on the floor. He defends inside and out, he rebounds, he’s efficient when he shoots and he allows you to play games defensively when he’s on the floor with Beko and Frias. You want defense first? There it is.

MR: Pio, you want to get Bolibok’s attention? Change the game on him. The offensive camp is made for guys like Pasman, Uzek and guys who are trying to crack the rotation. We’re still going to work on defense; that’s always going to be our foundation, but our depth is always going to be a weapon too.

PR: Marshall, how many two ways on defense?

MR: Six. If Kops and Bodura improve, eight. Throw in Ozver next season and we’re at nine. Bolibok won’t be one.

AA: That’s cool and all, but how many of them will rebound and how many are two way scorers on offense? We’re not winning playoff games 40 to 30.

MR: Rebounders? 4. Ozver makes 5 when he hits two way status on defense. Scorers? 4, with Pasman, Ozver, and Vendrell due to hit that status at any time. Air, we’re building the offense from the ground up.

PR: How many pure shooters?

AA: The only pure shooters we have right now are Bolibok and Bodura. Vendrell, Ozver, Kops, Enfes, Leao and Frias all have varying degrees of promise. Out of that bunch, I have my eyes on Vendrell and Ozver especially, but I wouldn’t sleep on Kops and Enfes just yet.

PR: Add 7 guys who can pass with another developing, so were trending in the right direction. What do we need from the bigs?

BH: We need a Beko clone with better offense.

PR: Marshall, what from the wings? Pasman with better offense?

MR: Or Enfes with better passing.

PR: Air, the guards?

AA: A guard with the best parts of Pasman and Bolibok who can pass.

PR: You guys know that’s not happening. Let’s go; we’ve got work to do!

Happy Ourer: Welcome Linndale faithful! It’s the last road game of the regular season and we’re looking at a tough one against the SLC Fiends.

Joshua Doe: Come on, Happy! Stop trying to build drama where none exists! I’m not saying the Fiends aren’t a worthy opponent… Wait a minute! I’m saying exactly that! They are not in the class of Linndale! The only chance they have is if Pio Reina goes completely off the reservation, plays Grubbs, Uzek, Isarre, Lecian, and Bolibok for the whole game after everyone else gets hurts in warm ups.

Sam Dunkley: Joshua choose violence today! That is a professional basketball team over there, man! “Fullcourt” John Bort is one of my favorite players to watch! That guy can score! Curtis Capps is dangerous. Ramon Bruner is a double double machine. Frank Wilkerson is tough on the boards.

Jimmy Buckitts: I can’t believe my ears! Sam, I get Happy’s schtick, but you are straight gaslighting here! In no universe is that collection of players you just named good enough to beat this Linndale team. They will need multiple players to have the games of their lives and a spectacular failure by Pio Reina, the coaching staff and the players collectively.

SD: Why is everyone choosing violence today? There is no harm in paying respect to you opponent.

JD: You want me to respect them? They are a solid 3 point shooting team and a much better free throw shooting team than Linndale. That’s it. Oh wait, they foul less. Barely. What’s that you statheads are always telling me, numbers don’t lie? There’s a saying about lies and statistics…

JB: Sam, you cannot be serious.

SD: When the Fiends walk out within 10 points, or even with a win, I don’t want to hear it.

HO: Sam, you gotta stop. The last three meetings were Linndale wins by 26, 44, and 20 points respectively. Bort has had 20 in only one of those games. Same for Capps. This team is deeper now, the defense is even better, and Capps and Bort are not both scoring 20 tonight. Which brings us to the starting lineup tonight. Your starting five for Linndale will be… Carlos Frias at the point, Walt Pasman at shooting guard, Cafer Enfes at small forward, Pere Vendrell at power forward, and Ondrej Lecian at center.

JD: Two things here, Happy. Capps will not be scoring 20 tonight. The Fiends are going to need someone to step up big on the front line, and they will need an explosion of scoring off the bench. Given the names that will be off the bench tonight, that bench explosion isn’t happening either. They’re going to need to take advantage of Vendrell and Lecian while they’re on the floor, but that’s not going to be an easy task.

SD: I think a key to watch for Linndale is who is working on that second unit tonight and how the unit performs. Specifically, Piotr Bolibok and Roman Bodura. Bodura has had tough time shooting it, but has played well defensively. Bolibok has consistently scored, but his defense is lacking. Pio will not tolerate that in the playoffs.

JB: It will be interesting how Pio Reina tightens the rotation in the postseason, or even if he tightens it.
Defensively, there are a lot of very good options, and someone is going to upset about a lack of playing time.

HO: Jimmy, we’ll have to have you finish that thought on the other side. We have to go to a commercial break...

Marshall Richards: Air, you seen the new kid?

Air Allnite: Yeah. We’re gonna have to run Point Guard University for half the season and Big Man State for the other half to get these guys where Pio wants them offensively.

MR: What do you think?

AA: We wanted that hammer on the inside. Well, you’re gonna get to play your games because he’s better than Petey was on defense, but that was a low bar. Offensively, the kid has more juice.

MR: So it’s not just me. We gotta get his defense up to speed as fast as possible.

AA: And his passing. And his shooting has to get up to Petey’s level, but That shouldn’t be difficult at all.

Byron Helm: (walking in): You guys work your magic on him. I’ll work mine on him, too. Who you guys sending to Big Man School?

MR: You mean besides the bigs, right? The new guy, Kops, Enfes, Pasman, and Frias.

BH: Cool. I’m sending the new guy, Enfes, Beko, Ozver, and Vendrell to your little guard finishing school.

AA: We get their passing together, Enfes and the new guy are going to be a sick duo.

MR: Now you sound like me, but that is not happening; can’t play those two together. Play one with Beko and Ozver, the other with Lecian and Vendrell.

Pio Reina: Already game planning, I see? Frias with one group, Leao with the other… now you gotta sort out who Kops and Bodura play with. And you forgot about Pasman. Gentlemen, to be clear, the primary skill our new addition has is his inside offense. That is his difference maker right now. No, Air, we are not playing him with Enfes. Marshall, I know you’re dreaming of that duo and Pasman. Probably with Beko and Bodura. Stop it. We are not there yet. Byron?

BH: I had him penciled into the program for tonight, but I changed my mind. We need to get pops out of Lecian, Ozver, Vendrell, Enfes, and Beko is due. We need them to be great when it’s time to be great. Primarily, we want to see Beko, Ozver, Enfes and Vendrell.

PR: Fine. Lecian gets held back. Run him in the scrimmage. Air?

AA: Yeah. It didn’t look good in that private league game. I think Leao understands now. Beko, I think he uses those private league games to work on things. His turnovers have been pretty high; he’s got eleven in the last three. Meanwhile in the league where he makes his money, ten turnovers in his last eight games. Clearly, he’s working on something.

PR: Your special assignment is Pasman. Make it happen, Air. Byron?

BH: Vendrell and Ozver. I know. We’ll see how things go this week; I may try to run Pasman in the scrimmage. Would love to get him and Lecian 48 inside and both to pop.

PR: Make sure you have an alternative plan just in case. Marshall?

MR: Don’t even say it, Pio. Everybody is my special assignment. I know.

PR: Good. Gentlemen, let me be clear. What I expect is to see is a dramatically improved inside game. I expect Enfes and the Twaruschek to improve their passing. I expect Twaruschek to be the best scorer on the team. I expect our rebounding to improve. I expect our outside game to improve. I do not care how it happens, so long as we make it happen. We are far better than we were when the season started, but we are not as good as we think. The goal is the championship. The great teams go out and get it done. Let’s go be great. We have the talent on the roster. It’s our job to make it work.

***

Happy Ourer: Welcome, Linndale faithful, to the final regular season contest. The gang is all here, and the team has a new player on the roster just in time for the postseason to begin!

Joshua Doe: Happy, Bobby G. sold off his best scorer, but went out and got himself a better player in Gian-Luca Twaruschek. The young man is a solid defender, a better rebounder, and has the potential to be a better scorer. The overall skillset made this a no brainer. He's a better all-around player.

Last edited by Speedtraps at 8/31/2024 5:28:42 PM

Happy Ourer: Well, Joshua, how about that first half for Linndale?

Joshua Doe: Gian-Luca Twaruschek made a very nice first impression. He was aggressive with the ball in his hands. Midas Kops and Roman Bodura were also very aggressive. The big unknown is Leandro Leao’s injury situation. He went down after a really good start, and his availability in the postseason will be a key to the team’s championship aspirations.

Sam Dunkley: I agree with Joshua, but I’m a little concerned about the defense and rebounding. My biggest concern is the effort. They seem to play to the level of their opponent and then do just enough to win, You can’t do that when the playoffs start. You just can’t do that!

HO: You both make great points. The key will be how quickly Twaruschek can integrate himself with what Linndale does. If tonight was any indication, it won’t take long at all. Let’s throw it down to Jimmy Buckitts courtside with Gian-Luca Twaruschek and Midas Kops.

Jimmy Buckitts: Thanks, Happy! Midas, you were incredible out there under a very unexpected circumstance.

Midas Kops: Yeah, Leandro was cooking out there directing the show, and it was unfortunate to see him go down. Once that happened and coach called my number, I just wanted to do what I could do to help the team.

JB: I don’t think we’ve seen a Midas Kops 35 point game before.

MK: I just do whatever the team needs me to do. Tonight it was to be aggressive with the basketball and to find my teammates for some easy looks. I knew I had it in me. Young fella here kept telling me shoot it and be aggressive. I like this guy; he’s rubbing off on me already!

JB: You were magnificent, and you also helped new acquisistion Gian-Luca Twaruschek acclimate himself. Gian-Luca, you brought an element that hasn’t been seen here in a while, and looked good doing it.

Gian-Luca Twaruschek: I’m just glad to be here. Coach told me to just go play my game and my teammates told me to be aggressive and they would take care of me, and that’s what happened.

JB: Midas, for a while in the first half it looked like you and Gian-Luca were having a scoring contest.

MK: He was out there trash talking, talking about how if I didn’t shoot the ball he would take my shots and go for forty. I had to let him know.

JB: Gian-Luca, first time on the floor here with your teammates. What stands out to you?

GLT: The passing. Everybody passes. I’m gonna have to work on that.

JB: All right guys, Great game Midas! Gian-Luca, welcome to Linndale! Happy, before I send it back to you and the guys, I did manage to get an update on Leandro Leao, and was told he was kept out of the game as a precaution. He’s ok, they said, but figured no sense in risking further issues down the line.

HO: Thanks, Jimmy!