Pre-Season Game Thread #6

I feel that we’ve reached a point in the preseason where I can make a few (mostly uneducated) observations. I didn’t listen to this game-there were just too many games worth watching on tv tonight-and have only listened to a couple of preseason games to date. So I’m basically drawing inferences from the box score-making me the kind of online commenter who gives online commenters a bad name.

1) Two years ago, I thought Zaza was a pretty good free throw shooter for a big. Last year he was pretty disappointed in this regard, and perhaps injuries are to blame as well as usage. Truly, his entire offensive game suffered. But through 6 preseason games, now, he’s made 26 of 30 attempts. Maybe this aspect of his game is back. I don’t know of any reason that preseason FT attempts are different from regular season attempts.

Also, 10 rebounds in 24 minutes on the floor, and a team-high +15. Maybe he truly is back.

2) When did Charlotte get a respectable looking starting 5? If Sean May really can come back healthy, and Okafor and Gerald Wallace can both stay on the floor, this team looks really good on paper. With Larry Brown on the bench, who knows?

3) Flip Murray just went 3-8 from the floor and scored 18 points. Seriously, who’s fouling this guy?

4) One peculiarity from the box. Josh Smith went 1-6 shooting (no attempts from three, thankfully) and 0-3 on jump shots. He only played 15 minutes. Is it possible that Woodson might have actually benched him for poor shot selection?

5) Acie Law has definitely worked on that three point jumper. Here’s hoping he can turn Mike Bibby into an expendable commodity.

6) Someone needs to find out if there’s a betting line in Vegas on whether Randolph Morris sees the floor before Speedy.

7) Ignominious line of the night: Solomon Jones. 16 minutes, 2 rebounds. Nothing else.