Recap

This game was a tale of TWO HALVES – a Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde if you will.  In a game full of expectations onlookers were treated to a Titans clash.  Sweaty man bodies pounding against one another as loud moans could be heard from the bar…a DIDDY FREAK OFF?!?!?! On to the game….

Team Garrett got out to a blistering start tearing apart some of the worst ZONE defense GRINDERS have ever seen.  Burying shots from everywhere.  Jonny T $$ was hitting bank shots, deep shots and back shots all night long.  Draining (7) Three pointers while leading the team with 22 pts.  “Crazy” Al was slicing through the lane dropping his usual beautiful mid-range game that eats zones alive, putting in 18pts and 7 rebounds.  Captain Garrett chipped in a well-rounded all-around game with a quiet double-double going for 11pts and 11 boards.  Pauly P did what he does, he comes to work and does his job.  He is a consummate pro; you need a double-double? BANG you got it.  Give the man a job and he’s going to provide!!  Not to mention he was uber efficient shooting 63%?!?! But was it enough???

Team Curtis showed up to this game with meager expectations.  Was the first game a peek into what this Grinders season had in store for them? Or was it a game of smoke and mirrors??  The first half for the onlookers was possible proof that the first game of the season was a look into the future.  Going down by as many as 17 pts in the first half.  Sitting in a ZONE D they were getting drilled over and over (Thank you sir may I have another) as JT just tossed up trey after trey in their face.  Team Curtis went into halftime looking for a prayer.  Some mid game adjustments and a switch to man D…WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! The lead began to be chopped limb by limb.  The Serb showed a new side to his game, which in all reality should worry the league.  HE PLAYED IN THE PAINT!!  Was dominant in the paint, dropping sky hooks and bank shots.  Team Garrett reacted to slowly as the damage was already done.  Dropping a 32/10/4 while shooting over 50% is never good for any team hes facing.  J DUBS continued his slashing style of play cutting to the net consistently and creating havoc in the paint.  While not the most efficient stat line shooting just about 30%, he seems to have shaken off the rust and looking to be potent the rest of the season.  Taking a team high 32 shots in this game he must subscribe to the great Wayne Gretzky Michael Scott analogy “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.  Another player also looking to break free from the IR was PJ.  He came into this game coming off a rough first game.  Looking to put himself back on the map as a premier Grinder.  Id say he do so with an extremely solid line, shooting over 50% with 15 points and 11 boards.  Rounding out the scoring was a couple chip in buckets from General Muldowney.  A player whose game isn’t predicated on the points but more on the Rebounds and a flare for the theatrics.  Was team Curtis able to pull it off…..

With this game looking like a blowout for Team Garrett in the first half.  Turned into a redemption story and come back by Team Curtis, who walks away with BIG DUBS 73-66.  With the league parity better than it ever has been in the past, these games early in the season could loom large for future matchups…