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Written by The Big Train
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Saturday, 18 July 2009 20:59 |
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It has been a busy off-season so far for the Magic, as well as the rest of the league. That said, we have gotten a bit off track with some of our ongoing pieces. Fortunately, today we continue TPASTBM's post-season player grades. This is what we have so far:
So, next up: Jameer Nelson.
Name: Nelson, Jameer
Stats: During the regular season Jameer started all 42 games he played. He averaged 16.7 points on 50% shooting - 45% from 3 point land. He added 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.5 rebounds a contest. When he returned for the NBA Finals he averaged 3.8 points per game in 35% shooting.
Best Game: January 16th in LA against the Lakers. Jammer scored 28 points during Orlando's impressive 109-103 win. Along with Dwight's 25 points and 20 rebounds, Jameer carried the Magic to this road W. Not only did he score 28 points, including several clutch shots as the clock dwindled in the 4th, he also added 8 assists and 6 rebounds. His +/- for the game was a stellar +16.
Worst Game: It might not have been his worst statistical effort of the season, but Jameer's game against the Dallas Mavericks on February 2nd was by far his worst game, and was perhaps the worst evening for the entire team. The Magic were on a amazing streak. In the previous two plus months they had won 22 games, while only losing 5. After being dismissed earlier in the season by the national media, Orlando was finally gaining some respect. After all, ESPN can only ignore actual W's and L's for so long. But after Jameer hurt that shoulder their hopes were dashed. Granted Orlando still made a hell of a run, but given the play of Jammer when he returned for the NBA Finals, it makes you wonder what could have been if he had not gone for that loose ball. We will never know.
Most Memorable Moment: For this, let's go back to the Janurary 16th game against the Lakers. This was on national TV. They were in LA. Jameer was in the middle of quite a run, scoring 22, 23, 28, and 23 on a 4 game road trip in which Orlando beat the Spurs (first ever season series sweep), the Kings (umm, NBA record for most 3's in a game), the Lakers (first ever season series sweep), and then a next day 18 W against the Nuggets in Denver. Anyway, Jameer hit several huge shots in the 4th. The video below is a great collection of highlights from the entire game.
Offense: This was Jameer's best season on the offensive side of the court. His 16.7 points per game was 2 clear of his previous high and 4 clear of his career average. He shot 50% from the floor for the first time, and also shot extremely well from the 3-point line. He also had a career year at the free throw line, hitting nearly 89% from the line. His turnovers were held below 2 a game, nearly as good as his rookie campaign when he only started 21 games. In other words, this is why he was named to the All-Star team. Many noted that his confidence had never been higher... And that is a lot to say about a guy who has "All Eyes On Me" tattooed across his back. Part of this can be attributed to the fact that Jameer was the clear cut starter and leader of the team (along with Dwight). In the previous year there was much debate on who the starter should be. Jameer? Carlos Arroyo? (Note: Carlos, really? Really?) But not 08-09. Orlando started the season with just two healthy point guards... And Anthony Johnson was not going to start.
Defense: Of the two phases of the game, defense is Jameer's weakest. He averaged just over a steel a game, which isn't bad. He also averaged 3.5 rebounds a contest, which is pretty good for a point guard. However, his size (6 foot nothin') was, and always will be a weak point for Mr. Nelson. However, compared to the other guys who ran the point for the Magic - Skip, AJ, and Mr. Lue - Jameer was by far the best defender. As long as he continues to hustle, it won't be too much of an issue.
Fans Perspective: For the most part, Magic fans love Jameer. He hustles, hits big shots, and is a leader. Fans know he is best buddies with Dwight (who was his fellow first rounder in the 2004 draft), and that the two of them are the unquestioned leaders of the team. Next, fans were certainly pleased to see Jameer work his way back in time for the NBA Finals... Even though once he was back he wasn't half the player he was before the injury. During Jameer's time on the bench in a suit, fans saw a leader who encouraged his teammates to fight. It is safe to say Jameer is a fan favorite, especially when he is driving the lane hard, diving on loose balls, and hitting big 3's.
Expectations for 2010: Despite all the changes Orlando has had so far this offseason, perhaps the biggest addition for the 09-10 season is a healthy Jameer. When news outlets - ESPN especially - discuss the Carter trade and rather Orlando has improved on the team that made it to the Finals last year, they almost always fail to mention that the team that made it all the way to the Finals was without one of their All-Stars! That said, we expect Jameer to come back next season in the form he was in just before he went down with that shoulder injury. Now if only Mr. Nelson could stay healthy...
Grade: If you were grading Jameer on his regular season and before his injury you would have to give him an A. If you were grading him post injury, even though it is not really his fault, you would have to give him an F. Thus, if we average those together (hmm, carry the two), Jameer earned himself a C.
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Image of the day: Via Orlando Sentinel
The Mission. The Statement.
We are Terry and The Pump Fakes, Jareth Cutestory, Vile Feminista, Maxwell Effort, I 3 Freely, Paul Ego, Supply and Demand, El Fantasma de Carlos, The Big Train, The Nickel Steak, Ayo!, and Tyson J. Perfect. Together, we are Magic fans. We remember Nick’s steal against Jordan, Billy Donovan, Scott Skiles, Jerryl Sasser and Reece Gaines, The Mac Attacks, the NBA on NBC, and Grant Hill’s ankle. We also watch TV and read the internet, thus noticing the endless flow of unoriginal Orlando Magic related puns. We have combined to discuss the Magic, the NBA, and from time to time supply side economics and the life of Leonardo da Vinci. Together we are The Puns Are Starting to Bore Me.
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Finals Grade: D