Chalmers Report, Vol. 1
I'm going all in. Mario Chalmers is my new favorite player and to honor that, I'm launching the Chalmers Report, which I hope will be a regular feature on this space.
Volume 1 is devoted to Super Mario's second professional game, which took place in the Orlando Summer League earlier today. As I expressed in a previous post, I am a skeptic when it comes to summer leagues, but I still think it has some value as an additional lens through which we can view players. And the summer league lens continues to make Chalmers look good.
His Heat team went to 2-0 with a 90-81 victory over the Nets today and this time, there was no doubt about the primary factor in the win. Unlike the first contest, which saw Beasley dominate, this one was all Chalmers. In fact, Beasley was just as brutal this time as he was brilliant yesterday as he went 1-for-13 from the floor with 7 fouls and 5 turnovers. (Yikes.)
Our guy Chalmers (I'm calling him "our" guy instead of just "my" guy after the outpouring of positivity for M.C. in yesterday's comments sections), on the other hand, was terrific again, going for 19 and 9 with 3 steals. Plus, he hounded ballhandlers all over the court yet again and is looking like a holy terror in the making on the defensive end of the floor.
Grade: A
1 comment:
OUR Super Mario is certainly showing hunger and desire. And I think he has fallen into a perfect situation.
A team with the PG position in flux - here's his chance to ride the wave of the streak of the first 2 games (again, we talkin' about SUMMER LEAGUE) into training camp and the preseason and compete for the starting job.
Just think back a few years ago to Anthony Carter's rookie year. All I remember thinking was "Who is this guy? He went to Hawaii?"
Remember Carter's game winning shot from behind the backboard in the playoffs at MSG against the Knicks?
Now think of Super Mario's game-tying 3 in the NCAA title game.
Here's hoping Super Mario has the heart to match Carter's.
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