Question to people watching the games: Upshaw minutes limitation (16 MPG in average) is due to physical reasons or technical decision? I mean, can he stand playing 25-30 MPG in a regular basis, if needed?
Question to people watching the games: Upshaw minutes limitation (16 MPG in average) is due to physical reasons or technical decision? I mean, can he stand playing 25-30 MPG in a regular basis, if needed?
I think it's a combination of those factors.
The D-fenders style dictates that they don't need him to play 25-30 minutes. The NBA is so guard-centered that it'll probably be the same.
Upshaw is coming along step-by-step but he still has a long way to go. It's a process but he is showing signs of improvement.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The D-Fenders beat the Oklahoma City Blue 114-92 tonight in El Segundo, CA. Andre Ingram hit his 539th career three-pointer late in the second quarter, setting the all-time NBADL record for three-pointers made.
Vander Blue (25 points) paced the D-Fenders (16-14) with his 11th consecutive 20-point game. Josh Magette tallied 21 points, 12 assists and six rebounds, while Justin Harper (19 points, 11 assists), Robert Upshaw (13 points, 7 rebounds), Ryan Gomes (12 points, 9 rebounds) and Andre Ingram (10 points) all scored in double-figures for Los Angeles.
Dane Miller (21 points, 9 rebounds) led the Blue (10-22). Aaron Harrison scored 12 points while on flex assignment from the Charlotte Hornets, while Kameron Woods (11 points, 10 rebounds) and Tomislav Zubcic (11 points) also reached double-digits for Oklahoma City.
The first quarter was all Los Angeles, with the D-Fenders leading 35-16 after the frame. Magette had 13 points in the quarter, while Vander Blue had 10 for Los Angeles. The Blue fought back in the second quarter, outscoring the D-Fenders 28-18 behind eight points from Miller. Ingram hit his record-setting 539th career three-pointer at the 2:30 mark in the second period. The D-Fenders led 53-44 at the halftime break.
Los Angeles scored a season-high 42 points in the third quarter, outscoring Oklahoma City 42-20 in the frame behind 13 points from Harper and 11 from Vander Blue. After three, the D-Fenders led 95-64. Los Angeles slowed the pace in the fourth quarter, as the Blue outscored Los Angeles 28-19, but the D-Fenders held on to win 114-92.
The D-Fenders shot .416 from the field, compared to .397 for Oklahoma City. The D-Fenders connected on 29-of-33 free throw attempts, while the Blue connected on 25-of-32. Los Angeles forced 25 turnovers, finishing with 10 steals on the night.
Blue, Harper and Ingram to Compete at All-Star Weekend
Quote:
A trio of D-Fenders look to make some noise in Toronto next week, as Vander Blue, Justin Harper and Andre Ingram will represent Los Angeles at All-Star Weekend.
Blue and Harper will suit up for the Western Conference in the D-League All-Star Game, while Ingram will put his shot on display at the Three-Point Contest.
Question to people watching the games: Upshaw minutes limitation (16 MPG in average) is due to physical reasons or technical decision? I mean, can he stand playing 25-30 MPG in a regular basis, if needed?
Question to people watching the games: Upshaw minutes limitation (16 MPG in average) is due to physical reasons or technical decision? I mean, can he stand playing 25-30 MPG in a regular basis, if needed?
To me he needs better conditioning, looks a bit lethargic out there at times.
He has work to do in that area too. However he had a series of setbacks that has hindered his conditioning/development but he has never been known for his foot speed. He also needs to hit the weight-room and bulk up some.
1) I think Gomes, Ingram and Blue could be useful to some NBA teams right off the bat. I'm thinking the Lakers invite Gomes to training camp next season if a team doesn't pick him up. He's still very serviceable right now. More so than Artest IMO.
2) Upshaw will take a little time, but I'm confident he'll get there in a season or two. His offensive game is more refined than it was earlier, though he still needs to develop the other aspects of his game. Defense and screening will be key for him if he wants a job in the NBA next season. I'm looking forward to his development.
Upshaw has really good touch for a big man. He could be a really really good player with some conditioning and work.
Upshaw has a nice shooting touch and is a good shot blocker, why can't the Lakers see the potential? They are willing to waste millions on terrible coaches but they won't invest in and develop a diamond in the rough like Upshaw.
Just get him a Hall of Fame mentor and get him in the weight room and maybe he'll be the Lakers' Center of the future. Potentially he can't be any worse than Sacre, Black and Hibbert.
I like Tarik's heart but he still can't shoot worth a lick. All Hibbert does is stick his hands up in the air. And Sacre is pretty useless.
Have the Lakers forgotten how much Bynum developed from the time they drafted him?
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Vander Blue scored 39 points — his 12th straight 20-point outing — as the Los Angeles D-Fenders beat the Rio Grande Valley Vipers 126-112 Saturday night.
Justin Harper reached the 20-point plateau with 22 points for the D-Fenders (17-14) , while Ryan Gomes (18 points, 7 rebounds), Robert Upshaw (16 points, 5 rebounds) and Andre Ingram (14 points) all scored in double figures for Los Angeles.
Jaron Johnson scored a team-high 30 points for the Vipers (15-15). K.J. McDaniels (21 points) and Chris Walker (21 points, 16 rebounds) reached the 20-point mark, while Will Cummings (14 points) also scored in double-digits for Rio Grande Valley.
The first quarter was all Los Angeles, as the D-Fenders led 37-24 at the end of the first, behind 17 points from Blue. Rio Grande found their rhythm in the second quarter, outscoring the D-Fenders 36-28 behind 11 points from Johnson, while Gomes had nine for Los Angeles. At the half, the D-Fenders led 65-60 behind 22 points from Blue.
Harper scored 10 points in the third quarter for the D-Fenders, who outscored the Vipers 31-26 in the period. Blue put the game away in the fourth quarter for Los Angeles, scoring 12 points and connecting on 7-of-8 free throws, to give Los Angeles the 126-112 wire-to-wire victory.
The D-Fenders shot .484 from the field, compared to .432 for the Vipers. Los Angeles connected on 15-of-35 three-point attempts, while Rio Grande Valley finished 7-of-33. Los Angeles forced 22 turnovers, finishing with 11 steals as a team.
Question to people watching the games: Upshaw minutes limitation (16 MPG in average) is due to physical reasons or technical decision? I mean, can he stand playing 25-30 MPG in a regular basis, if needed?
To me he needs better conditioning, looks a bit lethargic out there at times.
He has work to do in that area too. However he had a series of setbacks that has hindered his conditioning/development but he has never been known for his foot speed. He also needs to hit the weight-room and bulk up some.
Thanks for the replies. I hope he can make the Lakers roster next season, even if he has to spend more time at D-Fenders. _________________ ....
Upshaw has really good touch for a big man. He could be a really really good player with some conditioning and work.
Upshaw has a nice shooting touch and is a good shot blocker, why can't the Lakers see the potential? They are willing to waste millions on terrible coaches but they won't invest in and develop a diamond in the rough like Upshaw.
Just get him a Hall of Fame mentor and get him in the weight room and maybe he'll be the Lakers' Center of the future. Potentially he can't be any worse than Sacre, Black and Hibbert.
I like Tarik's heart but he still can't shoot worth a lick. All Hibbert does is stick his hands up in the air. And Sacre is pretty useless.
Have the Lakers forgotten how much Bynum developed from the time they drafted him?
They better hope no other team steals him.
Management obviously sees the potential, which is why signed him to a summer league contract, then a training camp deal, and then to their d-league team. What they haven't done is sign him him to the 15 man NBA roster, and there is a reason for that. The reason has nothing to do with the Lakers and everything to do with Upshaw. The kid has made terrible life choices in his young adulthood and management is terrified of what suddenly giving him hundreds of thousands of dollars will do to his life. That reality, plus the fact they he is incredibly raw and needs a lot of time to get into the physical shape for the NBA, is why they haven't signed him.
I fully expect us to sign him going into next season for as many years as we can and with a deal that makes him a restricted free agent down the line. He can play backup or 3rd string C next year and we can go from there. _________________ You are either in or on your way to the NBA Finals.
I hope we trade off some deadweight pieces and take a gamble on a guy like him. Give him another summer under watchful eyes.
Dream lineup after all star break:
Russell/Lou (hope he's gone and just call somebody up from the D-League tho)
Clarkson/Young (hope he's gone like Lou and we just call somebody up from the D-League...)
Bryant/Brown
Randle/Nance
Black/Upshaw
Pretty much, I hope Hibbert, Lou Will, Young and Bass get traded at trade deadline so we can actually watch the team we have all wanted to watch from the very beginning.
Wouldn't mind Vander Blue and Ryan Gomes replacing Lou and Young.
Yeah that would be absolutely fine. Although I might rather replace Gomes and give someone else a shot since Gomes is 33 and has been in the league for a while. Don't know who though looking at the roster. Justin Harper I guess? Maybe someone from another team?
Gomes can still ball even though he's getting up there in age. Barbosa, Igoudala and Livingston are 33, 32 and 30 respectively, but they are thriving in the Warriors system. I think at the very least the Lakers invite him to training camp next season. He's not a chucker and more of a system player, which is why I think he'd fit better with guys like D'Angelo. He'd be a good mentor for Brown too. Most of Young's minutes should be going to Brown anyway.
That's true.
So happy to see guys discussing the D-Fenders that I decided to post it here too!
Thanks for the replies. I hope he can make the Lakers roster next season, even if he has to spend more time at D-Fenders.
I think another year of DL will be good for him. Needs to work over the summer and get stronger, better conditioned. I hope he gets a mentor to work with him as he's a worthwhile project. Argues a bit with referees in the DL but I see this as a positive as RU does seem to care out there.
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