Finishing: Part II

Posted by Johnathan Kendrick on October 30, 2007

Now that he is the starter, will Ronnie Brewer finish close games on the floor or on the bench?

Harpring is a veteran with a reputation for being tough. A toughness that has made him a favorite of many fans but more importantly the coaching staff. More often then not Coach Sloan has left Harpring in with the starters when a game is close going down the stretch, but that usually happens with Harpring playing small forward. Will Sloan play Harpring in the backcourt down the stretch of close games?

Harpring: The X Factor? (Andrew Bernstein – NBAE/Getty Images)

Don’t be surprised to see it happen. Giricek or Hart could also be left in to play shooting guard and bring a “veteran presence” to the finishing five. However Brewer has a few other things going for him. He didn’t just lead the Jazz in scoring this pre season. He also grabbed 2.43 steals a game in just over 23 minutes. He was active on defense and arguably the best free throw shooter on the team.

The first few games will tell a lot. They are against good competition and should be close. If Brewer plays anything like he did in the preseason – expect to see him in there.

Will Ronnie Brewer finish the season starting or is the role of starter only temporarily his?

Again Matt Harpring is the most likely X factor. C.J. Miles started the first 13 games last year for the Jazz. Derek Fisher replaced him, once Fisher had fully recovered from injury. Harpring is starting this season recovering from surgery. Once he is ready to play – will he push his way into the starting lineup?

It’s going to come down to the little things. Is Brewer playing Defense? Is he taking good shots? Once again destiny will be in the hands of Ronnie Brewer. He might go through a slump, he might even find himself coming off the bench for a few games. Coach Sloan is known for bringing young guys back to reality, testing them. But if Brewer can keep his head up – and his work ethic strong, Ronnie Brewer will be the starting shooting guard for the Jazz when they start the playoffs.

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