Another Night with Malcolm Brogdon
Alright, settled into the big chair last night with the notebook ready. Flipped on the TV just in time for tip-off. Malcolm starting on the bench again. You see that lineup and wonder, man.
First quarter ticking by, around the five-minute mark, coach points down the bench. Malcolm pops up, pulls the warmup off. You know it’s time. Saw him walk to the scorer’s table, waiting for the horn.
- Action! Finally checks in. First play for him? Just steadying stuff. Running the offense up top, swings it to the corner. Doesn’t force anything.
- Felt it building though. Got a screen about a minute later, rolled to the elbow, took a couple dribbles. Pulled up smooth – jumper was pure. Net barely moved. Knew he wasn’t done.
- Then came the driver. Saw a tiny lane maybe midway through the second. Didn’t hesitate. Put the head down, got low, slid right through two guys. Tough finish at the rim with a body on him. Got the bucket AND the whistle. Classic Brogdon. Strong through contact.
- Hustle play. Remember one possession where he chased a loose ball into the backcourt. Dove for it, tipped it off the opponent. Saved the ball, scrambled it forward, got us an extra possession. That energy is infectious.
Half-time stats looked solid. Efficient scoring, no stupid turnovers. Just doing his job. Calming the game down whenever he was out there.
Second half was more of the same controlled basketball. He got hot for a little stretch late in the third. Knocked down another mid-range. Maybe a minute later, nailed a three off a kick-out pass. Looked automatic, man. Just finding those gaps.
Fourth quarter, starters resting. Coach leaves Malcolm in. Runs the backup unit. Didn’t hog the ball. Still setting guys up. Made the simple pass for the easy bucket instead of forcing a tough shot. Smart veteran stuff.
Final buzzer goes. Checked his final numbers later. Quietly put up a really solid line without dominating the ball. Like, 16 points? Efficient shooting. Maybe 5 assists? Few rebounds. Maybe a steal. No flashy headlines, just another “Malcolm night”. Exactly what the team needed off the bench. A pro. Goes to show you don’t need crazy highlights to seriously impact a game.
Wife yelled I left the coffee pot on while writing this. Be right back…
