However, his defender’s outpouring of raw emotion breathed life back into the downtrodden team. That is, after shaking off some pregame nerves, according to his coach.
“He (Michael Kidd-Gilchrist) sets the tone for everybody else,” (Mike) Dunlap said. “He’s a locker room guy in that he doesn’t use a lot of words. But he has an impact with his voice and he also backs it up with his energy.”
Playing with the enthusiasm of a kid hopped-up on sweets, Kidd-Gilchrist flew around the court for the better part of his 12 first-half minutes, in which he totaled 15 of his 18 points and three of his seven rebounds. He even tweaked his ankle a bit in the early going by attacking the rim with such energy.
He ran the break, finding fellow rookie Jeffrey Taylor for a crisp alley-oop pass with 3:59 to go in the first. He ran a stolen pass back to the rim and, almost in slow motion, his intent known from the moment he got his hands on the ball, rose up over Rob Kurz for a highlight slam.
He ran everywhere. That’s his only setting.
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