In Reply to: I hate to get too excited when the Bruins play well against posted by traprh on February 05, 2026 at 10:46:33
in terms of Booker I think the important thing is that he has seen what he's capable of. The idea of playing well is no longer an abstract notion. He has played well, even if it's against a weal team, and he can no longer close that window of perception. He now knows what playing well looks and feels like and the effort needed to achieve it. What he does with this new knowledge and experience is really up to him. But at least now he has something to hold up as a measuring stick. He can no longer say to himself that he doesn't know what it is he's after. Also bending his knees is a really big deal. No matter the opponent, Booker staying in his stance on defense is going to lead to better more effective play.
In terms of "going" after rebounds versus watching them, the same holds true. The Bruins have experienced what it looks and feels like to actually move toward the ball when trying to get a rebound. They may have thought that's what they were doing but the tape don't lie. It was very clear in the Rutgers game that they were moving more than they had in previous games. They may revert to watching again, but they can't say they don't know.
Of course how effective all this new knowledge is can greatly depend on the quality of the opponent, but that doesn't necessarily mean the lessons aren't of value. Somewhere down the line these new awareness-es are going to make a difference.