The Armor will be making a couple of community appearances on Wednesday.
Armor guard LD Williams may have some competition from his own team for the D-League dunk crown.SPRINGFIELD – The final day of training camp is here, and for the Springfield Armor it could not come fast enough.
The Armor will practice one more time Wednesday at the Springfield YMCA, after trimming their roster to the NBA Development League-maximum of 10. The team will have Thanksgiving dinner together Thursday and be ready for the season opener Friday night against the Maine Red Claws at the MassMutual Center.
“We’re ready to go at it, get that win, that Thanksgiving win,” Armor forward Jamar Brown said. “But don’t eat too much, though.”
The Armor cut three players Tuesday, waiving Chris Taft and Alejo Rodriguez for injury reasons, and James Smith outright. The Armor retain the rights to Taft and Rodriguez.
“We’re ready to get after it,” Armor coach Bob MacKinnon Jr., said. “The shame of it is we play then have to sit a week, but the games will come quick enough.”
The Armor only had 12 days in which to get to know one another and the coaching staff, learn MacKinnon’s system, and get a feel for each other’s tendencies on the court.
Double sessions nearly every day have helped the Armor cram for the opener, and also get in better shape for MacKinnon’s plan to run for four quarters.
“I played with coach Mac before, so I know how it is, and it’s pretty much keep in shape in the offseason,” Brown said. “You keep your legs and there is no other team that can hang with you. I think that’s one of the reasons we won a championship (2008-09 with Colorado) because we always had our legs.”
MacKinnon said he was pleased with the camp and the players, whether they were veterans or newcomers.
“Milton (Lee, Nets general manager for minor league operations) and I were just talking and we felt that every guy got better. And that’s what we told our players at the beginning of camp – that our goal was to get a little bit better, both individually and as a team,” MacKinnon said. “I can honestly say that it looks like every guy improved a little bit each day.”
NEW KING IN TOWN?: Springfield’s top draft pick Johnny Thomas isn’t just smart – he graduated from North Carolina State in three years and is a year away from completing his master’s degree – he may be the best athlete on the team.
“Me and Johnny have known each other for a while now and it’s always fun being around other athletic guys,” LD Williams said.
Williams is the reigning D-League slam dunk champion, but Thomas could be in line to usurp the crown.
“I’m not going to say that,” Williams said. “We don’t have to wait and see. I’m telling you now I’m the slam dunk champ for a reason.”
Williams will admit that this version of the Armor will be a more exciting one, with several players who will get into the high-flying act.
“It’s going to make it more fun for us as a team and for the fans. It’s not just going to be me getting up in the air all the time,” Williams said. “Lance (Hurdle) is athletic, Jerry (Smith) is athletic. We’re trying to play above the rim this year.”
HOLIDAY VISITS: The Armor will be out in the community Wednesday, first stopping to help serve lunch at Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen on Chestnut Street in Springfield, followed by a visit to the Baystate Children’s Hospital.
“Hopefully that’s just the start of us getting out in the community,” MacKinnon said. “I think it’s important for us to become a part of the community, and more than that I think it’s important for the people in this community to realize we are their team and we are here to serve them.”