Starting line-up needs to change

[NineOneSeven]

No idea what the best line-up is, but currently we have 4 guys starting who basically cannot dribble to the hoop. That's an issue. Two straight games of slow starts, unsurprisingly against good teams.

I also think our best offensive lineup is very dissimilar to our best defensive lineup. That's a problem, especially when offense and defense is struggling like last night.

Still wondering what Chukwu did this offseason.

 

[longislandcuse]

FH/TB/AW/TL/DC is a lineup that makes sense and has potential on both ends of the floor.

Gillon is way too short and not good enough to start or play big minutes especially since we will never go m2m.

Roberson's lack of offensive ability and fact he forces TL to the 3 and AW to the 2 is a mess.

Chukwu, no clue what we do with him. Guess he has to play because he's 7'3 but yikes.

Thompson can get spot minutes.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Who on the bench is worthy of starting?

Who in the starting lineup is worthy of starting?

 

[RF2044]

No idea what the best line-up is, but currently we have 4 guys starting who basically cannot dribble to the hoop. That's an issue. Two straight games of slow starts, unsurprisingly against good teams.

Yes it does.

And your assessment of the starting lineup is unfortunately accurate. That's what happens when you have multiple guys playing positions that their skill sets aren't suited for.

 

[newmexicuse]

This was my first look at our team this season. I can't wait to see if there was an upside other than the play of DC2. The problems I saw go far beyond who is starting. It starts with the D. We all know the Zone has to give of up something. This Zone gave up everything. It was so bad that I wanted Hayes to make that FT at the end to get his triple double - he deserved it. Right now what I saw was a team that lacked toughness, quickness, and smarts. Jimmy has his work cut out for him.

There is no answer with the pieces as there are, any answer will only come if several of the players each improve their level of play. I think the starting point for improvement has to be Roberson. He needs to eat glass with toughness, show senior leadership,and get his 8 to 10 garbage points. Battle is a frosh, he will need to mature and get us some scoring off of drives to the hoop. Lydon should be our best player, but he didn't show much grit last night. White needs to find a way to score when his three pointers aren't falling. I could go on and on, but my point here is that until each player reaches within and steps it up that who starts is irrelevant.

 

[Jasoncuse]

No idea what the best line-up is, but currently we have 4 guys starting who basically cannot dribble to the hoop. That's an issue. Two straight games of slow starts, unsurprisingly against good teams.

I also think our best offensive lineup is very dissimilar to our best defensive lineup. That's a problem, especially when offense and defense is struggling like last night.

Still wondering what Chukwu did this offseason.

This has been my gripe for far too long. Continuing to recruit for the zone as basketball has evolved into a guard oriented game has really hurt our offense. Having longer players with lesser offensive skills does not help. We have guards that can't beat their defender off the bounce and forward who can only do one dribble and pull up for a contested jumper.

 

[RF2044]

This has been my gripe for far too long. Continuing to recruit for the zone as basketball has evolved into a guard oriented game has really hurt our offense. Having longer players with lesser offensive skills does not help. We have guards that can't beat their defender off the bounce and forward who can only do one dribble and pull up for a contested jumper.

Agree 100%--just posted something similar in another thread. Emphasizing size / length / athleticism over skill / hoops IQ isn't the best trade off, especially in the backcourt.

 

[AZOrange]

They just look like a team where no one knows their role yet. Frank, tyus and Gillon can beat guys off the dribble but the offense has to move around them. Right now we stand and watch.

 

[Cusefan0307]

They just look like a team where no one knows their role yet. Frank, tyus and Gillon can beat guys off the dribble but the offense has to move around them. Right now we stand and watch.

Can Battle beat guys off the dribble? All I've seen him do successfully so far is catch and shoot. I'm willing to see what he can do on defense and see if he can lead the break, but I haven't seen what a lot of other people told me I would see from him.

 

[Ghost]

Yes it does.

And your assessment of the starting lineup is unfortunately accurate. That's what happens when you have multiple guys playing positions that their skill sets aren't suited for.

I think the one guy this hurts is Gillon. He could be a great spark plug if everyone else had defined roles and was producing. Instead, he's being thrown in as PG, as SG, and can't really settle in.

Battle needs to step up if he can...

 

[AZOrange]

Can Battle beat guys off the dribble? All I've seen him do succesfully so far is catch and shoot. I'm willing to see what he can do on defense and see if he can lead the break, but I haven't seen what a lot of other people told me I would see from him.

He can, but we cannot roll a screen up to him, bringing a defender and then not set a screen. Our ballhandlers are virtually double teamed every time.

 

[Brooky03]

Roberson should come off the bench. Start two point guards up top until Battle 'gets it'. Play White and Lydon where they belong, on the wings. Start Coleman at center. First substitutions should be Roberson in for Coleman, with Lydon sliding to center and Battle coming in for whichever guard is playing worse. Use TT to rest White/Lydon until he steps up his D enough to get legit minutes. Use Chukwu if the other 'bigs' get in foul trouble.

 

[81South]

I agree with those saying Battle starting and Roberson off the bench. Battle has a huge upside and we are going to need him to reach our fullest potential. Roberson is what he is.....VERY inconsistent and a non-threat offensively...not sure how that warrants starting.

 

[OrangeZeus]

I think our best lineup will be Howard, Battle, White, Roberson, and Lydon.

Sub in Gillon to spell the guards, Thompson to spell Roberson, and Coleman/Chukwu to spell Lydon as a center. Always have either White or Lydon playing the 3 at any given time.

This won't be our starting lineup obviously since some guys are guaranteed to start like Roberson and Coleman as veterans. This is just the lineup I want to see out there more often than any other lineup.

Tyus Battle is 6'6 and has shown flashes of potential already. If we give him consistent minutes, I think he could be the difference maker this team needs on both sides of the court.

 

[pearl31]

I think our best lineup will be Howard, Battle, White, Roberson, and Lydon.

Sub in Gillon to spell the guards, Thompson to spell Roberson, and Coleman/Chukwu to spell Lydon as a center. Always have either White or Lydon playing the 3 at any given time.

This won't be our starting lineup obviously since some guys are guaranteed to start like Roberson and Coleman as veterans. This is just the lineup I want to see out there more often than any other lineup.

yep, this. I really think this will be the lineup/sub pattern that eventually yields the best results

 

[cuseinseattle]

I think we are in a tough spot right now. I'm not sure how important starting lineups are but I don't like the idea of rewarding Battle who has really struggled. It would be great if Battle could have one good game and then we make the change to him and Frank in the backcourt. I like the idea of benching Roberson. Maybe we just play four people. When the ref comes over and says you need one more coach, Boeheim can say my team is on the floor and Hop can look at him and say what are you trying to do. Just an idea.

 

[SoBeCuse]

This has been my gripe for far too long. Continuing to recruit for the zone as basketball has evolved into a guard oriented game has really hurt our offense. Having longer players with lesser offensive skills does not help. We have guards that can't beat their defender off the bounce and forward who can only do one dribble and pull up for a contested jumper.

True. Even if Lydon plays the five exclusively and we try to emulate Villanova; you still need 4 guys who can all create, dribble, and shoot well from mid-range to 3. Yikes. Yet, we almost always get 'better' recruits.

 

[dasher]

FH/TB/AW/TL/DC is a lineup that makes sense and has potential on both ends of the floor.

Gillon is way too short and not good enough to start or play big minutes especially since we will never go m2m.

Roberson's lack of offensive ability and fact he forces TL to the 3 and AW to the 2 is a mess.

Chukwu, no clue what we do with him. Guess he has to play because he's 7'3 but yikes.

Thompson can get spot minutes.

agree 100%

 

[two3zone]

Won't happen and I'm sure it'll be disagreed with heavily on here but the lineup I'd throw out there is.

PG Gillon (22 min)
SG Battle (sg/sf) (25)
SF White (sf/sg) (31)
PF Roberson (30)
C Lydon (c/pf/sf) (35)

1) Howard (pg/sg) (22)
2) Thompson (pf/c) (15)
3) Coleman (c) (20)
4) 7'2" (never)

 

[tipphill]

i actually believe lydon plays better off the bench---i know --call me crazy

 

[orangehipfan]

it reminds me of this team (with a lot less talent) - trying to fit round pegs in to square holes on an imbalanced roster.

Syracuse Orangemen Basketball 1989-1990

I believe JB started Tony Scott for the first time in the NCAA tournament opener. Struggled all year between Stevie Thompson and Michael Edwards at point guard. Played a very "big" team with guard play that was less than stellar.