A couple of quick takes

[Cusefan0307]

R

Last year's national champs had the best low post scorer in the country. Trends come and go, but needing offensive balance is a constant.

Rick Pitino has won a lot of games in his career shooting 30 threes a night.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Lydon at the five is not going to work against real teams. I dont see the point of even wasting time trying it against lesser teams.

Who do you want as the third center then? We need one, all teams do but especially ours in light of the reduced load for DC2.

And if JB has determined the third center is going to be Lydon, how can you not see the value of him getting time there early in the season?

 

[OttoMets]

After this year we will appreciate Rakeem Christmas and his senior season even more.

There is literally no inside game and it honestly won't improve all that much with coleman getting up to speed after tonight, imo

I don't know why so many people expected Coleman to be a big contributor this season. Between the injury history and his previous struggles, it seemed certain that we had a big hole in our lineup going into the year, assuming that Obokoh didn't make big strides. (So it's a real positive that Obokoh did hold his own last night.)

Agree with RF - the Gbinije-at-point experiment is a huge problem. I understand Boeheim's desire to have our two best scorers in the lineup together, but maybe we'd do better to have Gbinije at the two and Joseph running the offense.

 

[orangefan13]

I don't know Gbinije hit a nice real outstretch running shot from the right side of the court late in the half that was huge. A beautiful very confident shot, textbook form. And he abused his man inside for a easy post up layup. We will see alot of that this year.

I don't think its as much Gbinije at point/sg as it is Gbinije needs to get get a nice release on those confident looks.

Lehighs big guy was patriot preseason player of the year and he was no weak center. Lydon will be fine he may foul but so will dajuan and obokoh. I worry about them getting sealed off more then I do getting backed down thats where Dajaun will really come in handy.

 

[HOFCeluck]

What's everyone's problem? For years we've been clamoring for an air-raid style offense. We do play in a dome after all.

Wait wrong board?

 

[Gotothehole]

Really not concerned it was good to DC out there, he will will be better with playing time just needs to get his legs back.. We will be good team once the team finds its identity. The team we played tonight was not chopped liver, UCLA lost to Monmouth last night . The post play will be fine, did you forget who our coach is? But I will say this TB was a huge miss he good game last night.

 

[MonsterGame]

More athletic teams will crowd the 3point line and then what?

Put Lydon at the high post, give him the ball with these options in no particular order:
1) Turn and shoot
2) Kick out to an open 3-baller
3) Dump it down low to TR or DC

Everything is easier said then done, but that's what'd I'd work on and try.

 

[bballbeadle]

Terrible lack of offensive rebounds. TR was sitting for most of the game. Anyone know why? (It may have been mentioned in another post I haven't seen yet.)

 

[orangefan13]

We must be 0-10 shooting the three off offensive rebounds this year, after rewatching several times I can think of atleast 8 we missed and 0 we have made.
Seen so many teams do it to us though alittle on the head scratching side.

 

[JoeSU]

Give me 34 three point attempts every night over last years mess. We are going to shoot a lot better than 32% from three most nights.

Turnovers were an issue. Mal is talented but he fired some lazy passes. I thought Trevor tried to do to much at times, and found himself in no mans land. Gbinije needs to go to the basket more.

The offense will get better. There is too much talent here. I know a lot of old timers don't like all the threes, but basketball is evolving to the style we are trying to play this year.

I tend to agree with you. One difference from lat year is that we have 4 or 5 guys who can shoot, and there hopefully won't be many games when they all have "off" nights. Unfortunately, as last night's 2nd half demonstrated, poor shooting (like good shooting) can be contagious.
One thing I admire about JB is that while he is steadfast about playing zone D, he is adaptable on offense, and from year to year he molds it around the talent he has to work with.This should be an interesting season.

 

[upperdeck]

we shot 30% the first half and led by 20. the 2nd half we made multiple bad passes and the D played far worse and let them back in the game. if DC is going to give nothing on offense and play bad defense dont even bother with him, at least the FR centers played some D

 

[scottynguyen]

I don't have any issue with Lydon getting minutes at the 5. Offensively, he's going to stretch the defense and potentially open up some driving lanes for our guards. Defensively, sure it would be nice if he had a little more bulk, but he's an instinctive rebounder and shot-blocker and he's incredibly long. We'll run into big teams at times, sure, but I think people are giving the college basketball landscape a little too much credit. The majority of bigs at this level aren't super talented.

 

[Jack Hall]

I don't have any issue with Lydon getting minutes at the 5. Offensively, he's going to stretch the defense and potentially open up some driving lanes for our guards. Defensively, sure it would be nice if he had a little more bulk, but he's an instinctive rebounder and shot-blocker and he's incredibly long. We'll run into big teams at times, sure, but I think people are giving the college basketball landscape a little too much credit. The majority of bigs at this level aren't super talented.

Thats a great point, how many Meeks of UNC are there out there in the ACC? Fair question. One thing i saw that was very evident last night. Lydon plays more above the rim than TRob or DC2, probably Chino too....I was concerned about the C position this season (still am), but so far i am very impressed how JB has managed the C position; Lydon will be very needed there this season imo, even against the likes of UNC...

 

[HOFCeluck]

The only thing I really didn't like it's that we did EXACTLY what Boeheim tries to get opponents to do vs the zone.

But they did have the reigning POY and ROY in the Patriot League. First game and Lehigh is good so benefit of the doubt.

 

[realorange]

Interesting comment by Rosie Bouie regarding Lydon. Talking about his lack of size, he said it does enable him to slide inside of bulkier players. 'Went on to say he (Rosie) only weighed 190 as a freshman.
He showed more skill, athleticism and results than the other two put together. Having said that, Coleman is getting his first real playing time in two years. Reserving judgment here.

 

[UD1954]

I know we don't have Rakeem anymore but we need to at least have the threat of low post play .....I really don't care who provides it because without it good D1 coaches are gonna overplay our passing lanes disrupting our offensive flow on the perimeter ..... a three point shooting offense can work but you have to knock down your open three point shots when they become available(Cooney).....jmo

 

[SoBeCuse]

R


Rick Pitino has won a lot of games in his career shooting 30 threes a night.

Yes but better guards, better guards who can create their own shots, and Gorgui Dieng. Montresz Harrell wasn't too shabby either.

 

[tbonezone]

launching threes with unproven shooters might make you a power in the patriot league. but no way in the ACC.

 

[SoBeCuse]

launching threes with unproven shooters might make you a power in the patriot league. but no way in the ACC.

Truth.

 

[OrangeDW]

R


Rick Pitino has won a lot of games in his career shooting 30 threes a night.

I think the defensive end of the court has generally been the bigger factor in his teams winning. It should also be pointed out that his teams often do a really good job of getting to the basket (while he maniacally works the refs for foul calls) when they are losing. They often play fast and take a lot of 3's, force turnovers, press, and run. The 3's are just one factor in how they play.

 

[OrangeDW]

launching threes with unproven shooters might make you a power in the patriot league. but no way in the ACC.

Our starting PF was a high recruit that's athletic and was said to possess solid offensive potential. He averaged close to 10 ppg as a sophomore even while still being pretty raw. 12-14 ppg this year would seem to be a reasonable expectation.

Our starting C was a blue chip recruit that the best recruiting team(UK) in the nation wanted. Obviously the injuries slowed him and he's rusty, but he's still a McDonald's AA recruit with great strength and the potential to finish around the basket.

I guess I don't see why we're apparently in a position where we can't score inside to where we don't even pass the ball to anyone that's not lined up around the arc. Why are our highly recruited junior and 4th year junior post players not capable of getting us 10-12 point a game each?

We had size and athleticism advantages all over the court last night, and all we did was launch. We played a style of ball that overmatched teams often do against us.

 

[OrangeDW]

we shot 30% the first half and led by 20. the 2nd half we made multiple bad passes and the D played far worse and let them back in the game. if DC is going to give nothing on offense and play bad defense dont even bother with him, at least the FR centers played some D

He set high screens on offense. That's it. How can he give anything more when he doesn't ever touch the ball down low?

 

[stuckinbig11]

Lydon at the five is not going to work against real teams. I dont see the point of even wasting time trying it against lesser teams.

I disagree. His quickness and instincts will serve him well.

 

[brian williams]

Our starting PF was a high recruit that's athletic and was said to possess solid offensive potential. He averaged close to 10 ppg as a sophomore even while still being pretty raw. 12-14 ppg this year would seem to be a reasonable expectation.

Our starting C was a blue chip recruit that the best recruiting team(UK) in the nation wanted. Obviously the injuries slowed him and he's rusty, but he's still a McDonald's AA recruit with great strength and the potential to finish around the basket.

I guess I don't see why we're apparently in a position where we can't score inside to where we don't even pass the ball to anyone that's not lined up around the arc. Why are our highly recruited junior and 4th year junior post players not capable of getting us 10-12 point a game each?

We had size and athleticism advantages all over the court last night, and all we did was launch. We played a style of ball that overmatched teams often do against us.

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[Knicks411]

Our starting PF was a high recruit that's athletic and was said to possess solid offensive potential. He averaged close to 10 ppg as a sophomore even while still being pretty raw. 12-14 ppg this year would seem to be a reasonable expectation.

Our starting C was a blue chip recruit that the best recruiting team(UK) in the nation wanted. Obviously the injuries slowed him and he's rusty, but he's still a McDonald's AA recruit with great strength and the potential to finish around the basket.

I guess I don't see why we're apparently in a position where we can't score inside to where we don't even pass the ball to anyone that's not lined up around the arc. Why are our highly recruited junior and 4th year junior post players not capable of getting us 10-12 point a game each?

We had size and athleticism advantages all over the court last night, and all we did was launch. We played a style of ball that overmatched teams often do against us.

On Coleman, I think it's entirely possible that A) he wasn't playing at a great level of high school competition (though with all the AAU people play that's much less of an issue than the second thing) and B) he just isn't physically the player he was coming out of high school; the injuries have just done him in. It's his first game in 2 years, I'm not writing the guy off yet, but I think that's definitely in play here.

I'm all for playing Lydon more at the 5. It's going to be an issue defensively against some teams, no question about it, but it also might be our best option. We're going to have to spread the court, open driving lanes, and make 3's. I'm also in on Kaleb getting more minutes at the expense of Cooney, maybe. Kaleb/G/Mal/Tyler/Tyler puts multiple drivers on the court and still has some length. JB is going to have to experiment.

Chino surpassed everything I was hoping for; but even saying that, he fouled out against Lehigh in 15 minutes. So I don't see him playing major minutes, but it's possible he can give 6-8 on an every game basis.