A Tale of Two Sidibes

[Day2]

He played 3 games and had 1, 2 and 2 minutes in wins. We disagree on what is an opportunity if you believe that.

Were all of those garbage time minutes?

 

[Cusefan0307]

Were all of those garbage time minutes?

I don’t know. I didn’t do the research, but in one of those games we won by 18, another was an 8 point win over BC where Ajak was ahead of him, and the other was a close win against NC State where knowing JB he rolled with the guys he trusts.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Because you’re only looking at games when Edwards played well.

That's simply not true. I'm looking at games where he made a single mistake in the first 30 seconds and didn't see the floor again for the game. I'm looking at the totality of his season. And seeing some failures by JB and the coaching staff. I'm seeing the same old JB pattern that allows some players the ability to play through mistakes, and others not so much.

Maybe I'm just 'not ready' as a hoops evaluator despite being 6'2" and still playing on the regular.

 

[Day2]

I don’t know. I didn’t do the research, but in one of those games we won by 18, another was an 8 point win over BC where Ajak was ahead of him, and the other was a close win against NC State where knowing JB he rolled with the guys he trusts.

He played in the first half against Va. Tech and NC State, two of the three games that immediately followed Miami.

 

[chugg21]

He played in the first half against Va. Tech and NC State, two of the three games that immediately followed Miami.

For 4 mins total. Probably not even 4 mins, they probably rounded up to 2 mins. So he likely played a total of 4 possessions of offense and defense.

 

[RF2044]

I also seem to recall two things from that late season uptick in Sidibe's performance:

1. He started hitting FTs at around a 70% clip or so -- not great, but better than previously
2. Sidibe himself indicated that something had "clicked" for him, and that he was just playing more instinctively at that point

 

[Day2]

That's simply not true. I'm looking at games where he made a single mistake in the first 30 seconds and didn't see the floor again for the game. I'm looking at the totality of his season. And seeing some failures by JB and the coaching staff. I'm seeing the same old JB pattern that allows some players the ability to play through mistakes, and others not so much.

Maybe I'm just 'not ready' as a hoops evaluator despite being 6'2" and still playing on the regular.

So you understand why JB didn’t think Edwards was ready, you just don’t agree with it. That’s fine.

For all we know, Edwards improved because of the way he was handled by JB. Would Edwards continue to work hard with regular minutes or just get complacent? Yeah, he had a good game against Miami. But he was a significantly better player when he played against Ga. Tech and UNC. So there was growth in between.

 

[Day2]

For 4 mins total. Probably not even 4 mins, they probably rounded up to 2 mins. So he likely played a total of 4 possessions of offense and defense.

Like I said, he was given opportunities and didn’t capitalize. I’m not going to pretend JB’s quick hook is something new or exclusive to Edwards.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

So you understand why JB didn’t think Edwards was ready, you just don’t agree with it. That’s fine.

For all we know, Edwards improved because of the way he was handled by JB. Would Edwards continue to work hard with regular minutes or just get complacent? Yeah, he had a good game against Miami. But he was a significantly better player when he played against Ga. Tech and UNC. So there was growth in between.

would he just get complacent with additional game minutes? man, that's a weird question. Or a JB rationalization.

 

[chugg21]

Like I said, he was given opportunities and didn’t capitalize. I’m not going to pretend JB’s quick hook is something new or exclusive to Edwards.

Well you were willing to pretend that it may be JB keeping him locked to the bench that may have spurred the improvement despite Edwards playing well when given minutes against Miami and then barely had time to scratch his balls the next few weeks then was magically good again every other time he was given actual minutes.

 

[Eagles20]

I really think people undervalue individual workouts with the coaches and practice time. Yes, Edwards could have been given more minutes throughout the year, but his improvement came from time spent with the coaching staff on non game days. I am not sure 5 minutes more each game would contribute to Edwards improvement compared to the time spent before and after practice with his position coach.

Also, college substitution patterns and NBA substitution patterns are significantly different. College coaches will sub different game by game compared to NBA coaches following similar rotations game to game. If you watch most NBA games you will see bench players getting subbed roughly at the same time every game. During the course of a college season guys will fall in and out of the rotation or play more based on who they are playing.

 

[Day2]

would he just get complacent with additional game minutes? man, that's a weird question. Or a JB rationalization.

It’s not a weird question or a JB rationalization, it’s human nature. You tell an employee they’re doing a great job or even promote them, and it’s not uncommon for them to immediately start going through the motions.

 

[Day2]

Well you were willing to pretend that it may be JB keeping him locked to the bench that may have spurred the improvement despite Edwards playing well when given minutes against Miami and then barely had time to scratch his balls the next few weeks then was magically good again every other time he was given actual minutes.

Nice straw man.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

It’s not a weird question or a JB rationalization, it’s human nature. You tell an employee they’re doing a great job or even promote them, and it’s not uncommon for them to immediately start going through the motions.

My boss tells me I'm doing a great job and I'm more motivated. Are you actually 76 as well? Glad I work for the boss I do.

 

[Day2]

My boss tells me I'm doing a great job and I'm more motivated. Are you actually 76 as well? Glad I work for the boss I do.

So what you’re saying is that not every employee is the same. I agree!

 

[Bornorange]

and he stopped fouling shooters with just the very tip of his fingers.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I also seem to recall two things from that late season uptick in Sidibe's performance:

1. He started hitting FTs at around a 70% clip or so -- not great, but better than previously

He went from 69% to 71%. So he did get better, but not a huge jump.

He attempted way more free throws though.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Whoops, meant to put this here -

Post in thread 'Bourama Sidibe is returning' Bourama Sidibe is returning

 

[721Comstock]

He went from 69% to 71%. So he did get better, but not a huge jump.

He attempted way more free throws though.

Well - we're conditioned to have our 5's shoot < 50% on FT's, so 70% seems freaking miraculous!!

(Chewie was also an excellent FT shooter later in his Cuse career, which was a really odd feeling, being confident when he went to the line.)

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Well - we're conditioned to have our 5's shoot < 50% on FT's, so 70% seems freaking miraculous!!

(Chewie was also an excellent FT shooter later in his Cuse career, which was a really odd feeling, being confident when he went to the line.)

Yeah, we've had competent (or better) free throw shooting from our 5s for a while now.

 

[RF2044]

Well - we're conditioned to have our 5's shoot < 50% on FT's, so 70% seems freaking miraculous!!

(Chewie was also an excellent FT shooter later in his Cuse career, which was a really odd feeling, being confident when he went to the line.)

Chukwu started out at SU shooting FTs so incredibly poorly. By the end of his junior season, he was practically automatic. It got to the point where I was surprised when he missed.

At the very end of our victory against much-higher seeded Michigan State, we struggled to inbound the ball and eventually got it into Chewie, who was immediately fouled. Announcer Mike Gminski remarked how great that was for MSU -- that they fouled the right guy. Made me smile, knowing that Gminski was making a point that might seem right on paper, but wasn't accurate in terms of how reliable Chukwu was from the line.

Full disclosure to bring that anecdote full circle: as it turns out, Chukwu made the first, surprisingly missed the second. But his FT shooting was so good at that point, I was confident he was going to shut the door.

 

[Fly Rodder]

I've long given up on forwards and centers at SU to add "20 lbs" of muscle.

It doesn't happen for the most part.

Adding 20 lbs is easy for some guards, tho.

 

[HOFCeluck]

It was the best of times, it was the BLURST of times????