Boeheim: "When we are hitting shots we can beat anybody"

[Flacusian]

I thought that JB's statement was telling as to how far he thinks this team has come. Obviously, the qualifier " when we are making shots" is far from a certainty with this group, it still constitutes pretty lofty praise for his team. During his post game comments he was also quick to point out that the defense was very good yesterday as well.

There is most assuredly a big difference between playing on a neutral court and a "home" or "away" court. JB also pointed out that even the teams with the best records in ACC play still only had one more win than losses when playing away games.

I think that JB's assessment of this current team is certainly to be trusted and I believe that given his caveat of hitting shots he believes that we have a better than average chance at beating anyone moving forward. I think that one thing that will be essential is getting Lydon's offensive productivity up especially in situations where the opposing teams are face guarding AW3 and he can't get shots. It's essential that Battle and Gillion pick up the offensive onus in those situations as well. We need at least 2 of the 3 (Battle, Gillon, Lydon) to have a good game.

The difference between the team we saw yesterday and the one that lost to GT only a short time ago is enormous. The team looked unbeatable at times yesterday and I think we have a lot to be optimistic about moving forward. First step... get off the snide in the ACC Tourney.

LGO!!!! Let's do this!

 

[HoustonCuse]

While I don't disagree with anything he said in the press conference, it should be taken with a rather large grain of salt. This is the PC where he pivots from disparaging his team to praising them and pumping up their resume. It's like clockwork if we are near the bubble.

 

[longislandcuse]

What if we ran pick and pop with White/Lydon and Battle/Lydon? Gillon can still run the point and initiate offense when needed but he's more or a shooter - scorer anyway. Teams can't sag off Gillon because he's an elite shooter and that provides space to run the pick n pop and allow penetration avenues.

Both White and Battle can score off the bounce and stick the three, while being tall enough to find Lydon on the perimeter off the pick.

 

[cuse522]

One of the good things about this team is that they have several guys who can get hot like that, so we have more flexibility in who's hitting shots. We're not relying on one guy to go off six times in a row. We need one out of White, Battle, Gillon or Lydon each game or even each half... And TT has 11+ in five of the last seven too, and can be a guy who scores in spurts. His numbers are particularly impressive in his minutes, they translate to 20 & 8 per 40. By comparison, Lydon's per 40 are 15 & 9... Difference being he's actually playing almost 40 minutes a game, of course.

 

[OrangeFoo]

What if we ran pick and pop with White/Lydon and Battle/Lydon? Gillon can still run the point and initiate offense when needed but he's more or a shooter - scorer anyway. Teams can't sag off Gillon because he's an elite shooter and that provides space to run the pick n pop and allow penetration avenues.

Both White and Battle can score off the bounce and stick the three, while being tall enough to find Lydon on the perimeter off the pick.

In order to run pick and roll with Lydon he actually needs to set a pick. They tried a decent bit of pick and roll action with Lydon/Gillon but it was just action because every time Lydon would bail on the pick and crash to the hoop without ever touching the guy guarding Gillon. Not sure what the strategy is there but he did it often enough to make me think he was instructed to do that by the coaches because THAT is not how you set a pick.

 

[longislandcuse]

In order to run pick and roll with Lydon he actually needs to set a pick. They tried a decent bit of pick and roll action with Lydon/Gillon but it was just action because every time Lydon would bail on the pick and crash to the hoop without ever touching the guy guarding Gillon. Not sure what the strategy is there but he did it often enough to make me think he was instructed to do that by the coaches because THAT is not how you set a pick.

I noticed that as well. He slips the screen before even setting the screen. Chalk it up the never ending list of fundamentals we seem to lack every year.

 

[OrangeFoo]

I noticed that as well. He slips the screen before even setting the screen. Chalk it up the never ending list of fundamentals we seem to lack every year.

It's bizarre because JBs favorite whopping boy, Roberson, definitely makes contact... and gets called for it. Maybe JB wants to make sure Lydon doesn't get stupid fouls with illegal screens so he is telling him to slip it?

 

[Madbiker]

If you get crushed on the boards and don't turn other teams over much, it's very unlikely you can shoot such an astronomical percentage to be able to win.

 

[longtimefan]

I noticed that as well. He slips the screen before even setting the screen. Chalk it up the never ending list of fundamentals we seem to lack every year.

Slipping a screen is a very effective offensive move (see John Wallace). But to set up that move, you first have to show the ability to set the pick.

 

[upperdeck]

first rule of the pick play is the guy with the ball makes sure you are set before you attack.. while half of robersons moving picks are bad calls the other half are the dribblers fault.