Boeheim's Army: " Lydon is a Jewel"

[Ringostar57]

And '71, when Dr. J. had 36 points and 32 rebounds against us.

Yeh but Bill Smith and McDaniels didn't play that game. We had Dave 6-7 slow as hell lead foot Aldridge playing center...and no one else over 6-5. McDaniels kicked off team Smith suspended?...The Doctor was unstoppable.

 

[We Are Syracuse]

KJ will not start.

Agree with this. I don't think he should but he will. I do think Malachi will get more playing time down the stretch. Shoots it too well

 

[jekelish]

Agree with this. I don't think he should but he will. I do think Malachi will get more playing time down the stretch. Shoots it too well

Not saying Malachi won't get plenty of minutes, but I'll be a little surprised if he winds up ahead of Lydon on the depth chart. Lydon is just a more complete player - not to mention more athletic and taller. Nothing against Richardson, who I'd love to be great, but I think Lydon is going to wind up the best player out of this class, and this isn't a new idea from me. I've been pimping Lydon as the best player in this class for a long time. I think he's going to be an NBA player before Richardson.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Not saying Malachi won't get plenty of minutes, but I'll be a little surprised if he winds up ahead of Lydon on the depth chart. Lydon is just a more complete player - not to mention more athletic and taller. Nothing against Richardson, who I'd love to be great, but I think Lydon is going to wind up the best player out of this class, and this isn't a new idea from me. I've been pimping Lydon as the best player in this class for a long time. I think he's going to be an NBA player before Richardson.

Sometimes its not just about who is the best player, but also about opportunity. For Lydon to see time, either TR has to sit or MG has to be moved from the sf spot. Last year MG showed himself to be a very good sf.

For Malachi to see time, Cooney could slide over to point. Malachi's minutes could easily come from KJ2.

The path for minutes seems to favor Malachi.

 

[jekelish]

Sometimes its not just about who is the best player, but also about opportunity. For Lydon to see time, either TR has to sit or MG has to be moved from the sf spot. Last year MG showed himself to be a very good sf.

For Malachi to see time, Cooney could slide over to point. Malachi's minutes could easily come from KJ2.

The path for minutes seems to favor Malachi.

I disagree. I think Lydon is more apt to get minutes, because there's more of a logjam at the positions Malachi plays. There's not a chance Cooney slides over to play any PG. When KJ goes to the bench, it'll be Gbinije playing the point, and that means it's going to be SF, and not SG minutes opening up.

 

[SU_Fan_in_VA]

No doubt G sees big minutes. He's a senior and one of our best scorers. Having him on the perimeter, while helpful during KJ's development, is certainly not ideal. No doubt he will play some minutes up top, but he's not a guard. At 6'7, yes he adds height to the back court. And his defense is not that much worse than KJ's last year -- but KJ was a freshman. I fully expect a sophomore leap from him this year, including his defensive intensity.

Another problem with G up top is that there's a big hole at the 3 when he's playing guard. He can't stay in front of better ACC guards, and having him shore up PG prevents JB from using him where he really hurts other teams -- playing SF where he can hit the long jumper or get inside at will against players his size. When you put him at PG, these attributes are wasted ... because he's not going to drive by too many decent ACC guards, so they play up on him negating his height advantage.

KJ's our best bet at PG if he's making good decisions and being smart on defense, and I think you will see both of those issues improve this year. Certainly, if he's not having a good game or is not handling the pressure of certain game situations well enough, G can be the bandaid. If this happens, it's probably not a good sign for the team.

I am going to take a guess that you probably missed the first half of the game against UVA last year. If you did, I would recommend that you rewatch the game if you have access to it. That was the game Gbinije started at the point and BJ started at the 3, everything was going well until Gbinije was moved to the 3 spot and KJ was put in at the PG spot; then the flood gates openned. A close to 20 point game suddenly became a 5 or 6 point game and a lost at the end.

 

[SU_Fan_in_VA]

You and I disagree about G's ability to stay in front of ACC guards, as opposed to KJ. I think KJ is better suited to guard the perimeter, although he may not have played to his potential in some games last year.

However, you may be right about MR/KJ. That's a closer call. I stand by my concerns using a SF as our PG. But if KJ doesn't produce and MR starts lighting things up, he may eat some of KJ's minutes.

As you know in our system, the guards are essentially interchangeable, except usually one player (the "PG") brings up the ball, and usually one guy initiates the offense more than the other. But both guards rotate up top as you know from watching the team. So TC and MR together is not unrealistic. In fact, TC might like having MR play next to him to draw off some of the defensive pressure.

But all this depends on what we see from KJ and I think we should just give him a chance to come in and see how he plays.

Once again,I will recommend you rewatch the first half of the UVA game or any game from the previous season when Gbinije substituted for either Cooney or Enis. If this team was a M2M defensive team you would see that Gbinije is probably the best perimeter defender on this team; my observations go back to his time at Duke.

 

[jordoo]

I am going to take a guess that you probably missed the first half of the game against UVA last year. If you did, I would recommend that you rewatch the game if you have access to it. That was the game Gbinije started at the point and BJ started at the 3, everything was going well until Gbinije was moved to the 3 spot and KJ was put in at the PG spot; then the flood gates openned. A close to 20 point game suddenly became a 5 or 6 point game and a lost at the end.

It was going so great that we couldn't score even though we were pitching a shutout. Come on man! Yes we were better defensively but we were putrid on offense because Perentes and Brogden completely shut Mike down as a guard. JB subed Kaleb in to get Mike to the 3 in hopes that we could score some buckets.

 

[We Are Syracuse]

Not saying Malachi won't get plenty of minutes, but I'll be a little surprised if he winds up ahead of Lydon on the depth chart. Lydon is just a more complete player - not to mention more athletic and taller. Nothing against Richardson, who I'd love to be great, but I think Lydon is going to wind up the best player out of this class, and this isn't a new idea from me. I've been pimping Lydon as the best player in this class for a long time. I think he's going to be an NBA player before Richardson.

I think it'll be the other way around. I like Richardson and think he will have a big year or two here. He is very smooth, good athlete, and can really shoot it and has size. I think Lydon will not fight with him playing wise because I see malachi playing on top of the zone. I do not see Lydon playing on top of the 2-3. I do think Lydon gets solid playing time as well as Frank Howard playing more than people think. Also, I think you are right about Lydon being an NBA guy. He has it but is not strong enough yet.

I just don't think Joseph is an ACC player let alone the starting point guard at a program of this caliber. He could possibly develop into one but Boeheim is not going to wait around for that with only three years left remaining for him. I expect Joseph to be on an even shorter leash this year and I thought his confidence was very shaky last year.

 

[jekelish]

I think it'll be the other way around. I like Richardson and think he will have a big year or two here. He is very smooth, good athlete, and can really shoot it and has size. I think Lydon will not fight with him playing wise because I see malachi playing on top of the zone. I do not see Lydon playing on top of the 2-3. I do think Lydon gets solid playing time as well as Frank Howard playing more than people think. Also, I think you are right about Lydon being an NBA guy. He has it but is not strong enough yet.

I just don't think Joseph is an ACC player let alone the starting point guard at a program of this caliber. He could possibly develop into one but Boeheim is not going to wait around for that with only three years left remaining for him. I expect Joseph to be on an even shorter leash this year and I thought his confidence was very shaky last year.

I just don't think there'll be many minutes available at SG, which is where Richardson will need to play. We all know Cooney will play 35 minutes per game, and Gbinije probably will as well. Whenever Joseph is out of the game, it'll be Gbinije running the point. That means it'll be Cooney and Gbinije at the top of the zone, and the small forward spot is the one that'll be open. Lydon is a better option at small forward than Richardson - he's bigger, he's more athletic, and he's a vastly better rebounder.

Again, that's not taking anything away from Richardson. But he's a shooting guard, and I don't really anticipate seeing a ton of him at small forward this season, not when Lydon is right there next to him on the bench.

 

[reedny]

Once again,I will recommend you rewatch the first half of the UVA game or any game from the previous season when Gbinije substituted for either Cooney or Enis. If this team was a M2M defensive team you would see that Gbinije is probably the best perimeter defender on this team; my observations go back to his time at Duke.

Cooney and G were -24 between them. We lost by 12 (it wasn't that close) and we were outrebounded by 20+. Perrantes was in the lane at will, and it was even worse against LV (Roziere) who penetrated whenever he wanted (we won that game on Rak's 28 points. G had 18, but we couldn't contain Roziere).

And really this is beside the point, because it is not debatable that SU will be better off if KJ plays well at the point. G is our only experienced 3 (although some talent's coming in) and G is a matchup problem for most opposing SF's (whereas at the point, he is not difficult for top-half ACC guards to stay in front of).

G's a good player. His versatility is amazing, and his defense is solid generally. That doesn't make him a guard. And it's not like I'm criticizing him for helping the team while KJ cuts his teeth. We've needed him to shore up our guard rotation. I just don't want to see the experiment continue any longer than necessary.

 

[orangefog]

I think we are blessed with many versatile players. We are going to see many different lineups in the early part of the season. By the time conference play comes around, JB will have settled into a rotation. I think the only givens are that G and Cooney will play alot. The rest is up for grabs.

 

[tbonezone]

we need a consistent (not streaky) outside threat. if malachi can provide that weapon then cooney sits. it's that easy.

 

[We Are Syracuse]

I just don't think there'll be many minutes available at SG, which is where Richardson will need to play. We all know Cooney will play 35 minutes per game, and Gbinije probably will as well. Whenever Joseph is out of the game, it'll be Gbinije running the point. That means it'll be Cooney and Gbinije at the top of the zone, and the small forward spot is the one that'll be open. Lydon is a better option at small forward than Richardson - he's bigger, he's more athletic, and he's a vastly better rebounder.

Again, that's not taking anything away from Richardson. But he's a shooting guard, and I don't really anticipate seeing a ton of him at small forward this season, not when Lydon is right there next to him on the bench.

I don't think so Jek. I think Silent G will play point like you said but will be in the back of the zone and Trevor and Malachi will be up top. Silent G played on the back line most of last year didn't he? But if the team does need rebounding which is entirely possible due to the question mark at center, then you're right, Lydon will play more.

 

[alphaorange]

Much better rebounder / shot blocker / inside scorer.

Steve Novak is as one dimensional player as it gets. Tall shooter. No handle, no passing, no defense, no rebounding, and no athleticism. A floor spacer, period.

 

[alphaorange]

I agree. 200 is not enough bulk. Unfortunately, it's the weight (soaking wet) of our starting PF, who's also 2 inches shorter than Lydon. Not to get this started again (because Rob's is a good player), but just saying ... Lydon could seriously help us.

Durant has a handle that I doubt Lydon has. Creating your own shot too.

Chandler Parsons is prob the best comp.

Disagree. You're comparing Parsons as an NBA player vs. Lydon just out of HS. Also, Durant has a limited handle. He can occasionally shake a defender but it is his length that gets him room for his shot. Lydon's handle will be at least as good.

 

[reedny]

Alpha, I didn't compare Lydon to Kevin Durant exactly for the reason you mention (Lydon's just out of HS). For that same reason, I think it's premature to say that Lydon's handle will be "at least as good [as Kevin Durrant]" when he hasn't played a minute of D-1 ball yet. People are raving about him, and I'm just as excited as everyone else. But let's hold off on the comparisons to NBA all-stars for now.

As far as Tyler's weight, 200 is pretty slight for a 6'9 front line player entering a conference littered with big bodies and 7 footers. I'd like to see him add 20 pounds to bang in the ACC.[/QUOTE]

 

[SWC75]

we need a consistent (not streaky) outside threat. if malachi can provide that weapon then cooney sits. it's that easy.

A "consistent outside threat" is virtually an oxymoron, especially if they are the only outside threat and the defense knows that.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Lydon will play more than Richardson simply because when he is in the game, he will be part of our best defensive lineup. That's not even factoring in each players offensive capabilities, but if you look at past history if you can play defense as a freshman you will play, if you don't you sit. That to me is why Lydon had the edge over Malachi.

The weakest part of Malachi's game is defense, and that will have to improve if he wants to see the court. Lydon has weak side shot blocking talent similar to Jerami Grant, and I can't see JB wanting to play Gbinije on the back line for 35 minutes a game, especially against bigger teams. We will get destroyed inside. Lydon is going to be a great defender in the zone, and that's the main reason I expect him to play.

Your don't have told look back that far to see lower ranked recruits play more than their higher ranked counterparts. CJ played more than Dion or Fab their freshman year.

 

[Libero2]

I don't think anybody is suggesting anything about their rankings. Frankly I think a lot of people are starting to think Lydon was under ranked, by a gigantic amount. Meanwhile I haven't seen anybody really complaining too much about where Mali is/was ranked

 

[two3zone]

KD, Chandler Parsons, one or two and done.

Can we let the guy play? The dude is going to be good but you guys are making him sound like the most underrated HS player ever. He's been to many showcases with the opportunity to move up the ranking list but hasn't. I get that the rankings aren't the end all be all but you'd think the way you guys are talking that this is the best prospect in the class.

 

[SWC75]

Lydon will play more than Richardson simply because when he is in the game, he will be part of our best defensive lineup. That's not even factoring in each players offensive capabilities, but if you look at past history if you can play defense as a freshman you will play, if you don't you sit. That to me is why Lydon had the edge over Malachi.

The weakest part of Malachi's game is defense, and that will have to improve if he wants to see the court. Lydon has weak side shot blocking talent similar to Jerami Grant, and I can't see JB wanting to play Gbinije on the back line for 35 minutes a game, especially against bigger teams. We will get destroyed inside. Lydon is going to be a great defender in the zone, and that's the main reason I expect him to play.

Your don't have told look back that far to see lower ranked recruits play more than their higher ranked counterparts. CJ played more than Dion or Fab their freshman year.

Do we know how well guys who have never played at this level will be on defense?

 

[alphaorange]

Alpha, I didn't compare Lydon to Kevin Durant exactly for the reason you mention (Lydon's just out of HS). For that same reason, I think it's premature to say that Lydon's handle will be "at least as good [as Kevin Durrant]" when he hasn't played a minute of D-1 ball yet. People are raving about him, and I'm just as excited as everyone else. But let's hold off on the comparisons to NBA all-stars for now.

As far as Tyler's weight, 200 is pretty slight for a 6'9 front line player entering a conference littered with big bodies and 7 footers. I'd like to see him add 20 pounds to bang in the ACC.

[/QUOTE]
I was just saying that as great as Durant is, I am not that impressed with his handle. It's OK as far as NBA standards go but pretty good for a tall guy.

 

[longtimefan]

OMg, 0-3. That's right, 1992, second round in the tourney I think. Not only did Williams beat us, there's another disturbing fact: Calipari was the coach. The bile is welling up as I bring up these memories.

Edit: here's the box
http://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id=game19920322_syracuse#box_score

We also lost to UMass in the Rainbow Classic, the year we and they and UK and Miss St comprised the Final Four.

 

[AZOrange]

G is going to start at the 1 from day 1.