Christmas Learning, CJ Likely to Start?

[Upstate]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/rapid-reports/post/15929841

1 minute ago - by Thomas Casale - F Christmas still learning the ropes
Freshman F Rakeem Christmas is a great athlete but he’s making some mental mistakes in practice. Christmas is still learning all the aspects of the 2-3 zone and his offensive game is limited right now. C.J. Fair is the early favorite to be the starting PF when Syracuse opens the season against Fordham on Nov. 12. Orange RapidReports

 

[stuckinbig11]

source? someone at practice? Rapid Report would not open.

 

[Upstate]

source? someone at practice? Rapid Report would not open.

Click the link at the top, but everything is in my post. Its from CBS

 

[Dick_in_MI]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/rapid-reports/post/15929841

1 minute ago - by Thomas Casale - F Christmas still learning the ropes
Freshman F Rakeem Christmas is a great athlete but he’s making some mental mistakes in practice. Christmas is still learning all the aspects of the 2-3 zone and his offensive game is limited right now. C.J. Fair is the early favorite to be the starting PF when Syracuse opens the season against Fordham on Nov. 12. Orange RapidReports

CJ has always been my pick to start but some reports had Rak working with the first team in practice. Both guys can board but CJ has the better offensive game. Seemed obvious to me but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

CJ gives more off the bench than X. He can play the 3 or 4. He can come in for D or offense. Bringing CJ and Dion off the bench will be the biggest strenght this team has. 2 years ago our top 5 were good. It was our top 7 and the way they were deployed that made us the best team in the country. Its not who starts, but who finishes. CJ will finish a lot of games.

 

[M2MPrinciples]

I can get on board with this.

 

[arbitragegls]

...agreed...CJ brings much more to the party coming off the bench...scoring and spark...that is what will be needed...wait a ny minute...isnt that where Scoop was the best piece a couple of years ago...hmmmm...wasnt KJ that guy when Wes was here...hmmmmm...okay...bring CJ off the bench

 

[osullfam]

I'm Irish and I approve of this development.

 

[pfister1]

I don't subscribe to the view that you leave a better player out of the starting lineup so you have someone coming off the bench. I think you start your top 5 and you take your A game to them from the opening tip. Two years ago when Scoop and K-Jo came off the bench they did so because they were the 6th and 7th guys on the roster not because of the spark they provided.

 

[sufandu]

I don't subscribe to the view that you leave a better player out of the starting lineup so you have someone coming off the bench. I think you start your top 5 and you take your A game to them from the opening tip. Two years ago when Scoop and K-Jo came off the bench they did so because they were the 6th and 7th guys on the roster not because of the spark they provided.

Agreed. CJ can still be that versatile 3-4 while being a starter. If Christmas subs in for Joseph, CJ slides to the 3. If Southerland comes in he's the 4. To be honest, I don't know how much the 3-vs-4 matters with JB anyway. On defense they do the same thing, and on offense JB has guys do whatever their strengths are regardless of position. The best five will probably all play around 35 minutes in a tight game anyway.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

we've got 40 minutes at forward. If James gets 10+, we will not be a good team.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Cj Fair is light years ahead of Xmas in terms of offensive ability, at this stage of there careers. Think about it- Fair has a season of big east play under his belt, showed an ability to be around the ball, and I cannot remember a player get fouled more with no call than Fair this past year. Give me a consistent fifteen foot jump shot from Fair and watch out. Oh yeah, and he can jump #cornellwhiteboy.

 

[rrlbees]

CJ has always been my pick to start but some reports had Rak working with the first team in practice. Both guys can board but CJ has the better offensive game. Seemed obvious to me but maybe I'm wrong.

I think it all comes down to size. Rak is a 4 and Fair is a 3. Fair is no doubt the better player right now and in the end will play more minutes than Rak, but if Rak focuses on defensive rebounding and defense he can help. Plus if Rak and Keita are our 2 bigs off the bench, we have all defense coming in as neither are going to be offensive players. Either way, I don't see Rak getting any more than 15 minutes with CJ getting 25-30 (5 from KJo at the 3).

 

[VaBeachOrFan]

I don't subscribe to the view that you leave a better player out of the starting lineup so you have someone coming off the bench. I think you start your top 5 and you take your A game to them from the opening tip. Two years ago when Scoop and K-Jo came off the bench they did so because they were the 6th and 7th guys on the roster not because of the spark they provided.

One possible scenario: If you start KJ and Rak, CJ has the greater flexibility to sub for either, should either pick up two quick fouls. If you start CJ and he gets two quick fouls, the options are more limited and KJ can't get a breather. Ergo let the game unfold and sub accordingly.-VBOF

 

[M2MPrinciples]

One possible scenario: If you start KJ and Rak, CJ has the greater flexibility to sub for either, should either pick up two quick fouls. If you start CJ and he gets two quick fouls, the options are more limited and KJ can't get a breather. Ergo let the game unfold and sub accordingly.-VBOF

Fair committed right around 2 fouls per 30 minutes last season. I wouldn't worry about him getting in foul trouble until he proves that it's an issue.

 

[sufandu]

we've got 40 minutes at forward. If James gets 10+, we will not be a good team.

Actually we've got 80 minutes at forward. 40 per spot.

 

[sufandu]

I could see nights where we need to go bigger for match-up purposes and Rak gets a bit more time then other nights when we don't need the size CJ plays close to 40. I hope JB lets the freshman play early so they'll be ready if we need them later. I remember times in the pst when he wouldn't play a guy or he'd yank him at the drop of a hat because "he wasn't ready" then someone gets hurt and the guy has to play. Since the guy isn't looking over his shoulder he plays better. I recall Demetris Nichols falling into that category. Sophomore year?

 

[SoBristol]

I don't subscribe to the view that you leave a better player out of the starting lineup so you have someone coming off the bench. I think you start your top 5 and you take your A game to them from the opening tip. Two years ago when Scoop and K-Jo came off the bench they did so because they were the 6th and 7th guys on the roster not because of the spark they provided.

Well, many would say that Scoop did provide a spark, and was more effective than Brandon, and it still worked better to have Brandon start. K-Jo was often better than Rick that year; but he came off the bench as part of the rotation allowing AO and Rick to start together, then each take a turn at center with Wes and Kris at forwards.
You might see something like that this year -- Dion being more of a spark than the guard he replaces; CJ providing an offensive spark whereas Rak might be better on the boards or against teams that are bigger inside. We have that flexibility. The other factor is how the forwards match up with what Melo or Keita will bring at center.

 

[Dick_in_MI]

I think it all comes down to size. Rak is a 4 and Fair is a 3. Fair is no doubt the better player right now and in the end will play more minutes than Rak, but if Rak focuses on defensive rebounding and defense he can help. Plus if Rak and Keita are our 2 bigs off the bench, we have all defense coming in as neither are going to be offensive players. Either way, I don't see Rak getting any more than 15 minutes with CJ getting 25-30 (5 from KJo at the 3).

You make a good point about Baye and Rak coming in at the same time. Had not thought of that.

Agree with your minute projections for CJ and Rak

Fair is a 3 but he played the 4 some last year and can probably board as well as Rak can at this stage. Rak should pass him in that department though

Still, having Rak and Baye coming in together does put a dent in the offense

 

[stuckinbig11]

I just don't see Fair as being big enough to hold down the 4, no matter what his skill set is.

 

[cuser1961]

CJ gives more off the bench than X. He can play the 3 or 4. He can come in for D or offense. Bringing CJ and Dion off the bench will be the biggest strenght this team has. 2 years ago our top 5 were good. It was our top 7 and the way they were deployed that made us the best team in the country. Its not who starts, but who finishes. CJ will finish a lot of games.

Amen and he has a great tude to go along with his BB ball instincts. Love this kid and it may be nice to save him a little and let Christmas have the token starters role.

 

[sufandu]

I just don't see Fair as being big enough to hold down the 4, no matter what his skill set is.

I think some of that will depend on how Fab and Keita can hold down the middle. We didn't have a true 4 when we won the NC. Hak had the skill set but never the size.

 

[RF2044]

I'm a huge CJ fan, but let's not write Christmas off just yet.

And Bees--great point about Keita / Christmas as prospective bench guys.

 

[SUintheVille]

Freshmen only start if there is am absolute need at the position or if he is ready for the position. Neither is true right now. CJ better at this point...he starts. He has the physicality and aggressiveness to play the 4. Plus his apparent increased shooting range will open up the middle more for KJo, the bigs, and cutting guards. Xmas will continue to learn and bring rebounding (but also fouls).

 

[bevosu]

I'm a big CJ fan. I remember disagreeing with moqui about who was eventually going to be the better BB player CJ or Southerland. Moqui knows more about the game than I do. Time will tell, but my money was on CJ.

I think it's too early to tell how starting roles will play out. Has CJ really elevated his game over last year, when I thought he was great for a freshman. Is Rak a good enough defensive player and rebounder at this point in his very early college career to deserve a starting role when CJ may be ready to bust out? Will CJ break out?

I don't know, and I don't know how the starting and sub roles will play out. I'll let JB and crew figure that out.