Could Christmas have been any worse?

[NineOneSeven]

What does Baye give that Rak doesn't? I agree, both have been disappointments.

Oh, it's the HUSTLE right? We need that FIIIIIRE couchburn from Rak right? Who cares if Baye continuously gets outmuscled down low, tips rebounds instead of grabbing them, and gets called for blocks more than anyone else on the team.

I'm also a fan of Baye and Rak and I recognize both of their flaws and it's frustrating.

 

[JeremyCuse]

This board kills me, people are burying Rak and he had what 8 boards? The guy touched the ball twice maybe the entire game on offense once with 1 second on the clock, what exactly was he supposed to do? Meanwhile Southerland is jacking up threes from Armory Square and hit one and Triche was 1 for the country. Check the gameplay while Rak was in versus Keita, it was night and day. Rak had more rebounds yesterday (8) then Keita has all month. If I see him tap or swat another D rebound to a Gtown player im going to go nuts.

 

[Melancer46]

The issue is that those first two misses were both alley oop attempts. He didn't get a legitimate pass into the post until the second half I believe. He got good possession consistently throughout the first half, and what have our perimeter players done to prove that THEY should be allowed to shoot? If the criteria is missing your first couple shots, then our team shouldn't have faith in anyone outside of CJ Fair.

 

[phil77]

What is wrong you guys moved on from Cooney? Now it is X-Mas. Why dont you look at the real problem. Our "lottery" pick player is a no show in big games period. Racks up stats against weaker teams and folds under the pressure of playing against big time teams. This is a big game on a big stage with a record crowd and folded up like a cheap suit. Awful performance and the number 1 reason why we lost. Number 2 reason why we lost is our senor leader guard decided not to show up at all and go into chuck mode. Number 3 reason why we lost Southerland decided his range was just inside of half court and launched every time he got the ball. But I mean sure blame Rak because that one time he got the ball with no time on the clock he quickly threw up a shot that got blocked. That was the reason why we lost. But I guess anything to not blame MCW or BT who were awful.

It was fun to watch MCW, BT and Southerland pass the ball around the outside. No need to attack and if you are guarded Southerland or BT just keep taking steps back until you are far enough away they will not guard you because then technically you would be "open".

 

[NineOneSeven]

The issue is that those first two misses were both alley oop attempts. He didn't get a legitimate pass into the post until the second half I believe. He got good possession consistently throughout the first half, and what have our perimeter players done to prove that THEY should be allowed to shoot? If the criteria is missing your first couple shots, then our team shouldn't have faith in anyone outside of CJ Fair.

The first lob Rakeem just didn't catch. No beating around the bush- he makes that play 99 times out of 100. There was also another one later on that MCW threw a bit too high and Rak couldn't hang in the air long enough to finish in one motion.

People also severely under-estimate the difficulty of finishing alley oops that aren't perfect passes or wide open. Lebron James makes it look easy. Peyton Manning also makes throwing a 20 yard fade pattern into a one foot window look easy too.

 

[Melancer46]

What is wrong you guys moved on from Cooney? Now it is X-Mas. Why dont you look at the real problem. Our "lottery" pick player is a no show in big games period. Racks up stats against weaker teams and folds under the pressure of playing against big time teams. This is a big game on a big stage with a record crowd and folded up like a cheap suit. Awful performance and the number 1 reason why we lost. Number 2 reason why we lost is our senor leader guard decided not to show up at all and go into chuck mode. Number 3 reason why we lost Southerland decided his range was just inside of half court and launched every time he got the ball. But I mean sure blame Rak because that one time he got the ball with no time on the clock he quickly threw up a shot that got blocked. That was the reason why we lost. But I guess anything to not blame MCW or BT who were awful.

It was fun to watch MCW, BT and Southerland pass the ball around the outside. No need to attack and if you are guarded Southerland or BT just keep taking steps back until you are far enough away they will not guard you because then technically you would be "open".

In some of the games this year, you could definitely put the blame on MCW. This was not one or those games. He didn't have a great game, but he didn't have a bad game either.

 

[phil77]

In some of the games this year, you could definitely put the blame on MCW. This was not one or those games. He didn't have a great game, but he didn't have a bad game either.

What game where you watching? He was awful especially for a lottery pick. I expect much better games from him especially on the biggest stages. He stood on the outside and passed to BT or Southerland. When he did actually drive and play aggresive he jumped in the air and threw passes to G-Town. For our "star" player I expect much much more especially against G-Town and especially after his quote.

 

[timkay99]

FWIW, Rak's the only player on the team who had a net positive for the game.

We outscored G'Town by 1 with him on the court.

Same against UConn.

More people need to understand this.

For me, Christmas was our best player in the 1st half. Struggled to start the 2nd half. Then, when he came back, he was solid average.

 

[Melancer46]

What game where you watching? He was awful especially for a lottery pick. I expect much better games from him especially on the biggest stages. He stood on the outside and passed to BT or Southerland. When he did actually drive and play aggresive he jumped in the air and threw passes to G-Town. For our "star" player I expect much much more especially against G-Town and especially after his quote.

He made that jump pass twice. He kicked out for open 3s or found cutters probably at least 10 times yesterday. Nobody made their shots, nobody fed Christmas (MCW included), nobody played any kind of defense on Porter, and CJ missed a lot of opportunities when he got the ball at the free throw line and just dribbled it out instead of making a move.

And you're missing what it takes to be a lottery pick. You don't have to be a great college player. Hell, Willie Cauley Stein will probably be a lottery pick this year. How many games has he dominated? Kendall Marshall was a lottery pick last year. I guarantee if MCW had his supporting cast, he'd be a front runner for BE POY right now. Dion was far from being consistently great. Same can be said about literally everyone that was picked in the lottery last year outside of maybe the Unibrow and Lillard.

 

[phil77]

All those guys had moments when they took over big games on big stages. MCW did not. Bottom line. Passing around the outside until BT and Southerland jack up a three is not driving and dishing to open players.

 

[Melancer46]

All those guys had moments when they took over big games on big stages. MCW did not. Bottom line. Passing around the outside until BT and Southerland jack up a three is not driving and dishing to open players.

How many times do you remember Marshall or Cauley Stein taking over a game. Come on man. And then factor in how much easier it was on Marshall, having Barnes, Zeller, McAdoo, Bullock, Strickland, etc. to pass to. MCW did a good job distributing yesterday, and I can remember off the top of my head at least 3 times where we needed a big play in a big way and he was the one that made it.

Block and layup and one.
Waving Triche to the opposite corner and running the pick and roll with Leita and finding a cutting Triche for a no look pass and a layup.
Steal and dunk.

That alone was 3 huge plays that he made. At the end of the day, we lost because of our defense. There's just no excuse for giving porter 19 wide open shots.

 

[timkay99]

All those guys had moments when they took over big games on big stages. MCW did not. Bottom line. Passing around the outside until BT and Southerland jack up a three is not driving and dishing to open players.

Your right. MCW wasn't a big reason that Syracuse won the Louisville game...

Your expecting Chris Paul.

 

[tbonezone]

raxmas just doesn't seem to be playing with any fire. i dig the whole island cool laid back thing but catcha fire mon!

rak needs to get real angry real fast and turn this puppy into a bloody slasherfest.

 

[anomander]

Just because we have no one else, doesn't mean he is competent. I don't get the Xmas love...he had a decent rebounding game, but he's not consistent at all in that regard, and he's horrible offensively. Terrible hands, and he front rims every hook/layup he attempts.

Every game we hear about how nobody passes to him enough, so that is why he doesn't score. When you are Plan E, and you botch the first two chances you get, your teammates are going to lose faith you. Want the ball more? He needs to convert. As Plan E, he needs to maximize his opportunities more than anyone else on the cour; he hasn't done that.

I have more faith in this team team than most on the board, but not in Rakeem.

again please tell me who you would rather have in there? would love to hear

 

[SBU72]

Dude got 8 rebounds (6 defensive) in 29 minutes.

I thought Syracuse fans like big men who block out and forcefully clean the glass.

He was a monster on the boards for the first part of the game he was in. I would think, 5 of his 6 defensive rebounds came then. 2nd half not so much. On the offensive side, he has no anticipation for the ball rebounding, its like he was glued to the floor.

 

[timkay99]

He was a monster on the boards for the first part of the game he was in. I would think, 5 of his 6 defensive rebounds came then. 2nd half not so much. On the offensive side, he has no anticipation for the ball rebounding, its like he was glued to the floor.

Agreed. He was the best player in the 1st half for Syracuse.

The people who didn't see that in the 1st half focus on putting the ball in the basket and not the little things.

Overall - Rak is the best screener on this team, the best defensive center, the best defensive rebounder at the C position and the most capable offensively.

Yet, people expect him to put up 10 points on 1 shot.

 

[bpo57]

I don't blame RC for yesterday's loss. He played ok. Others played far worse. But on balance RC's production this year has been disappointing to me and I didn't have grand expectations.

 

[SBU72]

Agreed. He was the best player in the 1st half for Syracuse.

The people who didn't see that in the 1st half focus on putting the ball in the basket and not the little things.

Overall - Rak is the best screener on this team, the best defensive center, the best defensive rebounder at the C position and the most capable offensively.

Yet, people expect him to put up 10 points on 1 shot.

Acatuallyhe had 3 shots. 2 were rejected and one of those badly. Let us not speak of the 2 or 3 passes he flubbed or offensive rebounds he could have had for put backs.

 

[Hoov50]

Christmas worked his ass off to get position on the block. We ignored him. The end.

He does for the first 5-6 minutes EVERY game and then realizes it is pointless and I can't blame him at all!

 

[timkay99]

Acatuallyhe had 3 shots. 2 were rejected and one of those badly. Let us not speak of the 2 or 3 passes he flubbed or offensive rebounds he could have had for put backs.

I mean, we don't speak about them for Keita so...

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

He does for the first 5-6 minutes EVERY game and then realizes it is pointless and I can't blame him at all!

Christmas has that look of the dog who's been beat too much. Just looks 100% frustrated at himself, the situation, team, coach, etc. "You are really going to blame me for the guards letting everyone mosey down the lane? really coach?"

 

[NineOneSeven]

Acatuallyhe had 3 shots. 2 were rejected and one of those badly. Let us not speak of the 2 or 3 passes he flubbed or offensive rebounds he could have had for put backs.

1 was rejected when he got the pass with 1 second on the shot clock. Credit the Gtown player for making a play. Would it have gotten blocked if he had more time? Maybe. But when you know the shot clock is running down, and your eyes are fixated on the ball being passed to you, you rush it.

I believe his other shot was on a lob from MCW that was thrown too high and instead of finishing in one motion, he had to bring it down first.

Let's ignore the put back tip/slam he made late in the second half.

Oh, and how many of our shots were from outside the paint yesterday? Long shots+bad misses=long rebounds.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Great post. The title of my post was melodramatic, and apparently twisted up some panties.

My op was pretty clear that the blame goes all around.

I do find the Xmas defenders to be quite misguided. He should be developed , and fed more, but he is simply not as giod as he should be, as we need him to be , and as claimed by his defenders here.

he was at the forefront of a few plays that took us out of the game.

Guards don't feed centers they can't trust. If JB wants him fed anyways, then he needs to make guards accountable for not doing it

Yeah. It is really perplexing. It almost seems like the intent to feed Xmas in practice isn't even happening. Then again it seems like Boeheim months ago even gave up on the 5 spot giving us anything through various pressers.

 

[jgeorge322]

I'm In the camp that rakim was ok yesterday. However where were all these Tuesday morning quarterbacks a week or two ago when jekelish declared rak our best center in a long time and I had a back and forth saying rak is not close to onuaku at this point. Its easy to Slam a sophomore big man after a loss. That being said, to even single him out for yesterday is ridiculous.

 

[OttoMets]

Yeah. It is really perplexing. It almost seems like the intent to feed Xmas in practice isn't even happening. Then again it seems like Boeheim months ago even gave up on the 5 spot giving us anything through various pressers.

Agreed. Self-fulfilling prophecy all the way.