Does anyone else think that maybe KJ...

[UD1954]

just isn't a point guard....he seems to have really improved his 3 point range so let's get him off the ball and see what happens...have him coming off the bench looking to score instead of trying to run the offense.

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

just isn't a point guard...he seems to have really improved his 3 point range so let's get him off the ball and see what happens...have him coming off the bench looking to score instead of trying to run the offense.

I have seen that suggested many times on the board, yes. Good luck taking meaningful minutes from Coon dog. That may be a good theory, but it is not one that will get him more playing time. Even if he knocks down a shot or two, there are his defensive deficiencies at work as well.

 

[SoBeCuse]

KJ isn't a PG. Not yet. He doesn't know what he's doing out there. It is sort of alarming, frankly. Maybe someday he will be. I've been scolded by some on this board with this take. I just don't see any evidence to support the contrary. More often than not he just dribbles east/west and makes bad plays on offense and defense.

 

[cuseguy]

The problem is we really don't have a point guard.

Joseph may evolve into one and Howard is best suited for that position.

But we're a team of 2s right now.

 

[SoBeCuse]

The problem is we really don't have a point guard.

Joseph may evolve into one and Howard is best suited for that position.

But we're a team of 2s right now.

I hope Howard gets more run and gains the trust of the coaching staff. I do think he has more upside than KJ and you can't really get much worse than him right now. Granted it's early in the season still but I'd like to really see Howard get his feet wet.

 

[ar inj]

Simple fact, Howard is already a better point guard than Joseph ever has or will be. Does mean I do not like him or that he has not gotten better or should not play. He is not a point guard.

 

[Dave85]

The problem is we really don't have a point guard.

Joseph may evolve into one and Howard is best suited for that position.

But we're a team of 2s right now.

Howard did a really long cross court pass over several defenders either last night or with Lehigh I did not think was PG like. PG is a skill position. I think we mostly recruit longer SG and call them PG.

 

[cuseguy]

I hope Howard gets more run and gains the trust of the coaching staff. I do think he has more upside than KJ and you can't really get much worse than him right now. Granted it's early in the season still but I'd like to really see Howard get his feet wet.

Seems like JB's usual 7-man rotation is already set...just 2 games into the season.

It's the starting five we've seen with Lydon spelling Coleman (for likely long stretches early in the season) and Joseph backing up the two guard spots.

I don't see Obokoh and Howard playing much unless there's foul trouble or Howard can beat out Joseph.

 

[cuseguy]

Howard did a really long cross court pass over several defenders either last night or with Lehigh I did not think was PG like. PG is a skill position. I think we mostly recruit longer SG and call them PG.

Howard is a great passer and will eventually be the primary point guard.

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

just isn't a point guard...he seems to have really improved his 3 point range so let's get him off the ball and see what happens...have him coming off the bench looking to score instead of trying to run the offense.

I actually think the more interesting debate is the 5 spot. Lydon will get plenty of run there, out of necessity. But why not put TRob there more often? He is the best natural rebounder we have by a wide margin, he could not take a play off as there is no weak side from the C spot in the zone, and his Offensive game is limited to screening and dumping off from the high post. So why not get him in that spot with Lydon at the 4, G, Cooney or Howard and Mali and you have 4 deadly shooters on the floor with a great rebounder as the glue?

 

[cuseguy]

I actually think the more interesting debate is the 5 spot. Lydon will get plenty of run there, out of necessity. But why not put TRob there more often? He is the best natural rebounder we have by a wide margin, he could not take a play off as there is no weak side from the C spot in the zone, and his Offensive game is limited to screening and dumping off from the high post. So why not get him in that spot with Lydon at the 4, G, Cooney or Howard and Mali and you have 4 deadly shooters on the floor with a great rebounder as the glue?

I think they've already tried that many times in practice and it wasn't working.

On paper, it makes sense.

In practicality, it's not going to work.

 

[RoatanCuse]

Howard is a great passer and will eventually be the primary point guard.

Your statement made mr think of Z.

 

[Dave85]

I actually think the more interesting debate is the 5 spot. Lydon will get plenty of run there, out of necessity. But why not put TRob there more often? He is the best natural rebounder we have by a wide margin, he could not take a play off as there is no weak side from the C spot in the zone, and his Offensive game is limited to screening and dumping off from the high post. So why not get him in that spot with Lydon at the 4, G, Cooney or Howard and Mali and you have 4 deadly shooters on the floor with a great rebounder as the glue?

Maybe he doesn't want to do it. He seems a little moody to me. He was a rebounding beast last night once JB butt kicked the team.

 

[dasher]

Seems like JB's usual 7-man rotation is already set...just 2 games into the season.

It's the starting five we've seen with Lydon spelling Coleman (for likely long stretches early in the season) and Joseph backing up the two guard spots.

I don't see Obokoh and Howard playing much unless there's foul trouble or Howard can beat out Joseph.

we've played two games. It's too early for that. It may work out exactly that way but let's wait a bit.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I actually think the more interesting debate is the 5 spot. Lydon will get plenty of run there, out of necessity. But why not put TRob there more often? He is the best natural rebounder we have by a wide margin, he could not take a play off as there is no weak side from the C spot in the zone, and his Offensive game is limited to screening and dumping off from the high post. So why not get him in that spot with Lydon at the 4, G, Cooney or Howard and Mali and you have 4 deadly shooters on the floor with a great rebounder as the glue?

When is rebounding for the 5 spot ever a strength besides maybe one year of Arinze, and I guess go back to Etan? Rebounds in the zone come from the wings. Rick Jackson was a better rebounder than Fab, Arinze, or Keita. He hardly ever played the middle.

Craig Forth wasn't a rebounder. That team was a good rebounding team because of guys like Warrick, Melo, and Trob.

 

[DonLightfoot]

I actually like Joseph to a certain degree. However, I find that he regularly just spends time dribbling back and forth at the top of the defense before getting into our offense (for what it is). With the shortened shot clock that approach is not good.

 

[orangefan13]

We don't need him to be a point guard but a SG, imo. Gbinije is our point and JB is going to ride him as point even when we are down 20 and hes shooting 20%, all game all year. He needs the ball in his hands. I would be suprised to see anything different. Maybe against a relaxed defense that gives up open looks.

Joseph has to prove the team can go on runs with him.

 

[Orangezoo]

The one thing this team has missed since MCW is the player who can put pressure on the defense off a missed shot or turnover. We were so effective with Scoop, Dion, Triche and MCW in one of them just coast to coast attacking the lane off a miss we often took that for granted when we had it. This is probably what dissapoints me the most with kaleb as in his tape that was the thing that stood out- his aggressiveness in transition and just attacking the rim. Beyond being a SG he needs to be able to create his own offense and use his speed to attack and help us get more easy buckets.

 

[Ghost]

I actually like Joseph to a certain degree. However, I find that he regularly just spends time dribbling back and forth at the top of the defense before getting into our offense (for what it is). With the shortened shot clock that approach is not good.

I thought he look much improved in the offense in the preseason games. Who knows, he seemed tense yesterday, and looked like the Kaleb from last year.

 

[rrlbees]

The problem is we really don't have a point guard. Joseph may evolve into one and Howard is best suited for that position. But we're a team of 2s right now.

Even Battle next year. Great player but he's more combo than PG. Howard has looked good so far against weaker competition but in HS he was a combo. I don't see a 100% natural PG on the roster nor in the near future.

 

[cuseguy]

Even Battle next year. Great player but he's more combo than PG. Howard has looked good so far against weaker competition but in HS he was a combo. I don't see a 100% natural PG on the roster nor in the near future.

Things that make you go, Hmmm.

 

[OttoMets]

The one thing this team has missed since MCW is the player who can put pressure on the defense off a missed shot or turnover. We were so effective with Scoop, Dion, Triche and MCW in one of them just coast to coast attacking the lane off a miss we often took that for granted when we had it. This is probably what dissapoints me the most with kaleb as in his tape that was the thing that stood out- his aggressiveness in transition and just attacking the rim. Beyond being a SG he needs to be able to create his own offense and use his speed to attack and help us get more easy buckets.

His sophomore season was actually the first year we got away from pushing transition opportunities; the coaching staff didn't like his decision-making in unsettled situations and wanted to slow things down. Scoop's senior year was the last time we were really good in transition.

Either way, it'd be nice to see us take advantage of those opportunities. This is a problem with a team full of two-guards - tough to teach someone to look back for the ball when he's spent his life playing off the ball. Too often Cooney and Gbinije have headed downcourt and forgotten to look for the outlet. Gbinije's showed some improvement here, but it's not really a team built for transition. (Which is a shame, since Roberson leaks out virtually 100% of the time and one of Coleman's indisputable skills is outlet passing.)