Fixing the offense

[SU_Fan_in_VA]

Looking forward with great anticipation for your "Fixing the defense" post. How come this team is so porous on the perimeter and how come they give up so many 3's? How come JB does not put his best defensive players in the game for afew minutes to change tempo and make bad teams feel uncomfortable rather than sitting back the whole game while the opponents move the ball around quickly until they find an open shooter?

Oh, btw how come this team does not move the ball around to create open shots like other teams do?

How come JB does not put in his best perimeter defenders at critical points in the game when stops are needed? Why does he insist on leaving Ennis and Cooney in the game when they continue to allow open 3's and open the gates for easy drives to the rim leaving the center to pick up cheap fouls?

 

[BuffOrange]

And number 2/3 is huge. That is what many people here have been trying to say-- you just happen to be much better at the english language and expressing it in a way that doesn't seem like you are attacking anyone .

Ya. I thought about the 2010 team as I was reading those parts. Man, Rick J. & AO were pretty awesome at feeding each other dimes for such large individuals. That's so rare.

For this year though I fear that may fall into the "Gbinije HS video" category of things this team just can't do.
Honestly I think the most plausible path to a title for this team is praying that Cooney catches fire for the last 3 games after Buffalo and a favorable S16 matchup.

 

[GardenOrange]

I don't think there is a seismic shift coming in what we do. I think there are a few things we can do (and some that you touched on) moving forward:

[ ] Attacking the rim early and often. Grant gets fouled every time he attacks the rim. He doesn't get the calls consistently because he isn't consistently taking a volume of his shots at the rim. When he attacks, he gets fouled.

[ ] Tyler Ennis needs to attack more as well. Ennis isn't going to turn into a volume/high percentage three point shooter. But he can get past a first line of defense pretty well. He has a nice floater, he seems to understand angles and, again, I think he would get more fouls called and get to the line.

[ ] I would love to see Trevor 1) take even more 15 footers and 2) take the hit when he gets defenders in the air and get to the line (you see where I'm going with this overall). I think Trevor works his a$$ off cutting and moving. Last night number 20 or 21 was constantly riding him and should have been called for fouls - it's the free movement that college bball absolutely needs. If the refs aren't calling that, he needs to come off those curls with the intention of driving hard immediately or pump faking and driving hard.

[ ] Rak needs to get more touches - if for nothing else, to keep the defense honest

[ ] CJ has to stop attacking from near the three point line. He doesn't have the handle or, quite frankly at this point, the lift to consistently get buckets or get fouled. CJ has been asked to do a lot this year. His career has been amazing. He's on of my favorite all-time players. But he needs to recognize his location on the floor and understand what he can do.

With all this said, I'm not worried too much about the loss. IMO, if you have 5 losses or less during a season, including the conference tournament, that is a pretty damn good season gets you a top five ranking if you are a P5 school. My hope is we go at least 2-1 over the next three, keep everyone healthy and get some guys a bit of rest.

It will be argued by everyone here, but CJ seems gassed to me. Physically and Mentally.

 

[SWC75]

Looking forward with great anticipation for your "Fixing the defense" post. How come this team is so porous on the perimeter and how come they give up so many 3's? How come JB does not put his best defensive players in the game for afew minutes to change tempo and make bad teams feel uncomfortable rather than sitting back the whole game while the opponents move the ball around quickly until they find an open shooter?

Oh, btw how come this team does not move the ball around to create open shots like other teams do?

How come JB does not put in his best perimeter defenders at critical points in the game when stops are needed? Why does he insist on leaving Ennis and Cooney in the game when they continue to allow open 3's and open the gates for easy drives to the rim leaving the center to pick up cheap fouls?

I'll make that post when I think defense is the problem. BC made 11 threes and scored 62 points in 45 minutes.

 

[AZOrange]

Fix offense...make open shots. Make the shots you should, it's not always a function of bad offense as it is bad shooters. We missed 10 plus malleable shots last night and espn deprived me of 15 of game action...

 

[Cusefan0307]

I know steve is going to post about this later, as I listened to him ask about silent g returning to Duke on the Coaches show, but Coach mentioned tonight that the issue is they just need to make more shots and they need to get better looks for Cooney than they currently are getting him.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Looking forward with great anticipation for your "Fixing the defense" post. How come this team is so porous on the perimeter and how come they give up so many 3's? How come JB does not put his best defensive players in the game for afew minutes to change tempo and make bad teams feel uncomfortable rather than sitting back the whole game while the opponents move the ball around quickly until they find an open shooter?

Oh, btw how come this team does not move the ball around to create open shots like other teams do?

How come JB does not put in his best perimeter defenders at critical points in the game when stops are needed? Why does he insist on leaving Ennis and Cooney in the game when they continue to allow open 3's and open the gates for easy drives to the rim leaving the center to pick up cheap fouls?

I am surprised this hasn't been discussed more. Their defense was horrendous in the 2H. Letting guys blow by them and such. Fatigue maybe? We have no depth. They will be in there in crunch time.

 

[Halfmooncuse]

What do I know but CJ is not a go to guy. He is best when close to the basket and gets garbage points. He is quick off his feet and his talent is put back points or go in one dribble left hand bank. Now we have him at the wing far from the basket asking him to go one on one in to the paint that then collapses and he either turns it over or puts up a brick. He can't dribble and is lost 20 feet from the basket.