Hot take: Judah and JJ are too similar

[sufandu]

Yep. Identifying potential and coaching it up are important, especially if you're not landing 3 top 10 guys annually.

 

[CLMintz]

The two can work, but I'm just not sure they know how to play team basketball. They are great athletic individual talents, but I'm waiting for them to use that to get easy shots for other guys, maybe each other. Maybe it's not on them and it's on thenithrr guys for not cutting, screening, etc. I see a bunch of players that don't know what to do when the ball isn't in their hands. Walton even called out a give and go opportunity that never happened because the guy didn't cut after passing the ball.

Wrong: Judah cut after making the pass but JJ didn’t give it back to him.

 

[atlanticuse]

Can Red coach?
Because putting these two on the floor has done nothing positive.
They’re selfish - want NBA as I’ve posted and been slammed for - can’t seem to find/feed others on a consistent basis (Mintz IS better at passing), and go out of control making (missing) circus shots.
That’s not a recipe for success. Especially if 40% of your team is doing it.

 

[sufandu]

Wrong: Judah cut after making the pass but JJ didn’t give it back to him.

Maybe that was a different play. The one I saw, the player didn't cut or he hesitated and the opportunity was missed.

 

[orangepassion]

A big problem is JJ is shooting 8% (not a misprint) from 3. If he would hit even a third of his threes, we'd be a much better offensive team. We need to get easier shots on Offense (Too much 1-on-1) and rebound on Defense. The inbound passes have also been an adventure.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Right. But the problem is, we have to put someone out there. Who else?

It's going to be Cuffe by January. Once Cuffe becomes a little more comfortable and can hit 35% from three, it's going to be him.

 

[swish7]

Took me a few games before I made this post because I wanted to be sure. Watching Judah and JJ out there together, they are basically the same player. Heck, sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart because they have the same hairstyle. Both are dribble drive guys that can’t really shoot. They both want the ball in their hand. They’re not really complementary to each other.

I’m not sure it works having them as our primary guards. Problem is I’m not sure we have another option. I wish we had a better option at shooting guard. It may be a long year watching them both trying to get their points by driving and slashing.

Accurate.
They work best together when they take turns doing what each other does.
At their worst when they somehow try to work together.

This is a problem. Need to find a way to work together.

 

[hungrychuck]

Did I just imagine this, or did JJ pull up for a 25 footer and miss at the start of the shot clock, as the game was already slipping away in the second half?

Or was that Judah?

It really is hard to tell sometimes.

 

[Fat tire 13]

It's like the old ice hockey game on Nintendo. You can't have a team of all small guys, need some variety to win

I agree it's a problem, but much smaller problem than a complete lack of reliable scoring and rebounding from the front court

 

[ThundrTroll]

Did I just imagine this, or did JJ pull up for a 25 footer and miss at the start of the shot clock, as the game was already slipping away in the second half?

Or was that Judah?

It really is hard to tell sometimes.

That was JJ, and it was from the black NBA line too. Still don’t understand why the court in Hawaii has a college and NBA line.

 

[Cusefan0307]

A big problem is JJ is shooting 8% (not a misprint) from 3. If he would hit even a third of his threes, we'd be a much better offensive team. We need to get easier shots on Offense (Too much 1-on-1) and rebound on Defense. The inbound passes have also been an adventure.

Yeah, I mean he’s a shooting guard. He also plays quite possibly the worst defense on the team. Yes, he can drive. That’s all he can really do right now.

 

[Trueblue25]

Need good forwards.

 

[kcsu]

It's simple. Neither one of them can shoot. Great ball skills but can't hit the broadside of a barn.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Judah can shoot. JJ is hopeless from 3 and not much better from 2. He is inefficient. Benny is our only real forward and his future seems untenable. Hima is our best center and that is a scary statement.

We lost two very good players in the portal. I am not going to criticize Red. He needs time to recruit.

I expect a record around 500 and a future uptick in talent but If we completely tank recruiting will be difficult. If we don't dance that is OK with me as long as we don't crash.

 

[orangemass]

Took me a few games before I made this post because I wanted to be sure. Watching Judah and JJ out there together, they are basically the same player. Heck, sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart because they have the same hairstyle. Both are dribble drive guys that can’t really shoot. They both want the ball in their hand. They’re not really complementary to each other.

I’m not sure it works having them as our primary guards. Problem is I’m not sure we have another option. I wish we had a better option at shooting guard. It may be a long year watching them both trying to get their points by driving and slashing.

Yeah they both are bad at basketball

 

[Fly Rodder]

… and a future uptick in talent but If we completely tank recruiting will be difficult. If we don't dance that is OK with me as long as we don't crash.

Red needs to be prepared to hit the portal hard this season and revamp the roster. A couple of freshmen aren’t going to cut it.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Judah can shoot. JJ is hopeless from 3 and not much better from 2. He is inefficient. Benny is our only real forward and his future seems untenable. Hima is our best center and that is a scary statement.

We lost two very good players in the portal. I am not going to criticize Red. He needs time to recruit.

I expect a record around 500 and a future uptick in talent but If we completely tank recruiting will be difficult. If we don't dance that is OK with me as long as we don't crash.

I said this in another thread, but our roster was higher rated than a good portion of the other teams in Maui. Those teams play as cohesive units. We do not. Red has to fix that.

 

[OptimusOtto]

JJ seemed to run a little more point yesterday. Judah appears to be the better shooter - putting him off-ball could help the offense a little bit.

I still love the potential of our backcourt. It's so nice having 2 guys that can get to the rim the way they can. It's only been a few games for them to figure out how to play off each other, it takes time.

 

[sufandu]

I said this in another thread, but our roster was higher rated than a good portion of the other teams in Maui. Those teams play as cohesive units. We do not. Red has to fix that.

Yes. The difference in organization on both ends of the floor was pretty clear.

 

[tbonezone]

j.j.'s defense getting back on the break saved us a couple easy baskets. actually stripped their bigs.

 

[Ghost]

Took me a few games before I made this post because I wanted to be sure. Watching Judah and JJ out there together, they are basically the same player. Heck, sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart because they have the same hairstyle. Both are dribble drive guys that can’t really shoot. They both want the ball in their hand. They’re not really complementary to each other.

I’m not sure it works having them as our primary guards. Problem is I’m not sure we have another option. I wish we had a better option at shooting guard. It may be a long year watching them both trying to get their points by driving and slashing.

I'm not necesarily disagreeing with the post, except I did want to note that I have no trouble telling them apart!!!

Go meeeee!

 

[Brooky03]

They can play together just fine if we can find a passer on this roster. That ain’t happening at Center. One of the Forwards needs to become a passer/facilitator.

I don’t see that happening either, though. So just buckle up for some ugly basketball this season, I guess.

 

[tbonezone]

j.j. and judah/ flippit and flop

 

[OmahaCuse]

A 2 guard needs to be able to shoot the ball from outside or the defense can collapse. I would play Bell or Taylor at the 2 and go with Mintz, Bell, Benny, McCloud and Brown as starters. I would bring Taylor, Copeland, Cuffe and Starling off the bench. Its a shame we did not land Justin Moore he would have been a perfect fit to Mintz

 

[IthacaMatt]

Judah can shoot. JJ is hopeless from 3 and not much better from 2. He is inefficient. Benny is our only real forward and his future seems untenable. Hima is our best center and that is a scary statement.

We lost two very good players in the portal. I am not going to criticize Red. He needs time to recruit.

I expect a record around 500 and a future uptick in talent but If we completely tank recruiting will be difficult. If we don't dance that is OK with me as long as we don't crash.

We have to win 5 of our next 8. That would leave us at 8-5 coming into January. Anything better is gravy right now. This team looks terrible.