JB is doing a great coaching job with this crew

[SoBristol]

Tough game tonight, and we will learn a lot about what we have.

But I wanted to note that JB is doing a lot of good things so far.

Rotating his guards; mixing the combinations; keeping all 3 of the "starters" happy.

Developing the bigs -- giving Christmas a starting role; lots of time against Eastern Michigan to build confidence. Our bigs are raw, but JB is giving them a long leash -- no quick hooks.

Team focus on defense. Keita, Dion, but also Triche is working hard.

Overall, he hasn't missed a trick -- and developing a bench has rarely been one of his strengths. (Yes, I know it is barely December, and things will change when league play starts.)

 

[SkanSU]

The hook will be out tonight. Like VT and Stanford I'm guessing that the freshman will get very little playing time as JB goes to the experience. Tonight's game is not a development game ... it'll be tough.

 

[bballbeadle]

JB is doing a great job! I also like how he let Scoop stay in with Dion - and Triche, too, if I'm not mistaken. Scoop got his confidence back up. But - I don't like the early hook. I know he uses it to motivate, but I think more often than not it demoralizes.

 

[longislandcuse]

The hook will be out tonight. Like VT and Stanford I'm guessing that the freshman will get very little playing time as JB goes to the experience. Tonight's game is not a development game ... it'll be tough.

Plus I think Florida is a smaller team right? May be that Fair is a better matchup? I loved how Christmas played against EMU though, hope he gets a chance tonight.

 

[stuckinbig11]

Tough game tonight, and we will learn a lot about what we have.

But I wanted to note that JB is doing a lot of good things so far.

Rotating his guards; mixing the combinations; keeping all 3 of the "starters" happy.

Developing the bigs -- giving Christmas a starting role; lots of time against Eastern Michigan to build confidence. Our bigs are raw, but JB is giving them a long leash -- no quick hooks.

Team focus on defense. Keita, Dion, but also Triche is working hard.

Overall, he hasn't missed a trick -- and developing a bench has rarely been one of his strengths. (Yes, I know it is barely December, and things will change when league play starts.)

I think the key has been "mixing the combinations." Change the ingredients, and you get a different taste.

 

[SUintheVille]

I agree that the rotation will be shortened tonight. However, I hope that James is given more time than he had at the Garden. Hope it's not 1 missed 3 and he's out. We need his outside shooting tonight and rest of season. He needs to have tough game PT/experience and build his confidence for the BE season, not just do well in patsy games. Of course, if he's just off one night, then I understand the pine.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Xmas had his alley oop as a play of the day candidate. Did it make the Top 10? I never saw it. Has to help the confidence a little bit.

 

[BlackKnight76]

Xmas had his alley oop as a play of the day candidate. Did it make the Top 10? I never saw it. Has to help the confidence a little bit.

I believe it did. I didn't see though, I've been avoiding Sportscenter like the plague.

 

[orangefan13]

I think JB has a very very tough job right now.
We have so much talent and he wants to play them all.

Our best 4 players are KJo, Dion, Triche, and Scoop. The problem isn't that we ca't get them all on the floor. Becuase we can with MCW getting 10 mintues a game easily.

With so much depth hes going to play a solid true 5 postions, instead of going with three guards. Even if Triche, Scoop, Dion being on the floor together is our best lineup I doubt we will see it.

 

[Victory Lap]

I believe it did. I didn't see though, I've been avoiding Sportscenter like the plague.

Number 1 on the top ten.

 

[orangefan13]

XMas block and James dunk got number three to I believe.

 

[armory]

Like I've said numerous times during game chats: I think this will be a 2nd half team all year round ... we have so many good players that go hot/cold that JB just spends the first half figuring out who is hot that day, then plays them the 2nd half.

 

[OttoMets]

I don't like the early hook. I know he uses it to motivate, but I think more often than not it demoralizes.

Ditto.

 

[BlueCurtain]

JB coaches loose and aggressive vs cupcakes. Against real teams he tightens up and crawls into a shell. If we go 40 min of birdwatching tonight - and we will - trunk monkey won't be able to save the day against a 4-guard lineup.

 

[OrangeFoo]

I think it's too early to tell how he's doing. We haven't played any really good teams yet.

To me the keys to the season are:
- can JB coach his team to be efficient in a halfcourt offense? The answer so far is no he can't. as all of our perimeter players think shot first pass second. We have been BRUTAL in halfcourt sets so far this year. We need Triche or KJO ot start posting up guys inside. This is essentially the same weakness we had last year
- Will JB allow Christmas to play through his mistakes against teams with real size. I really fear for us against BE teams if CJ has to play 25 MPG at the power forward spot. We are giving up way too much size with him playing that much. We really need Christmas to stay in the game to rebound and play D.
- Will JB let the other teams dictate tempo for 40 minutes and get our team sucked into half court grind it out games? It seems against crappy teams that JB is willing to up the pressure and push the tempo but against the two good teams we played in NYC he was happy to let the other team grind it out. The only time he took the initiative and upped the tempo was when we were down 8 against Stanford. This is again the same problem we had last year, out thoroughbreds get stuck playing in neutral.
- Can any of the big guys develop an inside game and will JB make sure his perimeter guys feed them? It's sad how many times Fab or Christmas have sealed their man and called for the ball only to be ignored by Scoop or Triche or KJo. Ironically our two best at feeding the post are MCW and Dion and it ain't even close.
- Can Southerland play against real teams? If he can play against good teams like he does against crap teams it's game over and we're playing for the title. He has THAT much ability to change the game. JB really needs to nurture him and get him playing his best against good teams if that's even possible.

 

[albanycuse]

hope someone forwarded that video to melo if he didnt already see it. SU by 11.

 

[BlueCurtain]

d

To me the keys to the season are:
Will JB let the other teams dictate tempo for 40 minutes and get our team sucked into half court grind it out games? It seems against crappy teams that JB is willing to up the pressure and push the tempo but against the two good teams we played in NYC he was happy to let the other team grind it out. The only time he took the initiative and upped the tempo was when we were down 8 against Stanford. This is again the same problem we had last year, out thoroughbreds get stuck playing in neutral.

This is the biggest key. JB coaches soft and scared when we need the opposite. Maybe he thinks we get an RPI boost by accommodating the slow-it-down, grind-it-out style... who the hell knows. In his call-in-show he never addresses the importance of tempo and how defensive strategy can have a HUGE impact on that: "Why extend the defense if we can sit back in zone and stop them?" Truly parochial.

The other items you mentioned are more or less things we can't fix - we are a flawed halfcourt team and Southerland can only score against soft defenses.

 

[orangefan13]

We have 3 solid go to guys ...

Scoop, CJ, Melo, Fab, Xmas are not always that and sometimes have a hard time finding a good shot.

MCW, Southerland the jury is still out on finding a good shot often I think.
Then again its early in the season wait to mid and late season.

 

[SoBristol]

I think it's too early to tell how he's doing. We haven't played any really good teams yet.

To me the keys to the season are:
- can JB coach his team to be efficient in a halfcourt offense? The answer so far is no he can't. as all of our perimeter players think shot first pass second. We have been BRUTAL in halfcourt sets so far this year. We need Triche or KJO ot start posting up guys inside. This is essentially the same weakness we had last year
- Will JB allow Christmas to play through his mistakes against teams with real size. I really fear for us against BE teams if CJ has to play 25 MPG at the power forward spot. We are giving up way too much size with him playing that much. We really need Christmas to stay in the game to rebound and play D.
- Will JB let the other teams dictate tempo for 40 minutes and get our team sucked into half court grind it out games? It seems against crappy teams that JB is willing to up the pressure and push the tempo but against the two good teams we played in NYC he was happy to let the other team grind it out. The only time he took the initiative and upped the tempo was when we were down 8 against Stanford. This is again the same problem we had last year, out thoroughbreds get stuck playing in neutral.
- Can any of the big guys develop an inside game and will JB make sure his perimeter guys feed them? It's sad how many times Fab or Christmas have sealed their man and called for the ball only to be ignored by Scoop or Triche or KJo. Ironically our two best at feeding the post are MCW and Dion and it ain't even close.
- Can Southerland play against real teams? If he can play against good teams like he does against crap teams it's game over and we're playing for the title. He has THAT much ability to change the game. JB really needs to nurture him and get him playing his best against good teams if that's even possible.

So, this is a little different from looking at what JB is doing with the hand he has. You are pointing out that there are strengths and weaknesses among the players.
Half court offense -- we will struggle because the bigs don't provide inside scoring, and because Triche is streaky as a shooter. When Triche starts slowly, and Melo/Christmas aren't providing offense, we struggle out of the gate. JB hasn't fixed that. But you can see what he is trying to do. He is trying to get the bigs involved on alley-oops; or from drives & dishes by Scoop and Dion. Not a complete answer yet. But JB isn't in panic mode because he knows he has bench guys (Dion and CJ).
Building up Christmas -- JB may well limit his minutes against Florida. And the point is that JB is giving Christmas opportunities at the right times. It is a process.
Dictate tempo/press -- why not? He did it against Stanford. Will use it against Florida if it looks like Florida can't handle it. He is trying it out; getting it primed for when it might be needed.
How good are the bigs as inside scorers -- already mentioned. They are raw; we know that. JB is rotating them to bring all three along.
Southerland vs the good teams -- yes, not a finished product. JB has been giving Fair chances to be successful (vs man defenses) and, against zones, trying to let Southerland build some confidence.

 

[Upstate]

Xmas had his alley oop as a play of the day candidate. Did it make the Top 10? I never saw it. Has to help the confidence a little bit.

Was #1. And BTW, we are no longer the "Worst of the Worst", Ole Miss's 6'10", 390lb. lineman breaking a folding chair while sitting down beat us out last week. Phew.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

We haven't played anyone within 50% of our talent level yet. Tonight is the first night where we can gauge anything.

 

[realorange]

I think Melo will get in foul trouble tonight. I don't believe Kieta can hold his own and Christmas will get a fair amount of time at center with CJ at the forward spot.