JB, "One of the best defensive players we have ever had"

[SWC75]

One thing I never get is why TT plays the 5 and Lydon the 4. I thought I seemed to remember that early in the year TT played the 4 some. I feel as though he is more agile than Lydon and I think can cover the ocrners faster. I also believe he'd be less of a liability at the 4. Although I suppose you could argue that there's more rotations to know at the wings than there is at the C.

re: Lydon. Watching him in Maui last year vs. UConn was when he first really stood out. His timing seems to be impeccable. He rarely gets called for fouls on block attempts. Someone like Brimah blocks a lot of shots, but he also commits a lot of fouls. Lydon picks his spots very well.

I would think they would be great in the high post-low post game. Lydon has developed our first low post moves since Rakeem and Thompson is a tall guy who can shoot the lights out. or Lydon can shoot or pass from the high post and Thompson is a good finisher along the baseline.

 

[Townie72]

"In the middle".

Yes, he does say "in the middle" (6:52) and he also says "one of the best we have ever had at center" So you are suggesting that this isn't a Hell of a statement from JB about a player because he isn't comparing him to all SU players all time. And your point is what exactly?

The reactions on here, are IMO, hilarious. They range from "I already knew that" to "I disagree" to "He was just comparing him to other centers".

Everybody is entitled to their opinions. I'll stick with JB's.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Yes, he does say "in the middle" (6:52) and he also says "one of the best we have ever had at center" So you are suggesting that this isn't a Hell of a statement from JB about a player because he isn't comparing him to all SU players all time. And your point is what exactly?

The reactions on here, are IMO, hilarious. They range from "I already knew that" to "I disagree" to "He was just comparing him to other centers".

Everybody is entitled to their opinions. I'll stick with JB's.

You're taken liberties with JB's words to fit your own narrative. JB thinks that's crazy. I know because he said so.

 

[AZOrange]

Yes, he does say "in the middle" (6:52) and he also says "one of the best we have ever had at center" So you are suggesting that this isn't a Hell of a statement from JB about a player because he isn't comparing him to all SU players all time. And your point is what exactly?

The reactions on here, are IMO, hilarious. They range from "I already knew that" to "I disagree" to "He was just comparing him to other centers".

Everybody is entitled to their opinions. I'll stick with JB's.

Honestly I think most are trying to figure out the point of this thread. I cannot think of one poster on here that didn't have Lydon as our best 5 at both ends of the court. I mean the guy set an NCAA tourney record for blocks. So what exactly was the point here?

 

[HOFCeluck]

Popcorn

 

[suttree]

No wonder he was thrilled with Lyndon's 6 blocks, 11 rebounds while getting only 3 fouls.

Absolutely. I just hope he sticks around as long as Warwick did.

 

[W'boro'Cuse315]

JB throws out the "best (blank) we've ever had" line quite a bit. As some on this board say, "Boeheim says things".

 

[Oráiste]

I'll take it one step further and say that Lydon is one of the most complete players that we have ever had. I imagine five years from now that he will be starting for a top NBA team and not a bottom feeder that some of our players end up on (not really a knock on them).

if he can find a team that wants an undersized center to anchor its zone defense, your prediction has a shot

 

[suttree]

I would think they would be great in the high post-low post game. Lydon has developed our first low post moves since Rakeem and Thompson is a tall guy who can shoot the lights out. or Lydon can shoot or pass from the high post and Thompson is a good finisher along the baseline.

I love Thompson's offensive upside and think he's going to be special. If only he could prevent 30' passes from the top of the key into the heart of the zone, and then avoid committing four fouls in seven minutes of game action. Now that's offensive. That foul rate reminds me of a freshman Etan Thomas!

 

[Oráiste]

defensive stats from some of our recent 5s best defensive seasons, compared to Lydon this year

Player___________Block %_____Defensive Win Shares_____Defensive Box +/-
Fab Melo --------------- 13.0 ---------------- 3.1 ------------------------------ 8.3
Rick Jackson ----------- 8.0 ---------------- 2.9 ------------------------------ 8.0
Rakeem Christmas --- 11.3 ----------------- 1.7 ------------------------------ 7.9
Tyler Lydon ----------- 5.1 ----------------- 1.2 ------------------------------ 3.9

basketball-reference doesn't have the advanced stats for 2 time Big East Defensive POY Etan Thomas, but I'd bet his #s are more comparable to the first three on the table than the last.

 

[Cusefan0307]

defensive stats from some of our recent 5s best defensive seasons, for comparison

Player___________Block %_____Defensive Win Shares_____Defensive Box +/-
Fab Melo --------------- 13.0 ---------------- 3.1 ------------------------------ 8.3
Rick Jackson ----------- 8.0 ---------------- 2.9 ------------------------------ 8.0
Rakeem Christmas --- 11.3 ----------------- 1.7 ------------------------------ 7.9
Tyler Lydon ----------- 5.1 ----------------- 1.2 ------------------------------ 3.9

basketball-reference doesn't have the advanced stats for 2 time Big East Defensive POY Etan Thomas, but I'd bet his #s are more comparable to the first three on the table than the last.

I don't think Rick or Lydon can be compared one to one to these other guys. They both played a lot of forward. Lydon's block rate in conference is a lot higher in conference this year than out of conference when he played less center.

Fab and Etan were our two best defensive centers probably ever.

 

[SWC75]

I love Thompson's offensive upside and think he's going to be special. If only he could prevent 30' passes from the top of the key into the heart of the zone, and then avoid committing four fouls in seven minutes of game action. Now that's offensive. That foul rate reminds me of a freshman Etan Thomas!

If we went high post low post, those long passes inside would be picked off by the low post guy. Thompson is averaging 5.5 fouls per 40 minutes. Thomas as a freshman averaged 7.3. So did Fab Melo. Thompson would have play harder at defense to commit that many fouls.

 

[SWC75]

I don't think Rick or Lydon can be compared one to one to these other guys. They both played a lot of forward. Lydon's block rate in conference is a lot higher in conference this year than out of conference when he played less center.

Fab and Etan were our two best defensive centers probably ever.

Throw in Rosey Bouie, back in the day.

 

[AZOrange]

I don't think Rick or Lydon can be compared one to one to these other guys. They both played a lot of forward. Lydon's block rate in conference is a lot higher in conference this year than out of conference when he played less center.

Fab and Etan were our two best defensive centers probably ever.

Yeah I thought about that too. Fab was probably the best. I always thought McRae was pretty good too. Seikaly never gets his due either

 

[cliftonparksufan]

if he can find a team that wants an undersized center to anchor its zone defense, your prediction has a shot

True, but I meant as a stretch four. I really think TL has that something extra that is going to make him a very wealthy man.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Throw in Rosey Bouie, back in the day.

You're probably right, but unfortunately I wasn't even created yet!

 

[orange79]

You're probably right, but unfortunately I wasn't even created yet!

A vicious Bouie block into the stands, with that huge 'fro, watching from 10 feet away in Manley?

Priceless.

 

[tbonezone]

derrick coleman also played the 5 for us . although he was actually better suited at the 4. but then so is lydon. and if we're just talking defense i'd also take mooseman or mcneal. both played middle of the zone better imo.

 

[OttoMets]

It'd help our fans with the unfortunate habit of hyper-reactionary assessments of players based on a game's worth of work if the coach didn't chime in and do the same thing.

Lydon's not one of Syracuse's better defensive centers (I haven't seen Mookie Watkins, who'd be my pick, or Craig Forth mentioned in here, either). That's understandable, since that's not his natural position.

He also had an excellent game on Saturday. It's possible for both things to be true.

 

[Brooky03]

derrick coleman also played the 5 for us . although he was actually better suited at the 4. but then so is lydon. and if we're just talking defense i'd also take mooseman or mcneal. both played middle of the zone better imo.

McNeal would foul out in 5 minutes of court action

 

[SoBristol]

It'd help our fans with the unfortunate habit of hyper-reactionary assessments of players based on a game's worth of work if the coach didn't chime in and do the same thing.

Lydon's not one of Syracuse's better defensive centers (I haven't seen Mookie Watkins, who'd be my pick, or Craig Forth mentioned in here, either). That's understandable, since that's not his natural position.

He also had an excellent game on Saturday. It's possible for both things to be true.

What JB is saying -- center of the zone is Lydon's natural position, and he is pretty good at it (whether or not he is better than former centers). And, on offense, his best role is at the high post, and stepping out to the 3 point line to pull a defensive center away from the paint.
Any one paying attention this season can see Lydon is not a natural on the wing of the zone, and he is not a natural trying to be a SF.

 

[OttoMets]

What JB is saying -- center of the zone is Lydon's natural position, and he is pretty good at it (whether or not he is better than former centers). And, on offense, his best role is at the high post, and stepping out to the 3 point line to pull a defensive center away from the paint.
Any one paying attention this season can see Lydon is not a natural on the wing of the zone, and he is not a natural trying to be a SF.

Lydon doesn't defend well on the wing of the zone because Boeheim likes the security blanket (from Rakeem to Rick Jackson all the way back to Derrick Coleman) of moving his 4 to play center. Too much developmental time has been spent learning how to defend the 5 so he's uncomfortable defending on the wing.

On the other end, he should be a natural high-post player. If he's a center, that's a matchup advantage we should be able to exploit against many teams.

Agree he's not a natural small forward and not sure he'll ever develop those skills.

 

[oli44]

I take what a coach says to the media about a player with a grain of salt, especially JB. He may be over the top positive about a player. He may be over the top negative about a player. Every player has a unique personality and is motivated differently. JB's going to say what he thinks he needs to say to get the most out of that player. Maybe JB truly thinks TL is the greatest defensive center in Syracuse history or maybe he is trying to pad TL's confidence because that is what he believes Lydon needs right now to get the most out of him. I would suspect the latter. Coach speak.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Member when JB said his 2003 recruiting class was his "best ever?". Or when he offered a scholly to Josh Wright?

I member.

 

[SoBristol]

Member when JB said his 2003 recruiting class was his "best ever?". Or when he offered a scholly to Josh Wright?

I member.

Sure - any coach who gives frequent press conferences is going to be wrong on occasion. You have to judge by your own eyes. What he says about Lydon in the middle of the zone - most will agree he is pretty good