Maliq and Jesse...

[A Clockwork Orange]

They have a "thing." It's rare to see two bigs instinctively know where the other is and find them repeatedly. Jesse and Maliq have a connection. They are both unselfish with each other and seem to know how to find each other underneath.

It makes the game a lot easier. I've been down on Jesse's lack of ability to quickly diagnose the double team coming his way and find the open man. He does better with that when Maliq is in the game. I think it's partly because Brown doesn't wander to the outside as our other forwards do. He stays down low and gives Jesse a target. When Benny, Chris, Joe, and Judah are all hovering 20 feet from the basket, it's more difficult for a big to diagnose where the double is coming from and pass out of it.

Conversely, Maliq seems to have the "it" factor when finding the open man down low. He does a good job making the extra pass and getting Jesse easy shots. I hope he continues to get minutes because seeing that passing from two bigs is rare and will help them in the ACC.

 

[MikeSU02]

They have a "thing." It's rare to see two bigs instinctively know where the other is and find them repeatedly. Jesse and Maliq have a connection. They are both unselfish with each other and seem to know how to find each other underneath.

It makes the game a lot easier. I've been down on Jesse's lack of ability to quickly diagnose the double team coming his way and find the open man. He does better with that when Maliq is in the game. I think it's partly because Brown doesn't wander to the outside as our other forwards do. He stays down low and gives Jesse a target. When Benny, Chris, Joe, and Judah are all hovering 20 feet from the basket, it's more difficult for a big to diagnose where the double is coming from and pass out of it.

Conversely, Maliq seems to have the "it" factor when finding the open man down low. He does a good job making the extra pass and getting Jesse easy shots. I hope he continues to get minutes because seeing that passing from two bigs is rare and will help them in the ACC.

Maliq is our third best passer. He's wildly efficient. He doesn't settle for jump shots. He does small things that help Jesse in terms of defensive coverage. He's stronger than Bell and Benny.

I can go on.

Bell's PER is 10.8. Maliq's is 20.8. Maliq's usage when on the floor is 4 percentage points less than Bell. This is a no brainer.

 

[Newhouser]

They have a "thing." It's rare to see two bigs instinctively know where the other is and find them repeatedly. Jesse and Maliq have a connection. They are both unselfish with each other and seem to know how to find each other underneath.

It makes the game a lot easier. I've been down on Jesse's lack of ability to quickly diagnose the double team coming his way and find the open man. He does better with that when Maliq is in the game. I think it's partly because Brown doesn't wander to the outside as our other forwards do. He stays down low and gives Jesse a target. When Benny, Chris, Joe, and Judah are all hovering 20 feet from the basket, it's more difficult for a big to diagnose where the double is coming from and pass out of it.

Conversely, Maliq seems to have the "it" factor when finding the open man down low. He does a good job making the extra pass and getting Jesse easy shots. I hope he continues to get minutes because seeing that passing from two bigs is rare and will help them in the ACC.

I too think Maliq has a natural affinity for passing. Jesse - eh I'm not sold yet. For a guy who has been in the program for quite while his recognition and passing out of traffic is still...a work in progress.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

I too think Maliq has a natural affinity for passing. Jesse - eh I'm not sold yet. For a guy who has been in the program for quite while his recognition and passing out of traffic is still...a work in progress.

Absolutely, which is why I mentioned Jesse's struggles with quickly diagnosing double teams and finding the open man; with that said, last night was a step in the right direction. He had six assists, and I bet at least three were to Maliq.

Maliq only had two assists, but I would love to see his hockey assist stats. My guess is at least one was to Jesse, and a few others he Jesse didn't convert. Missed a decent number of bunnies.

I'm bullish on this pairing.

 

[SUMinistry]

I think Maliq is my favorite player on this team. He just has such a high IQ, knows where to be and what to do at all times. I don't care if he starts, but he needs to be playing 25-30 minutes a game.

 

[justgold315]

I think they match up even better on defense.

 

[jdubs30]

Jesse had 6 assists last night. That’s the most he’s ever had here.

In fact, he’s never had over 3 assists in a single game before.

3 of his assists last night led to Brown layups

 

[Fly Rodder]

Maliq only had two assists, but I would love to see his hockey assist stats. My guess is at least one was to Jesse, and a few others he Jesse didn't convert. Missed a decent number of bunnies.

He had a beauty to Jesse under the basket, but Jesse was fouled on the play, so no basket, but that absolutely should have been an assist.

 

[kcsu]

Brown is a basketball player Bell is a spot up shooter.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I think they match up even better on defense.

Brown doesn’t cheat to the 3 line as much as either Bell or Benny

 

[Cusefan0307]

Brown has really strong hands.

 

[Dick_in_MI]

Jesse had 6 assists last night. That’s the most he’s ever had here.

In fact, he’s never had over 3 assists in a single game before.

3 of his assists last night led to Brown layups

The most he has ever had here? Well, let’s not minimize the accomplishment. The only time this year that ANYONE had 6 assists was against Oakland.

Those 6 assists were not only a season high for an SU player this season, except for the Oakland game (as noted), NOBODY has gotten 6 assists this year. Judah? Nope. Joe? Nope. Symir? Nope.

Nobody.

Jesse getting 6 assists is not something to be sneezed at regardless of whether or not he has done it before.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I was saying weeks ago it was pretty obvious that Maliq is extremely productive on the court. No idea what other people were watching to not back up the push to get him more involved.

 

[SoBristol]

I think it is more than assists. Brown gives Jesse basic physical help inside. Simple finishes, simple put backs. Two guys competing inside, both on offense and defense.

Jesse is tall and skilled but not overly physical. It helps to pair him with a power forward who can provide that inside strength.

 

[UD1954]

Brown does things that easily overlooked ... he looks for a body to box out on shots which helps in rebounding and can use both hands offensively. He needs to be the main option at PF going forward.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Brown does things that easily overlooked ... he looks for a body to box out on shots which helps in rebounding and can use both hands offensively. He needs to be the main option at PF going forward.

He also deflected passes and gets his hands on a lot of balls.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The most he has ever had here? Well, let’s not minimize the accomplishment. The only time this year that ANYONE had 6 assists was against Oakland.

Those 6 assists were not only a season high for an SU player this season, except for the Oakland game (as noted), NOBODY has gotten 6 assists this year. Judah? Nope. Joe? Nope. Symir? Nope.

Nobody.

Jesse getting 6 assists is not something to be sneezed at regardless of whether or not he has done it before.

I thought Judah had a 7 assist game earlier this season?

 

[721Comstock]

I thought Judah had a 7 assist game earlier this season?

Yes - vs BC.

AND a 10 assist game vs GTown.

Now - 6 may be the Cuse team high in dimes for a non-Judah player
(I’m too lazy to dig for that right now)
but clearly Judah has eclipsed that 2x already.

OK, I lied. I’m not that lazy.
JGIII also had 6 vs Oakland.

Symir had 2 games w 5, which is hella impressive, given how few minutes he’s gotten.

 

[CuseMan4]

Yup, Jesse and Maliq have great chemistry. Mintz and Joe have good chemistry. Joe and Jesse have good chemistry. Mintz and and Jesse have good chemistry. Then you throw in Taylor who is a solid player on both ends of the floor. Not gonna knock your socks off with stats but does what you need on both ends of the floor and that’s the 5 guys you need to rock with.

Mintz
Joe
Taylor
Maliq
Jesse

That lineup can play with most teams and has great chemistry together. Anything else we get from Benny, Bell, Symir and Hima is icing on the cake. But those 5 need to be getting the bulk of the minutes together.

 

[OrangeDW]

I was saying weeks ago it was pretty obvious that Maliq is extremely productive on the court. No idea what other people were watching to not back up the push to get him more involved.

Yeah, same. There was a solid handful of us.

Kindve amazing that it wasn’t everybody, but whatever. The numbers are the numbers and they’re not even close.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Brown is a basketball player Bell is a spot up shooter.

In Chris's defense, he does not have an ACC body. He only weighs 170 or 180lbs at most.

 

[Orangezoo]

Brown doesn’t cheat to the 3 line as much as either Bell or Benny

His movement in the paint is extremely efficient. He always looks to receive a pass either on a quick cut or at the rim.

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

His movement in the paint is extremely efficient. He always looks to receive a pass either on a quick cut or at the rim.

He reminds me of sophomore Grant, just coiled to make something happen and explodes to the ball.

 

[Orangezoo]

Brown is a basketball player Bell is a spot up shooter.

Bell is the ideal guy to have for 3-5 minutes each half. He is hitting 37 pct from 3. He does very little else but has given better effort lately ( relative to his own effort previously). I don't think those minutes as a starter is proven to be effective. He has been fairly consistent hitting a 3 for us early, sometimes 2 but that has often come with giving up double what he contributes, specifically in those early minutes.

So he does have value it's just a matter of "when" you use him during the game.

I also think that we haven't seen if Brown playing early with Bell as opposed to Benny has any effect on how the team defends in the first 8 to 10 minutes.

 

[Orangezoo]

He reminds me of sophomore Grant, just coiled to make something happen and explodes to the ball.

Part Grant, part Rick Jackson.