Mike Hopkins to the Phoenix Suns

[OrangeDW]

Not sure our fanbase is ready for 43 3-point attempts a game...

So no Buddy, Griff, or Girard driveway backdown and turnaround fadeaway 17 footers?

 

[Killdozer]

We have talented, athletic players. What we don't have is a center. We are a headless horseman trying to win the ACC.

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The issues are WAY more then just not having a center......Please check your orange color glasses at the door.

 

[syrBossHogg]

So no Buddy, Griff, or Girard driveway backdown and turnaround fadeaway 17 footers?

9 guys getting at least 12 mins/game too

 

[Killdozer]

A little history lesson. We haven't been a 2-3 zone team for all of JB's 45 years. It really happened because our '96 team couldn't play man and lo and behold, we went to the title game playing only 2-3. And if you think the last 45 years have not been a success, you need to adjust your expectations.

Sure the past was a success. Nobody here is saying it wasn't. It's just that it is "The Past". Players are much better shooters today then back then and the 2-3 is not a good defense against team that can shoot from the outside. If JB use to run a M-to-M back in the day then he should add it back to his arsenal. All he has today is 2-3 and a press. That is is it, and it hasn't worked in quite some time. His legacy will be that he stayed past his time if he doesn't change. Of course he won't because he is never wrong, just ask him.

 

[RF2044]

Sure the past was a success. Nobody here is saying it wasn't. It's just that it is "The Past". Players are much better shooters today then back then and the 2-3 is not a good defense against team that can shoot from the outside. If JB use to run a M-to-M back in the day then he should add it back to his arsenal. All he has today is 2-3 and a press. That is is it, and it hasn't worked in quite some time. His legacy will be that he stayed past his time if he doesn't change. Of course he won't because he is never wrong, just ask him.

Here's the thing -- no defense is impregnable. There are plenty of teams that play exclusively M2M, or press the whole game, who also get lit up.

The issue in my mind is not being able to vary defenses. When a team gets into a groove and starts to execute well against the zone, we are unable to switch things up even for a few minutes just to force the opponent to adjust again. We only pull out the press as a last resort against most opponents [we use it earlier in games against non-conference, generally overmatched teams, but not as a change of pace against P5 caliber opposition].

We almost NEVER force teams to re-adjust, then hit them with zone again. And therein lies the problem.

 

[SUFan44]

We have talented, athletic players. What we don't have is a center. We are a headless horseman trying to win the ACC.

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I disagree.

Our backcourt is most definitely NOT athletic. And they have minimal talent on the defensive end, which is half the game.

The only position we are OK at is forward. And even there, we are undersized at one position.

 

[Caboose]

A little history lesson. We haven't been a 2-3 zone team for all of JB's 45 years. It really happened because our '96 team couldn't play man and lo and behold, we went to the title game playing only 2-3. And if you think the last 45 years have not been a success, you need to adjust your expectations.

Change the 45 to 25 then like it really changes my overall point. Thanks for reminding everyone that you're old. But yea put words in my mouth and assume I said that there was no success throughout said 45 years. We caught lightning in a bottle a few times w this "awesome" zone including in 2016, and that should erase double digit losses year in and year out for the last seven years, and oh don't forget, HOF coach!

 

[two3zone]

We have talented, athletic players. What we don't have is a center. We are a headless horseman trying to win the ACC.

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3 of our starters are extremely un-athletic for college basketball.

 

[SWC75]

3 of our starters are extremely un-athletic for college basketball.

Marek is very mobile and can dunk. he's just not muscular. joe is a fine athlete, (state champion high school QB). He's strong for a guard. He's just short. Buddy is an outside shooter. He doesn't have to win dunk contests. Quincy, Alan, Kadary, Robert Woody and, if he were available, Frank are all above average. Bourama might be if healthy and Jesse is mobile- he's, again, skinny.

Again, if our starting center's season hadn't ended after 4 minutes, we'd be playing a different tune.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Again, if X our starting center's season hadn't ended after 4 minutes, we'd be playing a different tune.

That's been the last six seasons. It's always something. And I don't think Bourama was going to be this amazing player anyway. Currently, and likely next season as well, the players aren't particularly well-suited for JAB's defense, which is not particularly well-suited for the present version of college basketball.

Can the 2-3 still be an elite defense? Sure. With the right players. But M2M can be an elite defense too but without athletic stringbeans with 8-ft wingspans.

 

[Caboose]

Sure the past was a success. Nobody here is saying it wasn't. It's just that it is "The Past". Players are much better shooters today then back then and the 2-3 is not a good defense against team that can shoot from the outside. If JB use to run a M-to-M back in the day then he should add it back to his arsenal. All he has today is 2-3 and a press. That is is it, and it hasn't worked in quite some time. His legacy will be that he stayed past his time if he doesn't change. Of course he won't because he is never wrong, just ask him.

He's a HOF'er though and he like ran man to man like two and a half decades ago! Lol. It was like my grade school teacher correcting my posture or something.

 

[orangecuse]

He's a HOF'er though and he like ran man to man like two and a half decades ago! Lol. It was like my grade school teacher correcting my posture or something.

Ha, shut up and eat your vegetables child! Just as JB learned long ago that you can't just eat sweets all the time, etc. as it's unhealthy. That's where the practice of moderation comes into play, especially as one ages, such as he had learned to do long ago presently being 76 years of age. He learned to eat his veggies, not just sweets only. You know, just like he implements this moderation principle into his balanced team's defensive strategy...oh wait!

 

[dasher]

Change the 45 to 25 then like it really changes my overall point. Thanks for reminding everyone that you're old. But yea put words in my mouth and assume I said that there was no success throughout said 45 years. We caught lightning in a bottle a few times w this "awesome" zone including in 2016, and that should erase double digit losses year in and year out for the last seven years, and oh don't forget, HOF coach!

I just wanted to point out your error. As far as being old, good luck living as long as I have.

 

[FrancoPizza]

What this chart shows me is that the post should be defended at all costs. All 5 defenders should collapse and take their eyes of the 3-point circle.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Write Oats a blank check

Yes that is what Syracuse will do for sure.

 

[SWC75]

That's been the last six seasons. It's always something. And I don't think Bourama was going to be this amazing player anyway. Currently, and likely next season as well, the players aren't particularly well-suited for JAB's defense, which is not particularly well-suited for the present version of college basketball.

Can the 2-3 still be an elite defense? Sure. With the right players. But M2M can be an elite defense too but without athletic stringbeans with 8-ft wingspans.

You can disagree with me but please don't draw lines through what I've said.

 

[Sherman20]

Beard has spent his whole life in the south, makes $4.5M a year, and is a coach at arguably a top 3 Big12 school ... really hard to think we’d be a draw for him

Lol. Texas Tech is NOT a top 3 Big 12 school. That’s a ridiculous assertion. Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are superior. Baylor at least has a decade-plus of success under Scott Drew. TT was an afterthought for years and years (even with Bobby Knight!) until Beard showed up. But yea, he wont come here—unless we pay him an absurd amount of money, which we won’t. He’s waiting for a Kansas, Kentucky Duke UNC blue blood job to open up.

 

[two3zone]

Marek is very mobile and can dunk. he's just not muscular. joe is a fine athlete, (state champion high school QB). He's strong for a guard. He's just short. Buddy is an outside shooter. He doesn't have to win dunk contests. Quincy, Alan, Kadary, Robert Woody and, if he were available, Frank are all above average. Bourama might be if healthy and Jesse is mobile- he's, again, skinny.

Again, if our starting center's season hadn't ended after 4 minutes, we'd be playing a different tune.

You don’t have to dunk to be athletic, Marek can dunk, he should, he’s 7 foot tall. I could dunk at 38 years old and I haven’t been what I’d consider athletic since 2011.

Line up the 3 guys against any starting 5 in the country and against 90% of the teams they line up against we have the 3 least athletic on the court. Are they good basketball players? Sure, are they average D1 basketball athletes? No chance.

 

[Sherman20]

That's been the last six seasons. It's always something. And I don't think Bourama was going to be this amazing player anyway. Currently, and likely next season as well, the players aren't particularly well-suited for JAB's defense, which is not particularly well-suited for the present version of college basketball.

Can the 2-3 still be an elite defense? Sure. With the right players. But M2M can be an elite defense too but without athletic stringbeans with 8-ft wingspans.

No one is saying Bourama is some amazing all-league player. The point is we have NO ONE (with actual experience) to play center right now except a converted skinny PF who is completely overmatched manning the middle. Sidibe is an experienced center who can protect the paint and the rim and rebound the ball, and he got better at those things at the end of last season. He also has solid footwork and can score down low when he’s given the ball. That’s what we need right now. His injury most definitely hurt this team’s potential.

 

[Dinkyspond]

Marek is very mobile and can dunk. he's just not muscular. joe is a fine athlete, (state champion high school QB). He's strong for a guard. He's just short. Buddy is an outside shooter. He doesn't have to win dunk contests. Quincy, Alan, Kadary, Robert Woody and, if he were available, Frank are all above average. Bourama might be if healthy and Jesse is mobile- he's, again, skinny.

Again, if our starting center's season hadn't ended after 4 minutes, we'd be playing a

That's been the last six seasons. It's always something. And I don't think Bourama was going to be this amazing player anyway. Currently, and likely next season as well, the players aren't particularly well-suited for JAB's defense, which is not particularly well-suited for the present version of college basketball.

Can the 2-3 still be an elite defense? Sure. With the right players. But M2M can be an elite defense too but without athletic stringbeans with 8-ft wingspans.

Yes, I don't get how everybody makes Sidibe to be some kind of All-American or second coming of Rony Seikaly. He showed some promise and potential at the end of the season but he was far from being a proven commodity. People made some hopeful, unfounded assumptions about how good he is.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Maybe I have some bias, but I don’t really think being a state champ QB in New York necessarily translates into being considered “athletic” at the Power 5 basketball level.

 

[OrangePA]

Sure the past was a success. Nobody here is saying it wasn't. It's just that it is "The Past". Players are much better shooters today then back then and the 2-3 is not a good defense against team that can shoot from the outside. If JB use to run a M-to-M back in the day then he should add it back to his arsenal. All he has today is 2-3 and a press. That is is it, and it hasn't worked in quite some time. His legacy will be that he stayed past his time if he doesn't change. Of course he won't because he is never wrong, just ask him.

It's not the system. It's the players. Boeheim's defense is a match up zone - it shares many of the qualities of a good man to man defense.

 

[SWC75]

Yes, I don't get how everybody makes Sidibe to be some kind of All-American or second coming of Rony Seikaly. He showed some promise and potential at the end of the season but he was far from being a proven commodity. People made some hopeful, unfounded assumptions about how good he is.

Nobody has said that Sidibe is an All-American or the second coming of Rony Seikaly. But he was a very effective center at the end of last season and could certainly have been a difference-maker this season.

 

[OrangeFoo]

Nobody has said that Sidibe is an All-American or the second coming of Rony Seikaly. But he was a very effective center at the end of last season and could certainly have been a difference-maker this season.

Also the ripple effect of Sid is that it would push Gurrier to the 3 where he would be a monster and let him play the weak side of our zone, Griffen to the 2 where he should be. We would immediately have ACC size across the front court.

 

[RF2044]

Also the ripple effect of Sid is that it would push Gurrier to the 3 where he would be a monster and let him play the weak side of our zone, Griffen to the 2 where he should be. We would immediately have ACC size across the front court.

Which would be irrelevant, if JB insists on playing his son for 38 minutes at the 2, which forces Griffin to the 3.

Imagine how different we'd be athletically / defensively if we started Kadary, played Griffin at the 2, and played Guerrier / Marek at the wings.

Zone would be a weapon, we'd have a ton more size, and we'd be on-par athletically with other teams in the conference.