My Wildcards for a FF Run

[newmexicuse]

Seems we pretty much know what we get in general from Melo, Scoop, Kris, CJ, Rak, and BMK.

So that leaves the semi- MIA threesome (plus MCW):

1. Dion - Seems to me that he has lost his mojo after he failed to successfully assert himself and become the go to guy during Melo's three game outage. He is being talked about as a first round pick. He hasn't played that way lately. He has the bod - he has the game (so it seems). He needs to cut it loose a bit & get his 15 & 5 forward going and earn that first round draft status.

2. James - has anybody ever had so smooth a stroke & hit so few shots ??? The team can, in general, win wo major contributions from him, but if he could come off the bench & get hot even one game out of three that just might make the difference to a successful FF run or not. Three or four quick treys can turn a game around fast. I do not understand why that hasn't been happening for James.

3. Brandon - He doesn't have Dion's explosiveness, but he is bigger, stronger, and probably has a better outside shot. Why can't all of that translate to at least 10 PPG more consistantly ???? Just too many no shows for him. I have long felt he should be better than he shows. Am I over-estimating his talent ???

4. MCW - Not really a semi-MIA because of too many DNPs, but he hasn't earned Jimmy's trust to get minutes when games are close. That is too bad because I think this kid could help before all is said & done, but it is probably too late in the season for him to get ovet the Jimmy trust hump.

I just do not think we get to the FF the way things are going lately. We have dodged too many bullets in too many close games. We can get there quite easily IMHO if the two of my three semi-MIAs get the job done forward going.

Just my two pennies worth.

 

[jdubs30]

So you're pretty much saying to get a FF the players outside of our consistent 3 or 4 have to play well?

 

[BuffOrange]

Meh. I would agree on Trische & Southerland - if those guys play well it's hard to see us getting upset. Otherwise I don't know.

It seems pretty much a given at this point that MCW won't be much of a factor.

Waiters I think has to play well for us to make a deep run so I don't consider him a wildcard.

Hope I don't sound like a Scoop hater but a few good games vs Florida/Uconn/RU don't put him in the "lock to play big" category for me.
Even KJo has been up & down.
CJ & Melo I agree - we pretty much know what we're getting there.

 

[jncuse]

I would not put Joseph in the "we know what we are going to get" category.

 

[jdubs30]

I would not put Joseph in the "we know what we are going to get" category.

Since the Seton Hall game he's had 12 points or more in every game except 2. That's fine with me, especially when we have so many other guys who can score.

At this point we can chalk up KJ for double digits every game.

 

[DNABB5]

2. James - has anybody ever had so smooth a stroke & hit so few shots ???

Yes. Demetris Nichols in any non-senior year.

 

[Flacusian]

I think your post has merit. I'm of the opinion that though we have been winning lately we haven't been playing as well as you'd expect this deep into the season. It seemed that the team had an enormous amount of upside earlier in the season when we were getting contributions from 10 players on a more regular basis. It typically only stands to reason that as the season moves forward there is improvement in team play. I just can't say I'm seeing that to the extent that one might expect. We've done what it takes to win our games recently but we haven't exactly been playing KU,UK, Missouri, or Michigan State. Those are type of teams we are ultimately going to have to beat.

Dion not playing as well as he was early on is a huge factor IMO. Dion's 3 point shooting looks like it has mechanically deteriorated and he doesn't seem to have the swagger and confidence which he displayed pre Melo hiatus. Brandon certainly isn't playing like Bilas's estimation of him perhaps being the best player on the team. And although Dirty has made some contributions in areas other than the 3 point line, what we need most from him is to be able to come in and hit a couple 3's.

Fortunately for us CJ is really emerging as a formidable all around player for us and Scoop has been playing some of the best ball since stepping foot on the hill. KJ has shown some shine and Melo has been pretty constant. When we've needed some big plays those guys have delivered. I agree that we need what you dub your "wildcards" to provide for us what they clearly are capable of providing but aren't recently if we are going to vie for a National Championship.

I'm also a little concerned that some of the less tangable aspects of the team such as chemistry might be contributing to this "malaise while winning". JB put it very succinctly when he pointed out that often times a single play or bounce of the ball can determine the outcome of a game. When games are oftentimes close, it's only a matter of time before you don't make that play, or get that bounce. In the Tourny... it's over when that happens.

I love this team and what they've already accomplished in the face of some adversity is actually pretty remarkable. I just hope that they are playing their best basketball at the end of the season when it matters most.