Next year's starting 4: CMcC or Roberson?

[NineOneSeven]

Thanks for the updates guys!

I'll be officially calling our big man mufasa next year.

 

[Madbiker]

It's not who starts, it's who finishes.
Last 10 minutes:
PG- Gbinije
SG- Cooney
Roberson
McCullough
C- Coleman/Diagne (assuming no Bryant)

 

[RandygoCuse]

My guess
1) Coleman
2) CM
3) G
4) Cooney
5)Joseph

G might make a better 6th man than Roberson, but I like having the extra passer in the starting lineup. Still, I'm impressed with Roberson's improvement. It'll be nice to have depth next year.

 

[moqui]

Roberson or McCullough at the 4? Hmmm . . . that is the hoops version of a first world problem

 

[Jasoncuse]

McCollough will start with Tyler as the 6th man. I also wouldn't discount both starting at forward with MG as the 6th man...

No chance that happens. G will play a ton of minutes next year and we need him to be an outside scorer with TC. Can't have two PF's and a C clogging up the lane and not helping our shooter(s). Although I suppose Jospeh could sit but that's not likely to happen at the start of games.

 

[CuseitUp]

1.MikeG (plays the 3/1) ---KJ
2.Cooney
3.Richardson @Rover --Roberson/MikeG
4.CmC --Roberson
5.Thomas/Diagne/Coleman (2 out of these)
Lets face it, only 7 people are going to play, maybe 7.5

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

No chance that happens. G will play a ton of minutes next year and we need him to be an outside scorer with TC. Can't have two PF's and a C clogging up the lane and not helping our shooter(s). Although I suppose Jospeh could sit but that's not likely to happen at the start of games.

Agreed on needing MG to play. But he's a definite liability in the zone. He's too short for a 3 in the ACC...

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

I disagree, kind of. G has plenty of handle to play PG. He is also our best passer. Its not close.

But overall, i have been pushing for Chris and Roberson at the forwards all season long pre-injury. That team would rebound like men.
(Chris is a way better rebounder than people give credit for.)

And with those two at forward and G on the top of the zone, we become LONG again. And G stops being exploited on the boards...

 

[SBU72]

Jimmy B made it clear several times he didnt want Chris and Roberson in at the same time. It was the reason he gave for not going with G and Cooney up top, which would obviously have been our best lineup this year. By a mile.

That was because both play inside and JB didn't want to clog the middle and wants another 3 pt shooter to balance the floor this year. However both Chris and Tyler have shown a nice touch out to 12 ft. Tyler is being left open out there and seems tempted to take the shot. If either can move their shot out another 3 ft (foul line range) next year or even to 17 ft, then that doesn't present as much of a problem. Also IMHO, McC seems more like a tall 3 (like Greene was) and JB plays him at a 4 just because of his height but he is more comfortable outside.

 

[TBCuse11]

That was because both play inside and JB didn't want to clog the middle and wants another 3 pt shooter to balance the floor this year. However both Chris and Tyler have shown a nice touch out to 12 ft. Tyler is being left open out there and seems tempted to take the shot. If either can move their shot out another 3 ft (foul line range) next year or even to 17 ft, then that doesn't present as much of a problem. Also IMHO, McC seems more like a tall 3 (like Greene was) and JB plays him at a 4 just because of his height but he is more comfortable outside.

they dont both play inside, at all. Chris was never an inside player. I love Jimmy B, and he is a great coach, but he is not always right. Most of the fan base can see that Chris can shoot and play away from the hoop. Make no mistake, if there was no injury... this lineup would be on the floor 70% of the time (G and Cooney up top). And with that being the case, I dont think so many of us would be praying the ban is this year. This team would be top 25 with that lineup. Easily.

Roberson simply had not earned the PT when Chris was healthy. He has gotten much better IMO.

 

[reedny]

We can play Tyler at the 4 and he'd do well early in the season and against the bottom of the ACC schedule. Once we start playing the big boys, he'll get pushed around at the 4 (3 rebounds against UNC in 35 minutes). Hopefully, this won't be necessary if CM is back and we either have TB in the middle or DC2 is there and producing. Diagne's also coming in at PF. So if these pieces fall together as expected, Tyler can play SF.

That doesn't mean he won't ever play the 4 .. it's possible depending on how the front line shapes up. But IMHO, he's not a "natural" PF just because he's a good rebounder and doesn't have an outside game. To the contrary, he has a 3's handle and has no back-to-the-basket game whatsoever. He's a face-up player all day long -- with a SF's size, build and skill set, all except for his nascent perimeter game. That will show up next year, since his confidence is increasing rapidly and the shot seems online --- just short or long.

 

[SoBristol]

Can't play Roberson at SF with what we have a PG and SG. Gbinije is effective at SF because he has perimeter skills to supplement the ball handling.

NC is going to be tough for any team, and any combination we have or will have at C & PF. Yes, Roberson did not rebound well on Monday night, but he has against the other ACC teams so far -- has been outstanding as a rebounder in fact apart from that one game.

The solution to having McCullough and Roberson (both natural PFs) is to play them together much of the time, with McCullough sliding to C. Use Coleman or Diagne in the middle to provide breathers for either McC or TR.

That combination provides better weapons on offense, and McCullough's height will allow him to play the middle of the zone.

 

[RF2044]

Depends entirely on who the starting 5 is.

I don't think we can rule out McCullough playing there, if Coleman isn't ready. Not that this is ideal on paper, but in the interest of getting your best five on the floor...

It all depends on whether:

• Coleman can come back 100% healthy and provide a consistent dose of starters minutes
• Bryant elects to come to SU
• Diagne's readiness

If bullets 1 and 2 above don't come to pass, then I wouldn't remotely be surprised to see Roberson and McCullough both start in tandem.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

And with those two at forward and G on the top of the zone, we become LONG again. And G stops being exploited on the boards...

I think G is athletic enough and is long enough to play the 3, he's just not big enough to push around bigger forwards like we saw from UNC. But your point is well taken.

 

[jordoo]

I know some want Mike to start as the PG which he is likely capable of. IMO though is more valuable as a SF because he's being guarded by a forward and he's then a valuable secondary playmaker to the PG. We haven't seen it yet because Joseph just isn't there yet but Mike becomes exponentially more valuable to the offense if he is playing along side a PG who is a threat to score and make plays off of penetration. Having two such players on the court and one being a forward who can also shoot means easy driving lanes for both the SF and the PG unless you are going to leave the PF or C an easy post look or leave Cooney. This does not happen this year but Mike still gets to be the point forward and initiate the offense against forwards which is where he really has the advantage, and IMO trying to do that against a guard would make him less effective in that role.

 

[SoBristol]

We shouldn't get hung up on where players start. Gbinije starts at SF, and plays the back of the zone, but he takes over PG on offense when Joseph goes out.
We can expect a similar approach at C next season -- McCullough's flexibility to play the center of the zone will allow JB to change things up.

 

[pearl31]

Agreed on needing MG to play. But he's a definite liability in the zone. He's too short for a 3 in the ACC...

says Pat Conaughton playing the 4 for ND

 

[UD1954]

With the playing time Roberson is receiving this year I expect him to expand his game enough to play the 3 next year. I also think MG should be the starting PG next year and let Joseph and Howard fight it out for backup minutes. Just makes sense to me after seeing our players skill level this year.

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

says Pat Conaughton playing the 4 for ND

So you think MG on the wing isn't a liability on defense?

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

I think G is athletic enough and is long enough to play the 3, he's just not big enough to push around bigger forwards like we saw from UNC. But your point is well taken.

Yes, but the problem is really that most ACC teams have BIG front lines...The last three games have totally exposed him on the boards...

 

[SBU72]

they dont both play inside, at all. Chris was never an inside player. I love Jimmy B, and he is a great coach, but he is not always right. Most of the fan base can see that Chris can shoot and play away from the hoop. Make no mistake, if there was no injury... this lineup would be on the floor 70% of the time (G and Cooney up top). And with that being the case, I dont think so many of us would be praying the ban is this year. This team would be top 25 with that lineup. Easily.

Roberson simply had not earned the PT when Chris was healthy. He has gotten much better IMO.

Your are right but the fact is that JB wanted Chris inside and when both Chris and Tyler started at the forwards spot the team did not play well and that is why G moved into the starting spot. It wasn't until Tyler got more playing time because SU could not afford to not have him on the court, that he began to progress. I think that would never had happen without the injury. Now what would happen if Chris could come back now, I don't know. Next year one or the other would have to prove to be able to consistently hit out side shots ( and probably from the arc) for him to play both again for long periods of time. And no, this team would not be top 25 because Tyler would still be on the bench for to much for that to happen/

 

[pearl31]

So you think MG on the wing isn't a liability on defense?

Not really. I mean I see your point but unless it's against a giant frontline like maybe UNC - and can't really think of any others like that in the ACC, he's most capable on the wing of the zone.

 

[Eagles20]

they dont both play inside, at all. Chris was never an inside player. I love Jimmy B, and he is a great coach, but he is not always right. Most of the fan base can see that Chris can shoot and play away from the hoop. Make no mistake, if there was no injury... this lineup would be on the floor 70% of the time (G and Cooney up top). And with that being the case, I dont think so many of us would be praying the ban is this year. This team would be top 25 with that lineup. Easily.

Roberson simply had not earned the PT when Chris was healthy. He has gotten much better IMO.

Neither one is a wing player or has a handle. Neither one is close to a small forward. They are both 4 offensively speaking. I see court spacing being a big problem with both in the game at the same time just like it was this year when they were in together.

What about this lineup:

Cooney, Richardson, G, Roberson, Chris Mac at center

G plays the point forward again

It's just an idea, doubt it happens

 

[bpo57]

Why wouldn't both McCullough and Roberson both start? Call the positions what ever you want but I don't think we have better front court players than those two so they both should start. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[Orange4]

1-Joseph
2-Cooney
3-Gbinije
4-Mccullough
5-Coleman
Main subs-Roberson, Richardson, Diange

If Bryant comes put him where Coleman is and Coleman where Diange is.
Looks like a strong and deep team.