Postgame Thoughts… Duke game 2

[orangepassion]

Boeheim: “I’m really disappointed in our inside play. Frank started at Virginia Tech and he was tremendous. If he played like this in Virginia Tech, we would’ve lost by 20. He just can’t do the basic things we need him to do.”

go away

This sounds familiar-Just substitute Edwards for Anselem.

 

[Red Holzman]

I have an honest question...What kind of offense do we run? There is no movement or motion? Everyone just stands around.

My Answer:
35+ MPG for (4) starters that aren't elite athletes = Conserve Energy.

 

[Red Holzman]

Meh. I have issues with his shot selection sometimes, but who else is going to shoot?

Buddy is an ACC caliber player, no ifs ands or buts about it. He’d be more effecient scorer (maybe even higher scorer), if he had another player who you had to respect on the floor offensively.

But he’s paired with an inconsistent point guard who can’t get to the rim and finish off the bounce, and two forwards who are unathlectic role players at best.

But remember: that same point guard is our best defender at that position, as noted in another thread.

These players are just over-matched against good teams -not their fault.

 

[Red Holzman]

Just got back from the game. Sure the game was over early, but we kept playing. With Ajax, Sid and Benny on the front line we were much better on defense.. We were so much better challenging their bigs inside. Ajak actually challenged their bigs on defense. Buddy and Joe actually scored today when they couldn’t get shots off in the first game. We just don’t have an answer for Williams without Jessie. Like JB said on Thursday night, teams are better equipped to play against the zone today. Duke has every piece to eat up a zone and they did today. This team has zero chance trying to play man. We have some pieces for next year. Ajax can have a role on this team.

"My factory makes excellent buggies for horses to pull.
Cars are better equipped to provide timely and reliable transportation."

 

[richard levy]

Yes.

we live in the Steph Curry age. We didn't in 1987 or whenever the 3pt line was put in and teams, except for Pitino's Providence team, took 5 a game. We used to rely on teams not having multiple players that could hit them, focus on the 1-2 guys who could. And was Craig Forth ever expected to cover the corner three

 

[HOFCeluck]

Note that the poster Axe was replying to mentioned Buddy AND JB3

Hmmmm

 

[Manleymen]

Poor Frank, I agree with most of the comments here. JB excoriated him in the press conference. He had to cover for the flatfooted guards, neither who if their lives depended on it could play man to man defense, jump to the shooter to contest a shot, harass the big man roaming the post, or anything else resembling covering the area in the zone they are responsible for. That includes standing around after the shot goes up and watching the shot instead of helping your teammates by crashing the boards since we are undermanned with our big people. They are more concerned about getting their hands on the ball and chucking up the next shot. How about having the back of your teammates and get your hands dirty on defense. This lack of effort has become widely accepted - not good.

 

[newmexicuse]

A big Difference for Benny was that he was in the frontcourt w Sid and Akok, so he was the first frontcourt option and he knew it, previously in this season he was mostly the last frontcourt option. Scoring aside he played better D than anybody else out there and he has THE MOTOR. He was also scrapping on the glass and lead us in boards.

Forward going, he needs to get at least 20 MPG and he needs to know he doesn't have to defer to everybody else on the court. If we have to play at only Zone at least Jesse and him can cover some ground.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Poor Frank, I agree with most of the comments here. JB excoriated him in the press conference. He had to cover for the flatfooted guards, neither who if their lives depended on it could play man to man defense, jump to the shooter to contest a shot, harass the big man roaming the post, or anything else resembling covering the area in the zone they are responsible for. That includes standing around after the shot goes up and watching the shot instead of helping your teammates by crashing the boards since we are undermanned with our big people. They are more concerned about getting their hands on the ball and chucking up the next shot. How about having the back of your teammates and get your hands dirty on defense. This lack of effort has become widely accepted - not good.

In the presser JB spent a great deal of time throwing jabs at Frank’s defense , how he was “supposed to stay back, but kept coming up”, and insinuating that he’s “just not capable” of playing the position correctly, his failures directly leading to dunks, etc. He sounded like but for him doing that, the defense would’ve been fine.
Not a word about lack of defense from the guards/forwards. Nothing about rebounding, or getting stops. Basically conceding that “we can’t handle Williams, never have been able to”.
The man coaching this team & over the last 3 years, is not the guy I’ve known & loved for 45+ years. He speaks out of both sides of his mouth, focuses on only certain aspects of the game, ie; offense only, and uses omission to try & justify obvious flaws w/ his team. Frankly, it’s hard to watch.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Frankly, it’s hard to watch.

You mean- “Frank, is hard to watch.”

 

[jdubs30]

In the presser JB spent a great deal of time throwing jabs at Frank’s defense , how he was “supposed to stay back, but kept coming up”, and insinuating that he’s “just not capable of playing the position correctly, his failures directly leading to dunks, etc. He sounded like but for him doing that, the defense would’ve been fine.
Not a word about lack of defense from the guards/forwards. Nothing about rebounding, or getting stops. Basically conceding that “we can’t handle Williams, never have been able to”.
The man coaching this team & over the last 3 years, is not the guy I’ve known & loved for 45+ years. He speaks out of both sides of his mouth, focuses on only certain aspects of the game, ie; offense only, and uses omission to try & justify obvious flaws w/ his team. Frankly, it’s hard to watch.

Because that means he has to blame Jimmy, Joe and Buddy. It’s easier for him to blame Frank and Jessie

 

[Bayside44]

let's suppose 18 years ago, I adopted a kid from Ukraine that grew to 7 ft and played like Bill Walton.
I wouldn't send him to Syracuse. And I love Syracuse and Syracuse basketball.

You'd send him straight to the league even thought the kid wasn't "ready."

 

[AZOrange]

There were what, 7 or 8 losses by top 10 teams today? Some crazy basketball. And we lost by 25 in the dome with 32k in the stands to one of those top 10 teams. I understand we lost to a top team. But that performance is just not acceptable against any team.

It’s hard to describe how bad the guard play is at the top of the zone. I know that would require analyzing how bad Buddy and Joe are at it, but it’s awful. Swiss cheese. Center gets out of position after that and the forwards who are already too far extended can’t get back in time.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

If that's the case, JB proves once again that he knows more about basketball than his detractors.

And, for those paying attention, the problem is not JB's strategy, or his kids, it's that Buddy is his best player,

Or Tyus,

Or Marek.

Or Tyler.

That wasn’t meant to be a shot at Buddy at all. It’s all about his coach’s inability to recruit and retain a full squad of ACC level players

 

[AZOrange]

That wasn’t meant to be a shot at Buddy at all. It’s all about his coach’s inability to recruit and retain a full squad of ACC level players

That has always been what this is about. Talent and athleticism.

 

[OrangeDW]

I have an honest question...What kind of offense do we run? There is no movement or motion? Everyone just stands around.

“Pass it to Buddy and get out of his way.”

 

[Scott11]

1.) The press conference shots at Frank were disgraceful. I can’t add anything more than that.
2.) Before the season we were told that Jimmy would be a replacement for Marek in some regard. Unfortunately he is extremely different from Marek in that he won’t pass, isn’t good defensively and can’t rebound. When was the last time he took a charge?
3.) I don’t take pleasure in noting Jimmy’s deficiencies. He plays hard and cares. He is just asked to do too much by his father. If he played 20 minutes a game and was willing to be a contributor instead of an offensive focus I think he would be much more valuable. Also given his limited athleticism it doesn’t do much good to have him playing 30+ minutes a game so he is also tired.
4.) But given the fact that the NCAA tournament has been unreachable for some time now there has been no excuse for playing Jimmy 30 plus minutes a game. There’s no question Benny has been disappointing. But we have to give him experience and find out what we have. We can’t do that without letting him make some mistakes and stay in the game. And the fact that JBA hasn’t gotten a sniff all year is a joke. I don’t know if he is any good and that is the problem. At the end of the day you can’t tell me that those guys are any worse defensively than Jimmy and my guess is that they are both better.
5.) And yet JB criticized Benny and JBA’s defense yesterday but not Jimmy’s.
6.) The entire game was basically garbage time but Buddy’s play should not be ignored. He made some very tough shots although I could’ve done without JB waxing poetic on him after such a beatdown.
7.) I feel bad for the students and the crowd in general. They came up big time and deserved something to watch and cheer for.

 

[CardiacCuse]

in fantasy basketball ...buddy is amazing

but having to have the whole roster (incompetently) built around him (and now his bro) for 5 years now...and 1 sweet sixteen in return...and the worst 4 year win-loss stretch in JB's history?

would I take that over the next 4 years if in had that option???

hell no!

and his defense is absolutely horrific, fwiw

 

[syrBossHogg]

Meh. I have issues with his shot selection sometimes, but who else is going to shoot?

Buddy is an ACC caliber player, no ifs ands or buts about it. He’d be more effecient scorer (maybe even higher scorer), if he had another player who you had to respect on the floor offensively.

But he’s paired with an inconsistent point guard who can’t get to the rim and finish off the bounce, and two forwards who are unathlectic role players at best.

If you simply replace Jimmy with Quincy - the dynamics completely change. He may enjoy playing with his brother tremendously, but it’s been bad for his game this year.

All good points, he’s our best scorer but he does rely a little on volume shooting. I wish we could’ve had forwards like Grant/Fair with him

 

[AZOrange]

in fantasy basketball ...buddy is amazing

but having to have the whole roster (incompetently) built around him (and now his bro) for 5 years now...and 1 sweet sixteen in return...and the worst 4 year win-loss stretch in JB's history?

would I take that over the next 4 years if in had that option???

hell no!

and his defense is absolutely horrific, fwiw

Brent Axe seems like someone that isn’t very smart.

 

[NCo’range]

Easy - what is going to happen to JB? Nothing.

He isn't ever going to go after his kids or his chosen ones and nothing will happen to him. There are people that back him, regardless. It won't matter. Wash, rinse, repeat.

No consequences.

I agree with this.
Know what, coach isn’t going anywhere until he has fielded another winning team.
Too stubborn.
Hope I’m wrong.

 

[mikemorg]

In the presser JB spent a great deal of time throwing jabs at Frank’s defense , how he was “supposed to stay back, but kept coming up”, and insinuating that he’s “just not capable” of playing the position correctly, his failures directly leading to dunks, etc. He sounded like but for him doing that, the defense would’ve been fine.
Not a word about lack of defense from the guards/forwards. Nothing about rebounding, or getting stops. Basically conceding that “we can’t handle Williams, never have been able to”.
The man coaching this team & over the last 3 years, is not the guy I’ve known & loved for 45+ years. He speaks out of both sides of his mouth, focuses on only certain aspects of the game, ie; offense only, and uses omission to try & justify obvious flaws w/ his team. Frankly, it’s hard to watch.

It actually was even worse than that. A few minutes later he said that when Sidibe stepped up to the high post (the very thing that he was upset with Frank for doing), the forwards — meaning Benny and JBA — didn’t cover Williams down low. Why didn’t he single out our starting forwards for doing the same thing, when they were probably even more egregiously bad in D than the subs? At least JBA and Benny battled, hustled and rebounded. It is getting really tiresome to hear this double standard and him never taking accountability for his failures as a recruiter and an in game coach.

He even took one more cheap shot swipe at Frank later in the presser - I think it was after he was asked if he was coming back next year, he said something to the effect of “Like Frank, most of you are lost.” I forget the exact wording or context, but there was absolutely no reason to poke Frank again. He is just an aging, tired bully who plays favorites and no longer has the ability to adapt to a changing game. I don’t listen to other NCAA coaches pressers but I can’t imagine many if any regularly throw their players under the bus.

 

[IthacaMatt]

That has always been what this is about. Talent and athleticism.

Well, if it's all about talent and athleticism, maybe he shouldn't act like such an ass to his players in his press conferences. Maybe ours wouldn't go pro earlier than they seem to do at a lot of other would-be top tier teams.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Turning Buddy into Tyus Battle wasn’t a winning basketball decision. That’s what JB did this season.

Last year most of his points came on catch and shoot scenarios or one and two dribbles. This isolation garbage is always garbage unless it’s Carmelo or a Jonny Flynn. We have a good shooter taking garbage shots.

 

[djcon57]

3.) I don’t take pleasure in noting Jimmy’s deficiencies. He plays hard and cares. He is just asked to do too much by his father. If he played 20 minutes a game and was willing to be a contributor instead of an offensive focus I think he would be much more valuable. Also given his limited athleticism it doesn’t do much good to have him playing 30+ minutes a game so he is also tired.

in the past I was agreeing with that take, saying that Jimmy would be a good 3rd playing 20 mins or so.

after watching yesterday and thinking about it more, I just don’t know if I can anymore, im leaning more to that he simply is not an ACC caliber player at all and never was. He couldn’t do ANYTHING against Duke in any aspect of the game. Granted, he’s has his good games offensively but he’s such a defense liability. If the ACC was even mildly good this year, he would have been exposed badly.