T
TheCurtain
Guest
To paraphrase Wall Street, a correction was overdue, but that felt like the 2008 meltdown. Inevitable. I think many were hoping that they could use a game like BC to snap out of their funk, but hope is not a good leg to stand on. History, both recent and longer term, is the best barometer going forward.
The offensive dysfunction is well documented, but I think many are quick to dismiss this year’s defensive shortcomings. The zone is bipolar – the back line is doing well denying points in the paint when there is a breakdown, but the play up top has been weak from day one. Passing lanes are not being contested and opposing guards are penetrating at will. When this happens Cooney and Ennis chase after the dribble penetration (why?) and leave shooters open on kick-outs at an alarming rate. The 3FG% defense of late is atrocious. How often is Ennis going underneath the screen leaving a shooter wide open? MCW and Triche make these guys look like amateurs. This is not last year’s defense and people need to stop saying the defense is great.
Offensively we always look better in November and December when the competition is weaker and, more importantly, teams don’t have enough tape to identify individual and team liabilities. Those flaws are out there and we’re not adjusting well. Boeheim talks about getting better as the postseason approaches but how is that possible when you’re playing 5 ½? Sit CJ for a minute when he fails to pass out of a double team. Sometimes these guys need a pattern interrupt. If Roberson is only going to play 3 minutes every other game, then why even bother?
Ennis. He’s a great point guard if you’re a Big Ten team. I’m not sure if he’s solely responsible for the tempo, but it starts with him. When your team struggles in the half court the last thing you need is fewer possessions. For comparison’s sake, the 11-12 team that went 30-1 averaged what? 20+ ppg off fast breaks? That’s a high water mark, but it’s the difference between rock fights in the 50s and going on a 15-0 run so the other team can’t play stall ball. I don’t have statistics, but I speculate that our offensive rebounding is starting to suffer because coaches are realizing they don’t have to send 2 guys back the other way. This is the antithesis of Syracuse basketball. Yes, we won 25 games and it may never happen again in our lifetime, but I miss the fact that we don’t strike fear in anyone. If I’m a 15 or 16-seed I pray for Syracuse, and who can blame them? Let’s hope the discussion in April is whether Ennis will turn down being a lottery pick because that will mean his play will have picked up from where it is now. 0 turnovers is great, but empty trips in the half-court are glorified turnovers as well.
Those who insist this is a “great team” should wait and see how these next few games play out. Favorable scheduling and a huge helping of luck does not equate to greatness. No team should be anointed anything until the season is over anyway. But consider this, of all the really good SU teams of seasons past, did they ever have a loss as radioactive as this one? The Rutgers debacle in 03 was bad, but 6-19 is in a completely different stratosphere. It’s a huge red flag.
Plenty of games to be played, and I’d hate to be limping into Greensboro, but that’s the script that’s sitting on my desk. It's not an over-reaction. I suspect this team needs to be slapped up and humbled a bit more before they take a look in the mirror.
Next up - Duke. Good thing Coach K is too proud to pack in their defense and will actually play into SU's hands. SU will score and look functional again on offense (at least for one game), but I have no confidence in our guards tagging their shooters.
The offensive dysfunction is well documented, but I think many are quick to dismiss this year’s defensive shortcomings. The zone is bipolar – the back line is doing well denying points in the paint when there is a breakdown, but the play up top has been weak from day one. Passing lanes are not being contested and opposing guards are penetrating at will. When this happens Cooney and Ennis chase after the dribble penetration (why?) and leave shooters open on kick-outs at an alarming rate. The 3FG% defense of late is atrocious. How often is Ennis going underneath the screen leaving a shooter wide open? MCW and Triche make these guys look like amateurs. This is not last year’s defense and people need to stop saying the defense is great.
Offensively we always look better in November and December when the competition is weaker and, more importantly, teams don’t have enough tape to identify individual and team liabilities. Those flaws are out there and we’re not adjusting well. Boeheim talks about getting better as the postseason approaches but how is that possible when you’re playing 5 ½? Sit CJ for a minute when he fails to pass out of a double team. Sometimes these guys need a pattern interrupt. If Roberson is only going to play 3 minutes every other game, then why even bother?
Ennis. He’s a great point guard if you’re a Big Ten team. I’m not sure if he’s solely responsible for the tempo, but it starts with him. When your team struggles in the half court the last thing you need is fewer possessions. For comparison’s sake, the 11-12 team that went 30-1 averaged what? 20+ ppg off fast breaks? That’s a high water mark, but it’s the difference between rock fights in the 50s and going on a 15-0 run so the other team can’t play stall ball. I don’t have statistics, but I speculate that our offensive rebounding is starting to suffer because coaches are realizing they don’t have to send 2 guys back the other way. This is the antithesis of Syracuse basketball. Yes, we won 25 games and it may never happen again in our lifetime, but I miss the fact that we don’t strike fear in anyone. If I’m a 15 or 16-seed I pray for Syracuse, and who can blame them? Let’s hope the discussion in April is whether Ennis will turn down being a lottery pick because that will mean his play will have picked up from where it is now. 0 turnovers is great, but empty trips in the half-court are glorified turnovers as well.
Those who insist this is a “great team” should wait and see how these next few games play out. Favorable scheduling and a huge helping of luck does not equate to greatness. No team should be anointed anything until the season is over anyway. But consider this, of all the really good SU teams of seasons past, did they ever have a loss as radioactive as this one? The Rutgers debacle in 03 was bad, but 6-19 is in a completely different stratosphere. It’s a huge red flag.
Plenty of games to be played, and I’d hate to be limping into Greensboro, but that’s the script that’s sitting on my desk. It's not an over-reaction. I suspect this team needs to be slapped up and humbled a bit more before they take a look in the mirror.
Next up - Duke. Good thing Coach K is too proud to pack in their defense and will actually play into SU's hands. SU will score and look functional again on offense (at least for one game), but I have no confidence in our guards tagging their shooters.
