The less zone the better against them given the rebounding issues.
agreed.
He did well on offense but Syracuse embarrassed him repeatedly when he tried to play defense. He is a liability there we need to take advantage of. Same with JG3.
I think the key to the game is getting Hall in foul trouble. We got 2 early ones on him and with him out, we were able to get into the paint and core fairly easily.
When he is in, it is hard to get to the basket. He is quick and a fine shot blocker.
I am sure we will put Judah on Joe. He did a fairly good job with him last game except the last 5 minutes or so, when Joe embarrassed Judah and made a number of big baskets. Judah has to play his best defense on Joe all game long.
1. cant make the game a joe-judah referendum - judah obviously spazzed out a little bit last time and was hyper focused on beating joe...and didnt play as well as he couldve. big key
but i wouldnt want judah on joe - i dont think thats a good matchup for judah...need a better defender...would like to see Q on him or someone else
2. fouls will be huge...for both teams - seems ACC bends over backwards to give southern teams a hand at home - going to be hard if any of the players get in foul trouble esp maliq - but he cannot play not to foul, either
how will the team rspond if the expected home cooking calls go clemsons way? going to be huge. red needs to prep them mentally for that.
3. rim protection will be necessary and important...cannot have these games like the recent second halves when its just a layup line for the other team. wont work this time. have to play defense for 2 halves not 1.
It’ll come down to our ability to score. Clemson is a good defensive team and they’ll get away with a little more physicality at home.
We have to make shots. I really think the key player is Bell. If he can get hot, we have a chance. I fear this is a game that sets up poorly for us to win because we’ll struggle to score.
Hope I’m wrong.
4. the offense has been great lately and its really a tale of two strategies - team ball, ball movement and working together or iso 1 on 1 drives...
if the iso is working, it can be fine...but seems much more prone to extended droughts. if the iso is working, they dont seem to go away from it...but double down.
im not saying dont use the iso - just dont stick with it if it isnt working.
and attack the weak defenders on clemson - cook joe and shefflien if you can. make joe work on defense and expose his weak rotations...put actions will bell near him and he has to be the one to switch onto bell shooting, for example. would be sweet to see joe not rotate to cover bell like he did soooo many times for the orange.
5. rebounds will be so important, most likely. cannot get mauled on the glass...have to a least keep it respectable
but alos save some energy for the end game and for the offense...cant blow your load on first half boards and have no gas late in the game.
they can lose some of these battles and keys but if they can win most of them, they can win.
in big games this year, they come out tight...and dont shoot well...play loose and happy and they will win.
