Adams

[bendm]

What does his career average matter? Not sure I’m following your logic.

not surprising...it matters because picking 1 basketball game in which adams went 2/4 from the line, even though he has played 2.5 years worth of basketball games in which he's averaging over 70% from the line, and using that one basketball game to compare adams's free throw shooting to shaq, and then trying to justify the comparison further by saying that in 10 games this season adams is shooting 68% from the line, is stupid.

 

[nadavtheman]

I don't like to talk about individual players as they are 18-22 year old young men but BA has not been good and trending in the wrong direction right now. We all know he is playing far too many minutes based on the circumstances. But at even at full strength we will need him to contribute 12-15 productive minutes a game if we want to get to the promise land. So hopefully he turns things around soon. Def underperforming right now.

 

[Improviser]

BA is never a steadying influence and he does usually get in the way of putting a W on the board. His being given 30 minutes makes getting a W problematic that the rest of the team has to compensate for.

I get the empathy because he seems to care about the program but...

Well, if he plays 10 minutes instead, and the others play more, their energy gets sapped, and they play less effectively. Unless you think this should be tried so that we can see the results.

Nothing beats a real time experiment to prove a hypothesis.

Not a question of empathy, but of necessity right now. Hopefully, AJ can get and give a few effective minutes.

Unless the 10 minute Adams brings more W's and no diminution of effectiveness from the player(s) he is spelling based on current circumstances.

 

[husky429]

He's a better player and we're a better team if he can play 10-15 mins a game. He can focus on energy defensively and play more minutes if his shot is falling. When he defends hard and can be the #5 option on offense he has a role that can be useful and productive.

That is not really an option without Bouk.

But even before, Hurley was playing Adams WAY too much relative to his skill level. I think Hurley likes his energy an overlooks the wasted possessions he has on offense hurting the team.

 

[Magic32]

Adams has been given a longer leash than any Hurley recruit and I think DH wants him to succeed because he knows Adams is only here because DH came here to coach. Doesn't want him to fail since he basically recruited him twice. Gafney and Sanogo and even Jackson in his limited time haven't been given the same opportunity to fail without being yanked. I like his energy but don't feel he should be getting the minutes he does.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Hurley is not playing Adams out of a sense of obligation because he was his first recruit. C'mon.

 

[Magic32]

Hurley is not playing Adams out of a sense of obligation because he was his first recruit. C'mon.

Not sure if this is for me or not. I never said first recruit or obligation. He has been given a longer leash and I speculated why. Are you gonna say he hasn't been given a longer leash than those other guys? Give any of those three the freedom to make mistakes without a quick hook and they will give this team more than Adams can. Not like I'm rooting against him.

 

[Jbirdp5]

not surprising...it matters because picking 1 basketball game in which adams went 2/4 from the line, even though he has played 2.5 years worth of basketball games in which he's averaging over 70% from the line, and using that one basketball game to compare adams's free throw shooting to shaq, and then trying to justify the comparison further by saying that in 10 games this season adams is shooting 68% from the line, is stupid.

If your saying he will end up more towards his average I get what your saying but his past free throws aren’t helping him this year.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

In a choice between Gaff and BA I would give an edge to Gaff.

They both have difficulty on D staying in front of their man, BA goes for every head fake while Gaff just doesn’t put in the effort necessary to keep in front.

But Gaff has been showing more on offense than BA, especially recently. He’s a more creative passer, handles the ball better, and has become a decent shooter (BA has regressed).

Until Bouk returns I’d reduce BA to 10-15 minutes and increase Gaff to 20-25. The team would noticeably improve.

 

[auror]

That is just not accurate. Martin can play the 2 for extended minutes. How many teams press us enough that we need 2 true guards on the court, and how much better a ball-handler than Martin is Adams anyway?

UConn is a better team when it goes big.

These are not independent factors. The number of teams that press will escalate if we decide to play essentially 1 guard.

Further, it's not about Adams' handle being better than Martin's. It's about Adams' handle being better than whomever replaces Martin's spot in the lineup (Polley, Whaley, Carlton, Sanogo), because Martin is playing either way.

I'm not saying that PG, Martin, Polley, big, big can't work at all. But it's a few minutes lineup, and not going to reduce Adams minutes by very much. Because at some point then you have to take out Martin and/or Polley also, and then we're back to the 2 PG lineup that everyone hated when we tried it earlier.

 

[Kitaman]

Adams brings experience to the table and a veteran presence. Hurley loves him for some reason, and he's not a bad player. Maybe he's a real good practice player lighting up the team, or making other players better through defense. That's the only thing I can think of.

Many coaches reward good practice players who are 'table setters' for the effort expected.

 

[Psolo12]

I hate to be this negative of a good hard working kid like Brendan, but whenever he's on the court I get annoyed. Watching him play basketball is not enjoyable.

 

[Psolo12]

In a choice between Gaff and BA I would give an edge to Gaff.

They both have difficulty on D staying in front of their man, BA goes for every head fake while Gaff just doesn’t put in the effort necessary to keep in front.

But Gaff has been showing more on offense than BA, especially recently. He’s a more creative passer, handles the ball better, and has become a decent shooter (BA has regressed).

Until Bouk returns I’d reduce BA to 10-15 minutes and increase Gaff to 20-25. The team would noticeably improve.

Gaff is so much more efficient on offense than BA it's painful. Also played good on ball d yesterday.

 

[uconngb]

i believe badams is no fool, and is rolling happily into his role as 'the elder statesman' for the hurley and co. new era, even tho he is not senior in his time served. with no superior skill, his size and mindset let's coach see him as someone, in a pinch, who can adequately cover a spot across the 1-4 positions on the floor. im of the mind that few here actually play the game, this game, and not a video game. like yesterday when we hit a 2nd half lull on o, and it was obvious that we needed to slow butler's roll. a drive, with the goal of at least getting some ft's was appropriate, to change the dynamic, and that's exactly what he did. raf noticed that, and said so.
'what do we need for me to do now, coach?'

Your understanding of the word outstanding needs some refining I believe. Or else you're related to BA.

 

[uconngb]

"Elder Statesmen," "Professor Emeritus," these are roles in real life. He recently died, but like the Hawthorn Wingo of the Knicks, or Cornbread Maxwell of the Celtics in his later years.


BA is the same for the Huskies . Grandpa motivating the grandchildren. I get it.

A steadying influence who does not always make the way, but does not get in the way either. He has a role.

Yes, and that role should be 5-10 minutes. He is a ROLE player. You just defined it. 29 minutes per game should be reserved for someone that can actually do something productive.

 

[uconngb]

not surprising...it matters because picking 1 basketball game in which adams went 2/4 from the line, even though he has played 2.5 years worth of basketball games in which he's averaging over 70% from the line, and using that one basketball game to compare adams's free throw shooting to shaq, and then trying to justify the comparison further by saying that in 10 games this season adams is shooting 68% from the line, is stupid.

That's like saying a guy who is a career .320 hitter but is now hitting .200 halfway through the season is a career .320 hitter so don't worry about it. I couldn't care less what he did his freshman year. I care what he's doing NOW. And that is next to nothing. Again, I never said he shouldn't play ANY minutes. I just said he doesn't deserve 29 minutes. I used his 2-4 night from the foul line as indicative of a poor showing from a SHOOTING guard. Sue me. But any guard at the D1 level should be able to hit better than 50% of his free throws. On ANY night. On EVERY night.

 

[bendm]

But any guard at the D1 level should be able to hit better than 50% of his free throws. On ANY night. On EVERY night.

and i disagree. it happens to the best of them. steph curry has had 2/4 nights from the line.

 

[UConnDad]

Gaff is so much more efficient on offense than BA it's painful. Also played good on ball d yesterday.

Except when he’s chasing his man instead of keeping him in front of him.

 

[tzznandrew]

and i disagree. it happens to the best of them. steph curry has had 2/4 nights from the line.

I randomly picked 2003-2004 NBA and looked at Allen. Season FT% 89.4%.

But you can pick out 5 games where he shot 67% or less. He had a game in 2005 where he went 0-3

Must suck.

 

[Kenny11]

Hurley loves him some Adams boy- it’s actually getting funny now -he played 29 minutes yesterday -but I guess who else could you put in right?

Yeah and he didn’t even get subbed out until about 7 minutes left in the first half.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Gaff is so much more efficient on offense than BA it's painful. Also played good on ball d yesterday.

I like Gaffney, but who is the last player that has received this much undue praise? It's really incredible.

 

[uconngb]

and i disagree. it happens to the best of them. steph curry has had 2/4 nights from the line.

Yeah, and he shoots 90% overall. Adams 2-4 was much closer to his regular avg. You really are pigheaded. It's not even germain to the argument that he shouldn't be playing so much......which pretty much EVERYONE agrees with. Somehow you turned it into a math exercise.....and you didn't even make a point!

 

[gtcam]

79% as a freshman
72% as a sophomore
65% this year

That seem like a good trend Einstein?? Hint: it ain’t getting better.

Still not a 50% FT shooter because he goes 2-4 on a given night
Your point is a stretch at best and comparative to Shaq is comical
I'm not a huge fan of BA receiving all the minutes that DH gives him as neither am I a fan of DH allowing Gaff and Cole play at the same time or hiding Sanogo in the 2nd half as he has done consistently the last few games.
However if you watch BA in person he does do things that you don't see on the TV - a lot of help D and switching off onto a bigger player and holding his own. On offense he does set a good screen and has made some nice passes. Yes he pulls the trigger sometimes too quickly and has brain farts with the ball in his hands. But he is physical, likes to mix it up and plays with heart - something at least 3 guys who get decent playing time lack.
Once Bouk and Dre get back, Adams minutes will dwindle for sure
He's not the best and he isn't the worse - he's helping to plug the dam until those two kids return. - there isn't much else to choose from on the bench now

 

[Martin]

Interesting u say looking at the bench. Sometimes I think these coaches over.coach. Yelling screaming pointing gesturing the whole game. Drives me nuts.

 

[mauconnfan]

Gaffney has looked better the last few games. When Bouk comes back I'd like to see Gaffney get most of BA's minutes.

Gaff has looked better for exactly one game and a couple passes against Creighton. The Nova game would’ve been a nice barometer as their defense would’ve tested him for sure, as well as their offense. Adams is a better defender but according to a few threes and a couple good looks lately Gaff may becoming solid back up to Cole while potentially taking minutes from Adams.