borges- boat says uconn has the best backcourt

[aceboon]

I once again question the notion that Boat should be the primary point guard on the team. It may be better for Boat, but probably not for the team. I could see a plan that has Bazz playing less minutes and giving Boat all of that time at point, with slightly less time where they play together.

By the end of last year, Shabazz was making some amazing passes off pick and rolls with DD slipping to the basket. Bazz also is the one who can successfully attack the zone and make entry passess. RB does need the ball to develop his skills to benefit the team, so maybe the time could be split against some of the teams early in the year.

I think this is just a case of Boat talking and not what the team actually has in mind. Bazz pretty much put to bed who was better from the PG position 5 games in. I expect Boat to make improvements in running a team just like Bazz did from his soph to jr seasons but you gotta figure Bazz will improve as well. The fact that Bazz got selected to the Lebron camp over Boat when he was just coming off an injury says alot about how they peformed at the PG Skills Academy.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2012-2013/game16.html

5 TO's against Louisville and Russ lit him up. Reality check....

Hopefully this year Boat leads his team to victory with unselfish play and deferring to Bazz. I think Bazz can lead UConn to where we want to be (National Champs). Boat can be a great complimentary piece. I think with 4 years at UConn Boat can get to late 1st round.

 

[Waquoit]

I once again question the notion that Boat should be the primary point guard on the team. It may be better for Boat, but probably not for the team. I could see a plan that has Bazz playing less minutes and giving Boat all of that time at point, with slightly less time where they play together.

This goes back to the UConn "keys to success" that we read in another post a while back. This is where KO is will earn his money. UConn will be at their best when Bazz and Boat simultaneously play combo guard. The "1" and the "2" role will depend on whatever is happening at that moment. UConn will have unmatched flexibility and can use that to their advantage. They have to just play and not worry about numbers. They did a good job of it last year, UConn can be Final Four material if they do that this year.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

This goes back to the UConn "keys to success" that we read in another post a while back. This is where KO is will earn his money. UConn will be at their best when Bazz and Boat simultaneously play combo guard. The "1" and the "2" role will depend on whatever is happening at that moment. UConn will have unmatched flexibility and can use that to their advantage. They have to just play and not worry about numbers. They did a good job of it last year, UConn can be Final Four material if they do that this year.

Yup. Boatright and Napier are going to have the ball 80% of the time and the designation of who's the 1 and who's the 2 doesn't mean much. Clearly in the 2nd halves and overtimes last year, everything was going through Shabazz, which was awfully successful. I don't see any reason why it would be different this year.

 

[CTBasketball]

I agree Boat will stay 4 years. So if we miss on Perkins, McLaughlin, AND Joseph, it will hurt. But it won't kill us. People forget about Terrence Samuel, he's not bad.

 

[UConn990411]

The last team to win a championship with a high volume scoring PG is/was ______________?

Tony Parker and Chauncey Billups were both Finals MVPs. So, yeah.

 

[Gurleyman]

Would be sorta nice if we didn't cherry pick parts of quotes to smear our own players.

 

[UConn Dan]

My predictions:
1) Bazz will most likely run the point for most of the time (not Boat).
2) Boat will enter the draft. Of course, he needs another year and maybe that won't even help, but he's itching to go. Make some $$$... he already said he has a family to support. If he doesn't get drafted he'll go D-league or Europe. He's gone and will try his luck in the draft.

I like Boat, but the ball should be in Bazz's hands as much as possible, especially in late clock situations.

 

[champs99and04]

Wasn't the point that was being responded to that Boatright lacks the "point guard skills" to succeed in the NBA? The point is that "point guard skills" are overrated - or do you think that Mario Chalmers was the key to the Heat winning the last two? I just don't know how you can pay attention to the NBA and not realize that the days of Bob Cousy are long gone. I mean, Tony Parker averaged 20+ this season.

I don't agree with the bolded part. Possessing elite point guard skills while also having the ability to score at a high level aren't mutually exclusive. I'm sure you'd agree that while Tony Parker is a "score first" player, he is also one of the best 5-10 players in the world in terms of maximizing half-court efficiency, positioning role players to succeed, and making sure everybody is constantly touching the ball on offense and involved in the flow. LeBron is the exact same way - his unmatched ability to overwhelm opponents in capacities other than passing can sometimes overshadow the fact that he can basically imitate Steve Nash with frightening precision whenever he wants to. The position has certainly evolved over time, but the fact that Boatright can score doesn't make him exempt from mastering the other nuances of the position.

 

[UConn990411]

Would be sorta nice if we didn't cherry pick parts of quotes to smear our own players.

The Boatright bashing on this board has reached a similar level to where the Shabazz bashing was prior to last season.

I suspect those posters will look just as silly a year from now.

 

[champs99and04]

I once again question the notion that Boat should be the primary point guard on the team. It may be better for Boat, but probably not for the team. I could see a plan that has Bazz playing less minutes and giving Boat all of that time at point, with slightly less time where they play together.

By the end of last year, Shabazz was making some amazing passes off pick and rolls with DD slipping to the basket. Bazz also is the one who can successfully attack the zone and make entry passess. RB does need the ball to develop his skills to benefit the team, so maybe the time could be split against some of the teams early in the year.

Completely agree. To be honest, I think Boatright is going to be the guy who has to sacrifice the most for UConn to reach its ceiling this year, because I think people are going to be surprised how good Calhoun is. He struggled with his handle and his three point shot a bit at the beginning of the year (and still struggles with his handle), but once he begun to acclimate himself to the speed of the college game, he had a nine game stretch there before his wrist injury where he put up almost 15 a game. He also made drastic improvements defensively and on the glass as the season progressed, which adds credence to the opinion he might be our second best player next season. As I said many times last season, I think he's the best pro prospect on the roster and if there is one guy that is going to make a big jump next year, I think it's him.

Add Calhoun's likely improvements to Daniels's emergence at the end of the year, and I think Boatright will be surprised by how he'll have to adapt his game and grapple with his role a bit at the beginning of the year. I think he'll adjust, though, because although he's a bit cocky, he's never given the selfish impression to me. His occasional poor shot selection is more a product of unharnessed point guard skills than it is a gunner's mentality, IMO. By the mid-point next year, I think Boatright will settle into his role as baseline to baseline defender, proficient passer, complementary ball-handler (specifically against teams like Louisville when we'll undoubtedly need him to relieve Bazz of the PG duties from time to time), and crunch-time scorer.

 

[Tenspro2002]

The Boatright bashing on this board has reached a similar level to where the Shabazz bashing was prior to last season.

I suspect those posters will look just as silly a year from now.

The difference is that when people were criticizing Bazz, it was about his game, his on-court decision-making. There was never any question about his loyalty or about his inclination to do what's best for the team.

With Boat, people are concerned about his attitude, his NBA ambitions. He wouldn't be the first guy to torpedo team chemistry out of concern with the draft.

For what it's worth, I think he's gone after next year. I think he views leaving early as a matter of pride.

 

[Gurleyman]

The difference is that when people were criticizing Bazz, it was about his game, his on-court decision-making. There was never any question about his loyalty or about his inclination to do what's best for the team.

With Boat, people are concerned about his attitude, his NBA ambitions. He wouldn't be the first guy to torpedo team chemistry out of concern with the draft.

For what it's worth, I think he's gone after next year. I think he views leaving early as a matter of pride.

Boat stayed here when he could have transferred - and he played hard (if not always smart or effectively) in a season where there was nothing to play for. He also was richarded around by the NCAA his entire freshman season, and has stayed with UConn when perhaps he could have held it against the program that they couldn't get his own situation straightened out, and then became ineligible for the postseason. If he has pro ambitions for himself, and overrates his chances of making it, so be it. He's earned some leeway, and team success and individual aspirations don't have to be mutually exclusive (every great team we've had has probably had at least seven guys thinking about their NBA potential). If he has a goal that keeps him motivated to put in extra work in the weight room - or on developing individual aspects of his game - that makes the team better. If he thinks he has to be a better point guard to make it at the next level, and works hard on becoming a better passer when he attacks the basket, then great - we're a better team.

Calhoun in his first book wrote about how he almost blew the 1999 national championship the summer before, by trying to convince Rip that he wasn't ready for the NBA and that he should come back for his junior year (which was correct - Rip went from probably going late first round to being a lottery pick). However, Rip believed he was good enough already, and came within a whisker of leaving just to prove everyone wrong. While some may say Boat has a long way to go to be mentioned in the same sentence as Rip as a prospect, Rip had a lot of doubters at that point, too (too skinny for NBA, not enough shooting range, etc.).

 

[Husky25]

While some may say Boat has a long way to go to be mentioned in the same sentence as Rip as a prospect, Rip had a lot of doubters at that point, too (too skinny for NBA, not enough shooting range, etc.).

And what happened? Hamilton became the master of the mid range jumper, a shot that, by the end of the 2005 season, had experts claiming was a lost art in the NBA. Everyone either focuses on the dribble drive or the trey.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I don't agree with the bolded part. Possessing elite point guard skills while also having the ability to score at a high level aren't mutually exclusive. I'm sure you'd agree that while Tony Parker is a "score first" player, he is also one of the best 5-10 players in the world in terms of maximizing half-court efficiency, positioning role players to succeed, and making sure everybody is constantly touching the ball on offense and involved in the flow. LeBron is the exact same way - his unmatched ability to overwhelm opponents in capacities other than passing can sometimes overshadow the fact that he can basically imitate Steve Nash with frightening precision whenever he wants to. The position has certainly evolved over time, but the fact that Boatright can score doesn't make him exempt from mastering the other nuances of the position.

Again, not my point.