Jeremy Lamb's year summed up in one play

[aceboon]

eh, my issues with Jeremy and I think others as well is not that he didn't become Rip/Ray/Caron his second year, because it is hard to make that jump to #1 and as tzznandrew pointed out, BG is one of our greatest and even he struggled to get to that point well into his jr year. My issues is just with his entire approach to the game this year on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Defensively he just made no effort at all this year, you CANNOT play d standing upright, Donny called him out on it in the Bahamas and it continued throughout the entire year. I don't think anyone would confuse Jeremy with a lockdown defender last year but there is no doubt that he made an effort to play D in order to be on the court once he started getting benched in the early goings last year. There just wasn't that effort, and it shows in the lack of steals he got playing the passing lanes this year as well. Twice this season he basically let two guys walk the ball up the court and shoot 3s to win a game without any effort on his part to try to contest or challenge the shot, the first was when Michael Snaer missed his game winner in the FSU game, the 2nd was Kilpatrick's 3 against Cincy when it was a miracle that we had even tied it up at that point.

As far as offense, Jeremy simply did too much standing around on the perimeter jacking up long and contested 3s instead of working to get open in the midrange or working to take a few dribbles off a pass received from 15-20ft in to launch up the floater that he pretty much abandoned. When you're 19-20 years old you shouldn't abandon the parts of the game that worked so well for you to become a one dimensional player. There's hundreds of players in college that do nothing but hoist up 3s all game, how many have Lamb's ability to shoot from midrange or have that floater in their arsenal? I just don't understand why he would settle so much for 3s and leave the parts of his game that made him unique for a college wing behind. Becoming a one dimensional 3 point shooter that hangs around the 23 point line is what you do when you're in your 30s and your knees are shot, not when you are 19. It just seemed like Jeremy's game on offense this year just screamed "don't try to get hurt and play safe" instead of taking advantage of the abilities that he has. I know some of you guys try to make him out to be Rashad and say he can't dribble but he can, he might not be able to split a double team like Kemba while maintaining it but he has a nice crossover and hesitation that he can use to create space for a pull up jumper, but he just settled way too much for 3s.

 

[caw]

I don't agree on that last play. I don't think it summed up his year, unless you mean frustration. I did think Jeremy showed the more hustle in this game on offense than any other game this season. He was actually running around screens hard and with a purpose.

Rip had a ton of help being that good as a soph. He had perhaps UConn's best screener ever setting him up for screens. Jake made a career in the NBA based on his defense/rebounding but mostly his ability to set a screen. He also had one of UConn's toughest players setting screens on the other side of things in Kevin Freeman. Ohh yeah, Rip also had some backup at the 3 spot that was more reliable than Lamb's in Rash/Q/Mouring.

I think Lamb is on the same projection as Rip and Ray. He really should stay for a third year if he wants to realize his potential.

 

[aceboon]

I don't agree on that last play. I don't think it summed up his year, unless you mean frustration. I did think Jeremy showed the more hustle in this game on offense than any other game this season. He was actually running around screens hard and with a purpose.

Rip had a ton of help being that good as a soph. He had perhaps UConn's best screener ever setting him up for screens. Jake made a career in the NBA based on his defense/rebounding but mostly his ability to set a screen. He also had one of UConn's toughest players setting screens on the other side of things in Kevin Freeman. Ohh yeah, Rip also had some backup at the 3 spot that was more reliable than Lamb's in Rash/Q/Mouring.

I think Lamb is on the same projection as Rip and Ray. He really should stay for a third year if he wants to realize his potential.

Agree with you about last night, the screening as usual wasn't really any good but he was working hard to get free but he missed some makeable shots and ISU did show him alot of attention. I don't really have an issue with the effort he put in on O last night, I wished he had shown that kind of effort to get free all season. His D on the other hand...

 

[caw]

Agree with you about last night, the screening as usual wasn't really any good but he was working hard to get free but he missed some makeable shots and ISU did show him alot of attention. I don't really have an issue with the effort he put in on O last night, I wished he had shown that kind of effort to get free all season. His D on the other hand...

Aside from the first 13 minutes his defense was OK. ISU hit some silly shots. That corkscrew shot by Allen and that prayer to the skies "layup" over Drummond by their guard were just two examples.

 

[WPOUCONN]

This thread is almost as embarrassing as that last dunk attempt. He was letting out some frustration because he clearly didn't want his college career to end, give him a break.

I recall Caron throwing down a dunk or two in his last minute of his last game when it was already out of reach.

Lamb was working all game to get open and he couldn't do it. When he did get the ball and tried to take his man off the dribble they played good defense. He was clearly having trouble getting by his man. Give Babb some credit.

 

[tzznandrew]

This thread is almost as embarrassing as that last dunk attempt. He was letting out some frustration because he clearly didn't want his college career to end, give him a break.

I recall Caron throwing down a dunk or two in his last minute of his last game when it was already out of reach.

Lamb was working all game to get open and he couldn't do it. When he did get the ball and tried to take his man off the dribble they played good defense. He was clearly having trouble getting by his man. Give Babb some credit.

I'm sympathetic. I didn't love it, I wish he didn't do it, but I don't think it is indicative of anything greater than frustration.

That said, it doesn't have to end yet. It probably will, but it doesn't have to. It would be nice if he and Drummond decided to not end their careers like this and came back.

That said, if either of them leave, I won't hold it against them. But I think an embarrassing first round loss makes them more likely to come back than a close loss to UK.

 

[tzznandrew]

it wasn't just the dunk, his play this whole season has been insignificant. don't throw meaningless stats at me either

What would classify as meaningful stats? I'm just curious because this sounds like "I'm right and don't bother telling me I'm wrong with your 'facts.'"

 

[Drumguy]

Wow, how fitting. Just a dud in every sense of the word.

He is the worst of Rudy Gay and the worst of Jerome Dyson all in one package.

All the talent in the world but just no competitiveness at all.

You know it was just a 19 year old expressing frustration - if it made a difference it would have been in. No competitiveness? - yeah right, how dumb is that comment.

Based on this post, I kinda wish he'd come over to your house and windmill the ball into your head - This has my vote as the STUPIDEST post of the decade.

 

[nomar]

Wow, how fitting. Just a dud in every sense of the word.

He is the worst of Rudy Gay and the worst of Jerome Dyson all in one package.

All the talent in the world but just no competitiveness at all.

Go duck yourself. Seriously. HE WAS A HUGE PART OF US WINNING A TITLE.

You should never post here again. You actually shouldn't be allowed to breathe.

 

[sparky]

That was frustration not showboating or bravado. I think it summed up all Uconn's fans emotions this season. these are kids and sometimes they just have to try and express themselves in different ways. ISU played very well we did not. We played like we did most of the year turnovers, no boxing out,missed opportunities, lack of defensive pressure on the 3 point scorers. What did we expect? We played in turmoil all year.

 

[suzyq]

That was frustration not showboating or bravado. I think it summed up all Uconn's fans emotions this season. these are kids and sometimes they just have to try and express themselves in different ways. ISU played very well we did not. We played like we did most of the year turnovers, no boxing out,missed opportunities, lack of defensive pressure on the 3 point scorers. What did we expect? We played in turmoil all year.

It absolutely was not frustration. Watch it again. He signaled to Shabazz to steal the ball and give it to him. Then he took off. It was stupid showboating, and karma bit him in the ass.

 

[sledog]

And it's now a Yahoo front page hi-lite! NO place to hide.

 

[ZenConn]

This team needed JL to be Caron, or at least 3rd year Rip. Both are unfair burdens for him in year 2.

Totally agree with that. In addition, Caron was 22 years old in year 2 as well. If Rip, Ray Ray stayed for 3 years to work on their games, Lamb surely should as well.

 

[mets1090]

I have no problem going for the steal, play to the whistle and all that. I thought the only embarrassing part was the elaborate dunk. Just go and lay it in or just dunk with 2 hands, take your 2 points. I don't think anyone would criticize him for that (I'm sure people would, but I like to call them special).

 

[Scoe]

people gotta stop with these unwritten rules, at the time I wasnt too thrilled with the windmill dunk attempt but let it go we lost would it have made it any better if the clock had run out?