I’m going to date myself with this reference but having KK coming off the bench takes me back. In the late 80s to early 90s the NBA the Detroit Pistons had a player named Vinnie Johnson who was their spark coming off the bench. He was nicknamed “the microwave” because he was instant offense & defense. Fired his teammates up & was a huge factor in the Pistons winning two championships. To me that is KK. Comes off the bench and gives the type of intensity they need. It extends to both offense & defense. KK- the mini microwave!
KK the spark plug
- Thread starter Chet71
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Let me guess.......manufacturing microwaves and appliances?
Love how she is playing this year. Starting to make me think that she should start over Chen except I love what she brings off the bench. KK, Aubrey and Jana will determine if we win the title this year and I have faith in all 3 to fulfill what we need from them. I know I’m looking too far ahead but I have a weird feeling it’s going to come down to Jana covering Betts either in the final 4 or title game. I also have a weird feeling that she gets it done just enough for us to win.
my suspicion is Cheli will be a sneaky important player for us late into the season and come tournament time
If she starts to shoot like the original "microwave", we won't lose.
Jana is a year away from carrying that load, but agree she could be an important role player in banging away with a Betts or other elite 8 posts to keep Sara and others from taking those fouls.
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This is a great example of why I don't get caught up in "Who is starting". You mention the great Vinnie Johnson aka the "Microwave". He was phenomenal coming off the bench with his big play ability. Another player that gets forgotten is Bob McAdoo for the Lakers. He came off the bench, 2nd or 3rd off the bench, for the Lakers back in the day. And he would only play 15-20 minutes but give the Lakers another scoring option to go with Kareem, Magic, Norm Nixon, and Jamall Wilkes. Kurt Rambis started before Bob McAdoo or Michael Cooper and everyone embraced their roles.
This is what I hope and believe that the UConn players are doing. They are embracing their roles and doing whatever it takes when they step out on the court. KK is a perfect example. Same with Ashlynn. They step into their roles and play to the best of their ability.
I was never a big fan of the NBA as I only followed the KNICKS in their hey-day until they started losing regularly, so I stopped. I subscribed to Sports Illustrated and in 2013 I read an article on Breanna Stewart that said what a PHENOM she was ,who said she picked Uconn to play for so she could win 4 N.C.s and dang , she did. I did not join right away but followed the Huskies because of Breanna. I was floored at how good they were and I was hooked for life. I finally joined so I could Post to the other posters and it's been a blast. ^ months a year I'm in heaven and 6 months a year I wait til my heaven comes around again. Again, I'm 91 and love UCONN!!! GO HUSKIES!!!!!
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I was very much a KK-skeptic when the season began as I thought she might be too ball dominant for a team led by Paige, Azzi, and (perhaps) Strong.
Now I am a true believer. She is the player that has raised her level when needed, where other shrunk.
So consistent in her play as well. Loving the growth she has made.
Now I am a true believer. She is the player that has raised her level when needed, where other shrunk.
So consistent in her play as well. Loving the growth she has made.
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And then there is John Havlicek, the greatest sixth man of all time and a Hall of Famer. Like him, KK is perfect in her role of coming off the bench and changing the game.
I think I am leaning toward KK starting and moving Kaitlin to the bench. My reason is more based on thinking Kaitlin might be more effective with the second unit. Kaitlin's transition from more of a 1/2, or score first PG to a pass first PG who may be the 4th or 5th offensive option, has been difficult for her.
It was logical to expect her volume of scoring to decrease, but with greater efficiency, and her assists to increase. Some of that has happened, but her volume of scoring has really fallen off a cliff, and her greater emphasis on assists has resulted in far more turnovers than expected. Her offense at Princeton was more creating her own midrange shot than getting open for a 3 pointer for example.
What I am saying is that she appears to be a better 1/2 or shoot first PG than a pure pass first PG, and those skills might fit better on a second unit that doesn't have Paige, Azzi and Sarah as scoring options, whereas KK as a defender/passer is a better fit with the rest of the starters. You could also make the case that KK has just been a better player overall, significantly so over the last half dozen games or so.
It was logical to expect her volume of scoring to decrease, but with greater efficiency, and her assists to increase. Some of that has happened, but her volume of scoring has really fallen off a cliff, and her greater emphasis on assists has resulted in far more turnovers than expected. Her offense at Princeton was more creating her own midrange shot than getting open for a 3 pointer for example.
What I am saying is that she appears to be a better 1/2 or shoot first PG than a pure pass first PG, and those skills might fit better on a second unit that doesn't have Paige, Azzi and Sarah as scoring options, whereas KK as a defender/passer is a better fit with the rest of the starters. You could also make the case that KK has just been a better player overall, significantly so over the last half dozen games or so.
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They used to call John Gwynne, on the men's side, the microwave. Loved him.
KK makes the offense work. She initiates the offense a good five feet closer to the basket than Chen does and that gives the shooters five more feet of freedom from defenders. I can see a time when UConn goes Paige, Azzi, Sarah, Jana and Morgan as the five they count on to win games. Morgan is a complete player who will be a huge plus once she starts looking for her points and gives them a totally different look than when they have KK on the floor. Great change of pace.
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One of my all time favorites!
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Agree with the KK comments and love. She and Cait are totally different in their approach, and frankly don't care who starts. Having said that, The team often gets out to VERY slow starts, even against poor competition, and the start of the 2nd half is also often an adventure. I'd love to see the efficiency of +/- of KK vs. Cait, but even that isn't accurate as KK usually plays with more reserves than starters.
Bottom line Geno has time to figure it out. I was hating seeing KK shoot the 3, but she's shooting 100% in the past 3 games and bravo for her. She's a tempo changer off the bench and a very important player, regardless of whether or not she starts...
Bottom line Geno has time to figure it out. I was hating seeing KK shoot the 3, but she's shooting 100% in the past 3 games and bravo for her. She's a tempo changer off the bench and a very important player, regardless of whether or not she starts...
Hmmm, interesting observation. You might have something there about how players fit together with each other. Having said that, I don't have a problem with KK coming off the bench so long as she gets closer to starter minutes.
What makes me crazy is when Chen, or anyone else, picks up their dribble or drives the baseline without a clue of what to do next. How often have you seen Paige do that? Virtually never.
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Agree. I back-rationalized Geno’s decision to start Kaitlyn and that was in the list, though not as explicitly stated in terms of +/- offense against the opponent’s tiring starters and/or less-quality depth.
But Geno doles out equal minutes to Kaitlyn and KK; over 40 minutes over all games, Kaitlyn and KK had lead point guard experience with everybody, and thus the comparative virtue signaling on the whole who-starts-debate really signifies nothing.
After further reflection, imo, Geno addionally prefers Kaitlyn over KK at the start of the game precisely because she has more lead point guard experience (KK was a mini-part-time pilot/ co-pilot last year):
But Geno doles out equal minutes to Kaitlyn and KK; over 40 minutes over all games, Kaitlyn and KK had lead point guard experience with everybody, and thus the comparative virtue signaling on the whole who-starts-debate really signifies nothing.
After further reflection, imo, Geno addionally prefers Kaitlyn over KK at the start of the game precisely because she has more lead point guard experience (KK was a mini-part-time pilot/ co-pilot last year):
- this edge enables Kaitlyn have quicker and more attenuated read-and-direct responses as Geno’s floor general when the opponent’s strategized game play has yet to reveal itself;
- KK (with Geno and the coaching stuff) is able to leisurely study the opponent’s unfolding game play, incorporate that knowledge to her impending game play, and bank that knowledge with the results of her game play as a deposit toward becoming next year’s starting lead point guard.
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The first instant-offense 6th man I remember was Adolph Rupp's Kentucky great, Frank Ramsey, with the Celtics in the 1960s.