Mullins’ defense

[HailUConn]

I’ll just come out and say it: I did not expect Mullins can play Hurley’s level of defense coming out of HS with the deceptively thin build.


Oh boy did he surprise us all? His footwork is like his shot release, lightning quick always beat the opponent to the spot, constantly fight the screen, and mastery at steals (3 steals in a couple of games already) with super anticipatory senses.

The kid is the real deal, and the whole package!

 

[Lafayette]

While that was a highlight reel of defense - overall on ball 1:1 was mid.

Hey, as a frosh he is not expected to be a top 5 defender on our team and likely is not but his overall game including defensive positioning, awareness, is top 5.

 

[RuffRuff]

Defensive play of the year so far?

 

[Lafayette]

Defensive play of the year so far?

Google AI says so

 

[inWV]

His spatial awareness is elite.

 

[uh-no]

While that was a highlight reel of defense - overall on ball 1:1 was mid.

Hey, as a frosh he is not expected to be a top 5 defender on our team and likely is not but his overall game including defensive positioning, awareness, is top 5.

he was slow fighting through that screen and was able to make a miraculous save. That said, Tarris being lost was the main issue.

EIther way, he still gets lost on switches a good amount of the time. I'd put him at mid for both on-ball and team defense....and one highlight reel play doesn't change that.

We gave up 19 points in 5 minutes to blow an 18 point lead. Nobody should really be celebrating the defense last night really.

 

[Gurleyman]

I’ve watched him on that end pretty closely since I was impressed with him in limited minutes at the McDs game and wanted to see how it translated for us. He’s honestly been pretty good with a couple correctable flaws. He’s reaching less these days, which is one. And he can sometimes anticipate and lean in the wrong direction and get caught flat flooted - most of the time he stops the initial move when people go at him, and often the counter moves too, but every now and then he’s victim to just a straight blowby when he’s caught off guard. Happened twice yesterday - once when he was leaning towards the screener and once when a SHU guy sort of took a jumping hop step for momentum and took off on a straight drive and he was glued to the floor.

But a recurring issue I’ve seen is that he has a way of not finishing the defensive possession after his guy picks up the dribble. He’ll have a guy locked up essentially and then get out of his defensive stance, make himself small and give up an angle to the basket. He sort of unlocks the guy he locked up. Happened on the Clark up and under - he did all the hard work keeping Clark in front of him and forcing him to pick up his dribble - but instead of forcing him to take a tough shot, he got out of position on the fake (no longer between Clark and the basket), and made the shot easy. Sometimes it happens with just his man pivoting - he’ll cede inside position when he has the upper hand. Just has to be better at finishing those possessions and staying in good position.

 

[Umami Zen]

The presence of mind and BBIQ to make that block without fouling was a veteran -upperclassman move. Quick feet and full extension . Continues to make winning plays other than putting the ball in the bucket. Clutch two-way player

 

[alexd]

AND he had a pseudo roll the ball over the rim dunk vs the Hall.
I don't believe he's had an actual dunk yet. LOL

 

[superjohn]

AND he had a pseudo roll the ball over the rim dunk vs the Hall.
I don't believe he's had an actual dunk yet. LOL

Just one of about 30 missed fouls on Seton Hall.

 

[InKembaITrust]

Enjoy him while he's here. Hopefully will have a long and successful NBA career and be a great husky ambassador.

 

[Chin Diesel]

He was real good last night. A couple of the baskets he gave up one on one were due to a SHU player blatantly pushing off in to his chest or burying a shoulder in his chest to make room for their shot. And the refs swallowed the whistles on those plays.

 

[navery12]

If you actually watched him in high school and read his scouting reports this is not a surprise. If you only looked at his height and weight it is a surprise

 

[Marat]

I’ve watched him on that end pretty closely since I was impressive with him in limited minutes at the McDs game and wanted to see how it translated for us. He’s honestly been pretty good with a couple correctable flaws. He’s reaching less these days, which is one. And he can sometimes anticipate and lean in the wrong direction and get caught flat flooted - most of the time he stops the initial move when people go at him, and often the counter moves too, but every now and then he’s victim to just a straight blowby when he’s caught off guard. Happened twice yesterday - once when he was leaning towards the screener and once when a SHU guy sort of took a jumping hop step for momentum and took off on a straight drive and he was glued to the floor.

But a recurring issue I’ve seen is that he has a way of not finishing the defensive possession after his guy picks up the dribble. He’ll have a guy locked up essentially and then get out of his defensive stance, make himself small and give up an angle to the basket. He sort of unlocks the guy he locked up. Happened on the Clark up and under - he did all the hard work keeping Clark in front of him and forcing him to pick up his dribble - but instead of forcing him to take a tough shot, he got out of position on the fake (no longer between Clark and the basket), and made the shot easy. Sometimes it happens with just his man pivoting - he’ll cede inside position when he has the upper hand. Just has to be better at finishing those possessions and staying in good position.

Very good analysis. I was trying to pay attention to his Defense yesterday and not worried at all about him giving up the angle a few times after locking up the player he was guarding. This kid will be a good one !

 

[HailUConn]

 

[HailUConn]

I’ve watched him on that end pretty closely since I was impressive with him in limited minutes at the McDs game and wanted to see how it translated for us. He’s honestly been pretty good with a couple correctable flaws. He’s reaching less these days, which is one. And he can sometimes anticipate and lean in the wrong direction and get caught flat flooted - most of the time he stops the initial move when people go at him, and often the counter moves too, but every now and then he’s victim to just a straight blowby when he’s caught off guard. Happened twice yesterday - once when he was leaning towards the screener and once when a SHU guy sort of took a jumping hop step for momentum and took off on a straight drive and he was glued to the floor.

But a recurring issue I’ve seen is that he has a way of not finishing the defensive possession after his guy picks up the dribble. He’ll have a guy locked up essentially and then get out of his defensive stance, make himself small and give up an angle to the basket. He sort of unlocks the guy he locked up. Happened on the Clark up and under - he did all the hard work keeping Clark in front of him and forcing him to pick up his dribble - but instead of forcing him to take a tough shot, he got out of position on the fake (no longer between Clark and the basket), and made the shot easy. Sometimes it happens with just his man pivoting - he’ll cede inside position when he has the upper hand. Just has to be better at finishing those possessions and staying in good position.

Nitpick much for a freshman playing 4,5 college games?

 

[superjohn]

Hurley's description of Braylon last night was funny. He comes into the gym and listens to everything and works, everything is yes sir. The Indiana boy keeps it real simple, all he wants to do is hoop and drink a beer. Hurley caught himself on the beer part because Braylon is underage.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Hurley's description of Braylon last night was funny. He comes into the gym and listens to everything and works, everything is yes sir. The Indiana boy keeps it real simple, all he wants to do is hoop and drink a beer. Hurley caught himself on the beer part because Braylon is underage.

It’s a shame bc outsiders just see some of Danny’s antics in short clips and highlights (lowlights) on various shows and judge him on that stuff, but then you listen to these types of interviews and realize he’s just an emotional guy who loves his players and is all in all the time.

 

[Mr. French]

Goodman is such a dork man. He wants so badly to be funny and goofy and Hurley just deals with it.

 

[aceboon]

Hurley's description of Braylon last night was funny. He comes into the gym and listens to everything and works, everything is yes sir. The Indiana boy keeps it real simple, all he wants to do is hoop and drink a beer. Hurley caught himself on the beer part because Braylon is underage.

why is Goodman still asking Lakers questions?

 

[RuffRuff]

Goodman is such a dork man. He wants so badly to be funny and goofy and Hurley just deals with it.

Eh, take him for what it's worth. He asks the hard questions, doesn't sugarcoat everything. I kind of like him. Straight shooter.

 

[Mr. French]

Eh, take him for what it's worth. He asks the hard questions, doesn't sugarcoat everything. I kind of like him. Straight shooter.

I do take him for what it’s worth - he’s a dork that tries to be funny and isn’t.

I have no issues with his questions. He’s a dork.

 

[Mr. French]

Goodman is such a dork man. He wants so badly to be funny and goofy and Hurley just deals with it.

why is Goodman still asking Lakers questions?

 

[RuffRuff]

Hurley's description of Braylon last night was funny. He comes into the gym and listens to everything and works, everything is yes sir. The Indiana boy keeps it real simple, all he wants to do is hoop and drink a beer. Hurley caught himself on the beer part because Braylon is underage.

Mullins is such a Hurley kinda kid. All about hoops, respect and loyalty.

 

[alexd]

Wasn't Hurley's description of Mullins after he signed that he's "sneaky athletic"???

 

[Gurleyman]

Nitpick much for a freshman playing 4,5 college games?

Not sure why you’re having the sads. I’ve been probably one of the biggest Mullins fan boys on the board. When everyone was saying he was weak and would get exposed, I’ve said from day one that was BS. He looks a little thin and weak, but he competes on that end and isn’t just going to get bullied around. Darryn Peterson went right at him in an iso situation in the McDs game and Mullins forced him into a fadeaway brick. He also picked Dybantsa clean and Dybantsa tried to bully ball him the next time down and Mullins held his ground (he made a tough jump hook - but still good D). I felt like he would be a plus defender for us and not somebody we would have to hide.

But yeah - he’s not perfect on that end and I’ve noticed a couple things he can get better at. There have been about 5 times I’ve thought “cmon Braylon, you had him locked up, why’d you let him out?” I think two of them resulted in fouls on Reed helping or being out of position and fouling getting the rebound. Those little mistakes can put yourself or a teammate in foul trouble.

 

[Donyell 360]

AND he had a pseudo roll the ball over the rim dunk vs the Hall.
I don't believe he's had an actual dunk yet. LOL

I thought I remembered a baseline drive that he finished with two hands in one game. He definitely had a two handed fast break dunk in the exhibition game against BC if you want to count that. But he doesn't seem to be particularly concerned with style points. Very business like approach. Just get buckets.

 

[HailUConn]

Not sure why you’re having the sads. I’ve been probably one of the biggest Mullins fan boys on the board. When everyone was saying he was weak and would get exposed, I’ve said from day one that was BS. He looks a little thin and weak, but he competes on that end and isn’t just going to get bullied around. Darryn Peterson went right at him in an iso situation in the McDs game and Mullins forced him into a fadeaway brick. He also picked Dybantsa clean and Dybantsa tried to bully ball him the next time down and Mullins held his ground (he made a tough jump hook - but still good D). I felt like he would be a plus defender for us and not somebody we would have to hide.

But yeah - he’s not perfect on that end and I’ve noticed a couple things he can get better at. There have been about 5 times I’ve thought “cmon Braylon, you had him locked up, why’d you let him out?” I think two of them resulted in fouls on Reed helping or being out of position and fouling getting the rebound. Those little mistakes can put yourself or a teammate in foul trouble.

I can see why you posted what you did.

Not sure why you’re having the sads. I’ve been probably one of the biggest Mullins fan boys on the board. When everyone was saying he was weak and would get exposed, I’ve said from day one that was BS. He looks a little thin and weak, but he competes on that end and isn’t just going to get bullied around. Darryn Peterson went right at him in an iso situation in the McDs game and Mullins forced him into a fadeaway brick. He also picked Dybantsa clean and Dybantsa tried to bully ball him the next time down and Mullins held his ground (he made a tough jump hook - but still good D). I felt like he would be a plus defender for us and not somebody we would have to hide.

But yeah - he’s not perfect on that end and I’ve noticed a couple things he can get better at. There have been about 5 times I’ve thought “cmon Braylon, you had him locked up, why’d you let him out?” I think two of them resulted in fouls on Reed helping or being out of position and fouling getting the rebound. Those little mistakes can put yourself or a teammate in foul trouble.

a non casual fan, now I see why you posted what you did. It’s all good

 

[Gurleyman]

I can see why you posted what you did.

a non casual fan, now I see why you posted what you did. It’s all good

Yeah - all good. You were the original poster and might have thought I was pushing back - when actually I was in full agreement and was pointing out little areas of improvement where he can get even better at the defensive end.

 

[HailUConn]

Yeah - all good. You were the original poster and might have thought I was pushing back - when actually I was in full agreement and was pointing out little areas of improvement when he can get even better at the defensive end.

Quite the contrary, Never in disagreement.
I said in jest if he already did what you pointed out, he wouldn’t have been a freshman, or at least he would be no.1 recruit. And it’s not be fair to whoever else plays basketball.