Our BEST Starting Five....

[jayp123669]

Our best starting 5 according to Evan Miya data

C-Reed
F-Mcneeley
F-Karaban
G-Nowell
G-Diarra

Thoughts? agree, disagree? I kind of like it.

Use Samson in same role as last year. Mahaney, Ball, Stewart off bench. Those happen to be our worst defenders as well coming off the bench which is a MAJOR part of the issue. Ball is by FAR our worst. Hes a great scorer though.

 

[Palatine]

It doesn't matter who starts. It matters who is on the floor at the end of the game.

 

[HuskyFich]

Disagree:

Ball
Diarra
McNeeley
Karaban
Reed

Everyone on the floor can “absorb” solos defense slight.

Unfortunately, Diarra needs to play 40 minutes a game to support guard defense, unless Nowell proves he can stay on the court for more than 5 minutes at a time without being an offensive hindrance.
His off ball movement just isn’t close enough to what we need from him for 20+ mpg consistently….yet.

 

[jayp123669]

Who doesn't matter who starts. It matters who is on the floor at the end of the game.

agreed I SHOULD have said who plays the MOST minutes....based on strictly defense...that 5 is our best...according to data...of course.

 

[dogpause]

One could certainly argue that Diarra deserves to start, but I think we're a much better team when we don't need him in that role.
I think Nowell needs to be given a chance to develop over the next few weeks. We need take the ball to the rim more than we are doing right now and Nowell may be able to help. We're too perimeter oriented and teams are playing us that way.

Reed is a no-brainer as a starter and Samson is better coming off the bench with zero fouls than going to the bench with two fouls.

I know Hurley prefers indiviual accountability over help defense, but it may be time to adjust that thinking based on our personnel.

 

[Scrappy3]

Here’s my thought process

Reid has to start because he represents the best rebounder we have on the team. Samson Johnson is better off in the reserve role


Solo ball McNeeley and. Karaban are all proven starters now But we need improvement on man d from all

For defense we need to reboot . I know the easy choice is Diarra but as a new developmental pg I might try Ross tonight to start against a lower level team

 

[TheHorde]

It’s probably an unpopular view on the board, but I agree with Nowell starting.

 

[Conndog]

Our best starting 5 according to Evan Miya data

C-Reed
F-Mcneeley
F-Karaban
G-Nowell
G-Diarra

Thoughts? agree, disagree? I kind of like it.

Use Samson in same role as last year. Mahaney, Ball, Stewart off bench. Those happen to be our worst defenders as well coming off the bench which is a MAJOR part of the issue. Ball is by FAR our worst. Hes a great scorer though.

Not enough scoring from guards in my opinion

 

[husky429]

At this point, I'm starting whoever defends just to make a point. Solo in particular needs to play with a modicum of defensive IQ or get off the court and let the dogs play.

I don't even care about size or offense.

 

[belle]

My starting 5:
Singare
Karaban
McNeeley
Ball
Nowell

Diarra, Stewart, Ross off the bench. Samson and Reed rotating in. Mahaney shooter as needed

 

[Huskyforlife]

We need to see more Nowell before making declarations like this.

But I really wanna see more Nowell, cause I believe as well.

 

[navery12]

I'm buying Nowell starting, but not next to Diarra. At best there's 2 PGs on this team and starting both isn't ideal with how talented the wings we have are

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I'm buying Nowell starting, but not next to Diarra. At best there's 2 PGs on this team and starting both isn't ideal with how talented the wings we have are

Yeah, honestly I dont have a preference who starts out of Nowell/Diarra but Ball, McNeeley, Karaban, Reed are my other starters. I love Johnson as an energy big off-the-bench.

 

[Brochacho]

Who doesn't matter who starts. It matters who is on the floor at the end of the game.

I’m sure starting Samson every game has nothing to do with the consistent foul trouble at the 5.

 

[Icehawk]

Who doesn't matter who starts. It matters who is on the floor at the end of the game.

Even if one of the starters fouled in the first 20s two games in a row?

 

[Huskyforlife]

I'm buying Nowell starting, but not next to Diarra. At best there's 2 PGs on this team and starting both isn't ideal with how talented the wings we have are

If Nowell and Diarra play the best defense of our guard/wings, I'd probably be fine with it. We gotta solve the defensive problems before worrying about anything else.

 

[bendm]

Getting off to slow starts and into early foul trouble matters…If It doesn’t matter who starts than why not Mahaney Ross Abe Stew and Singare lolol

 

[jibsey]

We need to see more Nowell before making declarations like this.

But I really wanna see more Nowell, cause I believe as well.

I agree with this 100%, we have to see more of him against solid competition. One other thing is do we give him time to develop and overcome mistakes, he’s a freshman?
To have him be what we want him to be in March? We know he’s got the job next year.
Diarra off the bench as a spark plug, and disrupter is ideal but for that to happen Ball, Mahaney and Nowell have to be much better.

We don’t have a lot of room for error re the tourney I guess. Reminds me of the Yankees who have great prospects but when they come up and don’t produce right away don’t get a chance and they are tossed or traded. Then later produce for other teams.
Other teams give those prospects a whole year to develop.

 

[tennmike]

Nowell looks like the best pg option now. Diara is a good complimentary player but not lead guard.
The Solo to the NBA talk should stop now. He does not do enough to impact winning - too one dimensional and does not look for teammates. Both Memphis guards clearly showed how lacking he is.
At the three and four, rotate McNeeley, Karaban, and Stewart.
Johnson is best reprising last year's role. Tell Reid to not get sucked into every up fake; he's shown glimpses of how good he can be.
Ross gambles too much and other than an open three, he doesn't seem to get that all the cuts are options. He's not even looking.

 

[Lambeau]

Nowell--learn by doing
Ball--ride him hard about defense, he has the agility
Karaban--obvious
McNeeley--coach up his defense
Reed, Jr--no brainer

 

[Hurleyman216]

Make Ball come off the bench until he decides he wants to play defense

 

[FluxTZ]

Our best starting 5 according to Evan Miya data

C-Reed
F-Mcneeley
F-Karaban
G-Nowell
G-Diarra

Thoughts? agree, disagree? I kind of like it.

Use Samson in same role as last year. Mahaney, Ball, Stewart off bench. Those happen to be our worst defenders as well coming off the bench which is a MAJOR part of the issue. Ball is by FAR our worst. Hes a great scorer though.

This was also what chatgpt recommended, when I uploaded the box score of the last three games (General and advanced stats). When I asked for a revision assuming Diarra came off the bench, it had Solo starting alongside Ahmad.

 

[AllHusky]

Diarra and Nowell is intriguing. Diarra good defender and Nowell appears to be, both good ball handlers, can they score 16-20 pts/game?

Reed 18-20(inc Johnson)
Diarra/Nowell16-20(inc Mahaney, Ross)
Karaban/McNeeley 36-40(inc Stewart)

Thats 70-80 pts/night. With improved Defense, shouldn't that production win alot of games? Might keep Diarra and Karaban from feeling pressure to do it all and allow Reed to assert himself.

Defense has got to be better

 

[controlfade]

My 5 would be
HD
Liam
Stewart
AK
Reed

Let Ball and AM rotate in as shooters but their defense is so atrocious right now and offense is clearly not our issue.

 

[uconn_jack]

I don't understand the amount of disrespect to Diarra and wanting the shiny new object (Nowell) to start. I think Nowell will be good, very good, for us as the year progresses, and we'll need him to be if we want to make a post season run, but I just don't get how people think he deserves the starting role over Diarra. Hass is a battle tested veteran from 2 national championship teams who understands the system, and while he does make an occasional mistake, this idea that a freshman will be more consistent and reliable is silly. It's also not like Diarra would be a sparkplug sixth man PG, since he and Nowell play at similar pace with similar skills (although I agree Nowells ceiling is higher, but not necessarily this year). I see Diarra and Nowell eventually playing similar minutes if not splitting PG time pretty evenly, but I just don't see how starting Nowell over Diarra is any better.