Reed and Diarra should start

[Scrappy3]

2 slow starts in a row against bad teams
Reed if given the minutes wil be a monster. He’s much more diversified than Johnson and Johnson’s best position is as a 15 minute energizer off the bench. He’s still very important but he just fouls way too much as a starter.
Diarra gives us a defensive force that can find us easy offense. It’s easy to see both of these players( Reed and Diarra)will give us the lift we need to start the game

 

[TheHorde]

2 slow starts in a row against bad teams
Reed if given the minutes wil be a monster. He’s much more diversified than Johnson and Johnson’s best position is as a 15 minute energizer off the bench. He’s still very important but he just fouls way too much as a starter.
Diarra gives us a defensive force that can find us easy offense. It’s easy to see both of these players( Reed and Diarra)will give us the lift we need to start the game

I’m with you on Reed but I’m not sure if I’m there yet on Diarra. But I trust Hurley implicitly to find the right combination.

 

[cp176]

2 slow starts in a row against bad teams
Reed if given the minutes wil be a monster. He’s much more diversified than Johnson and Johnson’s best position is as a 15 minute energizer off the bench. He’s still very important but he just fouls way too much as a starter.
Diarra gives us a defensive force that can find us easy offense. It’s easy to see both of these players( Reed and Diarra)will give us the lift we need to start the game

Reed and Johnson are very different types of players. They bring different skills with them. Diarra could start for anybody anywhere. I'm pretty certain that it doesn't really matter who starts when you are this deep. Right now it looks like Karaban (good to start your best player), Mcneeley, and Ball. After that, flip a coin. Danny gets it right. It's not who starts the game that really matters when you have a team like this. It is much more important who finishes the game.

 

[AD DB Burner]

They got open shots, they just didn’t start dropping until late in the 1st Half. I don’t think the current starting lineup is the problem.

 

[Colin G]

I doubt there’s much debate here, 2 straight slow starts, followed by an almost immediate uptick when either Hass and/or Hoss enter the game. Worth noting that Mahaney was noticeably better off the bench vs URI and Hass is our best passer arguably. Mahaney needs to improve, if not we need Solo and Ross to really get comfortable as primary and secondary playmakers respectively, which I don’t think is absurd. Plus a good benching separates players and their mentality.

 

[Kenny11]

I want Hass to start but I want Samson to start instead of Reed. There's something about Reed coming off the bench and bullying guys which is nice and unusual.

The team looks much better with Hass at pg and he is also a much better defender than Mahaney. Hurley knows this so there must be a good reason he is starting Mahaney right now...so we'll see what happens.

 

[NJHusky]

The team looks much better with Hass at pg and he is also a much better defender than Mahaney. Hurley knows this so there must be a good reason he is starting Mahaney right now...so we'll see what happens.

I wonder if Dan Hurley is trying to show confidence in AM to build him up a bit?

 

[navery12]

Anyone clamoring for Diarra to start should really listen to Dan Hurley's post game comments

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I will wear this prediction if I'm wrong but I suspect the Mahaney consternation will be a distant memory sooner rather than later.

 

[EricSD]

Anyone clamoring for Diarra to start should really listen to Dan Hurley's post game comments

Which were what? I missed them sorry...

Part of me says "shake things up" given the slow starts and generally messy play of Mahaney (missing shots and average defense) and Johnson (fouls), but from everything I've read, Mahaney is playing a different role than at St Mary's, and he needs to grow into it. Plus we have him for 2 years so maybe Dan Hurley is building something with him? Maybe he practices better than Hass?

And Johnson is an energizer bunny - very active and athletic.

Bottom line the coaches know best. I don't think these slow starts will last forever, and he's been pretty quick with hooks for both Aiden and Samson so it's not like he leaves them in no matter what.

 

[navery12]

Which were what? I missed them sorry...

Part of me says "shake things up" given the slow starts and generally messy play of Mahaney (missing shots and average defense) and Johnson (fouls), but from everything I've read, Mahaney is playing a different role than at St Mary's, and he needs to grow into it. Plus we have him for 2 years so maybe Dan Hurley is building something with him? Maybe he practices better than Hass?

And Johnson is an energizer bunny - very active and athletic.

Bottom line the coaches know best. I don't think these slow starts will last forever, and he's been pretty quick with hooks for both Aiden and Samson so it's not like he leaves them in no matter what.

Basically that he likes Diarra coming off the bench, so it seems like he doesn't want to make that change. He wasn't committed to Mahaney starting if he doesn't pick things up, but it seemed much more likely it's Ross or Stewart who are taking those minutes

 

[Devland]

You say slow start against Lamoyne, if they were hitting three's at their normal clip, it would have been considered a fast start. They weren't playing bad, they were just missing open three's.

 

[B1GEast]

Who starts is irrelevant these days. The game is fluid and the substitutions come in to take advantage of, or counter the current situation on the floor.

NBA scouts aren't looking at starters, they're looking at who's a game changer. It's more about minutes and how a player performs in that given time. They want to know who went into a game when the team needed a defense stop or and offensive spark.

Honestly I would prefer they get rid of who opens the game and just list who played.

Look at the box score, there will be multiple guys with double digit minutes that all contributed to the game.

That's what's really important, not the guy who was on the floor at the tip off .

 

[gsmooth]

Who starts is irrelevant these days. The game is fluid and the substitutions come in to take advantage of, or counter the current situation on the floor.

NBA scouts aren't looking at starters, they're looking at who's a game changer. It's more about minutes and how a player performs in that given time.

Honestly I would prefer they get rid of who opens the game and just list who played.

Look at the box score, there will be multiple guys with double digit minutes that all contributed to the game.

That's what's really important, not the guy who was on the floor at the tip off .

I think this bodes more true for this team that has depth and is an embarrassment of riches at the wings.

 

[B1GEast]

I think this bodes more true for this team that has depth and is an embarrassment of riches at the wings.

The game has evolved beyond starters and bench depth.

It used to be that the term starter was reserved for upperclassmen or highly recruited athletes.

The stat sheet trend for most college teams show 7 or 8 guys getting 10 plus minutes a game.

Even the positions have changed, having a post position guy that can shoot three's or combo guards that aren't really pure point guards that also can play small forward show that the game has really changed.

All for the better IMO

 

[storrsroars]

Basically that he likes Diarra coming off the bench, so it seems like he doesn't want to make that change. He wasn't committed to Mahaney starting if he doesn't pick things up, but it seemed much more likely it's Ross or Stewart who are taking those minutes

Have to admit, I kinda like Diarra off the bench too (but with SJ, while Reed starts). Opponent gets a little confidence burning Mahaney a few times, Hass comes in, opponent gets deflated. Also open to Stew or Ross taking some of Mahaney's minutes if he doesn't turn the corner soon.

 

[RedStickHusky]

First possession last night was an obvious and easy lob to Johnson but Mahaney was hunting his own shot so he went for the floater and scored on an own rebound... Letting Mahaney figure it out in real time affects everyone else. I'm not too worried about which five plays first; they're are going to rotate. I'm getting a little curious about plan B for the one spot if Mahaney's light never comes on.

 

[Deleted at users request]

I wonder if Dan Hurley is trying to show confidence in AM to build him up a bit?

This is a new thing for Hurley to do since he’s mostly about whoever practices and plays the best plays.

 

[HooperScooper]

Reed and Johnson are very different types of players. They bring different skills with them. Diarra could start for anybody anywhere. I'm pretty certain that it doesn't really matter who starts when you are this deep. Right now it looks like Karaban (good to start your best player), Mcneeley, and Ball. After that, flip a coin. Danny gets it right. It's not who starts the game that really matters when you have a team like this. It is much more important who finishes the game.

So Andrew Hurley was the team's best player last year?

 

[Kembacity]

I’m with you on Reed but I’m not sure if I’m there yet on Diarra. But I trust Hurley implicitly to find the right combination.

I’m right there with everything you said. I think diarra is also best as a sparkplug off the bench. So many weapons this year but I think that’ll be the move and our second unit is going to dominate for real

 

[TheHorde]

I’m right there with everything you said. I think diarra is also best as a sparkplug off the bench. So many weapons this year but I think that’ll be the move and our second unit is going to dominate for real

Diarra could provide the production needed in the starting lineup. But I agree with your take on the spark he provides off the bench. He’s used to that role. I also don’t think that it would be great for Mahaney’s confidence to take him out of the starting 5 just yet. I think he’s going to figure it out.

 

[RuffRuff]

Basically that he likes Diarra coming off the bench, so it seems like he doesn't want to make that change. He wasn't committed to Mahaney starting if he doesn't pick things up, but it seemed much more likely it's Ross or Stewart who are taking those minutes

Highly unlikely to be Stew - they’d need to at least replace with a ball handler and more of a guard and that’s Ross.

But that exactly where Hurley left it - he likes Hassan’s energy coming off the bench. And of course he’s trying to give AM a chance and build him up against the “tomato cans”. He committed to him in the portal and wil give him every chance possible in low risk games. He has one more of those and then I think Hurley will make some decisions for Maui. Especially since the Big East stinks and the OOC resume is going to be critical for the resume.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Reed starting over Johnson is a no brainer. Johnson hasn’t shown anything to warrant starting.

Mahaney is still getting used to the system on both ends so it’s going to take some time.

If Mahaney were to come off the bench, having a backcourt of Ball and Ross would be interesting. Ball, Ross, McNeeley, Karaban, Reed

 

[Huskyforlife]

Diarra works best off the bench as a stabilizer if we get disjointed.

We're better off investing in Mahaney/Ross/Stewart as the last perimeter starter because it raises our ceiling. He'll be there if we need someone solid to fill in the lineup mid game.

 

[Mr. French]

Have to admit, I kinda like Diarra off the bench too (but with SJ, while Reed starts). Opponent gets a little confidence burning Mahaney a few times, Hass comes in, opponent gets deflated. Also open to Stew or Ross taking some of Mahaney's minutes if he doesn't turn the corner soon.

This is the point, except minus the Mahaney part. I’m not worried about him, but it’s cyclical who is sluggish to start or maybe missing some shots.

Hass’s best attributes are defense, energy, leadership, athleticism…those all work better coming off the bench when a spark is needed.

 

[Hunt for 7]

I think the only reason Mahaney is starting is simply Hurley trying to keep his confidence at some acceptable level. He knows Hass can handle either role.

But the bigger picture is he just won two chips with starting back courts that were all 6’5” or taller except for Cam who was 6’4” but rebounded like he was 6’7”. Sure we had Joey C coming in for instant offense and Diarra both years but they were off the bench.

Look at our incoming recruits all big guards except for the big guy Riebe, who auto corrects to Reuben which should be fun, Hurley likes big guards and he is not shy about saying it.

Personally, my starting lineup would be Johnson, Karaban, McNeeley, Ross and Ball. I could see Diarra starting over Ball but that is the only question mark for me. Then Diarra sixth man again, Reed Jr and Stewart there is our perfect 8 man rotation. Mahaney needs to figure out how he can play a role like Joey C. Until he defends better that has to be his role. But Joey had swag, Mahaney not sure has that showman in him not with his current body language.

I hope I am wrong about Mahaney, never want to see our guys struggling.

 

[3rdbass]

I think the only reason Mahaney is starting is simply Hurley trying to keep his confidence at some acceptable level. He knows Hass can handle either role.

But the bigger picture is he just won two chips with starting back courts that were all 6’5” or taller except for Cam who was 6’4” but rebounded like he was 6’7”. Sure we had Joey C coming in for instant offense and Diarra both years but they were off the bench.

Look at our incoming recruits all big guards except for the big guy Riebe, who auto corrects to Reuben which should be fun, Hurley likes big guards and he is not shy about saying it.

Personally, my starting lineup would be Johnson, Karaban, McNeeley, Ross and Ball. I could see Diarra starting over Ball but that is the only question mark for me. Then Diarra sixth man again, Reed Jr and Stewart there is our perfect 8 man rotation. Mahaney needs to figure out how he can play a role like Joey C. Until he defends better that has to be his role. But Joey had swag, Mahaney not sure has that showman in him not with his current body language.

I hope I am wrong about Mahaney, never want to see our guys struggling.

You are right about his D but wrong about his offense. He has it in him to be a great scoring guard. He is a crafty penetrator and score from all 3 levels. He just needs confidence. I personally would like to see him become the 6th man off the bench. I think that is the perfect role for him.

 

[willie99]

Anyone clamoring for Diarra to start should really listen to Dan Hurley's post game comments

Who? Is he the two time defending champion or something? We all know more than that chump

I just reached out to the Lakers and offered my services. Just waiting on their response



I'm just playing, don't go Boneyard on me. But I'm glad we have Dan and I'm just here for the ride.

 

[Hunt for 7]

You are right about his D but wrong about his offense. He has it in him to be a great scoring guard. He is a crafty penetrator and score from all 3 levels. He just needs confidence. I personally would like to see him become the 6th man off the bench. I think that is the perfect role for him.

Absolutely agree he has an offensive game. He is a great shooter and handle. If he embraces a role like you mention, I think that is the prime outcome for our team.

 

[Sphinx]

Rewatch the highlights of the game. With 8 minutes to go, UConn leading 73-35 and cooking on all burners, Dan Hurley puts his starting lineup back in, Mahaney at point. Everthing immediately stagnates on offense, Uconn going scoreless for the next two minutes. On defense, LeMoyne scores on its next two possessions, each time a driving layup past a flat-footed Mahaney. Time out. UConn retakes the floor without Mahaney. Not saying that was Mahaney's last chance, but there certainly can't be many more.