Shocking to me how people can criticize AJ's performance today...

[husky429]

He's not going to score more guys. He has 0 scoring skill from anywhere in the floor other than a dunk. Just enjoy the ride and appreciate his unique skillset.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

We’re building ways to exploit the sag without Andre shooting it.

Exhibit A: flash Adama in the post, create the space, kick to Newt who penetrated and threw the lob to Andre rim running in the space created. That was a set to punish that defense without Andre shooting it.

Exhibit B: give and go flash to Hawk for a wide open look (that Hawk missed).

Exhibit C: extra pass to Joey on his only 3 of the game.

We are starting to get in flow looks as a result of, not inspite of the defense on Dre.

We are solving the defense more frequently. The more reps we get at breaking it down the better and for now there is no plan B for teams when we solve this.

We’re also getting Adama a ton more looks moving towards the basket instead of on the block.


We’re also getting a lot more high low back door passes from Clingan to cutting guards.

The team is evolving.

Gtown hit a % of threes way above their average.

Wahab and Murray hit a lot of tough shots in the mid range.

Town got a favorable whistle from the 10-5 min mark of the 2nd half (primo dive, and 1, no calls on Newton, alleyne).

And we weathered the storm and got the road win with hustle and defense.

Haters will cite a close game against Georgetown and say today was a continued struggle.

It wasn’t. It’s more progress.

Great post/analysis.

WRT Murray…how many non-layup tough shots in the lane did he make yesterday? Look at his YTD shot chart. He’s generally been horrible all year with them. Not yesterday though…

 

[gars44]

Thanks so much for the unsolicited guidance...I'll take it with the grain of salt it deserves. I treat the Boneyard chat genius takes as seriously as a George Santos resume.

Is the bill in the mail for your 3 hours of time?

Ouch!

 

[HuskyNan]

Throwing the ball across his body that distance was remarkable. Jackson and Karaban had the play(s) of the day

 

[NJHusky]

He's not going to score more guys. He has 0 scoring skill from anywhere in the floor other than a dunk. Just enjoy the ride and appreciate his unique skillset.

Hurley has been talking about a 4 out offense since the summer. Honest question…how do you play a 4 out offense when your 3 can’t shoot?

I wonder if our early season success was because OOC coaches didnt know the team and all played traditional d on Jax. The BE coaches exposed him and now the book is out. I’d expect other teams to do the same in March. Unless DH figures it out we‘ll be playing 4 on 5

are we a better off giving up some D to get a more balanced O?

 

[Malamute]

Hurley has been talking about a 4 out offense since the summer. Honest question…how do you play a 4 out offense when your 3 can’t shoot?

I wonder if our early season success was because OOC coaches didnt know the team and all played traditional d on Jax. The BE coaches exposed him and now the book is out. I’d expect other teams to do the same in March. Unless DH figures it out we‘ll be playing 4 on 5

are we a better off giving up some D to get a more balanced O?

 

[Malamute]

Hurley has been talking about a 4 out offense since the summer. Honest question…how do you play a 4 out offense when your 3 can’t shoot?

I wonder if our early season success was because OOC coaches didnt know the team and all played traditional d on Jax. The BE coaches exposed him and now the book is out. I’d expect other teams to do the same in March. Unless DH figures it out we‘ll be playing 4 on 5

are we a better off giving up some D to get a more balanced O?

No. Kenpom 9 offense. Get what you can from Ajax on offense and let him be who he is on defense / rebounding etc. . Like every player, he can tighten up his strengths which I am sure is is working on.

 

[Greathusky]

Well he did suck in the first half but redeemed himself in the second half.

 

[bluestreak]

Exhibit A: flash Adama in the post, create the space, kick to Newt who penetrated and threw the lob to Andre rim running in the space created. That was a set to punish that defense without Andre shooting it

That was so clean and easy! Why don't they run that 100 times per game?

 

[imno1]

Hurley has been talking about a 4 out offense since the summer. Honest question…how do you play a 4 out offense when your 3 can’t shoot?

I wonder if our early season success was because OOC coaches didnt know the team and all played traditional d on Jax. The BE coaches exposed him and now the book is out. I’d expect other teams to do the same in March. Unless DH figures it out we‘ll be playing 4 on 5

are we a better off giving up some D to get a more balanced O?

Where is this more balanced O coming from?

 

[UConnSwag11]

We’ll see. Big test Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

[UConn990411]

Poster: How can anyone criticize Jackson’s performance against Georgetown?
Everyone else: …who was criticizing him? There’s been nothing but compliments after the game.
Poster:

 

[NJHusky]

That was so clean and easy! Why don't they run that 100 times per game?

Wasn’t it Lombardi who said something about running the same play until they stop it?

 

[huskiesNhoos]

are we a better off giving up some D to get a more balanced O?

I was nodding along agreeing with your post and then I forgot everything you said and am now giggling like a 12 yr old

 

[my2cents]

Regardless of how he played on defense, its plain to see that he has shooting yips. Airballs from 10 ft, etc. It's not being overly critical to point out the obvious.

 

[NJHusky]

I was nodding along agreeing with your post and then I forgot everything you said and am now giggling like a 12 yr old

Glad I brought a chuckle on a Sunday morning.

Any ideas on the other question I had, how to play a 4 out offense with only 3 shooters?

 

[Rico444]

This. This has been huge for Adama and the team. As good as he can be on the block, he's been one dimensional offensively and coaches have figured out pretty easily how to stop him (just double him). They have really been mixing up how they use Adama in the offense and it's making a huge difference I think.

He still needs to learn to pass out of the double teams, getting better, but still a ways to go. There was a point where Hurley subbed him right after a bad shot falling away from the basket where you could clearly read Hurleys lips say "Adama, pass it" as he went to the bench. Glad to see it's still a point of emphasis.

To be fair, Hurley has to do a better job giving Adama easier passes out of the post. Half the time he clears everyone out from the side Adama is posting on, so when the double comes his only passes are at difficult angles with multiple defenders in the way. I really liked the play where Adama got the double and Andre flashed into the paint. Adama hit him, and I think Andre missed the shot but it was still the right idea.

 

[mauconnfan]

Regardless of how he played on defense, it’s plain to see that he has shooting yips. Airballs from 10 ft, etc. It's not being overly critical to point out the obvious.

Some only see what they want to. 3 misses from point blank because he’s just not sure. And one that was blocked because he hesitated he’s a mess on O. But many here will say “did you see that stroke on the 3” lol. Truth is 30 minutes is too many for a guy who won’t shoot and the other teams wants to shoot, please!

Love the athleticism, the rebounding but if we’re not running up and down the court instead playing a half court game he’s a detriment often.

 

[pj]

Great post/analysis.

WRT Murray…how many non-layup tough shots in the lane did he make yesterday? Look at his YTD shot chart. He’s generally been horrible all year with them. Not yesterday though…

View attachment 83820

I don't get it. Your evidence for "horrible" is a shot chart where he's above the D-1 average from 6 zones and way above average in 2 zones, shoots above 33% on threes from 4 of 5 three point zones, and shoots above 66% from both close to the basket and one mid-range zone. That's a player who poses a lot of offensive threats and can help almost any team.

 

[pj]

No. Kenpom 9 offense. Get what you can from Ajax on offense and let him be who he is on defense / rebounding etc. . Like every player, he can tighten up his strengths which I am sure is is working on.

Only one player can shoot on each possession, five players have to play defense and rebound for the team to be successful. A coach can create a great offense having one poor shooter, the non-shooter can set screens, add a passing angle for quick ball movement, and get offensive rebounds. AJax can screen, pass, and rebound and so is a valuable player on offense as well as defense as long as he has other good scorers on the court to work with. He has to know his role. When he took 12 shots against Xavier it was a problem. And the coach has to design the offense for the players he has.

 

[August_West]

I was starting to write Jackson’s obituary at 1/2 time yesterday, he did a great job on spears, but he had a few looks inside in the first 1/2 that were so tragically off that it had me thinking we may be witnessing a Steve Sax type deal, because as we all know, he’s not a shooter , but at that point it wasn’t lack of scoring skill in my mind, it’s the yips, totally mental, and I was terrified that after how the last couple of weeks have gone for him, that we might just totally lose him for rest of year.

I can’t even convey how happy I was he got that dunk and especially the 3 in second half, you could almost see bricks being lifted off his shoulders. He was a terror all over the floor again . I am hoping this is the big first step back for him. I’ve been saying all along we need him. Despite all our other things we have on this team, Andre being who he was early season is the biggest deciding factor on where this team goes.

 

[pj]

I don't get it. Your evidence for "horrible" is a shot chart where he's above the D-1 average from 6 zones and way above average in 2 zones, shoots above 33% on threes from 4 of 5 three point zones, and shoots above 66% from both close to the basket and one mid-range zone. That's a player who poses a lot of offensive threats and can help almost any team.

The one thing I'll say about Murray is that he takes as many or more shots from spots on the court where he shoots badly as he does from spots where he shots well. That's letting the defense dictate where you shoot from, and is a sign of weak coaching. Patrick Ewing may be a great guy, but he isn't a great coach.

 

[Rico444]

Some only see what they want to. 3 misses from point blank because he’s just not sure. And one that was blocked because he hesitated he’s a mess on O. But many here will say “did you see that stroke on the 3” lol. Truth is 30 minutes is too many for a guy who won’t shoot and the other teams wants to shoot, please!

Love the athleticism, the rebounding but if we’re not running up and down the court instead playing a half court game he’s a detriment often.

If Andre didn't play yesterday, how many points do you think Primo Spears would've had? 10? 15? Add that onto what Andre finished with, 17-22 points is the minimum you're looking for from a replacement to replicate what he did. That doesn't include the 10 rebounds and 7-2 A/TO he provided.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

I don't get it. Your evidence for "horrible" is a shot chart where he's above the D-1 average from 6 zones and way above average in 2 zones, shoots above 33% on threes from 4 of 5 three point zones, and shoots above 66% from both close to the basket and one mid-range zone. That's a player who poses a lot of offensive threats and can help almost any team.

Im talking about all the shots he made yesterday in the zone where he’s shot only 9/33 (I.e., close paint shots that aren’t layups).

 

[mauconnfan]

If Andre didn't play yesterday, how many points do you think Primo Spears would've had? 10? 15? Add that onto what Andre finished with, 17-22 points is the minimum you're looking for from a replacement to replicate what he did. That doesn't include the 10 rebounds and 7-2 A/TO he provided.

Imagine that you just look at the positive so in that case he was amazing wow best Husky ever. I didn’t see his missed lay ups, his awful interior passes in the first half, his jumping past Murray to open the game for an easy 3, the 2 stupid attempts to make steals against Primo late 2nd half which led to easy baskets because everyone had to scramble to make up for it???? Nah you can’t just go with he had a pretty good game, he played solid D on Spears as did everyone else who guarded him when he was out and when people switched on D. His defensive guy was 20 feet away from him he better do something because it’s killing us on offense they’re doubling everyone that can actually score.

It’s funny I say Andre was much better yesterday and we need more of that and more than that even.