Three Man Weave Twitter Preview Thread - #8

[BlueMAB]

I don’t think Andre’s 3 point shooting effected his finishing at the rim.

Didn't say it did. His 3 point shooting impacted his overall shooting.

He was just never a good finisher through traffic. He didn’t have any mid range game either. Neither of those are going to be a problem for Castle and he won’t have to lean on 3 point shooting to be successful.

I didn't argue against any of that.

We won a championship too with Andre as one of the most impactful players on the team. Bad shooting and all.

Agreed. But Castle can't necessarily do what Andre can, and vice versa.

It’s absolutely blasphemous to attribute Castle’s playing time to how well he shoots from 3 when there’s so many other things he does at a high level.

I didn't do that.

You're just Debating with yourself at this point.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Didn't say it did. His 3 point shooting impacted his overall shooting.

I didn't argue against any of that.

Agreed. But Castle can't necessarily do what Andre can, and vice versa.

I didn't do that.

You're just Debating with yourself at this point.

I guess I’m confused and don’t understand because if it doesn’t impact that what other forms of shooting did it impact?

Also, that was 429s original point.

Castle needs to shoot well. Gonna be hard to find PT if he's shooting 25% from 3. He's been inconsistent historically.

 

[BlueMAB]

I guess I’m confused and don’t understand because if it doesn’t impact that what other forms of shooting did it impact?

Maybe we're saying the same thing i'm confused now as well. LOL. His inconsistent three-point shooting impacted his overall shooting in that it resulted in teams giving him wide open threes and daring him to shoot, forcing us to move him in the offense. That space takes away opportunities to drive. He never had a mid-range game to begin with, but once we moved him to the baseline he got better looks (alley-oops and dump-offs for dunks). So the poor shooting necessitated an adjustment in the offense, resulting in better looks for him.

Also, that was 429s original point.

But not one that I cosigned. I just think it's crazy to argue that a guard who shoots 28% from the 3pt "isn't a big deal" considering the handwringing we read with respect to AJ. For a player as talented and diverse offensively as Castle is, picking that up over 33% has the potential to make things much easier for him, and UConn.

I agree, he's going to get his minutes regardless.

 

[Waquoit]

We won a title with a PG shooting 20%. The year before he shot 6%.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Maybe we're saying the same thing i'm confused now as well. LOL. His inconsistent three-point shooting impacted his overall shooting in that it resulted in teams giving him wide open threes and daring him to shoot, forcing us to move him in the offense. That space takes away opportunities to drive. He never had a mid-range game to begin with, but once we moved him to the baseline he got better looks (alley-oops and dump-offs for dunks). So the poor shooting necessitated an adjustment in the offense, resulting in better looks for him.


But not one that I cosigned. I just think it's crazy to argue that a guard who shoots 28% from the 3pt "isn't a big deal" considering the handwringing we read with respect to AJ. For a player as talented and diverse offensively as Castle is, picking that up over 33% has the potential to make things much easier for him, and UConn.

I agree, he's going to get his minutes regardless.

I guess where I disagree is that it caused him to be an issue. The issue was never Andre, it was always how we used him.

If a guy can’t shoot and you keep asking him to be a 3 point shooter… yeah he’s going to look horrible. Once we used him correctly he and the offense looked so much better. He never needed to be a shooter just put in positions of strength. Hurley himself admitted it was his fault for Andre’s struggles.

It’s going to be the same thing for Castle. If he can shoot it well then great. Just makes him even better, but if he’s not then just don’t gameplan around him being a shooter. He’s talented enough already. Don’t try and put square pegs in round holes.

 

[Chief00]

Interesting observation. I would have guessed that for Castle the keys would be defensive intensity and his decision-making on offense, since he'll have the ball in his hands a lot. What makes you think his rebounding may be the difference-maker?

My comment wasn’t to under value those other attributes - however I think he will surprise people how well he rebounds from the guard position as does Tristen.

 

[Chief00]

I guess where I disagree is that it caused him to be an issue. The issue was never Andre, it was always how we used him.

If a guy can’t shoot and you keep asking him to be a 3 point shooter… yeah he’s going to look horrible. Once we used him correctly he and the offense looked so much better. He never needed to be a shooter just put in positions of strength. Hurley himself admitted it was his fault for Andre’s struggles.

It’s going to be the same thing for Castle. If he can shoot it well then great. Just makes him even better, but if he’s not then just don’t gameplan around him being a shooter. He’s talented enough already. Don’t try and put square pegs in round holes.

The only real basketball people who have a problem with Andre is his opponent’s coaching staff. He just finds a way to win.

 

[rip7774]

Just found this Twitter account (3 man weave) thanks to this thread & purchased the Almanac pdf that came out yday.

My son loves pouring through the Lindy’s basketball guide we get each year but this pdf is unbelievably informative & I’d recommend if u love reading about college hoops. They purport to talk to each coach across America and have quotes and tons of analysis. Was a little wary of getting a pdf since I’m used to magazines (still have the iverson, Allen, Kittles cover propped up in my office), but couldn’t be more impressed, so much detail!

 

[BlueMAB]

I guess where I disagree is that it caused him to be an issue. The issue was never Andre, it was always how we used him.

If a guy can’t shoot and you keep asking him to be a 3 point shooter… yeah he’s going to look horrible. Once we used him correctly he and the offense looked so much better. He never needed to be a shooter just put in positions of strength. Hurley himself admitted it was his fault for Andre’s struggles.

He shot 36% his Sophomore year. Had he been able to continue or even slightly improve that percentage (especially because he was taking more threes than the year before) we would have been even more dangerous. Ironically, he regressed, necessitating a move that really improved the offense.

It’s going to be the same thing for Castle. If he can shoot it well then great. Just makes him even better, but if he’s not then just don’t gameplan around him being a shooter. He’s talented enough already. Don’t try and put square pegs in round holes.

They're so different as players. They won't be game planning to get Castle threes as if he was Hawkins.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I just think it's a fool's errand to try to compare Andre's offensive output to anyone. In all my years of watching UConn basketball he was unique as a complete donut offensively. I loved the kid and you can put me in the camp that thinks his absence will be a bigger issue than some are conceding, but he made Taliek look like a polished scorer. Getting 28% from Castle is going to be different than 28% from Andre because I assume it would be on a higher volume of shots, he'll be shooting contested shots, shots off of curls, off the bounce, and, beyond that, Castle can still beat guys off the dribble and pull up from the mid-range, can score at the rim, basically has an offensive package that bears no resemblance to what Andre brought to the table.

 

[BlueMAB]

The only real basketball people who have a problem with Andre is his opponent’s coaching staff. He just finds a way to win.

Who said they had a problem with him?

 

[BlueMAB]

I just think it's a fool's errand to try to compare Andre's offensive output to anyone. In all my years of watching UConn basketball he was unique as a complete donut offensively. I loved the kid and you can put me in the camp that thinks his absence will be a bigger issue than some are conceding, but he made Taliek look like a polished scorer. Getting 28% from Castle is going to be different than 28% from Andre because I assume it would be on a higher volume of shots, he'll be shooting contested shots, shots off of curls, off the bounce, and, beyond that, Castle can still beat guys off the dribble and pull up from the mid-range, can score at the rim, basically has an offensive package that bears no resemblance to what Andre brought to the table.

I agree with almost all of that. I'm just in the camp that if Castle is shooting 28% from three come February, this place won't see it as "no big deal".

I've been one of Andre's biggest defenders/supporters on this board, we're going to miss so much of what he brings to the court, and I noted early on their offensive skillsets are nothing alike. I'm just talking about their 3pt shooting percentage, and how this place will react to it.

 

[ucp990411]

Yeah Spencer is not Hawkins in many ways but in some he is a better overall ingredient. Maybe even more so this year than he would’ve been last. The steady, consistent, savvy vet added to what overall is a young squad is a wonderful addition.

A question for those that think Cam is an upgrade over Hawkins. Think he will be drafted higher than 14?

 

[ucp990411]

I am not as bullish on this years team as I was with last years team. A few reasons.
We are missing our 2 go to guys on offense. Need a bucket? Feed Adama or run a quick hitter for Jordan.
Lost our best defensive player and facilitator.
Lost our 2 leaders.
We were pretty much injury free. I know Samson missed the season but did we miss him?
We will be everyone’s biggest game. That wears on a team.
So much depends on Clingan. How does he respond? Teams will include Karaban as a big part of their game plan. Can he rise to the occasion?
Really, really, really hard to repeat.

 

[auror]

A question for those that think Cam is an upgrade over Hawkins. Think he will be drafted higher than 14?

I don't think Cam is better then Hawkins, but this is a silly comparison regardless. Draft is based on future value vs elite competition. We're wondering if a 5th year Cam Spencer will be better then s sophomore Hawkins vs. NCAA comp.

Hawkins is a more skilled shooter. His screen work and contested shooting is a level above Spencer. The question is how much Spencer's playmaking makes up the gap.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Hawkins was a better player than Spencer last year. Spencer is here to help fill the void of Hawkins/Joeys elite shooting, not to live up to the overall package Hawkins provided.

 

[superjohn]

eehhhhh okay, not worth debating about. but it's not an either/or situation. part of his scoring issue was his inability to consistently make wide open shots from 3. you can't say one didn't impact the other. his poor shooting from deep is why we had to move him to the baseline in the offense. he thrived because we didn't ask him to do the thing that was an issue for him.

Castle brings a much more polished offensive game to the court, if Andre had his ability to get to the lane and finish he'd have been a top 5 pick. But 28% needs to improve for him and the team to reach their potential. I can't see Hurley parking him on the baseline the way we did with AJ

He won't park Castle on the baseline the way he did with AJ because that would take away what Castle is so good at. He parked Andre on the baseline later on in the season because he figured out that played to his strengths.

 

[superjohn]

I just think it's a fool's errand to try to compare Andre's offensive output to anyone. In all my years of watching UConn basketball he was unique as a complete donut offensively. I loved the kid and you can put me in the camp that thinks his absence will be a bigger issue than some are conceding, but he made Taliek look like a polished scorer. Getting 28% from Castle is going to be different than 28% from Andre because I assume it would be on a higher volume of shots, he'll be shooting contested shots, shots off of curls, off the bounce, and, beyond that, Castle can still beat guys off the dribble and pull up from the mid-range, can score at the rim, basically has an offensive package that bears no resemblance to what Andre brought to the table.

Agreed on all of it but Andre was a complete donut scoring wise, not offensively. I know that's what you meant.

 

[Chief00]

I just think it's a fool's errand to try to compare Andre's offensive output to anyone. In all my years of watching UConn basketball he was unique as a complete donut offensively. I loved the kid and you can put me in the camp that thinks his absence will be a bigger issue than some are conceding, but he made Taliek look like a polished scorer. Getting 28% from Castle is going to be different than 28% from Andre because I assume it would be on a higher volume of shots, he'll be shooting contested shots, shots off of curls, off the bounce, and, beyond that, Castle can still beat guys off the dribble and pull up from the mid-range, can score at the rim, basically has an offensive package that bears no resemblance to what Andre brought to the table.

Agree #100%