vote for the best lineup to get by the zone

[k-walk]

I think the best lineup to break the press would be SN, RB, JL, RS, AD because they are fast enough to get down the court before the D can set up the zone

 

[ctchamps]

I vote other. RB, JL, DD, AO and AD. I voted this way partly because I feel this is the best lineup (no way of knowing obviously) and partly because this poll is like lots of polls, it games the possibilities. Rant against polls over.

I voted this way because I thought RB, JL and DD will be the best midrange and long range shooters. I could easily substitute RS for either AO or AD but I feel AO and AD force the zone to contract and therefore give the three shooters the most opportunities.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I voted for what we know so far. 4 returning and then drummond

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

I vote other. RB, JL, DD, AO and AD. I voted this way partly because I feel this is the best lineup (no way of knowing obviously) and partly because this poll is like lots of polls, it games the possibilities. Rant against polls over.

I voted this way because I thought RB, JL and DD will be the best midrange and long range shooters. I could easily substitute RS for either AO or AD but I feel AO and AD force the zone to contract and therefore give the three shooters the most opportunities.

I agree with your logic and analysis. Nice to have options. UConn has plenty.

 

[Rico444]

I'll go with SN, JL, DD, AO, and AD.

 

[intlzncster]

We are going to destroy zones this year. Which is funny because we have much of the same personnel as last year. But the additions, two great perimeter shoots, and a great passing big man with the ability to dunk and shoot, plus super length and athleticism. Dang.

Drummond at the top of the key to pass and shoot the occasional J. Daniels Lamb and Bazz/Boat on the perimeter to drain threes. And AO/RS to clean glass and dunk backdoors.

Switch Drummond with Daniels if AD is struggling and put RS inside/out. Too easy.

 

[babysheep]

Well, two ways you attack the zone is with dribble penetration, and having a strong perimeter offense. Since SN and JL have only shown flashes of dribble-drive capability (nothing like Kemba, at least), right now I'd say our best bet would be to put our best 3 perimeter shooters on the floor, forcing the top of the zone to stretch out towards the perimeter, freeing up some room to pass down to AD/AO.

 

[k-walk]

Well, two ways you attack the zone is with dribble penetration, and having a strong perimeter offense. Since SN and JL have only shown flashes of dribble-drive capability (nothing like Kemba, at least), right now I'd say our best bet would be to put our best 3 perimeter shooters on the floor, forcing the top of the zone to stretch out towards the perimeter, freeing up some room to pass down to AD/AO.

Well from Ryan Boatright's mixtapes it seems he's is pretty good at dribble penetration but he's deffinetly not as good as Kemba

 

[OneManWolfpack]

I vote other. RB, JL, DD, AO and AD. I voted this way partly because I feel this is the best lineup (no way of knowing obviously) and partly because this poll is like lots of polls, it games the possibilities. Rant against polls over.

I voted this way because I thought RB, JL and DD will be the best midrange and long range shooters. I could easily substitute RS for either AO or AD but I feel AO and AD force the zone to contract and therefore give the three shooters the most opportunities.

That's the best lineup to me also because not only do you have good shooters and zone busters in JL & DD, but you have better ballhandlers too with DD instead of RS or NG

 

[hooskies]

SN, JL, RS, AO, AD --> IMO

I think the experience of facing zone is whats most important here, which is what this lineup brings...and AD to anchor down the low post.

 

[arnie3]

SN,JL,RS,AO,AD. I think that's well balanced for both offense and defense. RS has to be in there for defense. He wreaked havoc in the NCAA's last season, and from what I've read, he's even gotten stronger. I can see he and DD substitutions at the end of a close game for an offense/defense purpose.

 

[intlzncster]

Well, two ways you attack the zone is with dribble penetration, and having a strong perimeter offense. Since SN and JL have only shown flashes of dribble-drive capability (nothing like Kemba, at least), right now I'd say our best bet would be to put our best 3 perimeter shooters on the floor, forcing the top of the zone to stretch out towards the perimeter, freeing up some room to pass down to AD/AO.

Jimmy often breaks down the Cuse zone by placing a big guy who can pass around the foul line. He works it into this guy, who then either passes back out (or to the corner) dumps it down low, or looks for back door cutters on the wing. The big guy needs to be able to hit a reliable J from there, or the zone simply collapses inside. Last year, we didn't have a big guy who could pass nor hit that shot. We were using Jamal Coombs-McDaniel in a pinch, and while he could fill the role (and we were better with him there), he was far from ideal. This year we have Drummond. And Daniels can fill that role as well.

 

[EricLA]

I vote other. RB, JL, DD, AO and AD. I voted this way partly because I feel this is the best lineup (no way of knowing obviously) and partly because this poll is like lots of polls, it games the possibilities. Rant against polls over.

I voted this way because I thought RB, JL and DD will be the best midrange and long range shooters. I could easily substitute RS for either AO or AD but I feel AO and AD force the zone to contract and therefore give the three shooters the most opportunities.

i'm with you on other. but i think SN, JL, DD, RS and either DD or AO.

 

[Rico444]

Jimmy often breaks down the Cuse zone by placing a big guy who can pass around the foul line. He works it into this guy, who then either passes back out (or to the corner) dumps it down low, or looks for back door cutters on the wing. The big guy needs to be able to hit a reliable J from there, or the zone simply collapses inside. Last year, we didn't have a big guy who could pass nor hit that shot. We were using Jamal Coombs-McDaniel in a pinch, and while he could fill the role (and we were better with him there), he was far from ideal. This year we have Drummond. And Daniels can fill that role as well.

Exactly...DD will be a weapon at the foul line, especially because there is the threat of him driving by his man.

The 3 is the perfect position to put at the foul line, since he has the beat balance of options: shoot the 15 footer, hit either of the two guards cutting towards the basket or with an open 3, or hit either big man if he sees a mismatch. Putting any of the other positions at the foul line disrupts the balance, and the defense will adjust accordingly. DD at the foul line with the ball, especially if he proves he can pass the ball well, puts the most pressure on the zone.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Exactly...DD will be a weapon at the foul line, especially because there is the threat of him driving by his man.

The 3 is the perfect position to put at the foul line, since he has the beat balance of options: shoot the 15 footer, hit either of the two guards cutting towards the basket or with an open 3, or hit either big man if he sees a mismatch. Putting any of the other positions at the foul line disrupts the balance, and the defense will adjust accordingly. DD at the foul line with the ball, especially if he proves he can pass the ball well, puts the most pressure on the zone.

Another interesting thing is that JC often tries to see if he can get the 4 or 5 to play at the foul line. If AD can use his handle to attack the basket when it is there, then pass off to AO if they close on him, we could have something. JC likes to have 3 players on the perimeter against the zone, sometimes far too long IMHO. So many options.....this could be a lot of fun.

 

[Rico444]

Another interesting thing is that JC often tries to see if he can get the 4 or 5 to play at the foul line. If AD can use his handle to attack the basket when it is there, then pass off to AO if they close on him, we could have something. JC likes to have 3 players on the perimeter against the zone, sometimes far too long IMHO. So many options.....this could be a lot of fun.

That would be a lot of fun. If AD catches at the foul line, you would have those 3 players on the perimeter, and he could either choose to drive on his man if he sees an opening, or if he has an open man on the wing or in the corner, he can find him.

I think I'd rather have AD try to find openings on the baseline, though. We had a ton of success doing that in the BET game against Cuse, and if he catches the ball there, he would likely be one-on-one against a big, or have a little bit of space to attack the basket.

 

[intlzncster]

I think I'd rather have AD try to find openings on the baseline, though. We had a ton of success doing that in the BET game against Cuse, and if he catches the ball there, he would likely be one-on-one against a big, or have a little bit of space to attack the basket.

An advantage of pulling AD from under the hoop is that it opens up the middle. The zone can't collapse (as long as he can shoot). The wings in both corners can then cut in and get open backdoor dunks on passes from AD (who's tall enough to see/pass over the zone).

It's incredibly effective and one of the reasons that JC is one of the best at cutting apart the Cuse zone.

 

[old_dog]

Of the options presented, I voted for SN, JL, RS, AO, AD (my logic is in the other string on this topic -- http://the-boneyard.com/threads/how-will-this-team-attack-zone-defenses.728/#post-8192). Depending on how they are playing, however, both NG and DD are potential swap-outs for RS. By the way, any of the poll options that didn't include JL were a waste of space.

 

[UConn3432]

I think Boatright has to prove he can play at a big east level before you can choose him here. Standard SN, JL, RS, AO, AD.

 

[DogMania]

Until I get to see what the newbies are capable of doing, I have no idea. For example:

If AD and Alex are dominating in the paint together, one way to bust the zone is get the ball to a big who can finish in traffic. If they can get the ball deep to AD he might make most teams pay.

If the zone is able to take away that post, then getting the ball to the soft spot around the foul line often works well if you have a player who can knock down that shot, put the ball on the floor and drive it up the gut or pass it off to a cutter or an open catch-and-shoot guy.

Since I don't know how well Boatright & Daniels will shoot the ball, I'm reluctant to go with them. Lamb and Roscoe and probably AD would be 3 givens in my zone busting line-up. Just not sure if it would be Boatright over Bazz or Daniels at the 3 and bump Smith to the 4 in place of Alex. I just gotta see more of this team...hum...how about some of this team since we haven't see this team yet, to make a more informed stab at this.

 

[zymurg]

I agree that knowing what the most effective lineup against a zone will be without any real knowledge of the new players effectiveness is impossible. I also believe that the previous posters have failed to deal with with the fact that there isn't one Platonic zone which all teams use as a reference point; different zones mean that different mixes of players might be a better option than one lineup suits all zones. 'Cuse and Louisville both are primarily zone teams, but outside of a name there is little comparable in either defensive schemes or the type of player they recruit to fill defensive roles.

In re the open foul line against many zones; there has been a reluctance to point out that, dare I state this, Jamal Coombs-McDaniel had considerable success in this foul line option role last year.

aka zymurg

 

[connectikev]

We are going to destroy zones this year. Which is funny because we have much of the same personnel as last year. But the additions, two great perimeter shoots, and a great passing big man with the ability to dunk and shoot, plus super length and athleticism. Dang.

Drummond at the top of the key to pass and shoot the occasional J. Daniels Lamb and Bazz/Boat on the perimeter to drain threes. And AO/RS to clean glass and dunk backdoors.

Switch Drummond with Daniels if AD is struggling and put RS inside/out. Too easy.

Actually (at least early on) the zone gave the team fits last season - We didn't have anyone (it seemed) capable of cutting to the foul line to collect and distribute the ball to our bigs (and perhaps when we did there were a few too many fumbles).
Jamal Coombs-McDaniel developed first (then I believe Roscoe, too - but I could be wrong on that) - So RS must be on the floor against a zone - Who else will develop?

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

The lineup I would like to see is not one of the options.

SN, JL, DD, RS, AD

 

[BlueMAB]

I'll go with SN, JL, DD, AO, and AD.

+1

With all those possible lineups, how did this one get left out?

 

[Huskies320]

I'll go with SN, JL, DD, AO, and AD.

+1