We need to play an actual front court

[nelsonmuntz]

These 4 guard lineups are fine when you want to be the "little engine that could" and pull an upset by taking 30 3's. UConn is going to have to play 2 forwards to win in the Big East. The Big East is big boy basketball, and UConn is going to go -10 on the boards if UConn plays 35 minutes a game with small lineups. UConn will get killed inside, will get killed on the boards, and will continue to have trouble with help defense unless it plays more traditional lineups. It is also easier to defend the perimeter when there is no interior threat.

I don't mind a small lineups as a change of pace, but UConn needs to be playing 20+ minutes of 2 forwards if they want to win in the Big East.

 

[husky429]

These 4 guard lineups are fine when you want to be the "little engine that could" and pull an upset by taking 30 3's. UConn is going to have to play 2 forwards to win in the Big East. The Big East is big boy basketball, and UConn is going to go -10 on the boards if UConn plays 35 minutes a game with small lineups. UConn will get killed inside, will get killed on the boards, and will continue to have trouble with help defense unless it plays more traditional lineups. It is also easier to defend the perimeter when there is no interior threat.

I don't mind a small lineups as a change of pace, but UConn needs to be playing 20+ minutes of 2 forwards if they want to win in the Big East.

That's why we have Martin and Akok on the roster. Whaley and Sanogo may work for stretches, but neither are meant to play the 4 at all.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Someone tell Villanova.

 

[navery12]

These 4 guard lineups are fine when you want to be the "little engine that could" and pull an upset by taking 30 3's. UConn is going to have to play 2 forwards to win in the Big East. The Big East is big boy basketball, and UConn is going to go -10 on the boards if UConn plays 35 minutes a game with small lineups. UConn will get killed inside, will get killed on the boards, and will continue to have trouble with help defense unless it plays more traditional lineups. It is also easier to defend the perimeter when there is no interior threat.

I don't mind a small lineups as a change of pace, but UConn needs to be playing 20+ minutes of 2 forwards if they want to win in the Big East.

It's clear you haven't been watching any Big East teams, and certainly not the teams at the top of the Big East, if you're complaining about "small" lineups

 

[superjohn]

Someone tell Villanova.

And Creighton. Either Nelson hasn't watched the Big East since Ewing, Coleman, Alonzo, and Dikembe or he desperately wants to find minutes for Carlton.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Someone tell Villanova.

You are saying UConn is as good as Nova. That is quite a take.

 

[Huskyforlife]

You are saying UConn is as good as Nova. That is quite a take.

Nova didn't become nova taking your advice.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

It's clear you haven't been watching any Big East teams, and certainly not the teams at the top of the Big East, if you're complaining about "small" lineups

Villanova is one of the best shooting teams in the country. Are you saying UConn shoots as well as Nova? They also play a very structured style for their players. UConn is still playing a lot of dribble drive despite only having one crasher.

Have you watched a lot of Big East basketball? Villanova, Providence, Butler, Marquette and Xavier all played lineups with multiple players over 6'6.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Nova didn't become nova taking your advice.

Nova started 3 forwards last year, 6'7, 6'8 and 6'9. So clearly, Nova didn't become Nova taking your advice.

If you actually knew anything beyond internet comeback cliches you might not lead with your chin so often.

 

[MDHuskFan]

These 4 guard lineups are fine when you want to be the "little engine that could" and pull an upset by taking 30 3's. UConn is going to have to play 2 forwards to win in the Big East. The Big East is big boy basketball, and UConn is going to go -10 on the boards if UConn plays 35 minutes a game with small lineups. UConn will get killed inside, will get killed on the boards, and will continue to have trouble with help defense unless it plays more traditional lineups. It is also easier to defend the perimeter when there is no interior threat.

I don't mind a small lineups as a change of pace, but UConn needs to be playing 20+ minutes of 2 forwards if they want to win in the Big East.

regardless of size you do realize a LOT of schools play a significant portion of their game 4 out right? Unfortunately, your glory days of watching basketball w/ a 4 man shootinglong 2’s like Duncan and KG is out of style. The analytics guys think that’s a horrible shot, you’re better off extending to the 3 or getting something at the rim.
I personally would prefer us not get our faces shot off every game because we try and play an old school 2 big line up

 

[Scoe]

Isnt that how we won the 2014 championship let Julius Randle and Patrick Young get his, and dominate with guards. Its how the NBA is now, your gonna have to talk to Danny Hurley dont know how far you will get. Just relax dude is 2020 and we got Uconn basketball game in live one day at a time.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

regardless of size you do realize a LOT of schools play a significant portion of their game 4 out right? Unfortunately, your glory days of watching basketball w/ a 4 man shootinglong 2’s like Duncan and KG is out of style. The analytics guys think that’s a horrible shot, you’re better off extending to the 3 or getting something at the rim.
I personally would prefer us not get our faces shot off every game because we try and play an old school 2 big line up

A lot of "analytics" coaches are phys ed majors that don't understand statistics, or specifically the difference between dependent and independent variables. Watch how Nova plays a 4 out vs. a lot of other teams. They get a lot of touches on post ups and cuts. They don't just swing it around the perimeter hoping someone will be open. The more easy layups Villanova gets, the more open their 3 point shooters are. That is playing analytics basketball.

Also, the more players there are on the perimeter, the easier it is to play help defense and stop penetration. Truly "spacing the court" means players set up or cutting to the paint.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Nova started 3 forwards last year, 6'7, 6'8 and 6'9. So clearly, Nova didn't become Nova taking your advice.

If you actually knew anything beyond internet comeback cliches you might not lead with your chin so often.

Oh right, I forgot Nova is actually very 1980s style basketball, my bad.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Isnt that how we won the 2014 championship let Julius Randle and Patrick Young get his, and dominate with guards. Its how the NBA is now, your gonna have to talk to Danny Hurley dont know how far you will get. Just relax dude is 2020 and we got Uconn basketball game in live one day at a time.

Both teams in the NBA finals had a center that was a major part of their offense. The Bucks had the best record in the regular season, left their center in the corner to shoot 3's, and they got upset.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Oh right, I forgot Nova is actually very 1980s style basketball, my bad.

A sure sign you have lost the argument is when you start making up what I said. You should sit this one out, skippy.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Also Polley and Whaley are 6'9, you're whining like we started Adams at the 4. Modern basketball is leaving you behind.

 

[olehead]

Using AJ as a small-ball four utilizes his strengths; ability to overpower with size, strength and physical gift for boards; give us putbacks; and generally, as a finisher with quickness with the ability to finish in a crowd and lift our crowd simultaneously.

 

[Scoe]

Both teams in the NBA finals had a center that was a major part of their offense. The Bucks had the best record in the regular season, left their center in the corner to shoot 3's, and they got upset.

Sure you do need a front court of some semblance to win not that you need to be Hakeem Olajuwon, the center position is basically the RB position in football not saying that you dont need some semblance of a running game.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Also Polley and Whaley are 6'9, you're whining like we started Adams at the 4. Modern basketball is leaving you behind.

You now have 4 posts in this thread. They are all stupid, driveby, internet cliche insults. The rest of us are talking basketball.

 

[MDHuskFan]

A lot of "analytics" coaches are phys ed majors that don't understand statistics, or specifically the difference between dependent and independent variables. Watch how Nova plays a 4 out vs. a lot of other teams. They get a lot of touches on post ups and cuts. They don't just swing it around the perimeter hoping someone will be open. The more easy layups Villanova gets, the more open their 3 point shooters are. That is playing analytics basketball.

Also, the more players there are on the perimeter, the easier it is to play help defense and stop penetration. Truly "spacing the court" means players set up or cutting to the paint.

Seems like your issue is more coaching than personnel. If your argument is we don’t have enough height, the large majority of the game saw us playing 2 guys above 6’8 together. If your issue is that it doesn’t get dumped low enough that’s a coaching/offensive philosophy argument.

 

[3rdbass]

I think we will eventually see Whaley/Sanago at the 5, Polley/Akok at the 4, Martin/Jackson at the 3 Bouknight/Adams at the 2 and Cole/Gafney at the 1. I think those lineups are plenty big and quick enough to compete.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Sure you do need a front court of some semblance to win not that you need to be Hakeem Olajuwon, the center position is basically the RB position in football not that you dont need some semblance of a running game.

A team actually doesn't need a running game in football. Bill Walsh took care of that almost 40 years ago.

I get the math on this. I also get the spacing and the distance. The reason that most analytics offenses fail is because most coaches do not get those things. They think shooting more 3's is all it takes. The difference between a catch and shoot jumper vs. a pullup is about 5 percentage points depending on the player in the NBA. There aren't good statistical repositories on this, but I bet it is more like 8-10 percentage points in college. Think Vital last year. He was a great catch and shoot 3 point shooter. He sucked off the dribble.

Catching the ball in shooting position facing the basket is a higher percentage shot than swinging it around the perimeter. The time it takes for a player to catch, turn and get into shooting position is about the time it takes a defender to close and turn an open shot into a contested shot. More inside-out shots are good. More pass around the perimeter shots are bad. Going inside out should lead to more and better 3 point shots. In oterh words, if you want to see more 3's, get a better inside game.

4 and 5 out offenses actually compress the distance between players, making it easier to close out. Even many NBA coaches don't get this.

 

[Huskyforlife]

You now have 4 posts in this thread. They are all stupid, driveby, internet cliche insults. The rest of us are talking basketball.

I actually haven't insulted you once. But it seems like you're doing a thorough job convincing everyone that traditional front courts are the way forward. Keep up the great work.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Seems like your issue is more coaching than personnel. If your argument is we don’t have enough height, the large majority of the game saw us playing 2 guys above 6’8 together. If your issue is that it doesn’t get dumped low enough that’s a coaching/offensive philosophy argument.

The second part of the "dependent variable" argument is that I LOVE offensive rebounds. The shooting percentage for putbacks is close to 60% for most NBA teams. That is one of the highest expected point shots you can get.

 

[Huskymagic]

These 4 guard lineups are fine when you want to be the "little engine that could" and pull an upset by taking 30 3's. UConn is going to have to play 2 forwards to win in the Big East. The Big East is big boy basketball, and UConn is going to go -10 on the boards if UConn plays 35 minutes a game with small lineups. UConn will get killed inside, will get killed on the boards, and will continue to have trouble with help defense unless it plays more traditional lineups. It is also easier to defend the perimeter when there is no interior threat.

I don't mind a small lineups as a change of pace, but UConn needs to be playing 20+ minutes of 2 forwards if they want to win in the Big East.

Agree on this. Same argument I’ve made since Amida was here.

Having a big man threat in the post or a lob threat in the post opens up the offense for everyone else. Spacing is better.

On defense it helps obviously in offensive rebounding and overall intimidation factor.

This is why Akok will be important. AJacks should start until his return in place of Cole.

#FeedPolley

 

[Kitaman]

Damn guys we played a game, won the game and had a chance to see some fun basketball.

Just saying on day one The Yard is arguing about stupid shiat. Apparently we all missed each other.

Ahh basketball is back!

(Happy Thanksgiving)

 

[JohnFSilver]

I like having 4 shooters out there. As long as you rebound why go bigger, slower and less skilled?

basketball is an efficiency and 3 pt shooting games these days.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Damn guys we played a game, won the game and had a chance to see some fun basketball.

Just saying on day one The Yard is arguing about stupid shiat. Apparently we all missed each other.

Ahh basketball is back!

(Happy Thanksgiving)

My criticism is about all modern coaching. I think a lot of coaches are reading the analytics incorrectly. I think that is somewhat true of Danny Hurley, who likes guard heavy lineups but doesn't really commit to an analytics offense that has precise spacing and reads.

Hurley plays a throwback offense in a lot of ways, particularly with the freedom he gives his players, which is fine, but if he is going to do that, he should have a throwback lineup out there. Penetration is a lot more effective when there is a 6'9 guy to screen and roll or drop to the weakside block to clean up the misses.

The difference between winning 24 games and winning 19 games is not that big. Two more plays per half could be the difference between a 3 or 4 seed and being poised for a deep run, and an 8 seed and a first weekend exit. Increasing the shooting percentage a few points with better shots could be all it takes.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I like having 4 shooters out there. As long as you rebound why go bigger, slower and less skilled?

basketball is an efficiency and 3 pt shooting games these days.

4 shooters with poor spacing inside are easier to defend than 3 shooters with a low post threat and someone running baseline and flashing to the high post.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I saw Providence play yesterday and we are going to need some brutes out there to deal with their bigs. And our outside shooting is nothing to write home about as you pointed out. Yesterday there was a full slate of Big East teams playing and every team I saw seemed to have some strong bigs in the lineup. The good news is we have a ton of depth and we need to wear down other teams. Get Springs and Brown-Ferguson some minutes now and get them involved as often as can be allowed without hurting the rest of the the rotation. With that depth other teams should fear the physical demands it is going to take on them to play forty minutes against us. Bring back the rock beat "it's going to be a long evening" fear in opponents. Our opponents should dread having to play us.

I am confident that the next evolution of analytics is going to be a re-emphasis on offensive rebounding.

3 point shooting makes offensive rebounding more difficult, but a few dump ins to the paint when we have Whaley and Sanogo or Carlton out there together will get us some easy baskets, including putbacks, and force the defense to collapse, leading to better 3 point attempts. Also, penetrators like Bouk and Cole create a lot of easy putback opportunities. Play to our strength.