The team should play the players I like the most a lot and the ones I don’t like not very much.
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It’s a good idea. The main tradeoff I see is being able to set expectations for players and maybe getting guys into a rhythm. You see this more discussed in the NBA, but players will talk about rhythm and getting a feel for the game, and having consistent sub patterns/rotations can help with that.
It’s probably a little easier to make a clear connection between how well players are practicing and playing time if you’re reacting less to matchups.
Team context is pretty important too, as I think it’s easier to fiddle around with lineups based on opponent matchup if there isn’t a significant drop-off in player quality as you go further into the rotation.
I don’t think any are insurmountable barriers, but just things to account for.
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Doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive proposition. You can impose your will by exploiting weaknesses.
We mostly seem to just run our stuff, then adjust to the other team’s adjustments. What if instead of doing that we just dunked all over the other team every game?
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Like for example - when we play UNC … you don’t play Caffaro on Bacot … Bacot won’t have to play any D all game and will have tons of energy for offense.
You play BVP or Traudt and Bacot becomes unplayable on defense. You put Bacot in pick and rolls with Reece/Traudt, Reece/BVP, Isaac M/BVP … etc. and he can’t guard anybody.
It’s what NBA teams do to non mobile bigs all the time.
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Fair point. I inferred a bit of defensive reactiveness into Hav’s question, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way.
This is where I think it is going. You have 4 or 5 distinct lineups and you choose that group ahead of the game and play it. They are all malleable to a degree and fouls always play a role and screw up situations. But if you are playing Syracuse, that is a different lineup than when you play UNC (or insert two different teams you like here). I think it means a 3-8 minutes difference more or less per player on most games. Interesting exercise though to have a lineup that shoots it well (imagine that) vs. a lineup that is big and rebounds well based on who we are playing. But I’m always in favor of guys who can shoot!
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With our current roster - there is no excuse ever to put rotations of 5 on the floor that don’t shoot it well with lousy spacing …
And yes I mean Reece/Clark/Franklin/Gardner/ Shed-Papi.
People can try to make excuses why that would work …
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Yes but I really like Reece, Armaan, Gardner, and Shedrick. Have you considered that?
Reece Armaan MaxJones (when we add him maybe) Jayden (let him shoot 3s he hit back to back vs Iowa and his jumper is pure) Kadin.
I also want to see
Reece Armaan Taine BVP Kadin.
Reece McKneely Bond (or Dunn) Traudt Kadin
Reece McKneely Dunn Bond Traudt
Reece Armaan Taine Traudt Jayden (Jayden in the middle with floor spacing)
Reece Armaan Taine Bond Dunn (I call this one the F&^% Gardner Webb/UMBC lineup).
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Basically we have the opportunity for so many different lineups this year.
If Kihei Reece Armaan Jayden Kadin is the lineup for 30+ minutes a game its going to be super depressing.
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Be prepared to be depressed! Tony loves continuity!
I mean, to be fair, the dynamic and potential of that lineup will likely be better than it was this past year. A median outcome in terms of “changes” to the factors of that lineup is probably something like:
- Reece, Kihei both improve slightly as shooters
- Armaan makes a sizeable but not insane jump back towards his sophomore year shooting, shoots like 36% from 3
- Kadin is slightly more consistent on the offensive end
- Gardner steps out to the corner to take 1-2 threes a game, shoots like 35%
To me that vastly changes how good they can be. The floor should be a little more spread and that will make driving a lot easier. To me that lineup becomes a top 20 team in the country with these changes, and it’s not even relying on anyone to take a huge leap.
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Playing defense with offense is a great move…
Teams in our day rarely guarded Bryant with their best player cause A. they couldnt stop him anyway BUT B. the dude would be wiped out for offense dealing with Stith scoring from all 3 levels
Feel like our current squad could utilise this alot to your guard Bacot point. Did Jay Huff torch him?
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in 2021 - they only played once.
Jay scored 18 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks and 1 foul. - 3/5 from threeland
Bacot had 7 points. 10 rebounds on 3/7 shooting
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Also, fwiw, and based only on memory, I think Jay was matching up with Brooks for the most part.
I also have a fond memory of Kessler calling out a screen after his teammate had already hit the deck!
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it was actually mostly Bacot and Sharpe and a little Kessler… Brooks had to guard Hauser
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Huh, interesting. Thanks.
But to the larger point - having Huff and Hauser made UNC’s bigs unplayable and ineffective - Kessler - the mobile guy was the most effective for them in that game.
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Amazing contrast to last year where Bacot did whatever he wanted against us
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and he played 38 minutes because he expended zero energy on defense - guarding(not guarding) Caffaro and Shedrick
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