Mostly looking at our offensive woes. What’s causing them and what can we realistically do to try to improve as we close out the season.
PREACH KING.
“I think we’re at the point where we need any player who should theoretically be shooting open threes to take the ones that they get when they get them, because there’s no guarantee what’s coming after.”
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Thanks for the hard work as always. Some reactions:
- I wonder if instead of reading the defense, our guys are too often predetermining what they are doing, which is why you see guys clogging up each other’s driving lanes. Not sure if that’s play design or bad recognition.
- UNC decided that they were going to aggressively chuck our cutters and screeners off-ball; e.g. Groves blows up IMac’s spacing in the one clip because Wojcik shoves him into the lane.
- That first clip is very frustrating because they were able to create an advantage and it doesn’t turn into anything. Feels like that’s the running theme, we aren’t able to maintain the advantage we create early on in a possession and turn it into a good shot.
- Or we don’t commit hard enough to open up the advantage, too often we are making the pocket pass before the ballhandler has actually drawn both defenders to them.
- The second clip of the second half is what I’m talking about with not reading the defense…the cuts and screens feel almost too random and de-synced from what else is happening. Rohde actually draws Bacot over, but Buchanan has his back to the ball setting a screen for IMac, so he offers no dump-off option.
- Blake and Jordan’s abilities combined in one player would be an top-tier ACC center, I think.
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How’s that for not avoiding contact at the rim? How’s that for punishing space without using a jump shot?
I loved this particular shout-out. This is regarding a play where Elijah got the ball on the wing with not a single Tar Heel on his side of the basket. He could have taken the three, could have pulled up for a 10-footer, but instead ran right at the rim and drew a foul.
I like that. Make the defender stop you, don’t just automatically concede.
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That play will be finished with dunks soon
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One reflection is that Rohde’s lack of confidence shooting has trickled over to his attack and facilitation the last 5-6 games. One reason I kept liking him to get good minutes was his aggressiveness finding guys for shots even when other parts of his game were lacking.
As he’s become less confident shooting he’s become less confident decision-making as a facilitator and aggressor. We really need that from him, whatever you think of his ideal number of minutes.
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Yes on Rohde being less effective as a passer now too. Hasn’t thrown a guy open with a pass in a while, just a lot of one-pass-away passes that do keep the ball moving, but create no advantage.
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Highlight dunks, at that.
Yup, which is why it is time from him to come off the bench. Maybe that could help his confidence like it did for Jake
This put me in a bad mood lol. I didn’t watch the game and haven’t done a thorough rewatch like I normally do but man so much of the offense we ran just looked hopeless
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On his Coach’s show last night I think TB said “shoot the open shot” about as clearly as he ever will on a public broadcast. He insinuated that he saw guys get open looks but you have to take those. And I got the impression that he’d encourage taking the open shot before the end of the shot clock.
He mentioned Rohde’s confidence taking a hit because he’s not seeing anything go down and then doesn’t take the open one.
Said they encourage Dunn to shoot when he has an open one and acknowledged both his and Gertrude’s elite athleticism. Said they encourage Dunn to crash the offensive glass for rebounds and putbacks. Hoping to see him flash more for lobs and rim attacks. He liked Gertrude getting to the line and his athleticism.
I think, as Cuts said, it’s a combination and culmination of several factors that are killing the offense. Guys not taking open shots when they’re presented, guys taking open shots and missing, guys not being “crisp” as TB would say (system issues). The crispness thing is evidenced in part by the multiple occasions Cuts highlights what would otherwise have maybe opened up a play but the off ball guy runs his man directly into the play.
Here’s to hoping they come out tomorrow with a new belief on offense and keep up the defensive intensity.
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I think the point of Rhode’s confidence actually explains why TB has stuck with him so long. He didn’t want to absolutely crush him. I think the issue has finally been forced and think he’s gonna have to turn to someone else.
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