@LSU 2/23/2019

Yes 10,000%.

 

Alexander is getting shoved around like a canadian

 

Fixed

 

The highlight of the game was my 6 year old girl asking me, "Dad, are you mad at the people in the striped shirts?"

My wife lost it laughing at that point.

 

My thoughts...

1. LSU has a shitload of talent.

2. Will Wade is far too young and doesn’t have the resume to treat officials the way he does. There is zero excuse for him not getting a technical at multiple points during the game.

3. Kyle Alexander has to become more physical. There was a point this year where I thought he was our best potential NBA talent. Bigs in the NBA would swallow him alive and he’s nowhere near capable of playing in the League right now.

4. UT is terrible, terrible, terrible at on ball defending. Too many guys leaving their feet, and at some point we have to beat a ball-handler to a spot. Blocked shots are the most overrated stat in sports. And unfortunately right now we are obsessed with them.

5. I’m not upset with Lamonte’s shot at the end of the game. That dude has hit a good amount of big shots throughout his career here. Some guys just rise to the occasion and I’ve always felt comfortable with him shooting that shot. It didn’t fall. Admiral was the hot hand and with the shooting day Turner had in retrospect that should have been who got the ball... but hindsight is 20/20. I just like to give guys the benefit of the doubt that want the ball in those late game situations. Turner has always been that guy.

6. This team is still damn good. If you would have told me in November that we would be 24-3 in February... I would have taken it and not a damn soul here would say otherwise.

7. The game was as poorly called as you can imagine. On both sides. There has to be more accountability for NCAA officials. Anthony Jordan has no business getting the games he has. It’s pretty easy to see why the NBA gladly parted ways with him. Depending on the monitor is killing the flow of the games.

8. Today was not the best showing for Rick Barnes. Grant Williams took Naz Reid’s lunch money... but our inability to stop drives killed us. We should have went zone and made them beat us from perimeter. Barnes’ M.O. is to dance with what we brought. If we want to get to where we can potentially go, scrapping the game plan will be a necessity at times.

 

Can someone explain what we’re trying to do on offense?

 

Barnes is running the McKillop style motion offense from Davidson, the guy who coached Steph Curry in college. It's a really good offense, but it's based upon spacing, cutting, movement of players and the ball rather than a lot of screening and dribble drives. It relies a lot on weakside motion and reading the defense, as well as pushing in transition with a big flashing to the basket and guards going to the corner (Which is why you see Bone getting to the elbow every time we push the ball) We were most awful against Kentucky by being "selfish" and chucking up the first shot that came to us instead of working the ball and getting the ball to a post who has sealed their man on the low block.

We just aren't crisp right now, not like we were a month or so ago. The offense gives players a lot of freedom and we just aren't making as great of decisions with the ball now.

 

It's pretty clear what we are trying to do or at least what we are wanting to do. Feed Grant inside or use our motion offense get a good look from mid-range or 3. Problem is, we are facing bigger teams who are taking the post away, which in turn makes everything else more difficult to execute. It really is a combination of many, many things. Dog days of season, tough opponents in tough environments, a team that is beat all to Hell and back. Team has got to be more aggressive, the refs are allowing misdemeanors on the court and it is our guys who are spending more time picking themselves up off the floor than shooting free throws. Get the bigs in foul trouble or run their asses up and down the court. We are playing to other teams pace. Bone has to get back to controlling the tempo of the game.

 

Watched the last few seconds again. 2 point lead, we finally force Smart left and Grant with perfect D. If Alexander doesnt go for the block the ball comes right to him. Naz sprints from the key after his pick of lamonte to follow and misses. Bowden has his man boxed and pinned under the backboard but is just too small. We havent had many guys that look like what LSU out on the court. Grant looked like he was giving up 5 inches at times.

 

In addition, referee anthony Jordan blew his whistle 44 times yesterday. 29-15 LSU. Give me a [uck fay]ing break

 

Tim Donaghy numbers.

 

Thank you for this. Like any casual fan, I can see that things look different, but have no idea as to why.

Not that it matters, or that it’s even an educated opinion, but it kills me when we always walk the ball up, and which seems like what we’re exclusively doing of late, even on a defensive board. I don’t think we want to run, or can, but again, have no idea.

I also feel like we’re standing around on offense, and either can’t run what we want (which is what you’re saying about feeding Grant) and don’t know then what to do after that option is being taken away. I don’t see anyone who is attacking the interior of the defense, and instead seem content with shooting jumpers as the clock is winding down, and most of which are heavily contested / off-balance / hurried.

We’re scoring points, but it sure doesn’t seem anywhere nearly as smooth and consistent as it looked earlier in the season.

And now that Admiral is back on track, Turner and Bowden have disappeared. I think I saw some stat where Turner has more shots than Grant in the last 1-3 games, and which seems crazy, that is IIRC.

 

Every team is doubling grant early with 2 taller players, which is why Barnes late spread them out and got him the ball with room to work. If hes on on the block his shots will be limited and the guards will have more shots. They are on scholarship to not go 1-19 from 3 vs ky and LSU.

 

Bone has to be more aggressive. He can fly with the ball. We need him to press tempo at times. We can run the floor. Every player can at least run the floor well. Even guys like Pons and Fulk get up and down well. We have settled in to a half-court set running team and we are being punished inside all the while. I hope they figure it out because we are right there as a national title contender, just have to put it back together.

 

This is what I keep coming back to when I think about this team. When this team clicks, they can beat everyone, and I truly believe that. If they're missing a piece (Admiral struggling, Turner/Bowden missing open shots, Grant not finishing, etc.), we can still beat most teams but will struggle against top 15 opponents.

 

after Turner missed those two free throws from the technical, I'd be inclined to let grant be the dedicated ft shooter.

 

Grant is 85% i believe and beat Vandy from the ft line. He drew it. Let him take it. Issue there, not playing zone more and not fixing the right hand attack by LSU were Barnes errors imo.

 

Turner has been nails, too, though, hard to criticize that

 

I honestly though Grant had to take those shots. Was surprised with Turner went to line.

 

Read an article that stated Barnes wasn't allowed to call a timeout before the bad shot from Turner.