Some very nice analysis in the OP, especially about playing zone.
Only saw the first half, and would just add:
- as long as Moore is, he should have cement blocks around his ankles and never ever jump up for a pump fake. Only did so once and they got the easy layup.
- Moore is a lot of fun to watch. Actually enjoying all the “learning curve” and growth guys. He posts up, turns to his weaker shoulder, into the paint, and I swear he shoots down at the basket. He literally needs to walk down to the block and establish the lowest possible position possible. Make them push you off that block, if they can. Feed him there.
- Brown drives to his right, jumps up, and whips a pass back into the paint to a cutting Thompson. It’s like throwing late across the middle in football. That is not a basketball move, more like the game needs to slow down for Brown there. Easy deflection. Either shoot it or just keep dribbling, but never jump to pass.
- Woods wants to win. Putting far too much pressure on himself. Probably needs a calm down and just shoot that sweet jumper talk. Shoot it a lot. I wish I had that stroke, ever in my lifetime, he should embrace the Bill Walton joy of the game so to speak. We need him if we want to somehow sneak into the NIT.
- I like Mitchell but he too needs to slow down out there. Defensively he is not sliding ala Josh Howard, instead is jumping and bounding forward and back in the zone. Slide young Jedi, slide. He also has his Mark Jackson, hands down, man down. Manning...show Tony Bennett UVA tapes...get your damn hands up especially in the zone.
- Crawford is almost an enigma, but he just toyed with shitty Mark Smith. Just abused Smith a few times and blew right by him. If Craw had confidence in his mid-range jumper, he could have scored at will on Smith. Crawford needs to quickly assert himself as the leader, which means no “fall away 3 pointers” after a Curly Neal dribbling display. Those fall away threes do not go in the basket. Pass and share the ball. Simple Spurs ball movement, will result in way better looks.
- Sarr and his development is worth attending the games. Very curious to follow his progress. Super high upside.
- Black for Illinois is a complete idiot, but I would love an idiot PF in a Wake jersey right now.
- 4 guard lineup leads to no defensive rebounding at all. Stupid coaching decision. Bite the bullet and play Mitchell or Thompson at the 4 so we can actually get the ball back.
- this team may not win a lot, but they took a lot of pride and showed a lot of pride last night. Effort was there. Credit to the players and coaches for that.
- team is limited, so if we want to win, it must be a commitment to winning via less turnovers, less Curly Neal dribbling displays leading to terrible shots, share the basketball, hands up on D, play zone, keep your feet on the ground, play anyone taller than 6’5 at PF, and finally, feed Moore on that low block, get him 10+ shots per game and force the double team, which leads to wide open threes if he pitches it back out. Pretty simple shit we all learned in middle school.
P.S. ESPN in their Duke love fest is talking about Bagley and how he compares to Tim Duncan. No. Just no.