Wrangor
Go Deacs
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2011
- Messages
- 12,413
- Reaction score
- 1,376
1. Manning has transformed our pick and roll defense. Our fundamentals are so much better. Our communication is better, especially between bigs. We aren't chasing windmills out there. The standard pick and roll play at the top of the key involves a big on the elbow, and a big on the post. The elbow big will come up and set the pick for the guard and roll to the basket. The post big will vacate the lane and roll to the top. This is a standard pick and roll. Our bigs have finally learned to hedge the ball screen and switch on the big movement. It is a huge improvement, and shows a lot of growth in our defense.
2. However, we have two very poor defenders that play a majority of our post minutes (Dinos REALLLY bad, and Leonard Pretty Bad). Almost all the open looks on threes last night came off either Dinos or Leonard being late to close out. Dinos is never going to be a great defender because he is just slow, but he has to get better for us to be a good team.
3. Madison played awful last night. He rarely provided any pressure on the ball, and everytime he brought it up the court it looked like he was very uncomfortable with their pressure. Worst game of the year for him IMO. He has to be able to get us into an offense and disrupt the other teams in order to be an effective player.
4. Thought Rountree played within himself, and did a very good job last night. Had a few great looks into the paint, and didn't make any real boneheaded plays (as he is prone to do sometimes). Defense was solid, especially in the first 6-8 minutes as we got out to a fast start. I think I like him more than some others on this board, and while I don't think he is a star, I don't think it is a bad move to have him in the starting lineup right now. Especially since it seems to be helping Manning teach some life lessons to McClinton.
5. Leonard played a great offensive game. As others have noted on the game thread...I can't remember another game where he was more active on the boards. He hit his open looks, and got in there and fought for rebounds (particularly offensive rebounds). I think it helped him that Miami played a smaller lineup. Leonard seems to struggle with larger post players. Might have given him some confidence to be able to see over his defender.
6. Dinos can shoot. Don't know what we would do on offense without him sometimes.
7. CMM got a little crazy with his shot selection (I think that first 3 pointer might have given him some irrational confidence) but he played an excellent game both defensively and offensively. He only hit 3-9 shots, but 7 assists and 1 turnover is a great ball game for your primary ball handler.
8. Devin had a tough game, but he battled all night. Made some poor passes, but the reality is that he gets the defenses best shot every night, and he really isn't a top level star that can handle it. You could tell his attitude was getting away from him a few times last night (delay of game, whining, etc...). Was disappointed to see him yell at the Miami bench after the win, and I am sure that will be addressed.
9. Manning's influence on the team is undeniable. We have players who are actually playing to their strengths. We really have a team that is limited defensively, yet our fundamentals are improving. Once again we outrebounded an ACC opponent.
10. I have seen this before, but never so pronounced for our team, but Manning's emphasis on the secondary break destroyed Miami's ability to rebound on the offensive end. Larranaga employed a 4 man back defense last night, meaning that on pretty much every shot attempt they were sending only one man to the offensive glass (the man in the middle on their offense). They were in a 4 out 1 in pretty much the whole night (5 out on some possessions), and anyone that was on the perimeter was coached to sprint back. This meant that we were prevented from scoring the patented CMM runout layup, but it also meant we grabbed a ton of uncontested defensive rebounds. I will take that trade all day long. Nothing is more disheartening than a put back and 1 layup. We had several on our end. Its a back breaker to get a defensive stop, and then watch the ball fall into the offensive player's hands, have them make a layup and get a ticky tack foul. Leonard was fouled by Jekiri in the first half after an offensive rebound and turned it into a three pointer from the out of bounds play, and in the second half Leonard got an offensive rebound and put it back up for the And-1 against Jekiri. He missed the free throw but that was 5 points and 2 fouls on Miami's best big man simply because they couldn't secure a defensive rebound. Those two plays are game winning plays.
Excited for the future. We probably have a rough stretch ahead of us, but we still haven't played a complete game, and we are competitive almost every night. Can't wait to see us put one together for 40 minutes.
2. However, we have two very poor defenders that play a majority of our post minutes (Dinos REALLLY bad, and Leonard Pretty Bad). Almost all the open looks on threes last night came off either Dinos or Leonard being late to close out. Dinos is never going to be a great defender because he is just slow, but he has to get better for us to be a good team.
3. Madison played awful last night. He rarely provided any pressure on the ball, and everytime he brought it up the court it looked like he was very uncomfortable with their pressure. Worst game of the year for him IMO. He has to be able to get us into an offense and disrupt the other teams in order to be an effective player.
4. Thought Rountree played within himself, and did a very good job last night. Had a few great looks into the paint, and didn't make any real boneheaded plays (as he is prone to do sometimes). Defense was solid, especially in the first 6-8 minutes as we got out to a fast start. I think I like him more than some others on this board, and while I don't think he is a star, I don't think it is a bad move to have him in the starting lineup right now. Especially since it seems to be helping Manning teach some life lessons to McClinton.
5. Leonard played a great offensive game. As others have noted on the game thread...I can't remember another game where he was more active on the boards. He hit his open looks, and got in there and fought for rebounds (particularly offensive rebounds). I think it helped him that Miami played a smaller lineup. Leonard seems to struggle with larger post players. Might have given him some confidence to be able to see over his defender.
6. Dinos can shoot. Don't know what we would do on offense without him sometimes.
7. CMM got a little crazy with his shot selection (I think that first 3 pointer might have given him some irrational confidence) but he played an excellent game both defensively and offensively. He only hit 3-9 shots, but 7 assists and 1 turnover is a great ball game for your primary ball handler.
8. Devin had a tough game, but he battled all night. Made some poor passes, but the reality is that he gets the defenses best shot every night, and he really isn't a top level star that can handle it. You could tell his attitude was getting away from him a few times last night (delay of game, whining, etc...). Was disappointed to see him yell at the Miami bench after the win, and I am sure that will be addressed.
9. Manning's influence on the team is undeniable. We have players who are actually playing to their strengths. We really have a team that is limited defensively, yet our fundamentals are improving. Once again we outrebounded an ACC opponent.
10. I have seen this before, but never so pronounced for our team, but Manning's emphasis on the secondary break destroyed Miami's ability to rebound on the offensive end. Larranaga employed a 4 man back defense last night, meaning that on pretty much every shot attempt they were sending only one man to the offensive glass (the man in the middle on their offense). They were in a 4 out 1 in pretty much the whole night (5 out on some possessions), and anyone that was on the perimeter was coached to sprint back. This meant that we were prevented from scoring the patented CMM runout layup, but it also meant we grabbed a ton of uncontested defensive rebounds. I will take that trade all day long. Nothing is more disheartening than a put back and 1 layup. We had several on our end. Its a back breaker to get a defensive stop, and then watch the ball fall into the offensive player's hands, have them make a layup and get a ticky tack foul. Leonard was fouled by Jekiri in the first half after an offensive rebound and turned it into a three pointer from the out of bounds play, and in the second half Leonard got an offensive rebound and put it back up for the And-1 against Jekiri. He missed the free throw but that was 5 points and 2 fouls on Miami's best big man simply because they couldn't secure a defensive rebound. Those two plays are game winning plays.
Excited for the future. We probably have a rough stretch ahead of us, but we still haven't played a complete game, and we are competitive almost every night. Can't wait to see us put one together for 40 minutes.
Love his outside stroke. Doesn't waste much time between catch and release!
