UCLA
- Thread starter COUGinNCW
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This team has no business jacking up 30 3 point attempts.
Total failure on the offensive side of the ball. This is Paul Graham level bad. Throw whatever the hell they're doing out the window and put in SOMETHING for the rest of the season. Even if it's just an old school passing game - something, ANYTHING! But it's insanity to keep rolling out the 'well, the shots just didn't fall. We need to make shots' excuse.
This stand around and jack up threes approach is worthless.
Total failure on the offensive side of the ball. This is Paul Graham level bad. Throw whatever the hell they're doing out the window and put in SOMETHING for the rest of the season. Even if it's just an old school passing game - something, ANYTHING! But it's insanity to keep rolling out the 'well, the shots just didn't fall. We need to make shots' excuse.
This stand around and jack up threes approach is worthless.
What is even worse is what happens AFTER they shoot. Before getting a couple offensive rebounds in the last two minutes of garbage time, the Cougs had 43 chances for an offensive rebound and only grabbed 4. Are you kidding me-9% is the best you can do? Sad, very sad.
Flowers has more 0 assist games in his career than he does 10 assist games.
In fact he has more 10 rebound games than 10 assist games.
These are mid major guards in profile & skill set and that is what is being exposed going back to the preseason 2nd half losses.
Flowers, despite being a mid-major guy, was highly sought by teams shopping in the portal. He was 15th in the nation in scoring last year and was nearly 40% shooter from 3-point line. It hasn't really translated at WSU. He's had some good games, but has really slumped the past 4 contests when we needed him most.
Roberts, on the other hand, is a solid D-2 player. Too small, IMO, to be much more than a bench player at a P5 school. Allowing him to take as many shots as he's taking is a big mistake. If he's not hitting from 3, he really doesn't help the team much.
I don’t really know what to say. Nothing is changing. Same free lance, ineffective offense which includes a lot of dribbling for no real reason (they don’t very often drive to the hoop), limited passing (passing is the best way to make a defense work), and settling for 3-point shots when they are a horrible 3-point shooting team. Why Smith hasn’t at least tweaked the offense at all is mind numbing. I like the coach, I was super excited to hire him, and I like that he re-installed defense as a staple of the game. But this is one of the worst offenses I can remember WSU having in a long time and with the recruits he’s brought in, it shouldn’t be. Are the coaches putting the players in the best position to succeed? I sure don’t think so.
Glad Cougar
Turn out the lights, the party is over. The easy first half of the schedule led us to believe this team is more than it really is. Great D, but they can't shoot. I was hoping for a 6-4 record down the stretch, but after 4 straight losses, 2-8 seems more realistic, and that might be difficult, as the 10 games in 3 weeks is going take it's toll. Need to switch up the guard rotation, try someone else, Roberts is shooting about 30% on the season, move Bamba or Williams over and start Yak, hell give Rapp a shot, it can't hurt, at least he passes more and dribbles less. You took Williams out of the starting line up, take Roberts out for a while.
So who do they give their shots to?
Noah has been on a season long slump/regression
Efe is athletic but has no post moves.
Mo is developing but not there yet and he shoots FTs like Shaq.
Bamba is hurt and not a great finisher (but solid from 3)
AJ - fair but inconsistent.
Rodman has a nice set shot but can’t really create.
I would like to see everyone involved in the offense, but with the focus on taking higher percentage shots– fewer 3-point attempts (since nobody is really an accomplished 3-point shooter, although AJ could be). I really think more passing and less dribbling could exploit the defense a little more and lead to better shot selection. More movement without the ball worked wonders under the Tony Bennett system, IIRC. There just seems to be too much standing around and settling for 3-pointers that may or may not be open. Even when our guys are open, they are not hitting them with any proficiency. We aren't doing well in the assist department either which suggests players are either not getting open or aren't getting the ball when they are open.
Good question, though.
Glad Cougar
It doesn't just 'seem' there is too much standing around. There IS too much standing around.
Watched Wisconsin the other night - beautiful offense, still using some of Bo Ryan's Swing principles. GU, Arizona -beautiful player and ball movement.
Move the ball, move the man. It's the easiest way to break down the defense. The defender has to constantly be in a state of re-calculating his angle relative to the person he's defending and the ball. Most defenders don't have the discipline or the smarts to stay locked in and their internal CPU calculates incorrectly. Then it's layup city, mismatch or wide open look.
It's not rocket science.
Watched Wisconsin the other night - beautiful offense, still using some of Bo Ryan's Swing principles. GU, Arizona -beautiful player and ball movement.
Move the ball, move the man. It's the easiest way to break down the defense. The defender has to constantly be in a state of re-calculating his angle relative to the person he's defending and the ball. Most defenders don't have the discipline or the smarts to stay locked in and their internal CPU calculates incorrectly. Then it's layup city, mismatch or wide open look.
It's not rocket science.
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