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[2018-19] Kentucky (at Indianapolis), Army, Eastern Michigan

And I'll bet you it will be more like 116 vs. 130 by the end of the year. And I'll also bet you our offense will be top 3.
 
As for zone, I don’t care about zone specifically so much as using literally any other defense than the one K always tries to make work. Anything is better.
 
Why would you want a top 3 but not dominant #1 offense with a defense this poor? That’s certainly not good enough to win a title.
 
I know it’s so early to be this pessimistic and to believe I know exactly how this season will play out, but I mean this is the same thing to start every season now: garbage, incompetent, hopeless man to man defense and some OAD who might be great in 2-3 years thinking he needs to take every shot while someone else who is great now is putting up crazy efficiency on significantly less usage.

When you have this level of talent and the only acceptable result is a national title, it’s not a matter of having great overall numbers or even the best overall numbers. With the horribly random tournament, and with this group, it will be about developing into something so dominant that very little is left to chance. 2015 Kentucky wasn’t good enough, and I don’t think it’s difficult for anyone here to imagine Barrett in the Harrison twins role, chucking away a title while Zion watches helplessly and the opponent slows it down to a half court game.
 
I kinda want to see what a bad offensive game from Zion looks like – if even such a thing is possible – before diving headlong into another usage controversy, but it was pretty frustrating yesterday to endure those stretches when Zion wasn't really involved in possessions while RJ bumbled around a bit.

It's probably fine over the next game or two to dick around with stuff and feel things out, but I tend to agree with SMTTEM that the only real approach with this team is to turn it into a merciless machine ASAP. To do that, feels to me like the rubber will have to meet the road once the real Maui competition begins. If K once again waits until mid- to late January to start fixing shit, then to hell with everything.
 
I agree completely. I think one of the "problems" with taking all this OAD talent, is that they still need a ton of development. If K was purely in a win a title or bust mindset, he would scrap the development in favor of winning the title, which would require him to yank Barrett when he shoots some ridiculous jumper, or drives into a one on four fast break.

I think K wants these future millionaires to learn these lessons while playing, which explains the offense, which looks like total ass but has overwhelming talent so the ball goes in anyway.

The defense is inexplicable for a completely different reason, in that overplay M2M is not used on any level of basketball any more, and is the hill that K is clearly willing to die on. Switching everything on the perimeter would at least make more sense in preparing these kids for their future jobs.

I do think Duke looked better when they started switching everything, but it's probably exhausting for an 18 year old mentally, when they've never played defense in their lives.
 
Duke's only going to have to play defense in like 3 more games this year, so why bother worrying?
 
The thing that sticks out about EMU is they protect the rim extremely well. This will be a surprisingly good test for Zion - maybe he'll do worse than his usual 84% FG in this game and we'll see why other players are better options on offense, or maybe he'll crush one of the best interior defenses in the country and leave no doubt about his greatness. EMU was #16 in 2pt% allowed last season, and #15 in block%. They liked to go with a twin towers lineup (both returned this season as juniors) and now they've brought in a third giant from Senegal who might be the best rim defender of all of them. They should be able to keep two of them on the court at all times. We'll see if Zion and the Supremacist can stretch them out by making some jumpers. I assume Bolden and Javin will look like ass in this one. Going to be a disgusting offensive display if Duke can't hit 3s.
 
What about Zion driving on their bigs after catching the ball at the elbow instead of working low post?
 
Kentucky had a 7-footer who wasn't a stiff - at least in the run and jump sense - with a good block%, and Zion went right over the top of him from a back-to-the-basket move a couple of times. I think he'll do a good job using his body to create separation and then just outjump folks. I worry more for Zion when we play someone who decides to go full Vlade Divac and flop every play. This game should be interesting to see how Barrett finishes against shotblockers.
 
SeanMayTriedToEatMe said:
The thing that sticks out about EMU is they protect the rim extremely well. This will be a surprisingly good test for Zion - maybe he'll do worse than his usual 84% FG in this game and we'll see why other players are better options on offense, or maybe he'll crush one of the best interior defenses in the country and leave no doubt about his greatness. EMU was #16 in 2pt% allowed last season, and #15 in block%. They liked to go with a twin towers lineup (both returned this season as juniors) and now they've brought in a third giant from Senegal who might be the best rim defender of all of them. They should be able to keep two of them on the court at all times. We'll see if Zion and the Supremacist can stretch them out by making some jumpers. I assume Bolden and Javin will look like ass in this one. Going to be a disgusting offensive display if Duke can't hit 3s.
Click to expand...

They’re also sub 300 nationally in pace (as they were last year), so this should be a better test of how the half court game goes given our transition opportunities are likely to be limited.
 
Slap the Floor said:
EMU full-time runs zone, correct?
Click to expand...

If they do play only zone, this might be the game Barrett learns how to pass out of traffic. Or he'll drive and shoot an endless amount of terrible layups because it's to easier to take on three defenders than the four he normally bowls into.
 
I think we'll steamroll anyone whose strengths are anything but smart, skilled, disciplined, veteran players who pass and shoot well. We'll be vulnerable to the Armys and Virginias of the world, but it feels like anyone who relies on size and athleticism for any semblance of their success or self-esteem will just get demoralized.

The ones that might sneak up on us are the dorky, emotionless system players who don't miss a beat inbounding the ball and getting into their motion offense while our team is still celebrating Zion jumping over all five players' heads from the free throw line, IMO.
 
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