Andrew

I have already discussed this topic with people who have actually played the game at the collegiate level... I was at Ryan High with Quincy Williams for a little bit... I hold conversation with people who know the game much better then I do and I get varying opinions. BUT people who know the game have agreed with me... not all but a good chunk of them. I do not see how having 4 people guard the perimeter and stopping the penetration which is huge because it allows the open three is somehow infective against the three... If you run the right offense sure you could bust it open from deep.... but the same can be said for 3-2 zone 2-12 man or any other sort of defense your mind can imagine!

I was not at the game but wathcing it on DVR, just like to note they ran the 2-3 zone and oh wait... they defended the three... I wonder why...

hanging centrally scoreboard?

center hanging scoreboard

and 90's to beyond... but it was not digital.

I will say this the scout that was sitting with vito a few games ago was not impressed with Chris Jones (I am personally very impressed with him. He said more turnovers then assists is all I need to know... On the other hand he commented that Mitchel was built for the nba and just need a bit of tweaking to his game. Surprisingly I heard from someone who sat in around them at one game that they were talkative about Jordan Williams and his pure athleticism and interest. I find this curious though... are these scouts just looking at NBA build?

J.T. Sulton?..... who the heck knows!?!?!?

My whole point was Niko needs more minutes... Franklin can play in the paint but I would prefer to have someone who is 4 inches taller and has that tenacity.(Wake up Jacob Holmen!!!!!)

I prefer to be better then troy

how many 6'4'/6'5'players do you know who consistently play the post? He does excellent but is still undersized. I suppose he is channeling his inner Barkley which is not a bad thing.

I am saying with Hogans out who else do we play down there? Franklin is great but at the shorter end of 6'5" he just seems out of position and Mitchel is foul prone. Hogans is injured so where do we go? If we had Tramiel, Wooden, or Odufua then yes Niko would ride the pine but who else do we have?

The players that Niko guarded for most of the game against troy scored a total of 5 points. I am not saying he has his lapses but who does not, especially on this team. Mitchel picks up ticky tack fouls in the post, Holmen has been week, and for all the muscle Edwards has he seems to be a step behind his man. Franklin has been great in the post (especially for his size)but we need more. Give Niko a chance. He is not some spectacular defender but who else do you want in the post at this point? Hogans? sure... if he was healthy!

Peja was able to fit in a "zone d" in the nba which is technically not a zone because it would be considered illegal defense, but either way as he aged yes he was not athletic enough to stay with his man but with the Kings and even to a better extent with the hornets defensively he did his job. Peja was tagged as the primary defender – and found out he ranked 87th overall out of about 500 NBA players in the database. That defensive ranking was determined by points per posession – so for every posession he defended, the 87th least amount of points were produced overall. (From the stat crunchers who ran the numbers on the average points scored on him per possession. Being in the top 18% of defenders and shutting your man down does not seem "lost" to me. But what do I know... I only go by my experience and the stats. Numbers will always speak for themselves. Take it or leave it but these are the stats and they say he was in the top 18% while with the hornets. (That is when these numbers were run).

I am all for Mitchel paying in the post on the defensive end but offensively he would be more of a threat a run away from the basket. We could easily run a 4 out offense with the crew we have now. I am definitely looking forward to Odah next year and having a true center in the post. Rebound and Block, that's all we need.

Got ya and yes Mitchel in the post on D is clutch

Why not Mitchel at the 3? He is going to have to play there if he goes pro and he is going to have to create his own shot because we are not given him the touches in the post. I would love to see him have the ball in his hands above the arc and go to work.

Niko guarded Owens and Cunningham who combined for 5 points. He had 4 assists and zero turnovers. 7 points and 10 rebounds. granted this team is by far not a great team. But he performed well and he can do this consistently when given the chance. He He puts the ball on the floor and drives to goal instead of jacking a three like the rest of the team. Franklin is great in the post but the second he puts the ball on the floor and takes a shot he misses. I do however love his moves in the post and his intensity over Niko. Franklin has a big mouth, and I mean that in a good way. he gets in the opponents heads. Niko is too laid back for me and needs some of that drive.

When did his man score on him yesterday? because Franklin was blown by on multiple occasions. He hedged his screens and recovered every time denying his man the ball. He also brought down 10 boards and yes... passed the ball incredibly well for a big man.

But who should start? Mitchel needs to be at the three and Franklin is not a true post player. That leaves Holmen and Edwards in the post and I choose Niko over either of them all day. (Both Franklin and Mitchel are great in the post but its not their true position, especially for Mitchel. Its time he creates his own shot and stops running back and forth between the elbows looking for the ball) --- side note our offense is still killing me!!!! If we are not scoring on the break we are just sitting around swinging the ball around the arc and becoming stagnate. No screens, no motion, no movement of any kind outside of one post player popping to the elbow for the ball.

He is shooting over 50% form three the last 5 games...

Walton is shooting over 50% from 3 the past 5 games and Niko has played better defense then just about anyone on this roster...

Why...? Who is better then him in the post? Mitchel? Mitchel needs to be playing the 3 and creating his own shot. Niko can rebound, box out, defend in the paint, hustle up the court, create his own shot, drive it to the hole, knock down the three, and even more impressively pass better then just about anyone on our team. Also where are all the Walton haters? He showed up tonight and he still hustles.

I also still liked what I saw from Niko... I still like seeing Niko, Mitchel, J. Williams, Walton, and Jones out there on the floor!

The funny thing is when the scouts came to watch Tony they did not care one bit for C.J. The scout said to more turnovers then assists and that's all I need to know about this kid. I am thinking in 4 years he will be on someones board as mid second round draft pick. (Or better depending on how he develops)

It sucks to see him go down for the second time in a few years... hopefully he will be back for the tourney! Holmen, Niko and Edwards will need to step it up! Its becoming a "lets look forward for next year" scenario