The Offense

[theblueram]

I would sit the entire staring lineup. Seriously.

[Billyboy78]

When I played we did a running drill in which the ball couldn't touch the floor. Obviously during a game you can't always do that depending on what the defense is doing. But the idea was to keep the ball moving. Dribble the ball, run laps.

[section(105)]

...... I don't wanna get completely off the thread subject, but way, way back in the day, Coach Carmody brought in a transfer, Deweit Tolliver, whom could receive the outlet pass, get the ball up court via passing, get it back and complete no look passes to cutting players.....the game has not changed that much.....has it?.....Rod, do I have this correct??

[UCH21377]

Here's my crazy idea for the offense that I know many will disagree with, start Stan and bring in EC off the bench. You can still give EC more minutes than Stan overall but it gives us the opportunity to bring in an offensive weapon from the bench.

Go back at look at the Syracuse 2011-2012 team. Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche started every game at the guard positions. Dion Waiters came off the bench every game and averaged more minutes than Triche and close to as many as Scoop. Waiters was also the fourth overall pick in the draft that year even though he never started a game in his Syracuse career.

I agree with this. Iverson off bench too. That gives you scoring punch throughout. I would consider starting Thompson (assuming healthy) with Akele and bring EC, KI, and SR off bench. And Terrell and Garrett would be the primary scorers, along with Hass, on the starters. To me it just balances out your scoring ability thru the game more. I have a feeling that at times EC,JT, and JG are deferring to each other and trying to figure out who the primary scorer is.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Here's my crazy idea for the offense that I know many will disagree with, start Stan and bring in EC off the bench. You can still give EC more minutes than Stan overall but it gives us the opportunity to bring in an offensive weapon from the bench.

Go back at look at the Syracuse 2011-2012 team. Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche started every game at the guard positions. Dion Waiters came off the bench every game and averaged more minutes than Triche and close to as many as Scoop. Waiters was also the fourth overall pick in the draft that year even though he never started a game in his Syracuse career.

I agree with this. Iverson off bench too. That gives you scoring punch throughout. I would consider starting Thompson (assuming healthy) with Akele and bring EC, KI, and SR off bench. And Terrell and Garrett would be the primary scorers, along with Hass, on the starters. To me it just balances out your scoring ability thru the game more. I have a feeling that at times EC,JT, and JG are deferring to each other and trying to figure out who the primary scorer is.

Interesting, but would be stunned if anything like that actually happened. Seems like once the starting lineup is set at the beginning of the year - no changes allowed, unless due to injury?

[adam914]

I'm not quite understanding what this benching of two starters does to help the offense really? It's not like substitutions are made in full line changes, there are times when they aren't all on the floor together even if they all start. I don't think all of a sudden brining EC and Iverson off the bench is going to magically make the offense flow better.

[reef]

EC would never be benched KI makes more sense to come off bench

[UCH21377]

I'm not quite understanding what this benching of two starters does to help the offense really? It's not like substitutions are made in full line changes, there are times when they aren't all on the floor together even if they all start. I don't think all of a sudden brining EC and Iverson off the bench is going to magically make the offense flow better.

The other factor in this is EC's knee. Is it possible he's only good for 20 minutes a game, at full speed? 208 noted he was messing with his knee the other night. I saw it too. And he didn't do anything in the second half. Why? Maybe it's his knee. If so, bring him off the bench for maximum effect. He can go into full alpha dog role while the other guys get a rest.

[NYGFan_Section208]

I'm not quite understanding what this benching of two starters does to help the offense really? It's not like substitutions are made in full line changes, there are times when they aren't all on the floor together even if they all start. I don't think all of a sudden brining EC and Iverson off the bench is going to magically make the offense flow better.

The other factor in this is EC's knee. Is it possible he's only good for 20 minutes a game, at full speed? 208 noted he was messing with his knee the other night. I saw it too. And he didn't do anything in the second half. Why? Maybe it's his knee. If so, bring him off the bench for maximum effect. He can go into full alpha dog role while the other guys get a rest.

Not sure it helps to bring guys off the bench vs starting - not sure it wouldn't either...but, doesn't matter, 'cause we'll probably never know. Seems like starting lineups are filed with the NCAA before the first game and are only changed as a result of injury?

[rodfromcranston]

105, I was not a fan of "Pooch" Toliver.
He was a ball hog.
He had great players John Fultz and Claude English,
yet in many games, he'd take as many shots as either of them.
Futlz told me that whenever they played a poor opponent,
he'd never see the ball.
Urban legend has it that after a game where Tolliver scratched
Ernie D's arms up, trying to defend him,
some time later, Tolliver wound up with a broken leg.
No idea if this was true.
It was first told to me by a PC fan, who said the guy who did it
was a Hoss Cartwright sized goon.

[RoadyJay]

Just saw this tweet and it prompted me to look at Jarvis' assist numbers.

Wouldn't you think the PG on a talented team like ours should average more than 3.9 assists/game?

[NYGFan_Section208]

Just saw this tweet and it prompted me to look at Jarvis' assist numbers.

Wouldn't you think the PG on a talented team like ours should average more than 3.9 assists/game?

Yes...except, everyone on this team seems to like to bounce the ball...a lot

[rodfromcranston]

When EC gets the ball, it's like a black hole.
The ball never leaves his hands, unless he shoots or turns it over.
Dribble, dribble, dribble.......

[ramster]

Just saw this tweet and it prompted me to look at Jarvis' assist numbers.

Wouldn't you think the PG on a talented team like ours should average more than 3.9 assists/game?

Yes...except, everyone on this team seems to like to bounce the ball...a lot

Last year averaged 4.7 apg but averaged 34 mpg.
This year he is 3.9 apg but playing 8 minutes less per game at 26 mpg part of the reduced minutes was only 13 vs Cincinnati when he fell hard, hit the cameraman and had to leave on the stretcher.

Last year would be 5.48 assists per 40 minute game
This year would be 6.00 assists per 40 minute game so he is better than last year. Best game was 8 assists vs Marist second game of season.

DH is playing him less than last year. Dowtin, Robinson and to a lesser degree Thompson have gotten some PG minutes.

He is 12th in A10 in apg through 1st 9games

[adam914]

I'm not quite understanding what this benching of two starters does to help the offense really? It's not like substitutions are made in full line changes, there are times when they aren't all on the floor together even if they all start. I don't think all of a sudden brining EC and Iverson off the bench is going to magically make the offense flow better.

The other factor in this is EC's knee. Is it possible he's only good for 20 minutes a game, at full speed? 208 noted he was messing with his knee the other night. I saw it too. And he didn't do anything in the second half. Why? Maybe it's his knee. If so, bring him off the bench for maximum effect. He can go into full alpha dog role while the other guys get a rest.

That certainly could be true, I don't know, but you can still manage a players minutes without removing him from the starting lineup.

[ramster]

I'm not quite understanding what this benching of two starters does to help the offense really? It's not like substitutions are made in full line changes, there are times when they aren't all on the floor together even if they all start. I don't think all of a sudden brining EC and Iverson off the bench is going to magically make the offense flow better.

The other factor in this is EC's knee. Is it possible he's only good for 20 minutes a game, at full speed? 208 noted he was messing with his knee the other night. I saw it too. And he didn't do anything in the second half. Why? Maybe it's his knee. If so, bring him off the bench for maximum effect. He can go into full alpha dog role while the other guys get a rest.

That certainly could be true, I don't know, but you can still manage a players minutes without removing him from the starting lineup.

In fact, better to start, then rest in between, if the knee is the issue so as to spread out the minutes played.

[josephski]

I'm not quite understanding what this benching of two starters does to help the offense really? It's not like substitutions are made in full line changes, there are times when they aren't all on the floor together even if they all start. I don't think all of a sudden brining EC and Iverson off the bench is going to magically make the offense flow better.

I'm not sure it would help either but as 208 said I'm not sure it would hurt us offensively. It's a different look to start the game and who knows, maybe EC ends up being a guy that does better off the bench.

The reason I mentioned Waiters was because his role hasn't changed even in the NBA. He's still the type of guy you bring in off the bench and will sometimes end up with more minutes than some starters. If EC makes the NBA, that would most likely be his role. A guy who comes off the bench and provides a scoring threat, some games he'll be hot and others he won't.

I also think Hurley needs to figure out what our best guard combinations are and play those guys the most. Playing a 6 guard rotation makes it tough to get all 3 bench guys in the flow of the game. I'd rather see 2 of our 3 guards off the bench control the bench minutes as opposed to trying to play all 3.