Just a reminder that the dysfunction we've seen recently does NOT have to be that way.
Please watch this clip and contrast this with much of what we've seen since in your more recent memory banks:
1. The offense was much more "vertical", i.e. seeking to create angles TOWARD the basket.
2. We were at least threatening the post (although we still could've used more traditional entries)
3. Wash was looking to score at different levels, obviously being encouraged to do so, and did
4. Eliot had available passing angles that, again, were more often "vertical", as opposed to the "horizontal" actions that have hindered us since
5. Seth had a field-day, Wash had 17 and 6, and Eliot had 13 dimes. Why? The ball was not "sticking" and there was precious less dribbling than we've seen since. Most notably, there was a refreshing (in retrospect) lack of the horizontal arc dribble action and lateral push-out passes that have been the source of the lion's share of our recent Turnover increase.
Keep in mind that Memphis is a quality long and athletic team, with wins over UConn, MIchSt and Clemson, so don't downplay the opponent.
So... what has changed? WIth the full caveat that subsequent opponents had the luxury of scouting us, most of the issues I have seen have been self-inflicted from a counterproductive change in APPROACH.
Here's where it gets uncomfortable. I cringe reading posts that diss RJ, but it is a fair point that yes, we would in all likelihood be in a better place right now without him coming back. Again, I do NOT blame RJ --- he is a terriific player --- I blame the fact that his return to the lineup triggered a (counterproductive) regress in our offensive aproach.
OK, some of that ball-stopping is on him, but it also on his teammates for deferring too much --- I'm sure y'all have noticed that our off-ball movement slows (there's an obvious expectation that he's gonna shoot) --- but I also blame the staff because we are running WAY too many horizontal actions to get him the rock and those are completely getting in the way of the vertical game you saw at Memphis. Defenses are thus loading up to "push" us even further upward and outward along the perimeter arc I described in the last "stuff" post.
Bottom line is, when I preach "inside-out", that is NOT just a cliche. 1) Defenses have a lot harder time being aggressive up top when they have to worry about the rim behind them, and 2) they have a lot harder time pushing out when the attack angles are sharp inside to the rack. Once again, as Dean taught us, it's ultimately about Applied Geometry --- and the particular Xs-and-Os should be directed at accomplishing that.
Moreover, our rim threat cannot be just from drives. We have to run thru Bigs as well, and that starts with restoring the Secondary's post (rim-run/dive) action. Beyond that, RJ needs to be "part" of the scheme --- not the "feature" of the scheme. If we can adjust that, then the ball will move better, and his efficiency will actually benefit with less ball-domination.
Finally, some of the takes I've read here recently frankly make my head hurt. It's not about not having the players --- it's about their best usage. Our flawed post-Memphis approach is also responsible for our maddening slow starts, but remember also that UNC is currently #1 in NCAA D1 in 2nd half points...
OK --- that speaks to our guys' fire-power and the ability of the staff to adjust at halftime --- but my point is that there needs to be a major approach reset to obviate the need for some of that halftime damage-control in the first place...
BTW, here are a couple of more isolated clips from the above:
Please watch this clip and contrast this with much of what we've seen since in your more recent memory banks:
1. The offense was much more "vertical", i.e. seeking to create angles TOWARD the basket.
2. We were at least threatening the post (although we still could've used more traditional entries)
3. Wash was looking to score at different levels, obviously being encouraged to do so, and did
4. Eliot had available passing angles that, again, were more often "vertical", as opposed to the "horizontal" actions that have hindered us since
5. Seth had a field-day, Wash had 17 and 6, and Eliot had 13 dimes. Why? The ball was not "sticking" and there was precious less dribbling than we've seen since. Most notably, there was a refreshing (in retrospect) lack of the horizontal arc dribble action and lateral push-out passes that have been the source of the lion's share of our recent Turnover increase.
Keep in mind that Memphis is a quality long and athletic team, with wins over UConn, MIchSt and Clemson, so don't downplay the opponent.
So... what has changed? WIth the full caveat that subsequent opponents had the luxury of scouting us, most of the issues I have seen have been self-inflicted from a counterproductive change in APPROACH.
Here's where it gets uncomfortable. I cringe reading posts that diss RJ, but it is a fair point that yes, we would in all likelihood be in a better place right now without him coming back. Again, I do NOT blame RJ --- he is a terriific player --- I blame the fact that his return to the lineup triggered a (counterproductive) regress in our offensive aproach.
OK, some of that ball-stopping is on him, but it also on his teammates for deferring too much --- I'm sure y'all have noticed that our off-ball movement slows (there's an obvious expectation that he's gonna shoot) --- but I also blame the staff because we are running WAY too many horizontal actions to get him the rock and those are completely getting in the way of the vertical game you saw at Memphis. Defenses are thus loading up to "push" us even further upward and outward along the perimeter arc I described in the last "stuff" post.
Bottom line is, when I preach "inside-out", that is NOT just a cliche. 1) Defenses have a lot harder time being aggressive up top when they have to worry about the rim behind them, and 2) they have a lot harder time pushing out when the attack angles are sharp inside to the rack. Once again, as Dean taught us, it's ultimately about Applied Geometry --- and the particular Xs-and-Os should be directed at accomplishing that.
Moreover, our rim threat cannot be just from drives. We have to run thru Bigs as well, and that starts with restoring the Secondary's post (rim-run/dive) action. Beyond that, RJ needs to be "part" of the scheme --- not the "feature" of the scheme. If we can adjust that, then the ball will move better, and his efficiency will actually benefit with less ball-domination.
Finally, some of the takes I've read here recently frankly make my head hurt. It's not about not having the players --- it's about their best usage. Our flawed post-Memphis approach is also responsible for our maddening slow starts, but remember also that UNC is currently #1 in NCAA D1 in 2nd half points...
OK --- that speaks to our guys' fire-power and the ability of the staff to adjust at halftime --- but my point is that there needs to be a major approach reset to obviate the need for some of that halftime damage-control in the first place...BTW, here are a couple of more isolated clips from the above:
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