How happy is cern going to be?

[Halldan1]

It took an unfortunate injury for it to happen but with Ish possibly missing time our good friend cern is going to often see the lineup he has been clamoring for.

C Delgado
PF Desi (sharing time along with Nzei)
SF Veer
2G Carrington
PG Whitehead

 

[garyshu71]

Veer is not ready.

 

[Halldan1]

Veer is not ready.

Only way he'll get ready is by playing and gaining confidence. Providing of course his wrist isn't an issue.

We don't have a lot of other options so until Ish comes back get used to more and hopefully better Singh.

 

[Section112]

I say start Nzei and keep Desi at the three. Have Veer come in and spell Desi and have one of our other bigs spell Nzei with Anderson giving Angel a rest.

 

[HALL85]

It took an unfortunate injury for it to happen but with Ish possibly missing time our good friend cern is going to often see the lineup he has been clamoring for.

C Delgado
PF Desi (sharing time along with Nzei)
SF Veer
2G Carrington
PG Whitehead

I don't like this line-up. No offense off the bench. Your next two players are Nzei and Gordon. Rebounding and defense suffer too. Veer has looked lost on D. He needs to get time, but not on-the-job training as a starter.

 

[Hall91]

we're going to miss Sonogo's rebounding. A real shame since the kid was doing a nice job for us; doing all the little things.

 

[hallgrad80]

It took an unfortunate injury for it to happen but with Ish possibly missing time our good friend cern is going to often see the lineup he has been clamoring for.

C Delgado
PF Desi (sharing time along with Nzei)
SF Veer
2G Carrington
PG Whitehead

Don't like the idea of moving Desi from a position he's comfortable at and doing well at that position as I'd rather see Nzei there with Anderson getting time as well.

 

[Halldan1]

I say start Nzei and keep Desi at the three. Have Veer come in and spell Desi and have one of our other bigs spell Nzei with Anderson giving Angel a rest.

Don't see it that way. I think your starting lineup might be accurate but I also think we'll see Desi move to the four a lot and Veer sub in at the 3.

 

[Halldan1]

Don't like the idea of moving Desi from a position he's comfortable at and doing well at that position as I'd rather see Nzei there with Anderson getting time as well.

Don't like it either. If you remember from day 1 last year I said Desi should be playing the 3 and not the 4. But sometimes you don't have a choice and this year despite what I said last season Desi has to move to the 4 at times. Bank on it happening.

 

[Section112]

It's unfortunate because I have really liked our lineup when both Ish and Nzei are our two headed forwards. They are very active on D and on the boards together and I hate to say this but I think we've been more effective with them both in and Angel on the bench. Won't see that anymore until Ish comes back.

 

[garyshu71]

I say start Nzei and keep Desi at the three. Have Veer come in and spell Desi and have one of our other bigs spell Nzei with Anderson giving Angel a rest.

This is what needs to happen.

 

[Halldan1]

This is what needs to happen.

What other big at the 4?

 

[garyshu71]

What other big at the 4?

Ha, well you go with match ups after the starting lineup, so at that point maybe Desi plays some PF, or Anderson. What happened to our other bigs by the way??

 

[Halldan1]

Anderson does not have the quickness or foot speed to play against Mobile 4s.

Carter is not ready yet.

And clearly if Anderson doesn't have the foot speed to play the 4, Anthony certainly doesn't.

Que Desi after Nzei.

 

[Seton75]

I say start Nzei and keep Desi at the three. Have Veer come in and spell Desi and have one of our other bigs spell Nzei with Anderson giving Angel a rest.

Without a doubt yes, that is how I would go. I can see thinking Ish is playing better than Mike, but not by much of a margin. But I would play the lineup Dan mentioned too.

 

[shugrads]

how long will ish be out? feel bad for the kid he was really playing well. very impressed.

 

[cernjSHU]

It is time for Veer to shine. If he hits his first shot, just wait how the offense will open up. We need his shooting ability to spread the floor.

 

[Piratz]

Start Nzei. Keep Delgado at the 5.

Desi has been one of our best and most consistent players. Let's not create two holes.

 

[Halldan1]

Who plays the backup 4?

 

[Rimas]

Ish has been my favorite player on the team. Brings his lunch pale to work and does his job. Doesn't need to fill the stat sheet but defends and rebounds like an animal. We need him back sooner than later to give this team a shot. Nzei is right behind him and should be in the lineup because Delgado is still not himself yet. Veer needs more minutes because our outside shooting is brutal. However that is also a due to our horrendous ball movement which is why we play street ball with no assists.

I say
IW
KC
Desi
Nzei
AD

Sub in Veer first for Nzei and move Desi over depending on opponents size.

 

[donnie_baseball]

It is time for Veer to shine. If he hits his first shot, just wait how the offense will open up. We need his shooting ability to spread the floor.

Hit his first shot last night.

 

[Piratz]

I hate this idea of valuing depth and contingency ahead of your best team on the floor. It's counter intuitive to me and we debated this strategy ad nasuem last year when the 3 spot was KILLING us for stretches in games yet we refused to even try Desi there because we had to save him for depth behind Mobley.

After seeing Desi play the 3, he needs to stay there.

I would go Whitehead, Carrington, Desi, Nzei, Delgado. Get creative when you need to use minutes at the 4. Play Delgado with Anderson or something.

 

[SHUBigT]

I'd be curious to see:

IW, KC at the guards
Desi at the SF
Delgado at the PF
Take your pick between Anthony and Anderson at Center

Bring Neil in to backup the 4, Veer at the 3 and slide Delgado between the 4 and 5 depending on fouls, matchups, stamina, etc

I know our 5's other than Delgado aren't exactly playing great so far this season but sometimes if you rely on a kid he steps up.

 

[Seton75]

Who plays the backup 4?

What is the difference. We start both threes, we don't have a backup 3.

And for who said if Veer hits his first shot, see how the defense opens up, he hit his first last night.

Inserting Mike is an easier move imo, and the delta between Ish and Mike is small. With more time, it will melt away. I loved having both and having a good backup, and we will miss that. But I love how Desi is playing at the three and don't want top disturb that like we did last year. For backup, if Carter is not ready (I assume he is not) than I have no issue with going with Anderson as backup 4 and 5.

 

[HallBall02]

Carrington at point (he seems to be smarter with the ball at this time)

Whitehead at 2 (tell him to stop forcing it and move ball more early in shot clock)

Desi at 3 ( tell him the trick not to charge, he prob has more fouls on offense than defense)

Nzei at 4 (next man up and playing well)

Delgado at 5 (still looks slow, would have put him as main backup for 4 but his quickness and endurance has been set back from last year)

This should be the next starting lineup and get bulk of min at those spots for sure. Who subs in when and where isn't as import at who plays the most. Moving Desi to 4 is not a smart decision. Exhibit A is last years big east record.

Gordon first off bench for guards
Singh first if bench for 3 ( true need more confidence but not ready for big time role).


I agree with Dan that Anthony, Anderson and Delgado aren't nimble enough to guard lots of PF, especially stretch 4s. Myles most likely not ready and also probably too rigid.

Back up 4 would have to be Desi in spots against smaller teams, Delgado in spots against bigger teams. Delgado need more cardio and get quicker tho so that concerns me.

Nzei should get the bulk of minutes at 4 and it's not even a question in my mind. Desi has been great at the 3 even against smaller teams. Would be a HUGE mistake to move Desi to 4

 

[Halldan1]

I hate this idea of valuing depth and contingency ahead of your best team on the floor. It's counter intuitive to me and we debated this strategy ad nasuem last year when the 3 spot was KILLING us for stretches in games yet we refused to even try Desi there because we had to save him for depth behind Mobley.

After seeing Desi play the 3, he needs to stay there.

I would go Whitehead, Carrington, Desi, Nzei, Delgado. Get creative when you need to use minutes at the 4. Play Delgado with Anderson or something.

Delgado or Anderson at the 4 would wreck havoc on our D and get both in foul trouble. Terrible matchup for us.

 

[SPK145]

Singh so far has shown me little other than I know he can shoot from deep. Kinda slow and disoriented on the court, let him come off the bench until he proves he's up to the challenge.

 

[Piratz]

Delgado or Anderson at the 4 would wreck havoc on our D and get both in foul trouble. Terrible matchup for us.

But I think Singh will do the same at the 3 right now too. I hope Singh rounds into form but he looks shaky. He had a really bad stretch after we built a good lead in the first half yesterday.

My default would be Desi 3, Nzei 4. If it turns out to be an abomination they can try Desi at the 4.

 

[Halldan1]

Singh so far has shown me little other than I know he can shoot from deep. Kinda slow and disoriented on the court, let him come off the bench until he proves he's up to the challenge.

He will. When Desi moves to the 4 he'll backup Nzei.

 

[Halldan1]

But I think Singh will do the same at the 3 right now too. I hope Singh rounds into form but he looks shaky. He had a really bad stretch after we built a good lead in the first half yesterday.

My default would be Desi 3, Nzei 4. If it turns out to be an abomination they can try Desi at the 4.

You're saying what I have been saying. Desi will backup at the 4. My lineup above was an ode to what cern has been saying all year. That's why I used his name.

I hate Desi playing the 4 as much as anyone on this board. That was made clear last year. But circumstances dictate that he is going to have to play minutes there until Ish comes back.

 

[HallBall10]

Over the past couple of years I've noticed that Willard labels a player with a certain # and they play that position number for the rest of the season. Desi was labeled a 4 last year so he could only play PF last year.. This year he was labeled a 3 so he can only play the 3.

Throughout a game, you need to make quick decisions and tinker with the lineup based on what's going on. IMO, this is willard's biggest weakness. I like desi at the 3 but for example went Cavanaugh had to sit for foul trouble and their '3' had to slide to '4' (no chance of posting up Desi) and they went to zone we should have moved Desi to 4 and Veer to 3. Desi at the fouline veer spotting up for a wide open 3 delgado on the low block and IW and KC looking to split a gap and drive.
Instead we had Nzei and Delgado on the low block (no movement at all), desi spotting up for 3, and the guards up top with no one at the foul line. or desi at the fouline with no one spotting up for 3.

Although I feel Desi is best suited at the 3 and I would start IW, KC, Desi, Nzei, and Delgado, based on certain scenarios Willard can't cross out the idea of Desi logging a few minutes at the 4 especially if we're playing against a zone and playing a team without a 4 that is going to punish desi down low. It's called coaching and making in-game adjustments.

 

[Rimas]

I know Nzei has been playing well but ISH has been the much better defender against all 5 positions of opposing teams than Nzei. We will miss him if out for an extended period.

 

[theaterman]

When was the last year we didn't have any injuries? I can't seem to remember when. Seems like a long time ago!

 

[BabyBlue]

Gotta start Nzei in my opinion. I think he can give us 8 and 8 if he's getting Ish's minutes.

 

[Seton75]

Delgado or Anderson at the 4 would wreck havoc on our D and get both in foul trouble. Terrible matchup for us.

We can disagree on this one. But regardless, I put more value on my starters than my subs and if I have to deplete one it is the bench.

 

[hallgrad80]

Don't like it either. If you remember from day 1 last year I said Desi should be playing the 3 and not the 4. But sometimes you don't have a choice and this year despite what I said last season Desi has to move to the 4 at times. Bank on it happening.

Dan
My biggest problem with moving Desi is that you've weaken the 3 and potentially the 4 with the result being you've weaken two positions. If you leave Desi at the three you're only weakening one position the 4 .

 

[SPK145]

When was the last year we didn't have any injuries? I can't seem to remember when. Seems like a long time ago!

Says every team every year.

 

[TheBluePirate]

Says every team every year.

LOL. Another disciple of Coach Knight ("that's why we have a bench"...)

 

[Seton75]

LOL. Another disciple of Coach Knight ("that's why we have a bench"...)

I thought Bobby K had the bench so he could throw it. Or was that just his chair?

 

[TheBluePirate]

SPK's waiting for you to throw the chair at his head, so he can throw the entire bench at you.