Adjustments/wrinkles

[wadesworld]

Would like to see Stevie used as the screener when teams hide their bigs on him.  Let Kam or Jop come off a screen from him with a lot of room between them and the big.  Or run a dribble handoff with Stevie handing the ball off.  Stevie should watch film of Draymond playing offense against a sagging defender.

[Mu92]

If I am scouting Marquette. I know they only shoot 3's and layups. So I can aggressively defend the 3 point line and have my rim protector stay close to the basket to block or alter our smallish guards shots. If Marquette hit one 15 foot shot it may pull the rim protector away from the basket and open up more easylayups.

[Uncle Rico]

If I am scouting Marquette. I know they only shoot 3's and layups. So I can aggressively defend the 3 point line and have my rim protector stay close to the basket to block or alter our smallish guards shots. If Marquette hit one 15 foot shot it may pull the rim protector away from the basket and open up more easylayups.

Remarkable. 

[muwarrior69]

Remarkable. 

Just put the ball in the basket.

[barfolomew]

I have been surprised there has not been more PNR action this season.
We saw some early on with Parham and a little with Ben, but since BE play seems like it has been almost exclusively pick and pop.

This is strictly observational, though, so I'd love to see some PNR numbers if anyone has access.

[MU82]

Would like to see Stevie used as the screener when teams hide their bigs on him.  Let Kam or Jop come off a screen from him with a lot of room between them and the big.  Or run a dribble handoff with Stevie handing the ball off.  Stevie should watch film of Draymond playing offense against a sagging defender.

I like this - and it doesn't only have to be Stevie, it can be Kam or Chase, too.

If you watch Creighton closely, they use Ashworth as an off-the-ball screener a lot. It creates openings for their bigs, creates motion for the entire offense, and quite often results in Ashworth being left open for a shot. The latter is why I wouldn't mind seeing Kam set an occasional off-the-ball back-screen - in addition to setting up Joplin or Gold for a layup, it could result in Kam being left wide open.

Unless Gold has demonstrated in practice that he's a poor pick-and-roll player, I'd like to see him occasionally roll instead of almost always popping. At the least, rolling would take a defender or two with him, thereby creating more open 3 attempts for others - not that we lack for open 3s.

Agree totally with tower and others that we don't always need Gold, Parham and Jop to be pressuring guys 30 feet from the hoop. Obviously, it depends on the opponent - for example, we won't want to leave Dixon open.

[The Sultan]

If I am scouting Marquette. I know they only shoot 3's and layups. So I can aggressively defend the 3 point line and have my rim protector stay close to the basket to block or alter our smallish guards shots. If Marquette hit one 15 foot shot it may pull the rim protector away from the basket and open up more easylayups.

How extensive is your basketball scouting history?

[MUfan12]

If you watch Creighton closely, they use Ashworth as an off-the-ball screener a lot. It creates openings for their bigs, creates motion for the entire offense, and quite often results in Ashworth being left open for a shot. The latter is why I wouldn't mind seeing Kam set an occasional off-the-ball back-screen - in addition to setting up Joplin or Gold for a layup, it could result in Kam being left wide open.

MU flipped those screens a bunch last year with Tyler screening for Oso. Got a couple critical buckets to close the game out at Butler doing that.

It's just kinda strange to me that they seem content to let Kam dribble the air out of the ball so often.

[NCMUFan]

MU flipped those screens a bunch last year with Tyler screening for Oso. Got a couple critical buckets to close the game out at Butler doing that.

It's just kinda strange to me that they seem content to let Kam dribble the air out of the ball so often.

That is a good point.  Why not try Kam with Parham and Gold like Tyler and Oso.  Parham and Gold both seem athletic and skilled enough to do it.  Neither is setting the world on fire from the 3 pt line.

[tower912]

They ran a variation of the TKo screening for Oso set one time this season. Butler game. Stevie's defender was sagging  as usual, Kam to the foul line and back passed to Stevie. Kam continued his motion into his defender, who got his hands up and gave ground.  Kam directed him into Stevie's defender, Stevie drove in a straight line for a lay up.   One of those plays where the Butler defense stood still.

I would rather Kam do it for Chase, with Chase being ordered to dunk it or come out of the game.

[Newsdreams]

I have been surprised there has not been more PNR action this season.
We saw some early on with Parham and a little with Ben, but since BE play seems like it has been almost exclusively pick and pop.

This is strictly observational, though, so I'd love to see some PNR numbers if anyone has access.

I'm sure Shaka does

[Judge Smails]

Just put the ball in the basket.

put the lotion in the basket

[Newsdreams]

Can't wait until Tuesday to see how many of all these strategies Shaka implements.

[MuggsyB]

Things I would like to see MU try.  Maybe not this season, but going forward.

Defensively, more drop coverage.  Surprise Creighton with some of their own medicine rather than having Ben/Royce chase Parham around while Kalk posts up Chase or Stevie.  I use this as an example.   Ben is 6'11, Josh is 7'1.  Leave them by the rim more.

Offensively, steal some of UConn's off ball screening action.  Sometimes, MU stands around on the perimeter too much.  Run some cuts, create some bumps, get players a step more open so the recovering defender has more ground to cover, leaving them vulnerable.  Maybe even end up with somebody open down low.  Force the defense to talk, switch recover.

Neither of these require more than a subtle tweak to what MU is already doing.   And it is good to have adjustments ready.

Excellent post Tower. 

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Always fun to see multiple suggestions for more mid-range shots this far into Shaka's 4th season.

The quality of shots the team is generating remains excellent. They're simply not making them.

I'd recommend the recent Paint Touches article for anyone that missed it - some eye opening stats on where Jop and Kam are struggling. If those guys were shooting at their career norms the conversation is probably much different.

[MU82]

Always fun to see multiple suggestions for more mid-range shots this far into Shaka's 4th season.

The quality of shots the team is generating

Always fun to see multiple suggestions for more mid-range shots this far into Shaka's 4th season.

The quality of shots the team is generating remains excellent. They're simply not making them.

I'd recommend the recent Paint Touches article for anyone that missed it - some eye opening stats on where Jop and Kam are struggling. If those guys were shooting at their career norms the conversation is probably much different.

I'd recommend the recent Paint Touches article for anyone that missed it - some eye opening stats on where Jop and Kam are struggling. If those guys were shooting at their career norms the conversation is probably much different.

Great comment. I keep waiting for them to catch fire. If it happens - and I'm not talking about anything crazy like 50%, just their career averages - we can go on a roll.

But maybe their expanded roles, especially Kam's, just makes it that much more difficult.

Fans can hope, though!

[JakeBarnes]

I'd recommend the recent Paint Touches article for anyone that missed it - some eye opening stats on where Jop and Kam are struggling. If those guys were shooting at their career norms the conversation is probably much different.


Great comment. I keep waiting for them to catch fire. If it happens - and I'm not talking about anything crazy like 50%, just their career averages - we can go on a roll.

But maybe their expanded roles, especially Kam's, just makes it that much more difficult.

Fans can hope, though!

It feels like the mechanics, and therefore, confidence is off. The latter part removing it from the "don't think" shot to a more thought out process (Stevie is a good example..shot mindless for a long time, now is thinking). Not apples to apples, but reminds me of golf swings and something my old swing coach would talk about--need to find your one-to-two swing thoughts that you focus on for feel to bring you back home. Need to know your one trigger point and then focus on that action--not the result. Then you swing with conviction and the results take care of themselves. For me, it was a metronome tempo and firing through the trigger finger on my lower hand. 

Feels like guys right now (and, differently, but the same. this board) are too focused on the results. Need them to get their "feel" right. They need to really distill it down to something simple and just focus on finding that feel for their shot.

As an aside, I feel like Markus would be a fun person to bring to campus and talk shooting mechanics--he has one of the most quick, repeatable (and successful) shots I've seen in college.