The excuse of missing players

[uk78]

My intent is not to diss any members of our team but to discuss reality. It's fact in many games this season we have not had all players available. I won't discount that this can have some adverse impact. However, it also offers little excuse from what I have seen. Yes, it would have been nice to have had DJ the past two games. It would have been nice to have our bigs early in the season, or Theiro. But, acting like any of these players are Anthony Davis or in EVERY game they have played are superstars is just not true. Our Freshman sometimes have played like freshman.

Against Tenn if Dillingham was subbing for DJ than he wouldn't have scored as many points having less minutes. Plus, the two in combo sometimes seems less effective than when Dillingham is in with Reed. I am pretty sure we all thought that Bradshaw was going to be this stellar 5 star difference maker and that hasn't been the case yet. We celebrated the most amazing first game by Z and he hardly has seen the court since. I like Theiro's physical game but he is not a major difference maker either.

No matter who has been on the court there have been glaring lapses that seem consistent especially on the defensive end. If anything I would say when Mitchell has a bad offensive game that is more problematic otherwise it appears the mistakes occur no matter what group of players is fielded. Plus other teams have had issues or foul trouble so missing players is a weak excuse.

The individual players are all talented. I just find the coaching to be even more head scratching this year. The "they need to figure it out" is not working. Cal can change or delegate in game coaching but that is unlikely to happen. Anyway, my point on this thread is I don't buy the excuse. Do you?

 

[IFerg1969]

Just saw an article headline with a quote from Cal about DJ saying "when he doesn't play, we don't win". It's hard for me to take that any other way than "I'm not a good enough coach to overcome his loss". I know it's not that simple, but that's where I'm at with Cal now. A better coach would have figured something out.

 

[UKfanINcoach]

My intent is not to diss any members of our team but to discuss reality. It's fact in many games this season we have not had all players available. I won't discount that this can have some adverse impact. However, it also offers little excuse from what I have seen. Yes, it would have been nice to have had DJ the past two games. It would have been nice to have our bigs early in the season, or Theiro. But, acting like any of these players are Anthony Davis or in EVERY game they have played are superstars is just not true. Our Freshman sometimes have played like freshman.

Against Tenn if Dillingham was subbing for DJ than he wouldn't have scored as many points having less minutes. Plus, the two in combo sometimes seems less effective than when Dillingham is in with Reed. I am pretty sure we all thought that Bradshaw was going to be this stellar 5 star difference maker and that hasn't been the case yet. We celebrated the most amazing first game by Z and he hardly has seen the court since. I like Theiro's physical game but he is not a major difference maker either.

No matter who has been on the court there have been glaring lapses that seem consistent especially on the defensive end. If anything I would say when Mitchell has a bad offensive game that is more problematic otherwise it appears the mistakes occur no matter what group of players is fielded. Plus other teams have had issues or foul trouble so missing players is a weak excuse.

The individual players are all talented. I just find the coaching to be even more head scratching this year. The "they need to figure it out" is not working. Cal can change or delegate in game coaching but that is unlikely to happen. Anyway, my point on this thread is I don't buy the excuse. Do you?

 

[YardCat]

My problem is that we have 10 games left in the regular season, we haven’t had a full roster of healthy players. I think we have a full team Tuesday night and win, but come Saturday, one or two players will be out again.
It almost feels like Cal is feeding this to the players, hoping that once everyone is back they will figure out everything. When they lose, Cal will say they haven’t played together long enough to know each other.

 

[Mike-McD]

If Big Z was so sick, why was he on the bench where he could infect his fellow teammates?

 

[chevyman 50]

There are enough players on this team to go in and take over if one is injuryed or sick, bottom line we need a new coach.

 

[UKfanINcoach]

Yes I thought the same thing. So if he hadn't got DJ we would have a losing season? I thought this was the dream team with so much talent. The reason DJ helps is Cal does not call set plays or at times any plays (John Wall said this as well). This is also how Reed sometimes can be shut down from 3 by a team that is determined not to allow him to beat them.

I live in Indiana and watch Bob Knight destroy teams with his constant screening. He would always recruit a few great shooters (Alford, Bailey) and get them 10+ shots a night from 3. But since they don't do this in the NBA Cal won't do it (I don't think he knows how). He's about what's best for the players and not UK. He's said that and shown that. We can think about hanger banners once he stops stealing from UK.

 

[ACTSEAN]

My intent is not to diss any members of our team but to discuss reality. It's fact in many games this season we have not had all players available. I won't discount that this can have some adverse impact. However, it also offers little excuse from what I have seen. Yes, it would have been nice to have had DJ the past two games. It would have been nice to have our bigs early in the season, or Theiro. But, acting like any of these players are Anthony Davis or in EVERY game they have played are superstars is just not true. Our Freshman sometimes have played like freshman.

Against Tenn if Dillingham was subbing for DJ than he wouldn't have scored as many points having less minutes. Plus, the two in combo sometimes seems less effective than when Dillingham is in with Reed. I am pretty sure we all thought that Bradshaw was going to be this stellar 5 star difference maker and that hasn't been the case yet. We celebrated the most amazing first game by Z and he hardly has seen the court since. I like Theiro's physical game but he is not a major difference maker either.

No matter who has been on the court there have been glaring lapses that seem consistent especially on the defensive end. If anything I would say when Mitchell has a bad offensive game that is more problematic otherwise it appears the mistakes occur no matter what group of players is fielded. Plus other teams have had issues or foul trouble so missing players is a weak excuse.

The individual players are all talented. I just find the coaching to be even more head scratching this year. The "they need to figure it out" is not working. Cal can change or delegate in game coaching but that is unlikely to happen. Anyway, my point on this thread is I don't buy the excuse. Do you?

Do you think Cal doesn't want Z to put perform Bradshaw for draft reasons? Not saying that's the case but it sure as heck seems like something is going on to protect his 5 stars

 

[Mike-McD]

Do you think Cal doesn't want Z to put perform Bradshaw for draft reasons? Not saying that's the case but it sure as heck seems like something is going on to protect his 5 stars

It's OBVIOUS. Neo, you have just solved the Matrix.

 

[wildcat2243]

There are enough players on this team to go in and take over if one is injuryed or sick, bottom line we need a new coach.

You are right. We have enough talent to step in and play. The coach is the problem.

 

[uk78]

Do you think Cal doesn't want Z to put perform Bradshaw for draft reasons? Not saying that's the case but it sure as heck seems like something is going on to protect his 5 stars

I had posted on another thread that keeping "secrets" on the team members does not serve Cal well. Too many injuries and players "sick" yet on the bench or having miracle recovery. It is every year so even though I find most conspiracy theories silly, I can't say the above is that crazy. My guess it is more that Z doesn't show the physical effort that Cal wants. Bradshaw is a huge disappointment but he does rebound. But, Z not getting any floor time or yanked with one mistake where Bradshaw, Edwards, and others certainly have/had a much longer rope is interesting.

 

[BillyJoeCat-fan]

An excuse can also be a fact.

Have we had our entire roster available for every game.....No.
Would it have made a difference in the losses.....Maybe, probably in at least 2 of them.
Are these things facts or excuses.....obviously they are both.
Now there's a lot of stuff listed throughout this thread that is opinion and thoughts and are not fact.

 

[K_TIME]

I get the point that none of the missing games are Anthony Davis etc. I’d rank order of impact

1. DJ for sure. For what he lacks in being offensive vs Reed snd Dilly…DJ is stronger as in ball defender. He’s bigger then Dilly…he’s better then Shep on ball. I can see how when hes out we struggle a ton to guard perimeter players
2. The rest are iffy. Sure we needed some size early. But none of Bradshaw Ugo are massive difference makers. I need to see more of Ivisic….but even he lacks strength down low
3. Thiero…his toughness inside is an asset. Can’t tell if he need to play more at SF or small ball PF

 

[AGEE11]

No one has ever stated anyone on this team is AD. That's just a false narrative. If anyone has ever pushed any player on any team since 2012 to be as good as AD, they've lost their mind.

I will say we have the potential to turn 3 of our losses into wins with a full team.

Kansas - we lost by 5 and Hunter scored at will with no one taller than 6'8" to defend him. One or two of our 7 footers and he doesn't score nearly as easy and we rebound better

UNCW - no real excuse even without DJ as they are bad. But we lost our PG and early season leader (Others have taken over since, but the team flowed through him then). Couldn't stop the guards, and he was our best perimeter defender. No one besides Reed showed up on offense, and DJs driving would have really been a big plus.

Florida - game goes to OT without DJ and we lose. Again, he is our best, most physical perimeter defender. He is also a solid scoring option and is worth 4-5 more points and we win without OT.

And who knows what Thiero's toughness does for the OT loss to A&M (not to mention the absolutely stupid goaltending rule that stole 2 points from us 2 minutes after we scored)

Should we be able to win through injuries, yes we should. Would having a full team change results, yes it would. Both things can be and are true.

 

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter]

One concern I have...

Mitchell played a ton of minutes early in the season to cover for all of centers being unavilable. You see the effects it has had on Mitchell's health.

Will we see the same thing with Sheppard covering all of Wagner's minutes?

It would not be surprising.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

One concern I have...

Mitchell played a ton of minutes early in the season to cover for all of centers being unavilable. You see the effects it has had on Mitchell's health.

Will we see the same thing with Sheppard covering all of Wagner's minutes?

It would not be surprising.

Doubt it. He didn't play as much earlier n the season.

Hopefully Wagner is back Saturday though.

 

[wldctky]

My intent is not to diss any members of our team but to discuss reality. It's fact in many games this season we have not had all players available. I won't discount that this can have some adverse impact. However, it also offers little excuse from what I have seen. Yes, it would have been nice to have had DJ the past two games. It would have been nice to have our bigs early in the season, or Theiro. But, acting like any of these players are Anthony Davis or in EVERY game they have played are superstars is just not true. Our Freshman sometimes have played like freshman.

Against Tenn if Dillingham was subbing for DJ than he wouldn't have scored as many points having less minutes. Plus, the two in combo sometimes seems less effective than when Dillingham is in with Reed. I am pretty sure we all thought that Bradshaw was going to be this stellar 5 star difference maker and that hasn't been the case yet. We celebrated the most amazing first game by Z and he hardly has seen the court since. I like Theiro's physical game but he is not a major difference maker either.

No matter who has been on the court there have been glaring lapses that seem consistent especially on the defensive end. If anything I would say when Mitchell has a bad offensive game that is more problematic otherwise it appears the mistakes occur no matter what group of players is fielded. Plus other teams have had issues or foul trouble so missing players is a weak excuse.

The individual players are all talented. I just find the coaching to be even more head scratching this year. The "they need to figure it out" is not working. Cal can change or delegate in game coaching but that is unlikely to happen. Anyway, my point on this thread is I don't buy the excuse. Do you?

it messes with team Chemistry, just as adding a new guy mid season does ....anyone that has played team sports knows that....it's easy to overcome against a shitty team like Vandy but not so much against better teams...really it isn't hard to comprehend

 

[Elliott Tim]

If Big Z was so sick, why was he on the bench where he could infect his fellow teammates?

Was his illness contagious?

 

[DreadLox]

A team plays differently with different players on the floor. A team that consisted of the 5 best players ever assembled -- if they'd never played together -- would lose to, say, the most recent championship team.

There's a mania here to take any scrap, real or imagined, and turn it into an indictment of Calipari. It's nonsense and it's ugly.

One of the chief whipping boys this year has been Justin Edwards. But Calipari sees what the guy can do in practice, and he has exhibited patience and encouragement with Edwards, and *walla* the kid is starting to bloom. It isn't simply that lots of RRs are nasty about Calipari. They'll snarl at anything associated with him.

And the core, I believe, is politics. Which explains both the nastiness's persistence in face of contrary evidence -- in the modern world truth is proved by how angry, loud, and insistent the scream -- and its irrelevance in the face of the facts.

 

[thedahc]

No one has ever stated anyone on this team is AD. That's just a false narrative. If anyone has ever pushed any player on any team since 2012 to be as good as AD, they've lost their mind.

I will say we have the potential to turn 3 of our losses into wins with a full team.

Kansas - we lost by 5 and Hunter scored at will with no one taller than 6'8" to defend him. One or two of our 7 footers and he doesn't score nearly as easy and we rebound better

UNCW - no real excuse even without DJ as they are bad. But we lost our PG and early season leader (Others have taken over since, but the team flowed through him then). Couldn't stop the guards, and he was our best perimeter defender. No one besides Reed showed up on offense, and DJs driving would have really been a big plus.

Florida - game goes to OT without DJ and we lose. Again, he is our best, most physical perimeter defender. He is also a solid scoring option and is worth 4-5 more points and we win without OT.

And who knows what Thiero's toughness does for the OT loss to A&M (not to mention the absolutely stupid goaltending rule that stole 2 points from us 2 minutes after we scored)

Should we be able to win through injuries, yes we should. Would having a full team change results, yes it would. Both things can be and are true.

You are expecting some of these posters to hold two thoughts in their mind at one time. That my friend is a losing proposition.

 

[BillyJoeCat-fan]

You are expecting some of these posters to hold two thoughts in their mind at one time. That my friend is a losing proposition.

Maybe one of the most astute postings I've seen on here