The BEST lineup UK can offer has Antonio Reeves at the 3. The people that don't see that just don't want to see it.
CBS: UK winning despite Cal holding back Shep and Dilly
- Thread starter Smashcat
- Start date
No. Not blaming them at all. But the impression is if they are on the floor we would not lose. Just giving an example that's not the case.
Reed does & will continue to play more minutes than all of our guards. Dilly is explosive but can't play major, major minutes without fouling out. Gets out of control at times, which is why Cal is playing Dilly the way he needs to & its worked. Dilly has been very productive in those spans.
No. Cal seems to have us turned around for now. (Wasn’t the case heading into bama). Anxious to see how we do in the SECT.
Starting messes up a guy's head? And a guy with a head like Reed? That's the biggest reach yet I've
seen somebody make trying to defend Cal's lineups.
He's done it 1 way all year you dont chsnge end of season. Not a reach (dear lord if you think that's the biggest reach yet - did you start reading here 5 min ago? ) and I'm the furthest thing from a Cal defender. If DJ. Was getting more or same minutes as Reed I might take issue but he isn't.
If you're using this to tell me Reed and Rob are great players and should play a lot, I agree with you.
If you think those minutes have to be the 1st 5 minutes as opposed to the next 5 minutes--these numbers don't convince me.
I watched Reed come off the bench and drop 32.
If you believe that the opposing team outscores us when DJ is on the floor--do you believe that only happens if DJ starts? Do you think the opposing team won't outscore us if DJ is coming in off the bench instead?
How many times have people said: If Cal would just start Reed, we wouldn't start slow.
Now, you're proposing if we would just start Rob and Reed, we wouldn't start slow. Maybe. But it is the same thing people were saying about Reed in December. And that has proven wrong.
I think Rob and Reed and Reeves need to play as much together as possible. I don't think it matters if it's the 1st 5 minutes of the game.
If the opposing team outscores us when DJ is in the game, they're going to outscore us whether he's starting or on the bench. We can't play Rob/Reed/Reeves 40 minutes a game.
They played 42% of the offensive possessions against MSU. They played 55% of the offensive possessions when together when Rob wasn't in foul trouble. Cal has started to figure out the lineup. He just isn't starting them.
If anybody wants to make the argument that Reed Sheppard starting would mess up his head that's fine with me. It don't make me look dumb.
I'm not trying to fight with you over this, I'm just trying to understand. So the Bama game was 6 days ago and at that time you wanted Bama to beat UK because you thought it would lead to Mitch firing Cal. But now you want UK to win again. If we lose tomorrow will you then root against kentucky in the next game hoping that may be the game that Mitch fires Cal?
Why do the Bennys figure these line ups out before Cal? Doesn’t he have access to these types of stats? Is there noone on staff? Or does he just spend too much time patting his puppy instead of watching film
Excellent post, I noted this in another thread too. We're 1-3 in the last 4 games we've started Reed, the only win being against Vandy, worst team in SEC
The CBS article is simple: trolling BBN. The best way to national media to get clicks is to bait BBN. And would you look at that....it worked....
Exactly how is it a problem? Reed is currently 1-3 as a starter, the only win being against Vandy
Reed/Rob didn't start against Auburn on the road - excellent win
Reed/Rob didn't start against Bama, excellent win
It's almost like, and wait for it, the 2 of them are EXCELLING coming off the bench
Went back at looked at the KU box score. Adou Thiero was -25 and Jordan Burks was +18. Burks has to play over Thiero. 🤪
Don't be STUPID people!!!
Sheppard is 3rd on the team in MPG at 28.6.
But more than that, the past 14 games he is at 31.3 mpg, the past 10 games 33.6.
Honestly that is about the most you want anyone playing 33-34 mpg, because you want them playing their best, especially at the end of a close game.
As for Dillingham. Yes, Cal could and should play him MORE.
BUT...Rob also limits his minutes himself to some degree by fouling so much.
For example last game he took himself out of the first half early with 2 fouls. I've always been against that 1st-half-2-foul policy that Cal and many other coaches follow. But I'm not the coach.
Rob is the first Guard to lead UK in fouls since Andrew Harrison did in 13-14 season.
Rob has had 4-5 fouls in 10 of his 27 games (36%) limiting his minutes in those games. And there have been other games he finished with 3 fouls, but limited his 1st half minutes with 2 early fouls.
Sheppard is 3rd on the team in MPG at 28.6.
But more than that, the past 14 games he is at 31.3 mpg, the past 10 games 33.6.
Honestly that is about the most you want anyone playing 33-34 mpg, because you want them playing their best, especially at the end of a close game.
As for Dillingham. Yes, Cal could and should play him MORE.
BUT...Rob also limits his minutes himself to some degree by fouling so much.
For example last game he took himself out of the first half early with 2 fouls. I've always been against that 1st-half-2-foul policy that Cal and many other coaches follow. But I'm not the coach.
Rob is the first Guard to lead UK in fouls since Andrew Harrison did in 13-14 season.
Rob has had 4-5 fouls in 10 of his 27 games (36%) limiting his minutes in those games. And there have been other games he finished with 3 fouls, but limited his 1st half minutes with 2 early fouls.
I’ll spin it. First 3 words in the title of the article “Kentucky is winning” End of story.
That’s the point, numb nuts. There shouldn’t be a game where he doesn’t play 33-35 minutes, similar minutes for RD as well. We have 2-3 less losses if they get their deserved minutes.
No one cares about draft position. Well, maybe you do you mentioned it— Critically thinking fans actually care about under performing teams like this one has been so far. But you don’t care and you’re totally bought into Caliparis madness
Kentucky was looking like they were about to miss the tournament. I’m cautiously optimistic heading into the post season.
Top 2 freshmen?! There is absolutely no good reason not to start them / play them 35 minutes
Minutes per game
Sheppard 29
Dillingham 23
Reeves 31
Wagner 27
Team efficiency and +/-
Sheppard 34.8 / +365
Dillingham 27.2 / +204
Reeves 26.7 / +264
Wagner 14.8 / +34
I really believe the team would be better if Wagner's role was to play ~20-23 mins and come off the bench. Bring DJ in to help with foul trouble and certain match ups. He can still contribute and be a good player without being a starter.
Sheppard 29
Dillingham 23
Reeves 31
Wagner 27
Team efficiency and +/-
Sheppard 34.8 / +365
Dillingham 27.2 / +204
Reeves 26.7 / +264
Wagner 14.8 / +34
I really believe the team would be better if Wagner's role was to play ~20-23 mins and come off the bench. Bring DJ in to help with foul trouble and certain match ups. He can still contribute and be a good player without being a starter.
Defensive underdog at the 3 but no one on our team is not a defensive underdog. Go with the scoring.
Rob is also asked along with Reed to come in and MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN. Both guys usually enter the game in a 6-8 point hole that the putrid starting lineup dug them.
Reed does play 35 min (SMH at you)
And Rob can't stay out of foul trouble enough to play 35min (SMH at you again)
Idc about averages. I’m literally talking about the losses.
Last 2 losses, 26 & 28 minutes. As I said, he plays his deserved minutes, we have 2-3 more wins.
Crazy the lack of reading comprehension around here.
Right. We still need Wagner to play. He’s not terrible. He made the right play at the end of the last game. But he should really only be playing 15-20 as a backup to the other 3 guards until he shows he’s back to the form he was during that terrific 6 game stretch he had before the South Carolina game.
If he can get back to that then maybe raise his minutes so you can give Antonio and Reed more of a break.
I do agree that Dillingham is the one limiting his minutes with fouls and erratic play. But the fouls are also in part do to his effort on that end. I like the fact that he’s being aggressive and playing without fear on defense. He’s been getting better on that end. And we have the guard depth to absorb some foul trouble. That’s why we still need DJ. He’s still a really nice 4th guard.
He will say the same crap. He likes his line up and they played really good early in the season against Popcorn State and Georgetown College. Just have to get them back on point. He is a dumbass, period.
The reason we lost when Reed started was not because of Reed; it was because if
Reeves played any at the 3 we had zero backup guards. Yes, I'm saying we had a bad
record in those games because of DJ's abscence. That doesn't mean DJ is as good as
Sheppard, Reeves, or Dilly; it just means we need him because without him we don't
have enough guards.
Reeves played any at the 3 we had zero backup guards. Yes, I'm saying we had a bad
record in those games because of DJ's abscence. That doesn't mean DJ is as good as
Sheppard, Reeves, or Dilly; it just means we need him because without him we don't
have enough guards.
We actually just jumped a seed line and getting dangerously close to a 3 seed. That’s the literal definition of trending up you ding dong.
Stay miserable
There’s that dumb narrative that a poster is miserable. Nothing further from the truth. As far as UK (and life), Low expectations equates to higher serenity.
Now- Yeah! We have trended up to a 3 seed. Hurray. Now, do you interrupt this post as I am overjoyed. Nope. What I am is on my way to Lex to attend tomorrow’s game. Sure, I am going because it makes me miserable.
The trend I don’t like- how about not winning the SEC, SECT, and first weekend exits in the NCAA. DA
Before you suffocate, get your nose out of CCC's butt. It isn't just about minutes; it is when those minutes are played. If there was no value in when the minutes are played, CCC wouldn't keep sending DJ and Edwards out to start games. He does it because he wants those two players to be viewed by the NBA as starters.
Do you really think the NBA cares who starts? If so, why are Rob and Reed rated higher on draft boards. Nonsense.
Reed needs to shoot a minimum of six threes a game. That’s a bigger issue than starting. He plays enough minutes to easily take six quality threes.
