Charles matthews starting?
- Thread starter christiane
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He is certainly a long, agile, athlete. I was impressed with his physical traits, after watching the practice on television.
I think the multitude of combinations that we can put on the floor is what is going to make this team difficult to matchup and prepare for.
I think the multitude of combinations that we can put on the floor is what is going to make this team difficult to matchup and prepare for.
Cal likes defense
If Matthews buys in to his role he will start. He is the most natural wing and gives us some length.
The question is this:
Can Cal sell Briscoe on being the spark plug off the bench for 2nd team offense?
My personal opinion is that Briscoe is too talented to not start, but with any game plan, can we start 3 guards all the time against all opponents? Matthews fits the traditional 3 spot more than Murray or Briscoe, and gives us more length for defense. If Briscoe buys into this, he could be our second leading scorer perhaps behind Murray, and the minutes played would not be vastly different from the other guards, sans Ullis.
Can Cal sell Briscoe on being the spark plug off the bench for 2nd team offense?
My personal opinion is that Briscoe is too talented to not start, but with any game plan, can we start 3 guards all the time against all opponents? Matthews fits the traditional 3 spot more than Murray or Briscoe, and gives us more length for defense. If Briscoe buys into this, he could be our second leading scorer perhaps behind Murray, and the minutes played would not be vastly different from the other guards, sans Ullis.
Could happen. Matthews gives you a guy who can be an elite defender and doesn't need to ball to be effective. Plus, you can use Briscoe as a spark off the bench. With that said, I think we start the three PGs. I just think they're too good. I think Cal is probably practicing Briscoe on the 2nd team because without Hawkins, that squad doesn't have a PG.
Cal should tell Briscoe that Anthony Davis and MKG took the 4th and 5th most shots in 2012!!!!1!
I have said all along that I think Cal wants Briscoe coming off the bench. Now, if Briscoe shows up and forces Cal to start him and Murray together than I think he will but i've always thought that Mulder or Matthews would start at the 3 spot with Ulis and Murray in the backcourt. This whole positionless basketball talk is just recruiting talk.
Cal himself Sunday night said his best team is Ulis, Briscoe and Murray and he has to play his best team
3 on 5 huh? Them three must be good!
Don't worry about telling the Davis and MGK tidbits. I'm pretty sure if he watched any of the final four that year he heard about that nonstop. It's a nice recruiting pitch, but dang, did they ever wear that out.
Even though I can't see this happening, if it does, we are going to be a better team than most think. To be able to bring a talent like Briscoe off the bench is huge. He would start at about any school he chose to Play for So if he's our spark plug off the bench, watch out. It would also obviously mean Matthews is even better coming in as most likely Cal thought. I don't expect the kid to start, but I do expect this kid to Play a lot and be our best on ball defender. If he does that, his SO year we will see him starting and be that elite wing that Cal really hasn't had in a few years. I love his game. I just hope he's out there shooting a 1000 3s a day to get his outside shot where it needs to be to become the player we all have in mind in the future, if not near future.
A lot of people is going to be surprised just how good Matthews is going to be. He is very athletic player and will be the best defensive player on the team and may surprise how good he will be on offense. I can see him starting.
I think Matthews is really good. That said, it doesn't really matter who starts, Briscoe will be on the floor at crunch time. That's what stands out about this years squad to me, Ulis, Briscoe and Murray seem to play better on the big stage
I don't think people have yet to grasp just how great Pulliam is yet. I've never seen more urgency in a walk before. Its damn near a jog.
I don't think he will start, but I guess we'll see. If he does, that means probably Briscoe is coming off the bench, which would be a bit of a surprise.
But if you're looking at it from the standpoint of the "prototypical wing" there is no question that Matthews has that. He's 6-6 with shoes on with a 6-9 wingspan and a 44 inch vertical. And we know he can slash and finish. The big question for Matthews is his shooting. Can he hit the open 3? If not, teams will likely just lay off him to keep him out of the lane. If he can keep them honest by making a fair percentage outside, he could really be the hidden gem of this class.
Now, if you're asking me, I'll say that this is just talk. It's good talk, though. UK needs Matthews to be that prototypical 3 that we were missing last year, and truly what we've been missing since D. Miller graduated. Poythress played the 3 last year, but he really isn't a 3 (as we all learned). James Young is a 2, truth be told, but he played out of position as a 3. Even Kidd Gilchrist wasn't a real 3. He had everything but the shooting ability. In my mind, a prototypical 3 is 6-6 to 6-8, can handle the ball well, can shoot the 3 well, can pass the ball well, can go inside and grab rebounds, and has the ability to finish above the rim. He's a do-everything kind of guy- a glue guy. We really haven't had a guy like this since Calipari has been here. Darius Miller was the closest thing we've had to this. When he became a consistent shooter his senior year, that sealed it. MKG was definitely a glue guy and had great athleticism, but he wasn't a threat from the perimeter.
So, Matthews has the size (that 6-9 wingspan is excellent), there is no question he is a high riser and can play and finish above the rim. I think his ball handling is good. Just from seeing him drive to the rim and attempt that dunk in the practice the other night, I can see he's got a good handle and elite athleticism. So, the only thing that remains, from my pov, is his ability to shoot the 3. If he can do that consistently, he'll start. If he can't, he could still start if the Cats have other guys who can fill that role. If Ulis can hit the 3 consistently and Murray can hit the 3 consistently, the Matthews could be a suspect perimeter shooter and still start because of his other abilities.
If I'm guessing today, I think it will still be Ulis, Murray, Briscoe, Poy, Skal.
But if you're looking at it from the standpoint of the "prototypical wing" there is no question that Matthews has that. He's 6-6 with shoes on with a 6-9 wingspan and a 44 inch vertical. And we know he can slash and finish. The big question for Matthews is his shooting. Can he hit the open 3? If not, teams will likely just lay off him to keep him out of the lane. If he can keep them honest by making a fair percentage outside, he could really be the hidden gem of this class.
Now, if you're asking me, I'll say that this is just talk. It's good talk, though. UK needs Matthews to be that prototypical 3 that we were missing last year, and truly what we've been missing since D. Miller graduated. Poythress played the 3 last year, but he really isn't a 3 (as we all learned). James Young is a 2, truth be told, but he played out of position as a 3. Even Kidd Gilchrist wasn't a real 3. He had everything but the shooting ability. In my mind, a prototypical 3 is 6-6 to 6-8, can handle the ball well, can shoot the 3 well, can pass the ball well, can go inside and grab rebounds, and has the ability to finish above the rim. He's a do-everything kind of guy- a glue guy. We really haven't had a guy like this since Calipari has been here. Darius Miller was the closest thing we've had to this. When he became a consistent shooter his senior year, that sealed it. MKG was definitely a glue guy and had great athleticism, but he wasn't a threat from the perimeter.
So, Matthews has the size (that 6-9 wingspan is excellent), there is no question he is a high riser and can play and finish above the rim. I think his ball handling is good. Just from seeing him drive to the rim and attempt that dunk in the practice the other night, I can see he's got a good handle and elite athleticism. So, the only thing that remains, from my pov, is his ability to shoot the 3. If he can do that consistently, he'll start. If he can't, he could still start if the Cats have other guys who can fill that role. If Ulis can hit the 3 consistently and Murray can hit the 3 consistently, the Matthews could be a suspect perimeter shooter and still start because of his other abilities.
If I'm guessing today, I think it will still be Ulis, Murray, Briscoe, Poy, Skal.
Did I read that MKG and Davis took the 4th and 5th most shots on the team that year? WOW!!!1!
I know this is going to be extremely unpopular, but our best starting 5 may be Murray, Briscoe, Matthews, Poythress, and Skal. I know Ulis is the leader and extremely popular but Briscoe and Murray are better scorers and have significantly more size. Matthews has a little advantage of less competition to be a true 3.
Cal is the master at managing multiple talented players so I'm sure he will figure it out. I would guess he may decide to start all three of Briscoe, Murray, and Ulis but sub in Matthews or Mulder rather quickly. I think 2 of the 3 (Briscoe, Murray, Ulis) will be in the game at all times.
Cal is the master at managing multiple talented players so I'm sure he will figure it out. I would guess he may decide to start all three of Briscoe, Murray, and Ulis but sub in Matthews or Mulder rather quickly. I think 2 of the 3 (Briscoe, Murray, Ulis) will be in the game at all times.
Doesn't surprise me because Ive been saying it for a long time. Cal will probably start him because he has to. Matthews, I believe, will become a lottery pick. He got hurt and the people who rank players forgot about him in the rankings. He was on his way to being a top 10 recruit when he hurt his groin.
He will become a great defender. Might even become the 2nd best defender on the team. He's got great physical tools. Just one more month before people start seeing this kid and having to work him into their defensive preparations.
He will become a great defender. Might even become the 2nd best defender on the team. He's got great physical tools. Just one more month before people start seeing this kid and having to work him into their defensive preparations.
Yeah, leaving out your best floor leader, shooter and passer makes the best team possible.... not
Listening to Cal today, it's obvious why Briscoe is currently running with the second team, and not at all clear whether he will stay there. You need a point guard on the second squad for practice purposes, and Cal said when running with the starters Briscoe is deferring too much to Ulis and needs to learn to be more aggressive and attacking. So practicing with the second team, now, will be great for his development. We'll see, then, if in a few weeks he's ready to piece in with Ulis and Murray. I honestly kind of like the idea of Briscoe getting 25-30 minutes off the bench, being the primary sub for Ulis, Murray, and Matthews. Through the season, we'll see more guys play because that's generally how Cal runs things when he has the players to do it, but I'll be shocked if by March we aren't running a pretty tight 7 man rotation with Those 4, Poy, Lee, and Skal with maybe Hawkins and Humphries getting situational minutes.
If you were drafting a team from UK's roster Murray would definitely be taken before Ulis. Briscoe versus Ulis is debatable.
I would call Ulis a true distributing PG that needs a lotnofbtakent around him. Murray and Briscoe are lead guards that score and create more on their own. On. Defense, Ulis can be an advantage harassing the other ball handle but is a disadvantage if he gets switched onto a forward or big because he is so small.
The good news is we have a bunch of talented players with different strengths and weaknesses, so Cal has a lot to work with. I'm sure he'll figure it out.
Its only one practice but if you just went by the practice alone, Ulis is our best player. Kid was destroying people.
I kind of got that same feeling listening to him today. And the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of it.
If Briscoe's ego can take not starting, I think this could be a brilliant way to pace the guard play, stamina wise.
Yeah, that turned out really well for us during the last 5 mins of Wisconsin game. Ulis needs to be on the court, period. Sure, Briscoe may be a better scorer but Ulis makes EVERYONE on the court better with his leadership, skills, and mentality. That bulldog mentality is contagious and when the other players see a 5'8 player playing with the heart of a Mammouth and never EVER backing down from anyone or any crowd, they will run through a brick wall if asked. They will do it just because they respect and love the kid so much. Ulis brings so much to the team that it is impossible to keep him off the court.
Hey, you're entitled to your opinion. No worries.
But I do beg to differ on the idea that Murray and Briscoe are better scorers than Ulis. Now, more size? Sure. There may be times when Ulis doesn't get as many minutes because he's getting pushed around too much and they are posting him up or he just can't defend a bigger guard. I would think those instances would be rare, because bigger guards will likely struggle bringing the ball up the floor against Ulis or getting into the offense. Bigger guards would also likely struggle defending his quickness with the ball.
But if you're speaking of scoring, I think Ulis is the most consistent shooter on the floor. And he will get his shots- he can get shots pretty much at will. He is usually looking to set up his teammates, but if Ulis needs a shot, he will get a shot off. And from what we've seen and heard, his shooting has dramatically improved since he came in here last summer. He's probably going to be the best 3pt shooter on the team by percentage this season. And I will be surprised if he doesn't average about 11-12 points per game, minimum.
But hey, there is definitely a school of thought that says "bigger is better" and they don't ask any other questions. I will even say that normally I'd agree with that very thing, but this is an exception. Ulis is an exception to the rule. He will start.
Today Calipari said of Ulis, "He's our best player. Maybe not our best prospect, but he's our best player, and it's not really even close."
Ulis will start- and will likely play 38 minutes a game.
38 minutes is probably excessive. Knight played 36 minutes, Wall 35, nobody else more than 33 in the time Calipari has been here. Give Ulism a few minutes to rest each game, we have other guys who can play. But I do think we're at our best when he's on the court, and he should lead the team in minutes. Even a lot of Kentucky fans, I think, are underestimating Ulis solely because of his height. The kid's a phenomenal talent, an intense competitor, a leader, and has possibly the highest basketball IQ of any player we've have under Cal.
Dont try to justify your terrible take by saying Ulis would be taken behind those players in the draft. Thats obvious. Ulis is the best player on our team, but that doesn't mean he will be taken first in the draft.
Now, I love Ulis just as much as you but to say Tyler can get shots at will? Come on now. LoL. He is not getting his shot off at will, at least not yet. He may develop that ability to do that but it is always more difficult for someone his size. I'd like to see him perfect a step back like Shabazz Napier and Kemba Walker did at UConn. That shot pretty much won UCONN 2 national championships.
Many of you just read to much into stuff. There are lots of possibilities. A very possible one is that as we all know, Cal likes his guys to play defense. How better to convince the players that you play defense or you don't play by starting the guy playing the best defense. It's called motivation. Who starts now very well may be different than who starts the first real game, than who starts in January, than who starts in March.
Addtionally, starting is NOT that big of a deal. Didn't Koury start half a season for us, but only play about 5 min/gm. Go ask the players, do you want to start and play 20 minutes, or not start and play 25 minutes. I'm betting 9 out of 10 will take the later. Minutes matter more than starting! And really guys (should) want to finish a game more than start a game.
Addtionally, starting is NOT that big of a deal. Didn't Koury start half a season for us, but only play about 5 min/gm. Go ask the players, do you want to start and play 20 minutes, or not start and play 25 minutes. I'm betting 9 out of 10 will take the later. Minutes matter more than starting! And really guys (should) want to finish a game more than start a game.
I know this will not be well received, as I'm a Kansas fan. So, please feel free to call me a troll and discredit my opinion. I will not be offended. Keep in mind I have only watched 3 full games of Briscoe from high school: Briscoe is very strong and gets the majority of his points by breaking down the defender and driving into the lane and picking up a foul and converting on the free throw line. In college he'll be facing point guards of equal strength and more maturity (experience). He is ball dominant (an easy fix) and an able defender, when he chooses (Calipari will make him choose to defend or he'll sit him for other options). He is also able to create and hit the open man, like a point guard should. He is a very poor shooter which cannot be understated.
I can see how Matthews could start in his place. Matthews is a criminal defender, much more explosive and at worst an equal shooter. You have two players in Ulis and Murray who can run the offense, so bringing Briscoe off the bench makes sense.
Again, my unsolicited opinion. Fire away.
I can see how Matthews could start in his place. Matthews is a criminal defender, much more explosive and at worst an equal shooter. You have two players in Ulis and Murray who can run the offense, so bringing Briscoe off the bench makes sense.
Again, my unsolicited opinion. Fire away.
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