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For me tomorrow's starting lineup tells me all I need to know.

R

rockout1

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Oct 21, 2012
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If Cal trots out Hami and Nick again it tells me all I need to know about the rest of the season. I love Cal and don't want anyone else here however if he continues to play Hami when it's evident he's not helping this team then I truly believe the "players first" speech he gives as he's putting one player's best interest ahead of the team.

Before any of the "it doesn't matter who starts" people get going...I realize starting isn't always important but when you are struggling like this team is to continue to start players that don't deserve the minutes sends a signal to the rest of the team that performance doesn't matter.
 
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rockout1 said:
If Cal trots out Hami and Nick again it tells me all I need to know about the rest of the season. I love Cal and don't want anyone else here however if he continues to play Hami when it's evident he's not helping this team then I truly believe the "players first" speech he gives as he's putting one player's best interest ahead of the team.

Before any of the "it doesn't matter who starts" people get going...I realize starting isn't always important but when you are struggling like this team is to continue to start players that don't deserve the minutes sends a signal to the rest of the team that performance doesn't matter.
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I like your statement, and sometimes I think a lot of us believe Cal coaches to better the player instead of actually winning the game...Sounds bad, but the way he coaches at times leads me to believe that...Diallo had no reason to take Quade's place the other night against Auburn...Leave a good thing alone!!
 
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Skal's season says hello.

This case is a bit different though and Ill give Cal the benefit of the doubt here. Although Diallo's play has been ish for brains, I think Cal honestly believes hes going to get going and turn it around any moment by playing, not riding the bench. I think Cal believes this team needs Diallo to be succcessful. I believe Cal sees Diallo issues as more confidence related while we all see something much different.
 
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Might be different if Quade hadn't been awful too. We have three guards and two of them haven't played well. We have one center.

There's only so much you can do with the lineup unless you want 4 power forwards on the court, and then everyone would complain about a lack of spacing and shooters.

Besides, if you bury one of them on the bench, you've lost any chance of them helping you this year. Give them a few minutes, see how the flow of the game goes, hope they show signs of life, and if not, cut the rotation the rest of the game based on who has played well (or less bad).Basically what we've done the last few games.

You gotta put someone out there though. Or pull an Alabama and try 3-on-5.
 
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We don't have very good guards. Cal yanks players in and out when they turn the ball over. I think that is why Hami was in. If that shot had stayed in, and it went half way down, we would have been up 7.
That been said I would rather Knox or WG shot the ball.
 
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rockout1 said:
If Cal trots out Hami and Nick again it tells me all I need to know about the rest of the season. I love Cal and don't want anyone else here however if he continues to play Hami when it's evident he's not helping this team then I truly believe the "players first" speech he gives as he's putting one player's best interest ahead of the team.

Before any of the "it doesn't matter who starts" people get going...I realize starting isn't always important but when you are struggling like this team is to continue to start players that don't deserve the minutes sends a signal to the rest of the team that performance doesn't matter.
Click to expand...
I agree with Diallo but I think Richards is just as good as anyone else we can put out there. Just my opinion though
 
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SpamburgerHamburger said:
Who starts means zero. Maybe be want to start Hami, give him a couple minutes to see if he's going to play or not. People take who starts way to serious. Who's in when we need a bucket. Who's in the last 5 min. That's what matters.
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I disagree on "it doesn't matter who starts" when the season has been this bad. For a team that is playing well I agree with you however why wouldn't you want to try something different especially since Diallo is playing terrible? I think it goes back to Cal feeling like he "owes it" to Diallo for coming back.
 
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rockout1 said:
If Cal trots out Hami and Nick again it tells me all I need to know about the rest of the season. I love Cal and don't want anyone else here however if he continues to play Hami when it's evident he's not helping this team then I truly believe the "players first" speech he gives as he's putting one player's best interest ahead of the team.

Before any of the "it doesn't matter who starts" people get going...I realize starting isn't always important but when you are struggling like this team is to continue to start players that don't deserve the minutes sends a signal to the rest of the team that performance doesn't matter.
Click to expand...

What exactly has Nick Richards done to limit his minutes? He is by far the best rim protector on this team and he makes it much more difficult to score against after all of the defensive lapses by Knox, Green, Diallo, and Gabriel. For the year, Richards has a 61 fg% and 75% ft%.

Go back to the West Virginia game, UK was down 4 points with 8 minutes to play. Richards hits two free throws, grabs a defensive rebound, grabs an offensive rebound before getting fouled and making two free throws. Richards is playing great, right? No, Calipari takes him out and puts in Killeya-Jones who allows a WV offensive rebound in the first 15 seconds he was in! Cal puts Richards back in with 2:30 left in game and up 2 points. Richards gets a defensive rebound and then an offensive rebound and dunk to put UK up 5 with 30 seconds to play. We don't win the WV game without these plays!

I realize he has missed multiple dunks during the year, but he has to be in the game for UK to excel because of his defensive length and rebounding. Why Cal has only played him only 12-14 minutes in 4 of the last 5 games makes absolutely no sense and is part of the reason we aren't playing better as Gabriel and Washington have been pretty bad and are getting twice as many minutes.
 
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Those who say it doesn't matter who starts have either never actually played the game as a member of a team, or don't understand competitiveness and psychology.

Cal always has focused on the long-term, so I am sure he still thinks he can somehow turn Diallo around and probably considers him to be important if we ever really are going to make a run. However, like any objective person when you move one step away, I can't see any debate that would suggest that Hami start or get many minutes if the same type of poor play is exhibited on the court. Let him come off the bench and send a clear message. I agree with the OP, it will be very telling if he is out there to start the game.

Richards is doing about what honestly was expected pre-season. He is a project. Everyone was saying it when we thought we were getting Bamba. Then, when that didn't happen, people tried to convince themselves Richards was ready to be an impact player after all. Clearly that is not the case. However, he has improved as the season has progressed and I can see him getting minutes to start and at intervals during the game.
 
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uk78 said:
Those who say it doesn't matter who starts have either never actually played the game as a member of a team, or don't understand competitiveness and psychology.

Cal always has focused on the long-term, so I am sure he still thinks he can somehow turn Diallo around and probably considers him to be important if we ever really are going to make a run. However, like any objective person when you move one step away, I can't see any debate that would suggest that Hami start or get many minutes if the same type of poor play is exhibited on the court. Let him come off the bench and send a clear message. I agree with the OP, it will be very telling if he is out there to start the game.

Richards is doing about what honestly was expected pre-season. He is a project. Everyone was saying it when we thought we were getting Bamba. Then, when that didn't happen, people tried to convince themselves Richards was ready to be an impact player after all. Clearly that is not the case. However, he has improved as the season has progressed and I can see him getting minutes to start and at intervals during the game.
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Maybe if Hami stopped starting it would give him more motivation to play better, and actually to become a team kind of player. Coming off the bench can do wonders if you're use to starting, and it worked for us in high school....I agree Richards needs to play more and learn the game he's basically just learning...He can become very effective blocking shots and rebounding...
 
TNCatfanforever said:
I have no problem with Richards...I think he needs to play...SKJ needs to play....he has a nice little 10 foot jumper...Diallo would play only if all the others foul out including Brad.
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The last two words of your post discredit the whole thing. I was taking you seriously until I saw that.
 
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Dirt Court King said:
Maybe if Hami stopped starting it would give him more motivation to play better, and actually to become a team kind of player. Coming off the bench can do wonders if you're use to starting, and it worked for us in high school....I agree Richards needs to play more and learn the game he's basically just learning...He can become very effective blocking shots and rebounding...
Click to expand...

This is what Cal needs to do with Diallo.
 
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GonzoCat90 said:
Might be different if Quade hadn't been awful too. We have three guards and two of them haven't played well. We have one center.

There's only so much you can do with the lineup unless you want 4 power forwards on the court, and then everyone would complain about a lack of spacing and shooters.

Besides, if you bury one of them on the bench, you've lost any chance of them helping you this year. Give them a few minutes, see how the flow of the game goes, hope they show signs of life, and if not, cut the rotation the rest of the game based on who has played well (or less bad).Basically what we've done the last few games.

You gotta put someone out there though. Or pull an Alabama and try 3-on-5.
Click to expand...
But but position less basketball I thought?
Well technically we can use SKJ as a center, he is Nicks backup. We have actually used Gabriel as well at times last year and this year but this year probably had more to do with foul trouble. We have some depth to play around with. Everyone is saying Hami is going Pro, and I don't doubt it. Not because he is good enough but because he is that type of guy kinda like Briscoe where it's jump or bust.

To me though nothing has changed with hami since last year. Elite athleticism....check, cannot shoot.....check. so if nothing changed, and he wasn't good enough last year, what's supposed to be different this year to make him think he will be picked? The biggest thing that makes us look bad is, when was the last time basically 8 5*'s on one team was so bad that they were in the NIT? To every one of us fans there is a bit of frustration.
 
Jbapp1978 said:
But but position less basketball I thought?
Well technically we can use SKJ as a center, he is Nicks backup. We have actually used Gabriel as well at times last year and this year but this year probably had more to do with foul trouble. We have some depth to play around with. Everyone is saying Hami is going Pro, and I don't doubt it. Not because he is good enough but because he is that type of guy kinda like Briscoe where it's jump or bust.

To me though nothing has changed with hami since last year. Elite athleticism....check, cannot shoot.....check. so if nothing changed, and he wasn't good enough last year, what's supposed to be different this year to make him think he will be picked? The biggest thing that makes us look bad is, when was the last time basically 8 5*'s on one team was so bad that they were in the NIT? To every one of us fans there is a bit of frustration.
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Cal watched him all last semester last year. Wonder if Cal told him to work on his shot over the summer, and practice dribbling the ball?
 
KyFaninNC said:
Cal watched him all last semester last year. Wonder if Cal told him to work on his shot over the summer, and practice dribbling the ball?
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Another thing, Cal tells them what to work on but he doesn't hold their hand. He leaves it completely up to the player to do it.
 
So the people who say who starts means absolutely nothing agree with Clyde starting Coury?
 
Dirt Court King said:
I like your statement, and sometimes I think a lot of us believe Cal coaches to better the player instead of actually winning the game...Sounds bad, but the way he coaches at times leads me to believe that...Diallo had no reason to take Quade's place the other night against Auburn...Leave a good thing alone!!
Click to expand...



One poster mentioned Sai had 4 fouls at that point and could have been a reason for Hami, plus we don’t know the fatigue factor at any given time.

As I mentioned during the game chat, my very well behaved dog witnessed the substitution and immediately took a dump on the floor right in front of the TV and left the room. I can’t be positive there was a correlation but.....
 
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brianpoe said:
One poster mentioned Sai had 4 fouls at that point and could have been a reason for Hami, plus we don’t know the fatigue factor at any given time.

As I mentioned during the game chat, my very well behaved dog witnessed the substitution and immediately took a dump on the floor right in front of the TV and left the room. I can’t be positive there was a correlation but.....
Click to expand...

Your dog and I both knew it was a bad move... Lol
 
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You have to watch basketball at face value and not get caught up in it. There’s too much $ at play and it’s a corrupt system.
 
Hami HAS to start because how else can we fool our opponents into thinking that we don't want win. A Quade/SGA start would blow the strategy!
 
UKChamps2012 said:
What exactly has Nick Richards done to limit his minutes? He is by far the best rim protector on this team and he makes it much more difficult to score against after all of the defensive lapses by Knox, Green, Diallo, and Gabriel. For the year, Richards has a 61 fg% and 75% ft%.

Go back to the West Virginia game, UK was down 4 points with 8 minutes to play. Richards hits two free throws, grabs a defensive rebound, grabs an offensive rebound before getting fouled and making two free throws. Richards is playing great, right? No, Calipari takes him out and puts in Killeya-Jones who allows a WV offensive rebound in the first 15 seconds he was in! Cal puts Richards back in with 2:30 left in game and up 2 points. Richards gets a defensive rebound and then an offensive rebound and dunk to put UK up 5 with 30 seconds to play. We don't win the WV game without these plays!

I realize he has missed multiple dunks during the year, but he has to be in the game for UK to excel because of his defensive length and rebounding. Why Cal has only played him only 12-14 minutes in 4 of the last 5 games makes absolutely no sense and is part of the reason we aren't playing better as Gabriel and Washington have been pretty bad and are getting twice as many minutes.
Click to expand...
I am also puzzled as to why Richards is getting so little playing time. Frankly, I think Vanderbilt is the bigger "project" offensively at this stage in the season. Richards is shooting 61% and is only getting 15 minutes per game. He isn't perfect but we need his size and bulk and is a better option that other guys Cal is trotting out there.
 
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I agree with OP. I understand Cals thinking if in fact it is as OP has posited. But it's mid-february. December and January are the time to stick with a kid and toss him out there in order to help him work through his mental blockage. But at this juncture we literally are in danger of not even making the tournament whether anyone agrees or not. Cal needs to be doing what is best for the team to win games. (He always needs to do that, but his philosophy is more of if I do what's best for the kids then the winning will take care of itself and usually he's right.) Diallo is a liability and has going to have to accept his role as a 6th man until he starts earning more PT through smart play.
 
You can't start both Hami and Richards. Gabriel needs to start. He's not perfect but he keeps the team grounded, provides energy, can show fire and lead. We keep losing the first 5 minutes of the game because we're starting 5 freshman.. It needs to change.. and if it means Gabriel can't come off the ench later to provide energy, so be it.. But we can't keep opening games with 4 points in 4 minutes..
 
I’m ok with diallo starting as long as he drives to the rim (when open), makes his free throws, actually tries to get rebounds, and plays D.
 
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