How to fix our Offense

[ukfan1622]

I like Carr at center because he's better defending the post than the perimeter and is a big offensive improvement. I had thought a lot all year about that lineup or with Almonor instead of Brea or Robinson for post defense.

 

[Basscat1987]

I’m so tired of hearing about the offensive struggles and what needs to be done. It’s the DEFENSE. DEFENSE. DEFENSE. The players either have to try harder on defense, by chasing their man harder, fighting to get over screens, etc., or pope is gonna have to implement some type of zone that is played 90 percent of the time and roll with it. But the effort they put in a man to man in first half of games is embarrassing. I’m so tired of watching them be so quick to switch every ball screen and not even put forth any effort to get thru the screen.

 

[Blue_2_the_bone]

We just need to get back to movement in the offense. Too much standing around watching the guy with the ball or ball screen only. And stop with the funky lineups. We brought Perry in at 14 1/2 mins. Went from having a 4 point lead to down 3 within a minute and a half. I think he’ll be a player in a few years but he has the least upside of all 3 freshmen right now. Chandler comes in at 8:30 and we have a 1 point lead. He goes out at near 6 mins and we’re down 3 and didn’t get it back. Noah must be in the dog house. Came in against Colgate and gave us a lift but hasn’t touched the floor since. But none of these freshmen should be in unless we’re ahead or losing by 20. Keep Butler and Carr on the floor as much as possible.

 

[The_Answer1313]

In the OSU game our offense scored .96 points per possession.

We gave up 1.26.

It was both the offense and defense lol.

You're not going to win many games going 4-22 from 3. You're not going to win many games blowing layup after layup.

The two losses we were sub 1.00 ppp. The offense definitely faltered in those games.

 

[Disappointed Cat]

This is quite simple really.

The starting five needs to be.

Butler
Oweh
Brea
Robinson
Carr

This will create space and have shooters everywhere.

Amari has been a disappointment this year, offensively and defensively. Not sure what's going on. Garrison has spurts of massive potential, but very inconsistent.

The Center playing on top of key distributing the ball in most of our plays is interesting, but it needs to change.

We are playing 1v1 basketball and not making cuts or back doors to the rim or to the three. Our pick and roll from the beginning of the year is non existent.

I know Pope is a very likeable guy, but he needs to channel is inner Rick Pitino and get on their ass for lack of effort.

Try the 3 guard 2 forward play line up. Play fast. If they don't cut or try to get open or be lackadaisical on defense, sit their ass.

Physical teams ruin us. Most of these guys are not use to physical teams because most played in mid major.

Butler, Oweh and Carr can be physical. Robinson can be, but he's too soft. Carr dribbles way to much.

Passing and cutting with this line up can create way better space.

You need to be more worried about the defense than the offense!!

 

[Farsight]

You need to be more worried about the defense than the offense!!

Did you not see our offensive struggles?

 

[B.B.H.]

I like Carr at center because he's better defending the post than the perimeter and is a big offensive improvement. I had thought a lot all year about that lineup or with Almonor instead of Brea or Robinson for post defense.

He can’t guard the post either, idk what you’re watching. Also, playing the 5 puts him in even more scenarios that he can’t guard because 1-5 PnR is the most common action that is ran. You’re asking us to literally give the paint to the opposing team and stamp their logo in it by moving Carr to the 5.

 

[fatguy87]

In the OSU game our offense scored .96 points per possession.

We gave up 1.26.

It was both the offense and defense lol.

You're not going to win many games going 4-22 from 3. You're not going to win many games blowing layup after layup.

The two losses we were sub 1.00 ppp. The offense definitely faltered in those games.

Last night was an all systems failure and we've been building up to it.

We've had some issues on both ends that have been clear since the Western game, arguably, but most definitely during the Clemson game and first half against Gonzaga. Our fantastic second half against Gonzaga is the only impressive half we've had in the last 5 games.

That game was the culmination of poor play. It's time to turn our fortune around. A high seed is still on the table with quality play in the SEC despite the disappointing result.

 

[ManitouDan]

He can’t guard the post either, idk what you’re watching. Also, playing the 5 puts him in even more scenarios that he can’t guard because 1-5 PnR is the most common action that is ran. You’re asking us to literally give the paint to the opposing team and stamp their logo in it by moving Carr to the 5.

True , we are just really limited in the paint .. Carr is a good offensive player , not big enough / strong enough to handle elite 4's or 5's ( even thbest hope is developing ough he's really a fine player ) and AW is so entirely limited on offense , and not exactly a rim protector either . No jumper at all. None . Best hope is developing Garrison but my Lord the growing pains would be rough .

 

[The_Answer1313]

Last night was an all systems failure and we've been building up to it.

We've had some issues on both ends that have been clear since the Western game, arguably, but most definitely during the Clemson game and first half against Gonzaga. Our fantastic second half against Gonzaga is the only impressive half we've had in the last 5 games.

That game was the culmination of poor play. It's time to turn our fortune around. A high seed is still on the table with quality play in the SEC despite the disappointing result.

Yep. And given the sheer amount of Q1 games UK is going to have, our resume has the potential to be very good.

Might be one of those situations where our resume gives us a better seed than we might even deserve.

 

[B.B.H.]

True , we are just really limited in the paint .. Carr is a good offensive player , not big enough / strong enough to handle elite 4's or 5's ( even thbest hope is developing ough he's really a fine player ) and AW is so entirely limited on offense , and not exactly a rim protector either . No jumper at all. None . Best hope is developing Garrison but my Lord the growing pains would be rough .

The best lineup we have right now is still the starters we have. I think winning the Duke game and the Gonzaga one have given fans an unbalanced review of the team and expectations. If we had beaten OSU and Clemson but lost to Duke by six and to Gonzaga by twenty, I think people would be looking at the team going into SEC season as a good, but very flawed team. That’s exactly what we are….and I worry that the weight of the world comes crashing down on these guys who are built like underdogs, do not have the elite talent and probably aren’t built for prime time just yet. We are who we have been, frankly. A team full of guys who haven’t played together in a system that they struggle to embrace wholeheartedly, full set of good players but each limited to specific areas of proficiency. Being #4 in the country could be the ultimate undoing of this squad I’m afraid.

 

[BGCATFAN2012]

I think it's way too early but we have to consider the possibility this isn't fixable.

This isn't like a Cal team, where we look god awful in November and wait around for the light blub to come on.

These players have been in college for years. Maybe...........this is what we are. Doesn't mean we can't improve but there might be a limit to it all.

SEC play don't give you time to fix your team. Your to busy fighting for wins to change stripes. This team is what we have seen and treads are setting in. 4 to 5 seed likely in March and a 6 to 7 loss SEC conference team.

 

[doc4UK]

Robinson needs to channel Reeves and flash to the lane and take the little 8-10 foot jumper or if it is not there because of a double team then dish it to a cutter or a three point shooter

 

[cal=8]

We need to just score more points than our opponent, then everything will be fine.

 

[catfan220]

Unfortunately, there is really only one shooter in that group. We are just not a good shooting team despite what we were told all summer and fall.

To be fair, it was the statistics that told us they were good shooters. And as a team we're shooting 35% which isn't terrible, although most of our best shooting nights were at the front of the schedule. But we're simply not shooting the volume we expected, or that Pope repeatedly says he wants us to shoot. It's gotten to the point I'm starting to wonder if he's trying to psyche out other teams into thinking we're going to pull up from 3 every trip down the court. Right now we're 42nd in the country in attempts per game, but again I think that's skewed by higher volume games against weak competition early in the non-con.

 

[gojvc]

How to fix our offense?

Get better players? lol.

Pope did as well as any of us could have reasonably expected putting together an entire roster in one offseason. But what we have is a nice collection of role players. That’s really it.

 

[bucsrule8872]

More passing. Less dribbling.

That simple, IMHO.

 

[catfan220]

I definitely can see that regarding Robinson. Knowing that, hopefully Pope makes him a complimentary player. The issue is who is the guy then?

If Amari had any semblance of an offensive game, the offense would look so much better. Don’t recall what other options were out there (not like 7 footers with an offensive game and toughness are super-abundant) but that is what UKs weakness appears to be. Zero reason to respect UK’s interior game.

I don't think Pope has the luxury of making Robinson a complimentary player. Who would he compliment?

Carr is effective in stretches, but I don't think you could rely on him to carry you throughout a game. He tries to be physically but most of the time it looks like he's bouncing off his defender in the post. I also suspect he's so embrace the team-leader role that he's not looking for his shot as much as he should.

Oweh is athletic and fairly consistent, although he can disappear for stretches. Shooting it better than his form would lead you to believe.

Butler looks great one game and not great the next. He didn't come here with a reputation as a scorer, and he's also the point guard. If he's needing to score a lot of points that probably indicates bigger issues. But if someone on the team is going to emerge as the clear best player, Butler seems the most likely.

Amari and Garrison obviously aren't the answer. Brea is mostly one dimensional on offense, and mostly a liability on defense. Who knows when Kerr is back, but I'm not making any breakout predictions for him anyway.

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

To me Robinson just seems to be a guy who doesn’t have the extra gear nor does he want to be the man. Just feels like a guy who has natural ability but does not have the desire/commitment to go to the next level. Not criticizing him because it takes an incredible effort to continually elevate and he seems like a really good guy. Just has the vibe that he is ready to be done with basketball at the end of the year.

People are mistaking lack of quickness for lack of effort. Robinson and Brea just aren't quick enough to guard top level guards. The only similarity I see between this year's team and last is we only have one guy that can keep a guard in front of him. Solution? Zones junk defense? I don't know

 

[wkycatfan]

We're gonna have to play some zone imo, should have done it more Saturday imo. On offense, as others have said, more passing, cutting, moving without the ball, less dribbling.