Modern offense two games in a row

[kyjeff1]

Is this offense here to stay? I really hope so.

Cal can still go to the post, but it's so much easier when the 3 point shot is a primary weapon.

I got laughed at for starting a thread saying this team should shoot 3's first and often to open up the paint ("what I would do with this team" thread) and here we are.

This is a modern offense and when you make 3 point shooting a primary weapon, good shooters will make them at a good percentage. But if it's an afterthought, well, you will probably struggle, because in the back of your mind, you’re thinking it's not the right play.

Boston, Askew and Mintz spend way too much time in the gym to be as bad as they were until Tuesday night (Arkansas).

I really hope this offense is there to stay.

 

[anon_013cn8yrfncx2]

The useless weave has now been mothballed for 3 straight games. The real question is what we’re seeing from Boston from 3 is it going to continue? We know Mintz and Sarr are fairly reliable.

 

[The_Answer1313]

There's nothing wrong with the 3 ball..............when it's going in.

We are 210th in 3 point FG% tho.

What I liked today and last game tho...................less midrange jumpers. Which are just the worst shot ever.

 

[JoeBeeHall]

May as well let them play loose and have fun at this point.

 

[kyjeff1]

The useless weave has now been mothballed for 3 straight games. The real question is what we’re seeing from Boston from 3 is it going to continue? We know Mintz and Sarr are fairly reliable.

I fully believe Boston can shoot a very high percentage from 3 point range, it's when he tries to pull up from 8' that still needs work.

The kid was too good of a shooter in high school to suck as bad as he was. The problem was the offense Cal was running. This is a fitting offense and the results are obvious.

 

[kyjeff1]

There's nothing wrong with the 3 ball..............when it's going in.

We are 210th in 3 point FG% tho.

What I liked today and last game tho...................less midrange jumpers. Which are just the worst shot ever.

If you make it a primary weapon, the shooters mindset is different. He knows that taking the shot is the right move and his confidence goes up. A confident shooter is a dangerous shooter.

Now, Boston needs to drive to the bucket, the lanes are there now.

 

[Philstat]

Today's game reminded me of the ole Paul Westhead teams, ability to score 100+ at a moment's notice, yet poised to stay in control and dictate the flow of the game, Damn, Cal's a genius.

 

[kyjeff1]

May as well let them play loose and have fun at this point.

Exactly.
Taking open threes is better than taking 12 footers every day of the week. Just fire away and get the game tempo up.

We're one of the longest teams in the country, use it in an up and down game.

Cal waited too long to go to this.

 

[The_Answer1313]

If you make it a primary weapon, the shooters mindset is different. He knows that taking the shot is the right move and his confidence goes up. A confident shooter is a dangerous shooter.

Now, Boston needs to drive to the bucket, the lanes are there now.

I always felt like we should take more. I just don't want to be the team that lives and dies by it either. Unless you are Villanova from a few years ago where they had a bunch of 40%+ guys, its a recipe for not winning 6 games in a row in the NCAA tournament.


But yeah more would open the lane up which should be the primary option for guys like Boston.

 

[germuk]

Who knew that scoring 80 with a modern, free flowing offense is better than scraping for 60 and taking more long twos than any other team in the country. Glad Cal finally was able to recognize such a cutting edge concept. I sure hope it's here to stay for the rest of this year and beyond too

 

[katwest]

We are going to have to play more physical inside, Sarr has to play smarter and be tougher inside. Lately he has been trying to dribble in to traffic only to lose the ball, Brooks has too. Both are picking up ticky tak fouls anyway. Go ahead trade elbows and get their moneys worth, Today the officiating was bad so if we are going to get bad calls go a head and foul the hell out of them.

 

[fatguy87]

We should be taking over 40% of our shots from 3, even if we shoot a paltry percentage.

A 3 from any player on the court not named Jackson is going to be worth more than any 2 point jump shot we might otherwise get.

 

[kyjeff1]

I always felt like we should take more. I just don't want to be the team that lives and dies by it either. Unless you are Villanova from a few years ago where they had a bunch of 40%+ guys, its a recipe for not winning 6 games in a row in the NCAA tournament.


But yeah more would open the lane up which should be the primary option for guys like Boston.

Oh I agree, but if you don’t take those open threes, you’re cheating yourself.

All year long, we have been turning down open threes, only to take a bad 12 footer or turn the ball over trying to force the ball into the paint. Jackson isn't a skilled enough post player and Sarr is too soft. Just take the open threes when they are there and get the long rebounds.

This is exactly what everyone is doing to us. We keep letting teams shoot threes and get the rebounds until they eventually score. We need to be doing that. We are usually the much longer team.

 

[JoeBolognas]

In a vacuum, I don’t think you have to take a ton of threes or make the three the “primary weapon” in order to be successful. You do have to shoot a good percentage.

 

[SmedMoley]

There's nothing wrong with the 3 ball..............when it's going in.

We are 210th in 3 point FG% tho.

What I liked today and last game tho...................less midrange jumpers. Which are just the worst shot ever.

I do think some of that was the 3s we were shooting, and who was shooting them.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

It's the offense.. but I also think this team is finally starting to get some consistency. That lob from Askew to Sarr(?) at the end of the game.. something like that would have been totally botched a month ago. Things are starting to click for some of these guys. We knew it would happen, just weren't sure when.

 

[irishcat1965]

Exactly.
Taking open threes is better than taking 12 footers every day of the week. Just fire away and get the game tempo up.

We're one of the longest teams in the country, use it in an up and down game.

Cal waited too long to go to this.

Cal has been putrid this year and deserves the scorching heat he is getting.
But something is different the last couple of games. The offense. The shooting. The confidence of the players. I still think this team is dead in the water but if they beat Vandy and at UT, things suddenly become interesting heading towards the SEC tournament.

 

[kyjeff1]

In a vacuum, I don’t think you have to take a ton of threes or make the three the “primary weapon” in order to be successful. You do have to shoot a good percentage.

We tried that, actually, we have been trying that for 12 years now and most of the time we are one of the worst 3 point shooting teams in the league. Cal has always anchored the offense to the post, the last two games were much different. He prioritized the 3pt shot and look what happened.

I'm not saying we should turn into 2019 Wofford, but taking 20 a game should be the norm.

 

[kyjeff1]

It's the offense.. but I also think this team is finally starting to get some consistency. That lob from Askew to Sarr(?) at the end of the game.. something like that would have been totally botched a month ago. Things are starting to click for some of these guys. We knew it would happen, just weren't sure when.

It also greatly helped that we had the defense spread out.

Boston had a couple of nice drives to the rack that were made much easier due to the threes we were hitting.

 

[kyjeff1]

Cal has putrid this year and deserves the scorching heat he is getting.
But something is different the last couple of games. The offense. The shooting. The confidence of the players. I still think this team is dead in the water but if they beat Vandy and at UT, things suddenly become interesting heading towards the SEC tournament.

I've been craving this offense for so long. We can't make 2 footers, so we might as well shoot threes. It works.

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

I've been craving this offense for so long. We can't make 2 footers, so we might as well shoot threes. It works.

Today’s game was fun to watch. Glad the team played better and I hope they keep improving

 

[JoeBolognas]

We tried that, actually, we have been trying that for 12 years now and most of the time we are one of the worst 3 point shooting teams in the league. Cal has always anchored the offense to the post, the last two games were much different. He prioritized the 3pt shot and look what happened.

I'm not saying we should turn into 2019 Wofford, but taking 20 a game should be the norm.

On the whole, we’ve been pretty damn successful the last 12 years so I don’t know how that’s exactly an indictment on not shooting the ball enough. Maybe I’m not understanding what you’re saying with that comment.

If you’re saying we’re more often than not towards the bottom in 3P% in the SEC, that’s just not correct.

and btw I agree, 20 should be the norm. I guess I just don’t think that 20 would constitute making the 3 a primary weapon or turn us into a modern offense. Shit, we’re taking about 18 per game as it is.

 

[mdlUK.1]

It’s amazing how much better the offense looks when we make shots. Hmmm

 

[kennyskywalker34]

@kyjeff1 100% agree. In today's game you should be taking between 20-25 3s a game.
Even if you have games where you hit a low percentage. It opens up so much for your offense.

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

Cals offense has been one of his biggest weaknesses over the years. If he upgrades that and plays a style like we seen today that changes a lot. Including if he recruits the right role players to play with the star recruits.

 

[RunninRichie]

Is this offense here to stay? I really hope so.

Cal can still go to the post, but it's so much easier when the 3 point shot is a primary weapon.

I got laughed at for starting a thread saying this team should shoot 3's first and often to open up the paint ("what I would do with this team" thread) and here we are.

This is a modern offense and when you make 3 point shooting a primary weapon, good shooters will make them at a good percentage. But if it's an afterthought, well, you will probably struggle, because in the back of your mind, you’re thinking it's not the right play.

Boston, Askew and Mintz spend way too much time in the gym to be as bad as they were until Tuesday night (Arkansas).

I really hope this offense is there to stay.

Yes! lets hope bro.

 

[kybloo92]

BJ Boston has been so much better as of late and it changes the dynamics of UK's offense when he his playing up to his potential on offense. A ways to go defensively. I like seeing Sarr out on the perimeter more and do not cringe when he shoots unlike many bigs/wings in the past here. He has a nice stroke and better fit while clearing more driving lanes with a threat like Olivier from the perimeter.

 

[stereonut]

The Modern vaccines are a God send!

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

About 5 years too late but nice

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Is this offense here to stay? I really hope so.

Cal can still go to the post, but it's so much easier when the 3 point shot is a primary weapon.

I got laughed at for starting a thread saying this team should shoot 3's first and often to open up the paint ("what I would do with this team" thread) and here we are.

This is a modern offense and when you make 3 point shooting a primary weapon, good shooters will make them at a good percentage. But if it's an afterthought, well, you will probably struggle, because in the back of your mind, you’re thinking it's not the right play.

Boston, Askew and Mintz spend way too much time in the gym to be as bad as they were until Tuesday night (Arkansas).

I really hope this offense is there to stay.

Same here. We look so much better playing like this instead of plodding through slow painful ball. I like how at the end of the game up 4 you could hear Cal say shoot it early in the shot clock. No slowing it down and taking the air out of the ball. Using what got you there. Of course, it took everything just to finally close it out, but we did and I like this team shooting the 3 which I never would have thought I would have said earlier in the year.

 

[chattanoogawildcat]

We are going to have to play more physical inside, Sarr has to play smarter and be tougher inside. Lately he has been trying to dribble in to traffic only to lose the ball, Brooks has too. Both are picking up ticky tak fouls anyway. Go ahead trade elbows and get their moneys worth, Today the officiating was bad so if we are going to get bad calls go a head and foul the hell out of them.

I saw a lot of physically in the paint today. Our bigs came to play.

 

[phantompain]

I fully believe Boston can shoot a very high percentage from 3 point range, it's when he tries to pull up from 8' that still needs work.

The kid was too good of a shooter in high school to suck as bad as he was. The problem was the offense Cal was running. This is a fitting offense and the results are obvious.

Totally disagree. Boston is 100% not a shooter and if he literally ever shoots higher than 33% from 3 then I'll find some Crow to eat. NBA or elsewhere.

 

[willievic]

May as well let them play loose and have fun at this point.

JoeB, you will get criticized for that. Like one poster put on my post, That's what wrong with the world today. When I wake up in the morning, at 81 years old, I know it's going to be a good day, and I'm not going to let any bastard spoil it. I noticed that Cal didn't jump up and down like a monkey, and continually scream at the players. I agree with you. Let them play loose and have fun, instead of screaming at them so much. Do the damn screaming in practice.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[know1]

He doesn't have an offense. It's just whatever the players do when they are trying to make a play.

 

[kyjeff1]

On the whole, we’ve been pretty damn successful the last 12 years so I don’t know how that’s exactly an indictment on not shooting the ball enough. Maybe I’m not understanding what you’re saying with that comment.

If you’re saying we’re more often than not towards the bottom in 3P% in the SEC, that’s just not correct.

and btw I agree, 20 should be the norm. I guess I just don’t think that 20 would constitute making the 3 a primary weapon or turn us into a modern offense. Shit, we’re taking about 18 per game as it is.

We've been successful the last 12 years, yes, but we have also had half the NBA come through these doors too. We have 1 title.

We are usually towards the top in defensive efficiency, but the only teams that were elite offensively, were 2012 and 2015. Having size and NBA talent made it work, but Cal never liked playing outside in, to open up the inside, now, after 17 games in his 12th season, he's figured out he needs to get with the times.

Even if we had Hakeem Olajuwon in the paint, you still need to hit outside shots, but that's never been Cal's thing.

When Booker was here, he was an elite shooter, but we never rode that. Monk, we rode his hot shooting, but only when we had to have it. Herro, had to get his own. Lamb, had to get his own. Murray ran around like a wild man to get his own and we didn't even have a post player beyond Skal that year. Cal kept trying to turn Skal into Cuz.

New you're seeing set plays for 3 point shooters and it's working. There's a huge difference between the last 2 games and every other game in the Cal era.

 

[kyjeff1]

BJ Boston has been so much better as of late and it changes the dynamics of UK's offense when he his playing up to his potential on offense. A ways to go defensively. I like seeing Sarr out on the perimeter more and do not cringe when he shoots unlike many bigs/wings in the past here. He has a nice stroke and better fit while clearing more driving lanes with a threat like Olivier from the perimeter.

I'd imagine Terrence Clarke would have had a field day the last two games slashing to the rim.

This is the style we should have been playing since the start of the season.

 

[kyjeff1]

Same here. We look so much better playing like this instead of plodding through slow painful ball. I like how at the end of the game up 4 you could hear Cal say shoot it early in the shot clock. No slowing it down and taking the air out of the ball. Using what got you there. Of course, it took everything just to finally close it out, but we did and I like this team shooting the 3 which I never would have thought I would have said earlier in the year.

I heard him loud and clear yell "SHOOT THE GOD D*AMN BALL" to Mintz at about the 4 minute mark. Mintz was open for a second.

I gotta say, if I had a coach that said things like that, he wouldn't have to yell at me more than once, I would be more than happy to fire away at will.

 

[JoeBolognas]

We've been successful the last 12 years, yes, but we have also had half the NBA come through these doors too. We have 1 title.

We are usually towards the top in defensive efficiency, but the only teams that were elite offensively, were 2012 and 2015. Having size and NBA talent made it work, but Cal never liked playing outside in, to open up the inside, now, after 17 games in his 12th season, he's figured out he needs to get with the times.

Even if we had Hakeem Olajuwon in the paint, you still need to hit outside shots, but that's never been Cal's thing.

When Booker was here, he was an elite shooter, but we never rode that. Monk, we rode his hot shooting, but only when we had to have it. Herro, had to get his own. Lamb, had to get his own. Murray ran around like a wild man to get his own and we didn't even have a post player beyond Skal that year. Cal kept trying to turn Skal into Cuz.

New you're seeing set plays for 3 point shooters and it's working. There's a huge difference between the last 2 games and every other game in the Cal era.

He also generally works with far less experience than most teams. Anyways, I don’t really take any argument seriously that Cals entire track record here is somehow an indictment on how he does things. The last five years? Okay, we can talk about that. But Cals time at UK on the whole is easily an endorsement of his system, not a demerit. That dog don’t hunt.

I think I’m just reiterating what I’ve already said: you don’t need to take a ton of threes to be successful. It’s just a fact. You need to hit a decent percentage, which Cal’s teams typically do (the claim that were normally at the bottom of the league is just not true).

 

[kyjeff1]

Totally disagree. Boston is 100% not a shooter and if he literally ever shoots higher than 33% from 3 then I'll find some Crow to eat. NBA or elsewhere.

You can disagree if you want to, but the numbers the last two games coincide with me.
From 3 point range, he was 5-8 today. Against Arkansas, he was 4-5. That's 9-13 the last two games. 69% > 33%
How do you want your crow?

 

[Cowtown Cat]

About 5 years too late but nice

Yep. If Cal had let our 2015 team play a free flowing offense (like they did early, in the non conference schedule), we cap off that 40-0 season.