Our Guards - Other than Ulis, our guards are average to slightly above average

[SilentsAreGolden]

Bledsoe averaged fewer than 3 assists a game, and he and Murray are very close to the same average. Bledsoe also had more turnovers than assists, just like Murray. But please keep spouting your inane ramblings based on your own imaginary world. You clearly have it out for Murray. This team would have a losing record without him. Or close to it.

 

[kyjeff1]

To each his own, but

(1) I'd take Bledsoe (as a freshman), the two guard on the Wall team, over Murray any day of the week.
(2) Knight (as a freshman) was clutch; Murray is not. And Lamb (as a freshman) knew his role; Murray does not.
(3) Teague (as a freshman) was tough as nails, was a excellent defender, and saw the floor really well, Murray is soft by comparison, a defensive liability, and can't seem to find open teammates consistently (I'm being generous here).
(4) Harrisons (as freshmen) were decent defenders and could take the ball to the basket with more than a "wing and a prayer" much more frequently than Murray. Young (as a freshman), while in the same liability mode as Murray when it came to defense, could shoot rings around Murray.
(5) Booker (as a freshman) was a much better shooter and defender than Murray.

In fact, IMHO, Murray compares favorably only to Goodwin of the 2012-13 team among UK's freshman guards under Coach Cal and, then, only because he has a better 3-point, spot-up shot.

I do, however, agree that most of UK's guards over the years benefited by having some excellent inside players. Although it didn't seem to help Goodwin much, even before the injury to Noel.

Why are you comparing Murray to Knight, Wall, Teague and Andrew? Those guys were lead guards, Murray is a 2 and I would take Murray over Aaron Harrison and Young any day. That's my opinion but he is a better shooter than both and is actually a very smart player. He makes dumb mistakes with the ball but so did those other guys. And honestly I'd put him right there with Lamb, they are different players but if you put Murray on the 12 team he wouldn't feel the need to carry so much of the load.

 

[JohnBlue_]

Bledsoe turned the ball the same as Murray, he wasn't as good of a rebounder and despite your claim didn't dish the ball any better either. Murray is a better shooter also. If defense is your thing then we'd have to go with Briscoe. He is a better defender than Bledsoe with the same scoring and better rebounding and less turnovers.

No matter how you spin it Kentucky has three of it's best guards in the Calipari era on it's roster this season. John Wall leads everyone and the only other player that you could make a case is Brandon Knight.

 

[3 fan]

Take Murray off team. Are we 4 games over .500?

 

[Mike-D]

our fan base does this shit every year. find one player to pick on for the entire year. welcome, Jamal Murray. you're a Freshman scoring 18 ppg, 42% from the field, 39% from behind the arc. such a prime candidate. the twin's feel your pain. how anyone could think our problems are a result of guard play outside of Briscoe amaze me.

 

[The_Answer1313]

It's really hard for me to criticize the backcourt when we have gotten absolutely nothing from our frontcourt

 

[dave5164]

The only flaw or mistake that I have seen from Jamal Murray is that he does have times when he turns the ball over with bad passes but that is normal for a Freshman. If you go back since the OSU game where Murray was bigtime the last 7 games he has shot 27/59 from 3 for 46% and has averaged 21ppg in last 7 games. The one thing Murray needs to work on is his turnovers but without him this year where would be at this point. Murray and Ulis are a nice backcourt and if we can the frontcourt to play like they did vs. Bama and do this in each and every game then this team goes from average-good to good-outstanding.
If they are playing that way during March Madness then we have a great chance for another run to the FF!

 

[Mike-D]

just imagine if murray were at Louisville with the exact same numbers. LOL. our fans would be wishing we had him. just ridiculous.

 

[WCBcats]

Murray is anything but the problem. Good grief. We would maybe have 8 wins without him

 

[nookam]

Sure wish we had Murray against WVU in 2010 when we had no shooters vs the zone.
Think the OP has an agenda or is clueless.
Teague a great defender? Could that be getting confused with AD blocking 186 shots, Terrence Jones and MKG, solid as well? I think do. He was blown by enough and some of that was by design, funnel to the shot blockers.
Yea, I want to see our guards pass up shots in order to throw it down low to Poythress and Lee and let them go to work with their vast offensive skills.......GMAFB

 

[WeepNoMore]

Not an idiot, clueless, etc. and have no agenda against Murray, or any player for that matter, but don't have my head buried in the sand, as several on this board do.

Teams with 2, and some posters would argue 3, good to great guards do not lose to:

11-6 UCLA by 10
12-7 OSU by 7
11-7 LSU by 18
8-8 Auburn by 5

Being a very good to great guard in my book means a lot more than scoring and assists. It requires solid defense, making the clutch shot, leadership, toughness, making free throws, shooting a decent percent, rebounding, protecting the ball, avoiding unforced turnovers, finding an open teammate when double or triple teamed, making the extra pass to get a better shot, etc.

Tyler Ulis is as close as we have to a very good guard according to these criteria. And face the facts, in spite of his effort and energy, he is 5' 9" and is not a elite leaper and, thus, is a defensive liability against taller guards that are nearly as quick as he is.

Murray and Briscoe meet some of these criteria, but fall miserably short of meeting several.

 

[wyldkatzky]

1. Ulis is amazing.
2. Murray is really good, but can be streaky/inconsistent.
3. Briscoe is good, but a liability. If he could shoot free throws, we could leave him on the court more because he is exceptional at getting to the basket.
4. Poythress is inconsistent and not a standout. He feeds off talent around him. He is a decent role player, but doesn't really create a matchup issue.
5. Lee is prone to fouls and doesn't offer much of anything offensively. He is long, but he isn't the post presence we are used to.
6. Skal is just overwhelmed. You can see some potential, but he's just not ready.
7. Willis is improving rapidly now that he has gotten a chance at some PT. Still has a ways to go though.


I think we have 2 really good guards, and the rest of the team isn't really exceptional, good but not exceptional. Ulis and Murray could be 2 of the best guards in the country, but having such issues at 3 other positions really leaves you vulnerable.

I believe Cal is making the right changes with the team, and we'll see them be more consistent scoring and defending soon. However, we are still going to be very vulnerable.

 

[SilentsAreGolden]

Don't you like how WNM keeps moving the goalpost when we decimate his weak ass assertions?

 

[kyjeff1]

our fan base does this shit every year. find one player to pick on for the entire year. welcome, Jamal Murray. you're a Freshman scoring 18 ppg, 42% from the field, 39% from behind the arc. such a prime candidate. the twin's feel your pain. how anyone could think our problems are a result of guard play outside of Briscoe amaze me.

This!

 

[kyjeff1]

Not an idiot, clueless, etc. and have no agenda against Murray, or any player for that matter, but don't have my head buried in the sand, as several on this board do.

Teams with 2, and some posters would argue 3, good to great guards do not lose to:

11-6 UCLA by 10
12-7 OSU by 7
11-7 LSU by 18
8-8 Auburn by 5

Being a very good to great guard in my book means a lot more than scoring and assists. It requires solid defense, making the clutch shot, leadership, toughness, making free throws, shooting a decent percent, rebounding, protecting the ball, avoiding unforced turnovers, finding an open teammate when double or triple teamed, making the extra pass to get a better shot, etc.

Tyler Ulis is as close as we have to a very good guard according to these criteria. And face the facts, in spite of his effort and energy, he is 5' 9" and is not a elite leaper and, thus, is a defensive liability against taller guards that are nearly as quick as he is.

Murray and Briscoe meet some of these criteria, but fall miserably short of meeting several.

Well, you have officially taken over the #1 spot in this weeks worst poster poll. Congrats.

 

[WeepNoMore]

Well, you have officially taken over the #1 spot in this weeks worst poster poll. Congrats.

Worst? Hardly! That title would be shared by those of you posters who:

can't see past your Big Blue Shades,

think that putting on a UK jersey suddenly makes an average player good and a slightly above average player great, or

have had your heads buried in the sand without oxygen for so long that you make brain-damaged posts.

Am I the Most Unpopular Poster in your opinion and the opinions of your Ilk? Probably! It's a title I can wear with pride!