Poythress and Lee at forwards?

[MdWIldcat55]

One of the things I'm really interested in seeing in the fall is whether Poythress and Lee can start together at the forward positions.

I understand all the reasons to doubt it. Neither can do much with the ball in his hands more than ten feet from the basket. But with both Ulis and Briscoe being terrific ball handlers you can have the ball in their hands most of the time, with Skal being an entry option and Poythress and Lee both looking to attack the basket for lobs or put backs.

That would give you a potentially strong defensive team, and one capable of scoring lots of points in the paint. Defenses would have to sag into the lane, giving Ulis and Briscoe and Mulder, when in the game, some open looks

A team like that would remind me of Cal's 1996 UMass team -- forwards Bright and Dingle were not shooters but could slash to the basket the way Poythress was doing late in 2014 and the way Lee did against Michigan. Padilla and Travieso were smallish guards who could hit the open shot (they averaged 4 threes between them, not totally out of reach for Ulis and Briscoe.) Of course for this to work, Skal has to be a scoring force -- not Marcus Camby but a freshman version of him.

 

[caneintally]

No way they both start. Poythress will be one of the 3 best PFs in college next year IMO. Poythress will be THE PF with Willis playing about 10 minutes a game there in back up role . Lee will be THE back up center and maybe back up Poy a little as well. The line up will look something like this . ( i do think we add someone else but lets just say we don't )

Ulis/Hawkins
Briscoe /Matthews
Mulder / Matthews
Poythress/Willis/Lee
Skal/Lee

Also think people worrying about shooting are wrong . Mulder , briscoe and Ulis can shoot great as can Skal . Poy is decent as is Matthews. Willis has shown flashes. Our big weakness is a brusing SF and a beefy bigman .

 

[wildcatsboston1984]

Repeat with me UK fans:

Poythress is not playing small forward

 

[caneintally]

Repeat with me UK fans:

Poythress is not playing small forward

MD is an amazing poster but sorta surprised anyone has to think about that one . Poythress is a PF and a beast of one. WHile i think he can shoot decent enough for SF he can't handle the ball well enough at all. He finishes plays not starts them.

 

[hotelblue]

No way they both start. Poythress will be one of the 3 best PFs in college next year IMO. Poythress will be THE PF with Willis playing about 10 minutes a game there in back up role . Lee will be THE back up center and maybe back up Poy a little as well. The line up will look something like this . ( i do think we add someone else but lets just say we don't )

Ulis/Hawkins
Briscoe /Matthews
Mulder / Matthews
Poythress/Willis/Lee
Skal/Lee

Also think people worrying about shooting are wrong . Mulder , briscoe and Ulis can shoot great as can Skal . Poy is decent as is Matthews. Willis has shown flashes. Our big weakness is a brusing SF and a beefy bigman .

i think willis will back up three with mulder and maybe matthews. because matthews right now has all the backup minutes at two imo. willis can do some stuff, but he's mainly a perimeter player. and since we're going to need his shot i expect that's where we'll be. i agree with everything else. cal needs someone who can rest skal and pick up some fouls. it may be lee at 5 right now otherwise. it may be good. big year of opportunity for marcus. as of right now he's our utility guy 3-5. he's definitely going to get close to starter minutes.

 

[C1180]

I do not like having your three best bigs on the floor as starters. That is just asking for foul problems. This is why I think getting another decent big is a bigger priority than getting a SF recruit. The big doesn't have to be some high rated dude. He just has to be a player that can bang inside, play decent inside defense, get a few rebounds, and just be a decent backup in case of foul trouble with the starters. Heck Willis might be able to fill the bill if he would just bulk up and toughen up a bit. He doesn't have to be a seven footer or some high school All American. 6'6" and up with some bulk and toughness would be just fine.

IMO unless Willis has a huge make over UK needs another big. I am not real sure how well Lee is going to hold up as slight as he is when he goes banging with the big inside bangers of college basket ball.

 

[bucsrule8872]

We will probably see Poythress at the 3 some, out of necessity. But he is a PF and with a lack of depth inside, that is where he will spend most of his minutes, IMHO.

This is my guess for the rotation (mpg estimate):

G Ulis(34)/Briscoe(6)
G Briscoe(28)/Mulder(9)/Hawkins(3)
G Mulder(18)/Matthews(10)/Poythress(9)/Willis(3)
F Poythress(21)/Lee(19)
F Labissiere(31)/Lee(9)

I still believe we add at least one more guy.

 

[ukfan041]

I see lots of people find this an intriguing idea.

Probably won't happen often, but I predict it does happen against certain teams, like UNCheats for example, a team with lots of size and not great wing shooters. When it does, remember who suggested it first.

Good thing we don't play UNC**** this year! Off year, then we meet them in Vegas in 2016.

 

[UKcatXXXL]

the starting 5 I am seeing as of right now is:

C Skal
PF Poy
SF Mulder
G Briscoe
G Ulis

now, that doesn't mean a whole lot in theory. For instance, the 2005 UNC title winning team had Marvin Williams off the bench and he was the guy selected first in the draft from that team................

 

[Aike]

Our best bet next year (as the roster stands now) is for Lee to back up Skal and Poythress, and for Willis to back up Poythress at times.

Matthews and Mulder need to lock down the wing. Occasionally, we will see Briscoe, Mulder, and Matthews together. Hawkins will get spot duty.

I expect the minutes to look something like this early in the season:

Skal - 30
Poy - 28
Ulis - 32
Briscoe - 32
Matthews - 25
Mulder - 25
Lee - 16
Willis - 6
Hawkins - 6

 

[hotelblue]

I do not like having your three best bigs on the floor as starters. That is just asking for foul problems. This is why I think getting another decent big is a bigger priority than getting a SF recruit. The big doesn't have to be some high rated dude. He just has to be a player that can bang inside, play decent inside defense, get a few rebounds, and just be a decent backup in case of foul trouble with the starters. Heck Willis might be able to fill the bill if he would just bulk up and toughen up a bit. He doesn't have to be a seven footer or some high school All American. 6'6" and up with some bulk and toughness would be just fine.

IMO unless Willis has a huge make over UK needs another big. I am not real sure how well Lee is going to hold up as slight as he is when he goes banging with the big inside bangers of college basket ball.

you know what friend, that's what you're going to see though. they will not be on the floor at the same time. but lee back up 4 and 5 >>>>>>> willis. you'll see that at some point. probably our first exhibition.

 

[WildMoon]

sure we can.

It just means we have no center playing at that time.

 

[kybigblue]

How often have we seen a Juco that couldn't elevate to Div..1 ball? There is a huge difference in the two levels. Matthews is still a question mark as to how much he can contribute his first year. Willis and Lee need to make big improvements before next season. Ulis will be fine as long as coaches don't try to take him inside on offense. There are too many questions about this team at this point. You can bet the national media will have them ranked high in preseason.

 

[UK90]

Repeat with me UK fans:

Poythress is not playing small forward

EXACTLY. I don't quite get this obsession some posters have had over the last three years with trying to make Poy into a 3 when he's CLEARLY demonstrated that he's not cut out for that position.

He always looks very uncomfortable and out of place when he's at the 3, and always looks much better when he's at the 4. The kid simply does not have the kind of dribbling, passing and perimeter skills needed to properly play the 3, and if he hasn't developed them after three years here it's a pretty solid bet it ain't ever gonna happen.

I think Mulder will probably end up starting the 3 (unless Matthews is better than expected), with Poy starting at the 4, and Lee as a sixth man backing up both the 4 and 5 spots.

 

[bucsrule8872]

If Mulder and/or Matthews can't cut it at the 3, then we see more of the big lineup (Poy at the 3) and probably a lot of small ball (Ulis, Hawkins, and Briscoe). Cal is all about defense and we know Hawkins can defend, so if M & M can't compete at this level I can see us going small a lot. If we can't put five scorers on the floor, then I could see Cal putting five defenders on the floor and trying to shut people down.

Hopefully Mulder is the shooter/scorer is billed to be and we can put five guys out there that can score the ball.

 

[Blue Decade]

EXACTLY. I don't quite get this obsession some posters have had over the last three years with trying to make Poy into a 3 when he's CLEARLY demonstrated that he's not cut out for that position.

Poster obsessions that don't fit reality are a common tale here. But on this thread, a lot of responders seem to correctly understand Poythress is a 4, not a 3.

 

[Willy4UK]

I think with Ulis and Briscoe that Lee and Poy won't need to handle it much. Both those guards create EASY opportunities for both Lee and Poy to play a the rim. They are finishers. That's what they do. Briscoe is a big guard who slash and pass. Ulis will keep the defense more honest this year with a better outside shot. Plus he if he puts on any weight, he'll get better at getting in the lane. Telling ya, this team can be great.

After having the best talent since anyone can remember and not winning it, next year is just as possible as any.

 

[Blue Decade]

I think with Ulis and Briscoe that Lee and Poy won't need to handle it much.

That isn't true unless Calipari completely changes his offensive system. Also, transition is a huge part of Calipari's game. We run whenever we can, but that depends on skills.

 

[Willy4UK]

That isn't true unless Calipari completely changes his offensive system. Also, transition is a huge part of Calipari's game. We run whenever we can, but that depends on skills.

We both know Lee isn't leaving the 4/5 spot. Poy may not play a lot of 3 this year. I guess if you want to count Poy slashing through the top of the lane off a feed from Ulis or Briscoe and one to two bounces in, then yeah. I guess so. Poy works on his handles this summer then this moot. But, this team is going to thrive on Briscoe and Ulis setting up easy shots for the bigs. Poy can always come out for a 3 if he has it. But no, I don't see Poy handling it a lot unless he has improved over the summer. Just my opinion.