Are two of the best freshman guards that I ever seen play for Kentucky under Cal. Imagine if they was starters
Reed Sheppard & Dillingham
- Thread starter smooth as butter
- Start date
Yea...if they started, they might be projected higher in the Draft...
Last edited:
Sheppard is averaging 36 minutes per game over the last 13 games. Not sure what more people want at this point.
Evidently what everyone wants is at least two threads a day about Rob and Reed not starting so the same 10 people can make the same statements over and over. Hasn't this dead horse been beat enough?
I don't think it's the minutes as much as the slow start we get at the beginning of each half due to 2 of our best offensive players not being on the floor.
Most evident with this thread is how much OP sucks.
They are as good of players as you are a poster Butters. How ya been?
But we started slow when Sheppard started too. Cal's teams have started slow for a few years now, I really think it's a team problem and not a lineup problem.
Plus, I haven't looked at things for the past few games, but before that the starting lineup had an equal mix of leading or trailing by the time the first subs came in. And the Sheppard/Dillingham sub lineup seemed to have a equal mix of extending/gaining a lead, maintaining the score difference, and blowing a lead. That lineup blew the leads at the start of the second half at LSU and home against Arkansas after the starters widened it.
Well, if Reed was a starter, instead of playing 31mpg in SEC play, he might play 32mpg.
And if Rob was a starter, he would still likely not play much more than his 23mpg, because he is in foul trouble in nearly half of his games!!! Unless Cal got rid of his 2-fouls-in-1H-you-sit rule.
He must start, sing the national anthem, sell the popcorn, and play the whole game. Otherwise it’s coaching malpractice
This used to be funny somewhat
......you don't even try anymore
......you don't even try anymore
Well it’s mind boggling that they don’t start. Calipari promised things that’s obvious, and maybe got into a situation where he had to maintain confidence too. But I can’t think of another coach that would actually be bringing players like that off a bench. It’s never been done.
We held Reed back all year, kid could have clearly finished #1 or #2 in NPOY but he deferred because that’s what he thought he needed to do and what Calipari wanted him to do.
What we have to do now is be smart. No more games play the right guys and have the right guys with the ball in their hands at the right time.
One thing that’s going to kill us is just that, the wrong guys taking the wrong shots. We need discipline on this team and they can win it.
Case in point, Dillingham had a wide open Reed to throw to against UT for the game ending free throws. He chose to go to the line himself, can’t have that. He missed the front end too, Reed more than likely would have iced it on the first shot.
I hope Calipari forces some discipline with these guys but I have doubts. Too many times we’ve got the wrong guys shooting up 7, or the wrong guys in the floor late, or the wrong situational set ups like stupid inbounds lobs etc.
Just do what it takes to win and leave the other crap behind. We need this championship.
There's no evidence anyone held him back. He's obviously a much better player now than he was earlier in the year, that's how it works with freshmen. He's a great player and has zero problem with his role. Like I said, he's averaging 36 minutes per game over the last 13 games. I dont know how that's holding him back. Coming off the bench and playing 36 minutes isn't being held back and doesn't make it so someone can't win NPOY.
If Dillinghman didn't do this he wouldn't be Dillingham. He's the player he is because of his confidence. He thinks he can hit any shot and take on any opponent and score. With him you live with the bad because with it comes the exceptional.
I hear you but, unless Smooth makes the thread, did it even happen? Ha.
Doing fine my good man. Glad to hear it. Another day sober.
Reed and Dilly have something special between them. Some games he defers and let’s Dilly cook, Some games Dilly looks for him nonstop. I trust them to know what’s what.
I’m in the minority here but I have no problem with DJ starting. He has set the tone defensively in two of our biggest wins (Auburn and UT). Reed and Rob are getting plenty of minutes regardless of whether they are starting. DJ plays with a ton of intensity and I don’t mind seeing him in to start games
I will say if we’re trailing at halftime I’d love to see Reed and/or Rob start the 2nd half, but I have no issues with sticking with the current lineup especially with how well we’re playing rn. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it
I will say if we’re trailing at halftime I’d love to see Reed and/or Rob start the 2nd half, but I have no issues with sticking with the current lineup especially with how well we’re playing rn. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it
The problem is in the NCAA tournament, one big mistake from any them can end it, and although I do think like you that I trust them most of the time, they still do a lot of things that will send you home. I think tournament games must be handled a bit different, you've got to have more discipline in what you do. If Dillingham isn't the best free throw shooter on the team and has an opportunity to get the ball to the best he has to do that. I just don't think we can make those kinds of little mistakes and cut the nets down. This is usually where coaching comes in and Calipari does seem to tighten these kinds of things up in March. So it might be fine but you can't fully trust a player to do the right thing in these situations imo. Definitely need more discipline.
I just don’t think it’s smart to begin games handicapping yourself and that’s what we do by starting Edwards (until recently) and Wagner. There is no logical reason, other than recruiting, for anyone to do that.
I’m not being hyperbolic when I say there probably isn’t another coach living or dead or would not have started at least one of them, and I believe they also would have had a lineup or Reeves, Dillingham, and Shep starting early on. They are starting for recruiting purposes clearly.
I also don’t think Wagner’s defense has been that good at all. He routinely gets beat.
Do you think you can run just as fast for 36 minutes straight as you could if you ran 18 minutes took a 4 minute break and then ran 18 more minutes? That is why he should start it isn't rocket science.
No, that is too many minutes from any player. You need to give a guy some rest each half to get "his best", especially at the end of a game. 36 is the most, although Reed has been around 34 the past month.
That was my whole premise the entire year. Nothing was broken with Dilly and Reed’s minutes so it was not big deal. Now Cal 100% plays them the majority of the second half and they will be in the game when it matters assuming they have fouls left. I don’t like being in a hole all game but the starting lineup is starting to be one of the better defensive lineups, at least at UT that’s what got us thru a cold start. So at least that’s good. We need one lineup that can stop a run and the other to get a run of their own.
You show me 1 single player that has EVER done that night in and night out?
There’s a reason why there isn’t one!
Interesting point not mentioned:
The greatest coach in NBA history (Red Auerbach) always saved a Star player as his "6th Man" weapon. It became a Boston tradition for decades.
His first and arguably best was Frank Ramsey (UK great)
John Havlicek
Kevin McHale
Bill Walton
Don Nelson
Paul Silas
ML Carr
The greatest coach in NBA history (Red Auerbach) always saved a Star player as his "6th Man" weapon. It became a Boston tradition for decades.
His first and arguably best was Frank Ramsey (UK great)
John Havlicek
Kevin McHale
Bill Walton
Don Nelson
Paul Silas
ML Carr
Recruiting purposes???? This doesn’t make any sense
Also, regardless of what your point is, of all Cal’s faults, I REALLY don’t think he needs to use his high school starting lineup to get more HS recruits lmao
Same goes for not starting these guys. Not coach has ever done something like that; there’s a reason.
But people avoid this reality to find a way. It’s just for recruiting.
It’s 100% geared toward recruiting promises 100%. No coach would have these guys on a bench to start games. It’s totally ridiculous.
“You don’t get it” doesn’t mean it doesn’t make
Sense.
Or maybe he thinks that the starters have actually done a great job setting the tone in our biggest games? And having Reed/Rob off the bench is an electric boost of energy to bring in a few minutes into the game?
Look we can agree to disagree. I just don’t think his reasoning is solely because of recruiting promises.
I wonder if the same people who mention that the NBA drafts on potential rather than college performance are using fantasy draft status to proclaim that Wagner is worse than Sheppard or Dillingham.
If Dillingham picked up 2 fouls in his 1st 2 minutes he'd sit until the 2nd half. Is it a better use of Dillingham's talent to let him see how the other team is playing and to let him get prepared or is it better to let him start?
I think there's quite a bit of Boy Crush going on with this board's appraisal of Dillingham. He can shoot you out of a game about as quickly as he can get you buckets. And he has preposterous habits on defense.
The ability to defer gratification is an important marker for future success:
www.simplypsychology.org
In case you're wondering.
If Dillingham picked up 2 fouls in his 1st 2 minutes he'd sit until the 2nd half. Is it a better use of Dillingham's talent to let him see how the other team is playing and to let him get prepared or is it better to let him start?
I think there's quite a bit of Boy Crush going on with this board's appraisal of Dillingham. He can shoot you out of a game about as quickly as he can get you buckets. And he has preposterous habits on defense.
The ability to defer gratification is an important marker for future success:
Marshmallow Test Experiment In Psychology
The Marshmallow Test is an experiment conducted by Stanford psychologist, Walter Mischel in the 1960s. In this study, a child was offered a choice between one small reward (like a marshmallow) immediately or two small rewards if they waited for a short period, usually 15 minutes, during which...
www.simplypsychology.org
In case you're wondering.
Hey, I think Reed should start.
But....as long as he is getting starter minutes, more than, actually star player minutes, I think it is ok if he doesn't start.
Now if he didn't Finish games, then I would have a big problem with that.
As for Rob, he LIMITS his own PT with his silly fouls. But that style of play is part of what makes him Rob, you take the bad with the good.
Personally, I like the spark we get when bringing those 2 in (especially together). Something no other team can match. And more importantly, Rob and Reed seem ok with not starting, AND if starting is part of what helped Edwards regain his confidence then that is a BIG WIN for the TEAM!!! Hmm, someone was saying that could be part of the reason (for Edwards starting even though he was sucking) weeks ago; oh yeah, that was me.
Latest posts
-
-
Transfer Ratings Based on 2023-24 Metrics - Rebuttal to Warf2012- Latest: HagginHall1999
-
-
-
Minutes Summary on Portal Recruits from 2023-2024 Season
- Latest: HagginHall1999