This Is Why We Need Alex

[yabbadabbadoo]

Seems to really be hush hush
You'd think he fell in a sinkhole or something and disappeared forever
I'm curious as to what his status is myself

 

[TNCatfanforever]

Seems to really be hush hush
You'd think he fell in a sinkhole or something and disappeared forever
I'm curious as to what his status is myself

I forgot to look....was he on the bench saturday in Carolina

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

I didn't see him, which makes you wonder.

 

[wkycatfan]

I didn't see him either, but he may be staying behind to rehab, etc.

 

[FishersBlue]

According to KSR, Kenny Payne mentioned on the radio show that Poy has done some light jogging this week. Nothing else mentioned. I guess that's a decent sign...

 

[Chuckinden]

Alex didn't make the trip to S. Carolina. For his sake, I hope he gets well soon and comes back strong. As far as "needing" him, I'm on the fence. If he would be more consistent in his play, we could certainly use him, but unfortunately, he mostly hurts us more than helps.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

According to KSR, Kenny Payne mentioned on the radio show that Poy has done some light jogging this week. Nothing else mentioned. I guess that's a decent sign...

The emotional boost for the fans, players, and coaches of getting him back for the tournament would be enormous.

Those denying his importance at this point have to be questioned in terms of their overall logic.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Alex didn't make the trip to S. Carolina. For his sake, I hope he gets well soon and comes back strong. As far as "needing" him, I'm on the fence. If he would be more consistent in his play, we could certainly use him, but unfortunately, he mostly hurts us more than helps.

How does 10 points/ 7 rebounds/ 5 fouls and his high level defense hurt Kentucky?

The moment UK runs into a team like UNC in the tournament, it won't be 10 minutes into the game where we'd all likely be wishing we had a healthy Poythress to help matchup with their numerous big men.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I didn't see him, which makes you wonder.

Cal said, "two weeks" about a week ago. According to that time table, Alex won't be playing this week at all.

If Alex isn't playing by next week by the second game, it will be a time to seriously consider just how long this injury will linger.

 

[dave5164]

Did Poythress have the Procedure on the Knee done on Tuesday 2/9/2016? If so, some have said 10-14 days and Coach Cal and others have said two weeks. If it is two weeks and procedure was completed on the knee on 2/9/2016 Tuesday then his two weeks would be 2/23/2016 Tuesday. We would be playing Bama at home on 2/23/2016 Tuesday at 7pm. Coach Cal could wait till Saturday February 27th when we play Vandy on the Road at 4pm and then on Tuesday March 1st we play UF on the Road. Then we are back home Saturday vs. LSU SEC Finale. The last 3 games would be tough with back to back on the road at Vandy and UF and tough home game vs. LSU for Senior Day and Finale before SEC Tourney and NCAA Tourney during March Madness.

 

[MKGMVP]

Of course it would be better to have him available than not but this team is better without him on the floor, period. He can provide depth and 5 fouls but his time should be limited.

 

[dave5164]

The most important is to have a Healthy Poythress back before March Madness and the NCAA Tourney. We really need Poythress experience that he has during March Madness. He has been involved 3 years during March Madness and the NCAA Tourney and his experience would help alot and his play needed during the tourney.

 

[stevo51]

His mobility on defending the 3 and 4 was missing on last years team and it cost us the championship, imo. Lyles wasn't good on a lot of match ups and Booker got abused when he played the 3.

 

[loublue22]

We definitely need him, and the silence is deafening given Jones' report on Friday. I don't think it matters he wasn't there on saturday, usually they don't want injured guys traveling.

 

[IL Wildcat]

Of course we need Poythress. Those who are trying to say we're better without him are probably just trying to be a little too positive about the situation. Yes, we've looked very good recently, but that's not because Alex was out. In fact, he might have made us look even better.

And here is the biggest thing- Alex has played well in previous years in the NCAA-T. That is when this team will need him most.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Coach Payne sounded very positive about Pythress. It didn't sound like there was any doubt that he would be recovered before the end of the season. He said they expected Poy to practice next week.

Sounds good to me. We will need him in the tourney. We are as good as anyone at the 1-4 spots, IMHO. The 5 spot is our weak spot, but with Poy, Lee, and Labissiere, we have a solid rotation at that spot. Plus Humphries is getting some much needed minutes making us even deeper inside. With Poy back, foul trouble won't be near as much of a concern.

We don't need a ton of scoring from the 5 spot. They just need to rebound and play defense.

 

[michaeluk26]

Of course we need Alex back,, we will need someone to fill in off the bench after the big auzzie, Lee, Hawkins, Willis and the little white kid that never plays until the last minute and a game all foul out.... because Alex doesn't even know if he's gonna show up or not. We've seen this way too much with Cal he plays guys out of respect for their seniority rather than their effort and production yields.....aka the Wisconsin game last year with the twins rather than with Ulis...if Ulis had started the 2nd half UK hangs #9, The twins sure didn't bring anything to the game and were struggling, I get it cal is sometimes too devoted to a fault but I still want him as our HC...... Alex on the other hand hasn't improved his game in 4 years since arriving at UK but we do need someone to fill in for the little white kid at the end of the game who can give up fouls.

Are you out of your damn mind? The twins were the second and 3rd leading scorers in the game. Them and Towns are the only ones who showed up. That game would not have been close without them. Ulis was doing basically nothing the whole time he was in and during his last trip on the floor was scored on 2 or 3 straight times. So if Ulis would have played the whole second half we lose by more.

 

[ZaytovenCat]

You couldn't be more wrong. Ulis played fine vs Wisconsin. Had he been in instead of Andrew late then we don't have 3 straight shot clock violations and are sitting on #9 right now.

 

[Clive Gollings]

You couldn't be more wrong. Ulis played fine vs Wisconsin. Had he been in instead of Andrew late then we don't have 3 straight shot clock violations and are sitting on #9 right now.

Nice opinion.

 

[IL Wildcat]

You couldn't be more wrong. Ulis played fine vs Wisconsin. Had he been in instead of Andrew late then we don't have 3 straight shot clock violations and are sitting on #9 right now.

There is no way to know this with any certainty. Ulis was good from day one, but that game was full of tough matchups for him. I think today he'd do well but he's improved greatly since then. It's impossible to predict what might have been, but I can respect your opinion.

 

[wkycatfan]

Poythress is needed and its not debatable IMO.

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

We need water to live! Anybody who thinks otherwise is stupid!

 

[wkycatfan]

80-61
82-48
89-62

eeeehhhhhh.... it's debatable.

At at VERY minimum, Poythress offers depth. Experienced depth, and our only real muscle guy.

 

[kyjeff1]

We are going to need Alex when we get to the NCAAT. That is 100% a guarantee.
The last three teams we have played are okay but we need Alex's rebounding, rim protection, defense and his offensive presence in the paint when we play bigger front lines.
There have been games where he was unstoppable on offense. If we get that Alex in an important game in the NCAAT it could make the difference between winning and losing.
Keep in mind, we won't have SEC officials in the NCAAT so those touch fouls they are calling on AP 90' from the basket won't be called.
Also, where are all the people that were saying we lost to Wisconsin because Alex was out? I've seen one of those posts in this thread.
How can he be that important and now be a total chump that nobody wants?

 

[ThroughBlue]

Poythress is needed and its not debatable IMO.

The last three games say other wise. Much better ball movement. And winning plays being made on offense. Less walks. Less blocked shots by smaller inferior players

 

[ZaytovenCat]

There is no way to know this with any certainty. Ulis was good from day one, but that game was full of tough matchups for him. I think today he'd do well but he's improved greatly since then. It's impossible to predict what might have been, but I can respect your opinion.

Thanks for the kind words. Wish more posters were like you.

And Jason, it's when we face a team with a good front court or elite SF in the tournament that we will need Alex the most. I truly believe Dekker doesn't have the game he did last year if Alex was guarding him. He brings something that we don't have when he's out.

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

Ask Perry Ellis if Alex can defend. Poor Perry can't do shit when Alex plays him.
Ellis is exactly type player we need Alex for.
Oh yeah, and Dekker.

 

[ZZBlueComet]

If Lee can become consistent and play his role, he and Willis deserve to start - Poythress will have to come off the bench and gives us some minutes and fouls. Sad his career has come to this, but he's improved very little since he's been here.

 

[Bluemoon725]

I wasn't sure the OP could top his previous work on this board, but this may be his masterpiece.

Don't ever underestimate stupidity.

 

[Wall2Boogie]

Poythress will help this team, not hurt it.when tubby was here we would of killed for a guy like Alex come tournament time. I'm not bashing tubby I'm just stating the obvious

 

[yoshukai]

Wonder how things are going with Poythress this week?

You should ask the OP . Pretty sure he's stalking Alex .

 

[Big_Blue79]

His mobility on defending the 3 and 4 was missing on last years team and it cost us the championship, imo. Lyles wasn't good on a lot of match ups and Booker got abused when he played the 3.

Thanks for the kind words. Wish more posters were like you.

And Jason, it's when we face a team with a good front court or elite SF in the tournament that we will need Alex the most. I truly believe Dekker doesn't have the game he did last year if Alex was guarding him. He brings something that we don't have when he's out.

This. Defending good wings was an issue last year, and Dekker abused us (as did Nigel Hayes on switches).

 

[ZaytovenCat]

I stand by my OP. A few of their offensive rebounds have been them coming over our back but a lot have been due to them just out jumping us. Alex would help with the rebounding big time. We will run into this most every game we play against a team with a good front court.

 

[CloverforkCat]

You couldn't look any stupider if you tried.

Yeah, we only have 7 team fouls, no one with more than 2, playing A&M by the way !

 

[liveblue92]

I stand by my OP. A few of their offensive rebounds have been them coming over our back but a lot have been due to them just out jumping us. Alex would help with the rebounding big time. We will run into this most every game we play against a team with a good front court.

If he decided he wanted to tonight... But isn't that always the question with Alex?
If Alex played to his potential tonight we could definitely use him.

 

[WildMoon]

Poythress is much more consistent than Lee.

We need him back, badly.

 

[WildMoon]

Murray is ballin'