Welcome back Butler

[AJG-15]

We look so much better with Mr Butler on floor on both ends of the floor.

Also kudos to our guards today, Brea, Jr, Butler , Oweh and why not , Noah for the offensive reads . No look passes, cuts, passes on dunking spots, offensively they look nice. Defensively also they played good.

 

[wildcat_nation28]

We look so much better with Mr Butler on floor on both ends of the floor.

Also kudos to our guards today, Brea, Jr, Butler , Oweh and why not , Noah for the offensive reads . No look passes, cuts, passes on dunking spots, offensively they look nice. Defensively also they played good.

glad he got his rust off this game

 

[HenryMuto]

Maybe the committee will discount our losses that he missed

 

[Fox2monk]

It’s really evident how much Butler changes our team.

 

[Fox2monk]

Maybe the committee will discount our losses that he missed

They kinda should as well with Carr not being 100%, we are not the same without them for sure.

 

[The Snoke]

Great to see Butler back! Without him, this team doesn’t become half of they should be.

 

[know1]

We're a different team with him. Not just his play, but the team seems to play with more intensity.

 

[twwilliams9]

nit being 100%

C'mon bro we’re at least a 5 seed in the NCAAT

 

[JPFisher]

Was great to have Butler back.

I agree the guards did great today. Was it just me or did Brea play much better defense today? Lots more intensity. Maybe the Butler Effect.

 

[catfan220]

We look so much better with Mr Butler on floor on both ends of the floor.

Also kudos to our guards today, Brea, Jr, Butler , Oweh and why not , Noah for the offensive reads . No look passes, cuts, passes on dunking spots, offensively they look nice. Defensively also they played good.

He makes a huge difference. We looked like we did at the beginning of the year when we were assisting nearly every basket. Brea with some very nice passes, Robinson and Butler too.

 

[ukcatz12]

For the life of my I dont know why everyone pretended this wasn't the case over the last few games.

 

[Wonky]

For the life of my I dont know why everyone pretended this wasn't the case over the last few games.

And he isn’t even healthy. He’s playing hurt and still makes a huge difference.

 

[MegaBlue05]

Butler’s sheer presence is a benefit to the team, stat sheet be damned.

That’s my main takeaway for today.

 

[permdaddy]

Just guessing but we are probably around 125 on defense without him and 75 with him. He changers everything for this team. We don't have to play Chandler/Perry. He is our best ball handler by miles. He allows Jackson to play off ball where he is more effective. He puts on ball pressure on the opposing PG.

 

[Smashcat]

Be nice to turn around and beat/sweep UT now that Butler is back. Not counting on it but sure hoping for it.

 

[ukcatz12]

Butler’s sheer presence is a benefit to the team, stat sheet be damned.

That’s my main takeaway for today.

He's our best on ball defender which doesn't show up on the stat sheet. Him also just being on the court as PG takes away some of the load from Jaxson and Amari (when he would bring the ball up). Jaxson isn't a ball handler, every possession he has to do that he needs to be locked in mentally to avoid turnovers. That takes a toll over the course of the game and causes lapses elsewhere.

Butler just being on the floor let's everyone let's everyone else give 100% to their normal roles on the team.

 

[ukcatz12]

Just guessing but we are probably around 125 on defense without him and 75 with him.

For reference, when we were fully healthy (including Kriisa) we were a top 30 defense.

 

[westerncat]

Was great to have Butler back.

I agree the guards did great today. Was it just me or did Brea play much better defense today? Lots more intensity. Maybe the Butler Effect.

Was just telling a friend of mine during the game the same thing about Brea. Playing much better last few games on defense.

 

[NerlensCat]

He and Kerr are the emotional leaders of this team. Having Butler back makes a huge difference. But, it would be huge to get the experience and fight that Kerr brings to confidently spell Lamont, which allows him to go all out when he is in the game. If we can get his minutes to around 25 without losing a lot while he isn’t in there, Butler can be come a ball hawking demon he was early in the year. In turn that pressure allows Oweh to run the lanes and pick some passes off. It all works together, which is why it went south without Butler.

 

[EliteBlue]

For the life of my I dont know why everyone pretended this wasn't the case over the last few games.

Truth be told…if you look at the user names you have your answer. They are the same ppl who were negative preseason….disappeared the whole front half of the season other than the Clemson week….and then got to come back and be obnoxious the last 2 weeks to stir the pot

 

[Fox2monk]

We're a different team with him. Not just his play, but the team seems to play with more intensity.

He’s the Initiator on offense and the head of the defense.

 

[Demarcus Kidd-Miller]

You can tell he's still hampered. He went after it a couple possessions and pressured the PG of USCjr to run the shot clock down late. It was nice to see because that's one thing we've been missing, some ball pressure on the perimeter.

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

Truth be told…if you look at the user names you have your answer. They are the same ppl who were negative preseason….disappeared the whole front half of the season other than the Clemson week….and then got to come back and be obnoxious the last 2 weeks to stir the pot

Well, the fans who actually support the team need to be more vocal than the knuckleheads.

 

[cathouse]

Was great to have Butler back.

I agree the guards did great today. Was it just me or did Brea play much better defense today? Lots more intensity. Maybe the Butler Effect.

Brea played great on both ends of the floor. His help defense was off the charts good today.

 

[Cawood86]

It’s really evident how much Butler changes our team.

He's the key obviously. Sure glad he's back.

 

[UKNothinButNet]

It was nice to see Amari jump for that lob. He is getting better each game. Seems like he has really improved his freethrow pct from the start of the season.

 

[Fox2monk]

It was nice to see Amari jump for that lob. He is getting better each game. Seems like he has really improved his freethrow pct from the start of the season.

Amari has really been amazing this last month. He’s a real player. If he ever develops any kind of touch on a jumper or some decent paint moves he could be a pro. He has the size and skill set everywhere else.

 

[Fox2monk]

You can tell he's still hampered. He went after it a couple possessions and pressured the PG of USCjr to run the shot clock down late. It was nice to see because that's one thing we've been missing, some ball pressure on the perimeter.

He’s just Important being out there. I hope they rehab him well, give him a day or two off during the gap between Tuesday game and Saturday. Get the team doctor to give him a nice pain script.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Have to keep him healthy though.. its clear just how much we need basically everyone in the top7.

Id strongly consider how I want to play Butler Jrob and Carr against Tennessee. If things get out of hand, in either direction, give them some rest. They're all healthy "enough" to play several more SEC games.. so don't sacrifice that just get a single win.

 

[HenryMuto]

They kinda should as well with Carr not being 100%, we are not the same without them for sure.

Well we will kind of find out next Saturday what they think of us with the top 16 reveal.

If we beat Tennessee I think we will be a 3 seed. If we lose it be a close call on if they make the top 16 or not just a guess.

 

[jeffky]

Our help side defense was much better today . So glad to have our pg back ,anybody that knows anything about basketball understands the value of having a pg . Some of the trolls and our unrealistic, asinine fan base, are nothing but whiners and quitters .

 

[Fox2monk]

Our help side defense was much better today . So glad to have our pg back ,anybody that knows anything about basketball understands the value of having a pg . Some of the trolls and our unrealistic, asinine fan base, are nothing but whiners and quitters .

Yeah it’s kinda a big deal when your starter and backup are both out.

 

[pauled]

It feels good having a true point guard on the floor! Especially one that can defend!!

 

[megablue]

It’s quickly obvious we are so much better with him on the floor.

 

[runt#69]

Just praying we all get healthy, stay as well as we can, and to be the best version of ourselves we can be. I'm sticking with us one hundred percent.

Go Big Blue !

 

[true blue1]

Welcome back L. Butler!!!!!

 

[ala_kat2]

Be nice to turn around and beat/sweep UT now that Butler is back. Not counting on it but sure hoping for it.

That would be great, but Ziegler/Lanier probably won’t have a clunker of a game like they did in Knoxville. Hope Robinson can play because we will need all our scorers to beat the Vols again.