12/5 - MBB vs U(sic)GA

[AUFC]

The comparison seems to be a team that finally rounded into form (after struggling most of the year) 18-20 games into the season, against a team in its 7th game, with a new coach, new players - one of its best coming off injury. What am I missing?

Didn't intend for a comparison - wanted to just point out how good last February's offense was. I'm well aware we'll be a different team when February rolls around and I like Stoudamire/was ready to move on from Pastner. But the offense was better in February/March. Maybe my unintentional comparison is unfair, I can accept that.

 

[Root4GT]

The comparison seems to be a team that finally rounded into form (after struggling most of the year) 18-20 games into the season, against a team in its 7th game, with a new coach, new players - one of its best coming off injury. What am I missing?

GT has strange fans that really don’t watch closely. Look at who we played from Mid Feb on last year. One pretty good team, Pitt and we lost both games. The rest of the games were against the ACC Bottom dwellers.

Who you play matters. When you play them matters.

This was game 7. The improvement in the team from game 1 thru game 7 is noticanble. We are going to have some very bad games. We are clearly a team with a much higher ceiling this year as witnessed by the Duke win. That we won that game being down 4 with a couple minutes remaining is remarkable.

This team will cause us to scratch our heads often this year. CDS is instilling a PROGRAM for the long haul. As he constantly says, there are no shortcuts.

 

[AUFC]

GT has strange fans that really don’t watch closely. Look at who we played from Mid Feb on last year. One pretty good team, Pitt and we lost both games. The rest of the games were against the ACC Bottom dwellers.

Who you play matters. When you play them matters.

This was game 7. The improvement in the team from game 1 thru game 7 is noticanble. We are going to have some very bad games. We are clearly a team with a much higher ceiling this year as witnessed by the Duke win. That we won that game being down 4 with a couple minutes remaining is remarkable.

This team will cause us to scratch our heads often this year. CDS is instilling a PROGRAM for the long haul. As he constantly says, there are no shortcuts.

This is a bizarre post from you in particular because you are perennially negative about the program, then show some optimism in the program and simultaneously tell me I don't watch that closely in the same post.

 

[AUFC]

Btw we were never really down 4 in that Duke game - Mark Mitchell got a T after his dunk that put us down 2 in the same sequence. You're grasping trying to strawman me, possibly because of some weird beef w/ Pastner (even after I've fully acknowledged Pastner was a ****ty coach)? Why else?

Talk about watching closely.

 

[Techwood Relict]

You nailed that point.

 

[lv20gt]

Agreed..there wasn’t a bigger Josh fan on here than me, and I think they’re all losing it. 7 games in and we look like a better program on both ends of the court.

Defensively we are better than last year both by the eye test but also most defensive stats. Offensively we clearly are worse than last year.

our Oeff this year is .967 compared to .991last year (ranked 239 this year)
FG% down 2.3% (ranked 313 this year)
3 FG% down 3.6% (ranked 281 this year)
EFG% down 3.1% (Ranked 307 this year)
True shooting % down 4.9% (ranked 317)
Turnovers per possession up .7% (Ranked 105th this year)
assists per possession down .02 (so 2 assists less per 100) (ranked 187 this year)

And those numbers are compared to the offense the entire year last year, not just the last bit that people have referenced.

The two areas offensive related we are better are in Orebounds where we are about 5% better and generating freethrows where we are getting about 1 extra FTA per 10 FGAs compared to last year. You can believe we are where we are just because we're getting used to a new system, new faces, yada yada yada, but currently we are pretty clearly not better on the offensive end of the court.

 

[kg01]

You nailed that point.

Honestly, and weirdly, the tone from some seems like he's following a legend that went out on top.

I liked CPast but, uh, his tenure had a couple highs but mostly lows. Were folks spoiled by that? Weird.

 

[iopjacket]

We are sill a work in progress. We have made some big steps forward (Miss St and Duke) and U(sic)GA was definitely one back. Defense is improving. Offense needs some work. CDS appears to have a solid process for improving team play for the long term. I remain very optimistic about GT Basketball.

 

[orientalnc]

I hope Terry will soon be able to play, but we are also missing Abram. Whatever is the issue with him, I wish it were not so. We need him.

 

[Connell62]

Defensively we are better than last year both by the eye test but also most defensive stats. Offensively we clearly are worse than last year.

our Oeff this year is .967 compared to .991last year (ranked 239 this year)
FG% down 2.3% (ranked 313 this year)
3 FG% down 3.6% (ranked 281 this year)
EFG% down 3.1% (Ranked 307 this year)
True shooting % down 4.9% (ranked 317)
Turnovers per possession up .7% (Ranked 105th this year)
assists per possession down .02 (so 2 assists less per 100) (ranked 187 this year)

And those numbers are compared to the offense the entire year last year, not just the last bit that people have referenced.

The two areas offensive related we are better are in Orebounds where we are about 5% better and generating freethrows where we are getting about 1 extra FTA per 10 FGAs compared to last year. You can believe we are where we are just because we're getting used to a new system, new faces, yada yada yada, but currently we are pretty clearly not better on the offensive end of the court.

Just like everything, context is important. When you consider the all the factors in play, the stats should be worse than those of a year ago.

That said, I think that we currently avg. 70+ ppg, a year ago, we averaged 69ppg. Stats matter, but wins and development matter more IMO.

Here's the bottom line. You know we're breaking in a new system, new players, etc. We've also missed one of our most experienced players and best shooters all season.

If Terry were playing, it is likely our numbers are better, but to anyone with a set of our eyes, it should be clear that our offense appears much more fluid than a year ago.

 

[Root4GT]

This is a bizarre post from you in particular because you are perennially negative about the program, then show some optimism in the program and simultaneously tell me I don't watch that closely in the same post.

I had given up on CJP as he had 7 years to improve the program. He failed to get the Program to a consistent winning status. His recruting was his undoing. He simply did not have enough ACC caliber players to compete. Last year the teams late season success came when GT played the dregs of the ACC. That was not hard to see.

CDS hs coached 7 games to date. We have seen very high high - beat Duke! and a very low low losing to Cincy by 35. As I said we have 9 new players. Expecting this to be a well oiled team at this point is foolish.

Anyone who can't see reason to be optimistic about GTBB is predetermined to be negative.

I fully support what CDS is trying to do. He has explained it in detail many times. We won't get there overnight. There will be ups and downs. He has more good players on the roster than GT has had since the year CJP won the ACC. Most of our best pure talent is very young, sand Kelly.

 

[MWBATL]

Anyone who can't see reason to be optimistic about GTBB is predetermined to be negative.

To be fair, many GT fans in recent years have become used to failures and disappointments. I think some of us have simply come to expect it now.

 

[57jacket]

I had given up on CJP as he had 7 years to improve the program. He failed to get the Program to a consistent winning status. His recruting was his undoing. He simply did not have enough ACC caliber players to compete. Last year the teams late season success came when GT played the dregs of the ACC. That was not hard to see.

CDS hs coached 7 games to date. We have seen very high high - beat Duke! and a very low low losing to Cincy by 35. As I said we have 9 new players. Expecting this to be a well oiled team at this point is foolish.

Anyone who can't see reason to be optimistic about GTBB is predetermined to be negative.

I fully support what CDS is trying to do. He has explained it in detail many times. We won't get there overnight. There will be ups and downs. He has more good players on the roster than GT has had since the year CJP won the ACC. Most of our best pure talent is very young, sand Kelly.

Excellent post Root. Well stated. We've got the right coach. There will be wild swings this year.

 

[Techwood Relict]

I remain very optimistic about GT Basketball.

I second the motion

 

[stinger78]

Maybe CDS hasn’t found his starting 5 yet?

 

[lv20gt]

but to anyone with a set of our eyes, it should be clear that our offense appears much more fluid than a year ago.

Then how do you reconcile the fact that our offense this year so far has worse efficiency, worse shooting, more turnovers, and fewer assists on a per possession basis with what you think you are seeing. Do you really believe it's just game after game of the entire team collectively shooting 30% or worse?

All those things are consistent with what my eyes are telling me that we are forcing the issue more off of little ball movement and motion and taking more contested out of rhythm shots.

 

[Techster]

Anyone who can't see reason to be optimistic about GTBB is predetermined to be negative.

What?! That's crazy talk. Negativity does not exist on GTSwarm...

 

[Peacone36]

I thought you guys might like this.

NSFW, kids, Ugag fans, normal people in general

Watch this reel https://www.facebook.com/share/r/QB4jKR5Ta7PnhWNN/?mibextid=UalRPS

 

[Steverc]

How come every college basketball team has freshman, transfers in and out, and injuries but we are the only fans that have to be forever patient?

 

[reckrider]

Excellent post Root. Well stated. We've got the right coach. There will be wild swings this year.

I’m optimistic as to where CDS has us headed. But CJP will always be one of my all time favorites, if for no other reason than he brought my favorite player into our lives.

If New Orleans Pelicans win NBA in-season tournament, guard Jose Alvarado has plans for prize money

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The New Orleans Pelicans’ players are two wins away from winning $500,000 each and a championship in the NBA’s inaugural in-season tourname…

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What a fantastic kid.