North Carolina @ Georgia Tech, Wednesday January 30th at 8pm

[OlaJacket]

I say build a statue for Pastner

Just make sure it's a Gold1!

 

[Connell62]

Everytime

that said, simply making open shots makes the game so much easier. Defeating that UNC team with that front court with our own front court limitations is a statement. I thought Usher played maybe his best game since Boise State of last season though the box would t support that claim. When Bubba is making triples this team is exponentially better. I like our seven with our five plus Moore and Sturdy.

Great points, Pea. Especially the one about Usher. Hell, getting Jordan to play under control and within the offense might be one of the best examples of a positive for CJP.

 

[iopjacket]

Just make sure it's a Gold1!

and the right shade of gold

 

[Peacone36]

Great points, Pea. Especially the one about Usher. Hell, getting Jordan to play under control and within the offense might be one of the best examples of a positive for CJP.

The difference between Jordan playing within the offense/Making shots and all of us wanting to bench Jordan for playing hero ball is...literally razor thin....

 

[Peacone36]

Just make sure it's a Gold1!

Y’all are bananas. Haha

 

[CuseJacket]

Everytime

that said, simply making open shots makes the game so much easier. Defeating that UNC team with that front court with our own front court limitations is a statement. I thought Usher played maybe his best game since Boise State of last season though the box would t support that claim. When Bubba is making triples this team is exponentially better. I like our seven with our five plus Moore and Sturdy.

Agreed.

The difference between Jordan playing within the offense/Making shots and all of us wanting to bench Jordan for playing hero ball is...literally razor thin....

Well said. Shot selection didn't strike me as materially different from past games. Difference is he made them.

(And that doesn't mean it was always great shot selection, imo, but my opinion will change if he continues to knock 'em down)

 

[forensicbuzz]

Agreed.

Well said. Shot selection didn't strike me as materially different from past games. Difference is he made them.

(And that doesn't mean it was always great shot selection, imo, but my opinion will change if he continues to knock 'em down)

I don't really remember Usher taking a "bad" shot in the game. There were some ill-timed shots by some of his teammates, but his seemed to come in the flow of the game.

 

[slugboy]

I don't really remember Usher taking a "bad" shot in the game. There were some ill-timed shots by some of his teammates, but his seemed to come in the flow of the game.

Maybe there were less of the "oh, no! there are only 2 seconds left on the shot clock" shots than in previous games this season.

 

[Fatmike91]

deleted

 

[orientalnc]

The mismatches go both ways. Much of the game Usher had a 6-10 guy chasing him around.

 

[CuseJacket]

I don't really remember Usher taking a "bad" shot in the game. There were some ill-timed shots by some of his teammates, but his seemed to come in the flow of the game.

Hopefully this doesn't come across as mean-spirited. Just because someone is open, does not make it a good shot. Timing, rhythm, balance, distance, and history of making such shots are as important as being unguarded and, generally, time left on the shot clock. I will say that Usher looked more in control, though still operating fast, which helps the success rate.

And of course this is all qualified by "I don't get to see practice" to know where and how he's been improving behind the scenes.

 

[HenryUsher]

I need to see your game tape.

 

[YlJacket]

The mismatches go both ways. Much of the game Usher had a 6-10 guy chasing him around.

That was the game. They had a chance to make us pay for Usher at the bottom of the zone and couldn't do it. Usher took reasonable shots and made most of them. When he tried to go all the way to the rim they reminded him that wasn't a good idea.

 

[CuseJacket]

I need to see your game tape.

I’m far from an expert and acknowledge my ignorance. Jordan played his best game in my opinion. Not trying to take away from his great game.

Hopefully his early season improvement in 3 point percentage, off dribble pull-ups, and ability to convert in the lane sustains the full season. I’m in large part going off the numbers from a full season last year (e.g., 20% 3-pt shooter, 40% overall) with consideration for a smallish sample size this year.

It does seem to my ignorant eyes like Jordan has improved in a number of ways, and I hope he can continue to do it while playing fast and with relentless energy that is infectious.

 

[lv20gt]

Even last year Usher toned down the mistakes later in the year as he got settled in.

Gist first 5 games he had 19 turnovers and about 1 turnover every 7.4 minutes. In the last 5 games he had 12 turnovers and about 1 turnover every 11.25 minutes. He also went from 3.4 fouls per game in the first 5 to 1.8 fouls per game in his last 5. Obviously sample size means you should take it with a grain of salt. My o[pinion is that last year he gained eligibility at a time we needed a big shot in the arm and he gave that to us, along with Jose returning. However he went a bit too far in the other direction.

This year he just seems to better understand what he needs to bring to the team and it's changed from game to game. He's yet to shoot under 40% in any game and hasn't really looked to force the issue if it wasn't there. Against UNC he had a strong first half, basically keeping us in the game, and then didn't force the issue in the second half understanding that the rest of the team was getting going. As far as shot selection goes, I understand he wasn't good from 3 last year, but with us going small we can't afford for him to not be willing to shoot those shots he's taken from outside. IMO if those shots are bad shots then the issue is with the line up and approach we're taking on offense rather than his decision making.

 

[yjfan]

i was thinking after the unc game, I wish/hope Usher returns next year with Devoe to lead the team.

 

[4shotB]

Hopefully this doesn't come across as mean-spirited. Just because someone is open, does not make it a good shot. Timing, rhythm, balance, distance, and history of making such shots are as important as being unguarded and, generally, time left on the shot clock. I will say that Usher looked more in control, though still operating fast, which helps the success rate.

And of course this is all qualified by "I don't get to see practice" to know where and how he's been improving behind the scenes.

'Cuse, we can split hairs on this, but I don't like guys who won't take an open shot (and convert a reasonable % of them). These guys make it easier to defend the others on the court and thus are liabilities.

Nothing I hate worse than an "athlete" on the court who can't shoot a damn BB. I am not saying everyone needs to make 3's but being a basketball player who can't shoot imo is like a golfer who can't putt. I may make an exception for a true C but even that position needs to be able to score around the basket. The other 4 guys need to be shooters. In my perfect world.

Note, I haven't seen the team play so that is not directed at any individual on our team. I just hate watching (or playing with "back in the day") bricklayers. Rant over.

 

[GTbball2016]

Usher is playing great of late. Really impressed by how he kept the team in the game in the first half.

 

[ramblinwreckguru]

'Cuse, we can split hairs on this, but I don't like guys who won't take an open shot (and convert a reasonable % of them). These guys make it easier to defend the others on the court and thus are liabilities.

Nothing I hate worse than an "athlete" on the court who can't shoot a damn BB. I am not saying everyone needs to make 3's but being a basketball player who can't shoot imo is like a golfer who can't putt. I may make an exception for a true C but even that position needs to be able to score around the basket. The other 4 guys need to be shooters. In my perfect world.

Note, I haven't seen the team play so that is not directed at any individual on our team. I just hate watching (or playing with "back in the day") bricklayers. Rant over.

Sturdivant? Does he ever make a shot? Amazing that he's 1 of the 7 that plays appreciable minutes.

 

[CuseJacket]

Even last year Usher toned down the mistakes later in the year as he got settled in.

Gist first 5 games he had 19 turnovers and about 1 turnover every 7.4 minutes. In the last 5 games he had 12 turnovers and about 1 turnover every 11.25 minutes. He also went from 3.4 fouls per game in the first 5 to 1.8 fouls per game in his last 5. Obviously sample size means you should take it with a grain of salt. My o[pinion is that last year he gained eligibility at a time we needed a big shot in the arm and he gave that to us, along with Jose returning. However he went a bit too far in the other direction.

This year he just seems to better understand what he needs to bring to the team and it's changed from game to game. He's yet to shoot under 40% in any game and hasn't really looked to force the issue if it wasn't there. Against UNC he had a strong first half, basically keeping us in the game, and then didn't force the issue in the second half understanding that the rest of the team was getting going. As far as shot selection goes, I understand he wasn't good from 3 last year, but with us going small we can't afford for him to not be willing to shoot those shots he's taken from outside. IMO if those shots are bad shots then the issue is with the line up and approach we're taking on offense rather than his decision making.

I agree with all of this, especially:

• Jordan seems to be more comfortable on the court and "is letting the game come to him". I almost put the cliché in my last post, but it's a real thing and was an omission simply for brevity.
• Not specific to Jordan... if there are bad shots being taken and that continues, my issue is with the coaching, not the player. I'm very comfortable and have been consistent on this point re: other players. But to be clear, it's not a bad shot if a player is showing consistency in making it, to which the numbers suggest Jordan has improved so far this year.

After a full season of precedent, I'm slow on adjusting my POV thru a small subset of games. One of the things I love about CBB is how rapid, clear and measurable improvement can be for individual players year-to-year, so we will see how it plays out through the ACC schedule. Jordan operates at a speed that most don't operate at, which is mostly a good thing, except when it comes to ignorant fan expectations around what it means to play under control, balance, etc