this is such a unique roster

there are bigs that are learning, at the same time it is possibly the most dominant (or should be dominant) rebounding team in the CDM era

it presents some conflicting choices

last year we had to go small and in conference the advantage was team speed and ability to switch out as well as defend on the perimeter

this year, other than Jones and AT, there are no lock-down defenders

the problem with a team that is not good shooting 3s is that playing the pace of a track meet results in trading 2s for 3s, we're consistently getting hammered in 3 point shooting by 10+ points most games.

on one hand, the team does need pick spots for press/trapping. on the other hands we have guys in full man to man that get beat as early as the FT line and don't recover

when strength is inside, have to exploit height and rebounding advantage

have to win the foul battle to get FTs, but that means guys actually able to make FTs, Murray in particular needs to be 85% and LT, it's a big problem he can't hit the side of a barn from the line

I think this team will have to increase the amount of time in a zone to help the perimeter D, because we aren't stopping isolation/pick n rolls well.

I would like to see a 'pressing 5' lineup more. buys that can trap and move. George, AT, Murray, JOnes, Tone for some stints - I think those 5 could replicate some of last year's D, maybe Stroud thown in, but then it's a different team strategy than when we have LT or Polynice and Tsahonis out there on a line-up

It's almost as if we need two different team game plans with this group.

it's tough, a couple FTs or possessions and the team is 2-0, still a horrible start especially losing to a shitty UCSD team

just going to have to see how some experimentation pans out, but mainly it requires a lot of emphasis on foot movement on D - there's no way around it.

the team almost has to alternate with some slow down tempo line-ups and some pressing line-ups, can't just sub in with this group.

both games next week are winnable, in fact every game will be winnable, so will see.

wish there was an easy answer for this group - Murray's shot last year was probably the same, it just 'appears' more flat and 'hitchy' when he's defended closer this year.
Jones struggled with his shot this week.

this team could end up 4-16 or end up 12-8.