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Username Post: Houston        (Topic#19665)
SRP 
Postdoc
Posts: 4894

Reg: 02-04-06
12-24-16 12:16 AM - Post#216570    

Wow, you guys are blase. Where's the thread? Congratulations on the win over the Cougars. I did not see that coming after the first 30 minutes of the game.

 
HARVARDDADGRAD 
Postdoc
Posts: 2685

Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
12-24-16 01:13 AM - Post#216571    
    In response to SRP

Just watched on replay. Very physical game, little offense.

Makes you wonder how Amaker gave Zena's minutes to Welsh in opening games. Zena is probably the only Ivy Leaguer who could play at this level of physicality. Five blocks, including a final block and then winning basket on the other end.

Towns and Johnson didn't shoot well tonight, big part of offense was missing. Aiken was great in the final quarter.

 
section110 
Masters Student
Posts: 847

Loc: south jersey
Reg: 11-22-04
12-24-16 11:48 AM - Post#216581    
    In response to HARVARDDADGRAD

My first extended look at Harvard. Zena was the only big to dominate defensively. Aiken seems very special. Houston's dominance on the offensive glass is a worry; they have decent, but not great size.

 
mrjames 
Professor
Posts: 6062

Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
12-24-16 01:07 PM - Post#216582    
    In response to section110

Houston is No. 31 nationally in OREB rate, and many of the OREBs were long tip outs. That being said, Harvard was getting outjumped and outmuscled as well, which was indeed concerning. Especially since it seemed to be happening both with the smaller lineups and our bigger, better rebounding lineups (Lewis, Z).

 
SRP 
Postdoc
Posts: 4894

Reg: 02-04-06
12-24-16 02:23 PM - Post#216590    
    In response to mrjames

Edosomwan showed up, but was high-variance, alternating great and terrible plays. (Perhaps his most effective play was the accidental blow that knocked down and bloodied Knowles; "Chicken" got back in the game but wasn't the same player.) Egi couldn't seem to hit a layup. Lewis played with fouls and looked tentative. Welsh didn't do much in his short stint. None of them boxed out well.

Chambers had a great floor game. For most of the game Aiken looked to me like an overconfident, short high school star who thought he could get away with moves and shots that were not going to work against Houston, but down the stretch he found open spots to get off his shots and hit them. His possession usage per minute played must be high.

 
mrjames 
Professor
Posts: 6062

Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
12-24-16 05:37 PM - Post#216595    
    In response to SRP

Looks can be deceiving with Aiken. He's somehow posting a 109 ORAT on 29% usage (about the 40th highest ORAT for a person using over 28% poss nationally). And he's posted that despite shooting just 47 eFG%.

Despite all of the seemingly crazy decisions he makes, his TO Rate is lower than Siyani's was any year at Harvard and his assist rate of 30% is Top 100 nationally.

The decision making has to improve, there is no doubt. That being said, while the "out-of-control" description that I've heard from many is definitely something I *see* as well, it's not really being borne out in the numbers. And after his horrendous start from 3 (3-for-20) and 2 (3-for-12), he's been 12 for his last 30 from 3 and 10 for his last 19 from 2.

His No. 1 player comp on KP right now is Lou Dale, which seems pretty fitting, actually.

 
SRP 
Postdoc
Posts: 4894

Reg: 02-04-06
12-24-16 07:14 PM - Post#216600    
    In response to mrjames

That's really interesting. I've only see him play twice, against Stanford and Houston, and was amazed at how much rope he was given by his coaches and teammates, but maybe it's working out. In those games, perhaps I missed a lot of assists he delivered because that was definitely not the impression I got.

 
HARVARDDADGRAD 
Postdoc
Posts: 2685

Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
12-24-16 07:41 PM - Post#216602    
    In response to SRP

The announcers last night alluded to Aiken as having a 'score first' mentality. They also observed that will have to change, especially once Siyani graduates. In the meantime, he's still averaging 3.4APG - 6th in the Ivy League. Even more impressive in view of the fact that he's teamed with Siyani, by far the leader in APG in the league.

 
mrjames 
Professor
Posts: 6062

Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
12-24-16 07:57 PM - Post#216607    
    In response to HARVARDDADGRAD

Harvard has the second-highest assist rate on buckets in the nation. Not much of a surprise given that this team doesn't have a Wes that can create a shot out of nothing. Really heavily relies on moving without the ball to get in position for a good shot. Thus, lots of opportunities for different players to rack up solid to amazing Assist Rates!

 
SRP 
Postdoc
Posts: 4894

Reg: 02-04-06
12-24-16 08:12 PM - Post#216608    
    In response to mrjames

Isn't Towns supposed to be the Saunders replacement going forward? Not the exact same player, for sure, but there are some similarities. (OTOH, a two-way assassin like Saunders doesn't come around that often.)

 
mrjames 
Professor
Posts: 6062

Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
12-24-16 09:26 PM - Post#216610    
    In response to SRP

Towns will be at some point, but Tommy's motion offense actually flows better if there isn't someone trying to create shots. Everyone should have *their* shot, but the fewer people for whom that means creating on their own the better.

At the same time, I do believe that some of the extremely high assist rate has been Harvard's poor finishing at the rim - lots of unassisted chances have been falling off the iron.

 
SRP 
Postdoc
Posts: 4894

Reg: 02-04-06
12-25-16 12:43 AM - Post#216618    
    In response to mrjames

I love a passing-based offense at least as much as anyone, but even the Spurs and the Warriors need a dribble-creator sometimes when the D is especially gluey or when the shot clock is in the last few seconds. You always want to have one or two guys to make something happen for those circumstances.

 
mrjames 
Professor
Posts: 6062

Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
12-25-16 03:08 AM - Post#216619    
    In response to SRP

Totally agree - and that is how Tommy's offense runs (PnR for the PG when the clock hits 10). Usually though, that still entails the PG creating for others. Really Curry has been the only PG Amaker has had that could be counted on to create for himself at the end of the clock.

 
SRP 
Postdoc
Posts: 4894

Reg: 02-04-06
12-25-16 04:01 PM - Post#216631    
    In response to mrjames

In lieu of Curry, Saunders could frequently get that chest-on-your-chest midrange jumper off and hit it or get fouled unless he was up against a taller guy.

 
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