10 games in, 10 points of discussion

[gainesvol82]

I'll say this about Phillips and Okpara (to those frustrated with him). Their issue is a bit complex. They scored the majority of their points last year on lobs. That was facilitated by ZZ, who could put those balls on a dime, but also the threat of an outside shooter like Chaz Lanier.

Because Jakobi Gillespie is our best shooter, when he is driving the paint, teams are packing it tight and wiping away the lob threat because they don't fear anyone else shooting from outside. They are far more willing to risk someone else hitting a 3 while protecting the rim from a sure 2 on a lob.

This all goes to my concern of Gillespie being our only ball-handler and only reliable and willing shooter. He can't do both simultaneously and his driving the ball just clogs the lane with defenders.

JG and the entire team would benefit from playing some old school triangle offense through Estrella or Carey in the post and any combo of Ament, Boswell or Abram in the corner and behind the 3pt line on the off-ball side.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Spot on

Yep, and Gillespie has had a number of open looks from the 5-7 ft range as a result. He has tried to force a pass when a simple pull up is there. He has to take those shots

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

We should have been willing to pay Rice what USC offered. Same with McKneeley. At the time, the excuse was that we had to stay within budget, but then we (boosters) paid Ament more than either got (maybe combined?). And why? He’ll be here 1 season, won’t be as productive as either in that season, then he’ll go to the NBA. We’re paying out the ass for a guy because he’s a future lottery pick, not because he’s going to be productive at UT…which is kinda the thing you’re supposed to be paying for.

If what we’re paying combined for Ament, Abram, and Burg is more than what it would have taken to get Rice and McKneeley…we effed up royally. And I think it is.

We were ridiculously close with Rice. We quit out of frustration, and it was a big mistake.

 

[gainesvol82]

Good assessment. I expressed some reservations about Ament's size and durability, and moaned a lot about how close we got to Rice, and what a loss it was. Preseason is no time to make friends with doubts. I was overly optimistic about JP and his durability. I agree that his offense could draw defenders in and make Ament much more successful by giving him some space to operate. I think I'd be in the minority in saying this, but I'd almost rather play Boswell at point to get Gillespie better looks. We're losing a lot of three looks, and drives by leaving him at the one. Boswell obviously lacks some tools to be a great PG, but I think he's better on ball D on the drive and is a serviceable passer at this point. Burg is just not an SEC body/talent, and Abrams is too volatile. He's enough of an athlete to cover good guards, but he might just do something crazy one in three trips. Cade is a reliable dud, Felix can't seem to generate any offense without ZZ's lobs, and JP isn't getting the minutes. That leaves us with the blue collar bruiser duo of Brown and Carey as the best lay brick/putback plan. Carey is definitely a "less than" expected contributor, but will bang. Brown has a very high ceiling and is fearless, but misses some key assignments on D, and I think the 4/5 combos will grow into something better than it is as JP gets more minutes and we find a good rotation. Our guard play is just a sad situation. On ball D is bad. Watching one guy recover on the drive, while another guy misses the open three shot is just torture. Barnes doesn't see a way out with the older guys. Obviously there is a real SEC athlete in Evans and promise in Henderson too, but this isn't a learn on the go offense. I think the break is going to have to be dedicated to a tighter/younger lineup, and commitment to defense. I have to assume Ament will grow, and we will find a way to get him some space. I think treating him like DK iso magic is a mistake that won't fix itself. Hopefully JP will return to form, and the young guards will develop. Right now this is a middle SEC team on one side or the other of the bubble.

Agreed except for the bubble part. We already have the Houston win and should win enough in the SEC that even a 4th-6th place finish mixed with our recent history would get us a bid.

 

[gainesvol82]

We should have been willing to pay Rice what USC offered. Same with McKneeley. At the time, the excuse was that we had to stay within budget, but then we (boosters) paid Ament more than either got (maybe combined?). And why? He’ll be here 1 season, won’t be as productive as either in that season, then he’ll go to the NBA. We’re paying out the ass for a guy because he’s a future lottery pick, not because he’s going to be productive at UT…which is kinda the thing you’re supposed to be paying for.

If what we’re paying combined for Ament, Abram, and Burg is more than what it would have taken to get Rice and McKneeley…we effed up royally. And I think it is.

I almost feel like Ament is more of an investment in possible great publicity for UT being tied to Ament should he live up to his potential. Unless he shoots the lights out when not playing an actual game and just blows people's minds.

 

[Sudden Impact]

Izzo had teams of this nature in the past, I have faith that CRB can pull it together. A lack of Sr leadership is what's missing as well as a maturity level as to how to handle failure. Play should improve as the season progresses. Team, staff and CRB will figure it out. Make it right.

 

[b_gann]

I'll say this: if CRB can turn this bunch of talented misfits into a final four team, it will be a story for the ages.

I agree but only because I think they are a bunch of average misfits, not talented misfits

 

[orangemadam]

maybe not the golden standard for point guards, but I think we need to see how
Boswell can handle more minutes at pg to give Gillespie time at the 2. He seems to
show flashes of a great 3 pt shooter and someone who can drive to the rim when needed.

 

[johnfnkelly]

maybe not the golden standard for point guards, but I think we need to see how
Boswell can handle more minutes at pg to give Gillespie time at the 2. He seems to
show flashes of a great 3 pt shooter and someone who can drive to the rim when needed.

Boswell can hardly dribble the basketball without sh****** his pants. I’d be more comfortable with Estrella/ Carey running more looks at the top of the key.

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

1. Barnes doesn't yet know how to coach this team. Lineup experiments 10 games in are a sure sign of that. He's as frustrated as anyone, I'm sure. He loves the challenge, but is this the team that breaks him?

2. Jakobi Gillespie is our best player, but he's not a PG. That problem is two-fold. It hurts us because we can't play him at his more natural position, and because we don't have anyone else who can fill in for him. To that point, we have no one else who can handle the ball. Another year, another lack of ball-handlers. I just don't get it. We don't value the basketball, and apparently we don't value guys who value the basketball.

3. Valuing the basketball....have I mentioned it? This is the 2nd most turnover-prone team of the last 8 years, averaging 13.2 TO/gm.

4. FTs...we have shot 33-55 (60%) in the last 3 games (all losses). 22 misses in 3 games you lost by a total of 20 points.

5. Defense...this has to be one of the worst Barnes defenses in his Tennessee tenure. They don't defend the 3. They don't defend the drive. They don't defend the post. It's like Barnes hired Tim Banks to coach us defensively, this season. We give up so many drives to the bask

6. Rebounding...I won't be all negative. This team rebounds the ball really well, 2nd half of the Illinois (who is also a really good rebounding team) game notwithstanding.

7. Shooting...we are an awful shooting team. Just awful. We don't shoot it well from anywhere. We miss TONS of layups and shots at the rim. We don't shoot well from 3. Lots of guys who have proven they can hit from 3, but only one who can do it consistently. Shooting 34.5% as a team, but 29.3% (17-58) in these 3 losses.

8. Nate Ament is going to be a really, really good player at some point, but it likely won't ever be at Tennessee. He's been good for a freshman, and if you didn't know he was a top-3 5* kid, you'd probably think he is the kind of guy who will develop very nicely over the next couple years. But sadly, he will leave after this year regardless of the season he has, and we will have little to show for our $4 million investment. I have less problem with Ament shrinking in the moment, and more of a problem with Barnes uncharacteristically puffing him up in the offseason and spending that much of our NIL budget on one volatile asset when he could have had Rodney Rice and another nice portal player for the same money who would likely be more beneficial for this team. You pay that money for Boozer or Koa Peat...guys who are physically ready to contribute as a key piece from the jump. You don't pay it for a finesse kid who needs to gain 30 lbs. because you'll likely never see the return on investment.

9. Missing on Isaac McKneely was huge. We never recovered and tried to replace him with a handful of less-talented players. The roster construction at that 2 and 3 position outside of Ament concerned me all along and those concerns are coming home to roost.

10. JP Estrella has the worst luck. He looked like an all-conference player and then got hurt. He is what could have helped to cover up the nights that Gillespie or Ament were off, and maybe he gets back to it, but man...we need him in the worst way.

I am not as frustrated or negative (as I hear this post to be) ... nor am I surprised.
We are a little behind where I expected us to be. But I am attributing some of that to the injury situations that have occurred.
All of these 'issues' are related to a couple of things ... a bunch of players who have no familiarity with Barnes' system or each other.
I do think CRB is searching and experimenting.
Kansas and Illinois both exploited the same things on our defensive end of the floor: They rubbed defenders on screens till they got the matchups they were looking for ... and then they took advantage of the matchups they wanted effectively.
Right now the team is having a hard time defensively on knowing what is the right thing to do ... they are helping and leaving men wide open on the perimeter ... giving up a wide open 3, when the defender should have stayed home and given up 2 at worst on the drive to the basket.

Offensively
I know some of you are going to argue that the problem is on the offensive side of the ball. I disagree, mostly. I think that most of the issues will be mitigated over time as players learn to play better together.
I think having JP on the floor for longer stretches of time WOULD help immensely, BUT is his body up to that ... that is the big question!
Right now, the team is looking to JG and NA to score ... but the truth is our best 3 pt shooters (by %) are Boswell, Burg, Abram (I excluded the bigs based on volume can be misleading) ... regardless of why they are reluctant to shoot ... that has significantly increased the pressure on JG and NA who are forcing up shots that are not 'in rhythm.'
My solution is to change the mindset of our best % shooters and ask/demand that they put up more shots per game (that is also assuming that their % is NOT smoke and mirrors). That should relieve the pressure on JG and NA and allow them to play more naturally.

Missing the bunnies is usually from pressing and playing tight from feeling the pressure and trying to do too much.

That does not fix FT shooting ... which is nothing but disciplined, practiced repetition. For the most part that is all on ... FO and JC.

Defensively
Its a hard truth to learn, but good defense gives you a good mindset on the offensive end. It gives you confidence that everything is going as planned. You are MORE confident.
BUT it does not work in reverse. Scoring on the offensive end ... at its worst makes you relax on the defensive side of the ball.
We do not have a senior leader yet. We are still figuring out how to be a team on the defensive side of the ball. (Could also be applied to the offensive end as well.)
Hence, for this team to play better ... we first have to fix the issues on the defensive side of the ball.

Summary, we have lost 3 games (which could have gone either way according to me - even though we played and shot poorly) to 3 teams who will all be in the NCAA tourney.
I know, losing is still losing.
Here is the good news, we are not close to a 'jelled' product ... so, in the mean time, let's give the team a chance to grow together.
Oh yeah, it is not like Rick Barnes does not know how to coach up a team!
Go Vols!

 

[cncchris33]

I am not as frustrated or negative (as I hear this post to be) ... nor am I surprised.
We are a little behind where I expected us to be. But I am attributing some of that to the injury situations that have occurred.
All of these 'issues' are related to a couple of things ... a bunch of players who have no familiarity with Barnes' system or each other.
I do think CRB is searching and experimenting.
Kansas and Illinois both exploited the same things on our defensive end of the floor: They rubbed defenders on screens till they got the matchups they were looking for ... and then they took advantage of the matchups they wanted effectively.
Right now the team is having a hard time defensively on knowing what is the right thing to do ... they are helping and leaving men wide open on the perimeter ... giving up a wide open 3, when the defender should have stayed home and given up 2 at worst on the drive to the basket.

Offensively
I know some of you are going to argue that the problem is on the offensive side of the ball. I disagree, mostly. I think that most of the issues will be mitigated over time as players learn to play better together.
I think having JP on the floor for longer stretches of time WOULD help immensely, BUT is his body up to that ... that is the big question!
Right now, the team is looking to JG and NA to score ... but the truth is our best 3 pt shooters (by %) are Boswell, Burg, Abram (I excluded the bigs based on volume can be misleading) ... regardless of why they are reluctant to shoot ... that has significantly increased the pressure on JG and NA who are forcing up shots that are not 'in rhythm.'
My solution is to change the mindset of our best % shooters and ask/demand that they put up more shots per game (that is also assuming that their % is NOT smoke and mirrors). That should relieve the pressure on JG and NA and allow them to play more naturally.

Missing the bunnies is usually from pressing and playing tight from feeling the pressure and trying to do too much.

That does not fix FT shooting ... which is nothing but disciplined, practiced repetition. For the most part that is all on ... FO and JC.

Defensively
Its a hard truth to learn, but good defense gives you a good mindset on the offensive end. It gives you confidence that everything is going as planned. You are MORE confident.
BUT it does not work in reverse. Scoring on the offensive end ... at its worst makes you relax on the defensive side of the ball.
We do not have a senior leader yet. We are still figuring out how to be a team on the defensive side of the ball. (Could also be applied to the offensive end as well.)
Hence, for this team to play better ... we first have to fix the issues on the defensive side of the ball.

Summary, we have lost 3 games (which could have gone either way according to me - even though we played and shot poorly) to 3 teams who will all be in the NCAA tourney.
I know, losing is still losing.
Here is the good news, we are not close to a 'jelled' product ... so, in the mean time, let's give the team a chance to grow together.
Oh yeah, it is not like Rick Barnes does not know how to coach up a team!
Go Vols!

It isn't really negative. It's just the reality of things as I see it.

Defense is certainly an issue. The switching isn't as clean as it has been in years past, but I will note that Barnes's defenses have been susceptible to open perimeter looks for years.

Offense is an issue, though. The personnel (or lack of) in the backcourt is just not strong. It is what it is.

I think we can recover, never really said otherwise. But Ament has to grow up fast in order for that to happen. We basically are resigned to him being our second perimeter threat, either shooting or driving to the basket. If he wilts, we don't have a ton of additional bullets to fire that you can rely on. Abrams, Burg, Boswell may catch fire in a single game, but none of them have shown an ability and/or willingness to consistently be a threat. Gillespie can't do it all, but in those losses, we've practically asked him to do it all.

Yes, we've lost to three good teams and Rick Barnes hasn't forgotten how to coach. And yes, we could have won them all. No disagreement from me.