Starting 5

[Adam Sandler]

What would you like to see? I’ll go:

Aidoo
Knecht
JJJ
Vescovi
Gainey (until ZZ is fully healthy, then ZZ)

I don’t like small ball lineups but just don’t think awaka/estrella/phillips are “complete” enough players to get more minute than the others at this point. If you put awaka in, think you need to take vescovi out bc you want a true pg in the lineup in ZZ/gainey. That would be our largest lineup, which I like, but awaka just doesn’t really have it on offense and we need all the ability we can mine on that side of the ball.

Waiting for @bleedingTNorange to share thoughts

 

[hUTch2002]

What would you like to see? I’ll go:

Aidoo
Knecht
JJJ
Vescovi
Gainey (until ZZ is fully healthy, then ZZ)

I don’t like small ball lineups but just don’t think awaka/estrella/phillips are “complete” enough players to get more minute than the others at this point. If you put awaka in, think you need to take vescovi out bc you want a true pg in the lineup in ZZ/gainey. That would be our largest lineup, which I like, but awaka just doesn’t really have it on offense and we need all the ability we can mine on that side of the ball.

Waiting for @bleedingTNorange to share thoughts

I still may consider Mashack over V. Santi had a great game yesterday but Mashack with those other guys maximizes our ability to drive and finish. We need more of that rather than jumpers right now. If we’re shooting more than 20 3s then it likely means we aren’t taking good shots, meaning we’re not working the ball inside-out.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

Before SEC starts, we need to give Aidoo, Awaka, Estrella, and Phillips playing time.

 

[savannahfan]

Starting five?? Too early to tell. This bunch is not a team yet. You lose to good teams like the last two we faced when you are searching for the best combos to have on the floor at any given time. Starting five? This just a way of creating competition among the players. The starting five is just that the starting five. Usually very early in the game this setup changes.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I really don’t understand why you hate Mashack so much. Gainey also got 25 minutes in both the Purdue and Kansas games compared to 16 and 17 for Mashack so whether Gainey starts or not doesn’t matter. Mashack was one of our more efficient players in both games (maybe not as much against Kansas, but he did a lot that wasn’t just scoring) and Gainey was 8-30.

 

[njvols]

Need who ever is in 1-3 spots to drive to the basket more. When we are at our best we are an inside-out team…get ball to post and take to rim or kick out. Hate living and dying by the 3 ball. We don’t have those guys.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Sit arguably your best defender? Brilliant.

How often has UT dug itself a 20 point first half hole? It might not be pretty, but UT can compete with anybody.

 

[Adam Sandler]

I really don’t understand why you hate Mashack so much. Gainey also got 25 minutes in both the Purdue and Kansas games compared to 16 and 17 for Mashack so whether Gainey starts or not doesn’t matter. Mashack was one of our more efficient players in both games (maybe not as much against Kansas, but he did a lot that wasn’t just scoring) and Gainey was 8-30.

Me? I don’t hate mashack. Love him on defense. Just don’t see him being a huge threat to score, which is what we typically lack.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Me? I don’t hate mashack. Love him on defense. Just don’t see him being a huge threat to score, which is what we typically lack.

Well, so far this season, Mashack is shooting 42.3% from the field compared to Gainey’s 36.5%. Maybe Jahmai should be shooting more and be more aggressive and Gainey less so. I like Gainey a lot, but clearly he has some things to work on just like Mashack does. I don’t think removing your best defender from the starting lineup would help.

Also, just to re-iterate, Gainey played almost 9 MPG more than Mashack did in Maui, so not sure why it matters if he starts or not.

 

[walkenvol]

I still may consider Mashack over V. Santi had a great game yesterday but Mashack with those other guys maximizes our ability to drive and finish. We need more of that rather than jumpers right now. If we’re shooting more than 20 3s then it likely means we aren’t taking good shots, meaning we’re not working the ball inside-out.

Let’s bench our 2 time all SEC player who scored a game high 23 yesterday for a defensive specialist that scored zero points yesterday? Makes sense.

 

[orangemadam]

My lineup would be

Mashack
Vescovi
Knecht
JJJ
Aidoo

Limit ZZ for next 2-3 games until he gets back into form.
Gainey first off bench and get Awaka more minutes.
Philips first off bench at the 4.

 

[twigsxx2]

Vescovi
Knecht
Mashack
Awaka
Aidoo
JJJ is the Joe Milton of this team. No fire...no leadership...No dog.

 

[D3Athlete]

Vescovi
Knecht
Mashack
Awaka
Aidoo
JJJ is the Joe Milton of this team. No fire...no leadership...No dog.

Awaka and Aidoo will rarely if ever play on the court the same time.

 

[D3Athlete]

When ZZ has his sea legs back and the feel/speed of the game is fully back.
The 5
ZZ
SV
DK
JJJ
Aidoo
Gainey/mashack/Awaka
The starter 5 now while ZZ still coming along is fine. Mashack defense has been Elite and he needs to be more aggressive on offense. His ability to drive to the rim needs to be used more.

 

[hUTch2002]

Let’s bench our 2 time all SEC player who scored a game high 23 yesterday for a defensive specialist that scored zero points yesterday? Makes sense.

And the other 5 games this season weren’t like the 1 game yesterday. Can you not stand different opinions or are you just always angry?

 

[walkenvol]

And the other 5 games this season weren’t like the 1 game yesterday. Can you not stand different opinions or are you just always angry?

I’m never angry - it’s a message board to discuss the basketball program with other interested fans.

Did SV get off to a slow shooting start to the season - yes. But why limit the sample size to just the 4 prior games? Look back at a 4 year sample size and your position lacks merit. Believe whatever you want and do so with the assurance that I’m not angry about it. Don’t post your opinions to a message board if you don’t want folks debating them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[Volfan2012]

James and Ziegler went 4 for 27 in the two losses. They both are good on defense, but need to quit shooting so much if they can't do better than 14 percent.

 

[Plateauvol]

Actually I feel that James should shoot more if, and that's a big if, he would drive the ball all the way to the basket instead of pulling up 5 feet short of the basket and kicking the ball out instead of finishing. He would no doubt draw quote a few fouls and feast at the free throw line, but. . . .

 

[Plateauvol]

Actually I feel that James should shoot more if, and that's a big if, he would drive the ball all the way to the basket instead of pulling up 5 feet short of the basket and kicking the ball out instead of finishing. He would no doubt draw quote a few fouls and feast at the free throw line, but. . . .

 

[hUTch2002]

I’m never angry - it’s a message board to discuss the basketball program with other interested fans.

Did SV get off to a slow shooting start to the season - yes. But why limit the sample size to just the 4 prior games? Look back at a 4 year sample size and your position lacks merit. Believe whatever you want and do so with the assurance that I’m not angry about it. Don’t post your opinions to a message board if you don’t want folks debating them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s funny you say the last part about folks debating. You didn’t debate. You just made a snarky comment so I assumed you were mad about something. Who gets to the rim better? Mashack or Vescovi? You glossed right over the point of we need to attack the rim more. Vescovi doesn’t do that as well as Mashack. That’s why I’d start Mashack right now over Vescovi. I never said Mashack has had the better career or even is the better player. He’s a better fit for what we need to do right now in my opinion. What Vescovi did last year means nothing to this year as this team is completely different. People who want to discuss and debate actually make points, counterpoints and discuss. That’s not how you started so why would I assume you actually want to debate?

Edit: Forgot the Happy Thanksgiving in return.

 

[KnoxCentral92]

Tobe is a few yrs away from being solid.. he fumbles everytime he gets the ball. He has regressed.. give the big white boy his minutes.. how many simple shots has he missed or had blocked. Plays in slow motion.