Are we in a different…

[BernardKingGOAT]

The defense would not be as solid without James and Vescovi.

Vescovi will eventually get his points and moments over the course of this season and he is deferring to Knecht right now who is a Houston/King/Grunfeld type of scorer that we have not had at Tennessee during the Barnes tenure.

When we forget about him, he'll come up big. He seems to understand how to adjust. It doesn't happen overnight as these "fire Barnes" clowns think. We'll finish 1 or 2 in SEC reg season. Anywhere from a 1 to a 3 seed going into the crapshoot

 

[livefaith]

Offense?
Like this is a legitimate question.
It just doesn’t feel like what we had last year.
I’m wondering if it’s because Santi and JJJ who came back are kinda being outplayed by the transfers. Sounds silly, but if you decide to come back to “help the team” but you are being outplayed by transfers, your mindset is gonna be “f’d up”.
I’m wondering what we would be like with no Santi and no JJJ?

JJ was phenomenal last night. He and DK were the main reason we had a shot at the end. James is going to have a huge year not just scoring, but because he is fully healthy and does everything out there on the court to help us win.

 

[livefaith]

If a team doesn’t have an elite big man and elite point guard, I wouldn’t pick them for the Final Four.

Well, our big man and his backup a pretty dad gone elite. Not all American level like the last three bigs that we just played. But I don't know anybody in the SEC that I would trade as a pair for those two. Plus, by the time the tournament rolls around our too freshmen should be making a better impact and be trusted more as well. So, while we're a little thin in the post at the moment, I think our quality can be better later in the season because two out of our four bigs are true freshman.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

Well, our big man and his backup a pretty dad gone elite. Not all American level like the last three bigs that we just played. But I don't know anybody in the SEC that I would trade as a pair for those two. Plus, by the time the tournament rolls around our too freshmen should be making a better impact and be trusted more as well. So, while we're a little thin in the post at the moment, I think our quality can be better later in the season because two out of our four bigs are true freshman.

I would love to see Estella and Phillips get more minutes. Could be huge come tournament time.

 

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

Offense?
Like this is a legitimate question.
It just doesn’t feel like what we had last year.
I’m wondering if it’s because Santi and JJJ who came back are kinda being outplayed by the transfers. Sounds silly, but if you decide to come back to “help the team” but you are being outplayed by transfers, your mindset is gonna be “f’d up”.
I’m wondering what we would be like with no Santi and no JJJ?

I think what we're seeing is the growing pains of the changing of the guard this year.

JJJ has been year for what seems like forever. Vescovi and ZZ are also the guys that built their game around the program being played in a style that's quite different.

Knecht and Gainey are those guys that you need to be the guy that command the ball when the game is on the line.

Vescovi, JJJ, and ZZ are good players, but they were comfortable being the big fish in the small pond. I think JJJ is the most likely to adapt.

Vescovi seems like the type of player to want it his way or no way. And that sucks, but I think part of the reason he didn't play at all against UNC was because of a temper tantrum of him not getting the minutes he thought he deserved.

I think if Vescovi makes the choice to live within the confines of the changed team---and if Knecht comes back from his injury--I think Vescovi can thrive in this type of situation.

Vescovi needs to realize that Knecht is going to be the guy that actually elevates Vescovi's game. Vescovi doesn't have the elite speed to create his own shots. When he does get the shots--he needs to hit them. Vescovi needs to start shooting like an NBA 3 point shooter. If he ever has a shot at the next level, that's what he will need to be anyway. Let Knecht command double teams. Work on creating openings with Knecht off screen. And then hit the big 3.

If Knecht, Vescovi, and James can develop a 3 man game where they really know how to play together---this team could be incredible.

 

[Dougie_D]

I think what we're seeing is the growing pains of the changing of the guard this year.

JJJ has been year for what seems like forever. Vescovi and ZZ are also the guys that built their game around the program being played in a style that's quite different.

Knecht and Gainey are those guys that you need to be the guy that command the ball when the game is on the line.

Vescovi, JJJ, and ZZ are good players, but they were comfortable being the big fish in the small pond. I think JJJ is the most likely to adapt.

Vescovi seems like the type of player to want it his way or no way. And that sucks, but I think part of the reason he didn't play at all against UNC was because of a temper tantrum of him not getting the minutes he thought he deserved.

I think if Vescovi makes the choice to live within the confines of the changed team---and if Knecht comes back from his injury--I think Vescovi can thrive in this type of situation.

Vescovi needs to realize that Knecht is going to be the guy that actually elevates Vescovi's game. Vescovi doesn't have the elite speed to create his own shots. When he does get the shots--he needs to hit them. Vescovi needs to start shooting like an NBA 3 point shooter. If he ever has a shot at the next level, that's what he will need to be anyway. Let Knecht command double teams. Work on creating openings with Knecht off screen. And then hit the big 3.

If Knecht, Vescovi, and James can develop a 3 man game where they really know how to play together---this team could be incredible.

Yeah I agree with Vescovi. Also, it’s possible that ZZ becomes odd man out when Knecht/Aidoo start utilizing the pick and roll often. The double team man is probably coming off ZZ’s man.
I guess my main post was to see if our chemistry/identity without JJJ and Vescovi would be more beneficial to Knecht and Gaineys style.

 

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

Yeah I agree with Vescovi. Also, it’s possible that ZZ becomes odd man out when Knecht/Aidoo start utilizing the pick and roll often. The double team man is probably coming off ZZ’s man.
I guess my main post was to see if our chemistry/identity without JJJ and Vescovi would be more beneficial to Knecht and Gaineys style.

JJJ has all the tools to be the guy that can thrive in a 3 man scheme with Knecht and Vescovi. Might be wishful thinking, but if they can get it together, they’d be elite.

I just feel like Ziegler makes way too many mental mistakes to be a dependable guard. His shot is a liability. He’s got to get back up to the speed of the game.

 

[turbovol]

Well, our big man and his backup a pretty dad gone elite. Not all American level like the last three bigs that we just played. But I don't know anybody in the SEC that I would trade as a pair for those two. Plus, by the time the tournament rolls around our too freshmen should be making a better impact and be trusted more as well. So, while we're a little thin in the post at the moment, I think our quality can be better later in the season because two out of our four bigs are true freshman.

What? Aidoo has progressed and is improving, has some skills, but he's not elite. He doesn't have the body to be elite, for one thing--he gets out-muscled inside by bigger centers. And Awaka? Good grief, he's a long way from elite.

 

[livefaith]

What? Aidoo has progressed and is improving, has some skills, but he's not elite. He doesn't have the body to be elite, for one thing--he gets out-muscled inside by bigger centers. And Awaka? Good grief, he's a long way from elite.

I'd say above average.

 

[ColinS]

What? Aidoo has progressed and is improving, has some skills, but he's not elite. He doesn't have the body to be elite, for one thing--he gets out-muscled inside by bigger centers. And Awaka? Good grief, he's a long way from elite.

They are a decent combo but calling them elite is a little strong. Might even say it's orange tinted delusion. They both do some things well but both have obvious weaknesses in their game.

 

[MinisterofDef#92]

What? Aidoo has progressed and is improving, has some skills, but he's not elite. He doesn't have the body to be elite, for one thing--he gets out-muscled inside by bigger centers. And Awaka? Good grief, he's a long way from elite.

Too many posters didn't appreciate Uros enough. On the offensive end, we are sorely missing his tough-nosed play which gave us some easy put backs and strong post up moves going at the rim.

 

[ColinS]

Too many posters didn't appreciate Uros enough. On the offensive end, we are sorely missing his tough-nosed play which gave us some easy put backs and strong post up moves going at the rim.

We miss him as a size guy more than I expected. He honestly was average at best but we could put his body on the bigger centers and get minutes. Right now we have length but no physicality with Aidoo and physicality with no length with Awaka.

 

[MinisterofDef#92]

We miss him as a size guy more than I expected. He honestly was average at best but we could put his body on the bigger centers and get minutes. Right now we have length but no physicality with Aidoo and physicality with no length with Awaka.

There was a reason CRB started and played him so many minutes. Aidoo's lack of physicality was my primary concern coming into the season knowing Awaka would struggle at times playing against length...had hopes Aidoo would play much tougher underneath but he was continuously buried under the rim in the Maui tourney against Purdue and Kansas.

 

[hUTch2002]

UNC made the title game a couple years ago even though we beat them. If I remember correctly.

Uconn had some tough losses last year as well.

Exactly. I don’t want to be playing like a Final 4 team now. I want to be playing like one in March. I still feel good about making the Elite 8. Final 4? Not sure, depends on the matchup.