PG Dynamic Going Forward

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Did Edwards get in the game last night?

No. But it might have been to get him REALLY focused on getting better in practice instead of assuming that he’d immediately be granted more minutes.

 

[CINCYVOL]

JJJ point forward

 

[sechamp2012]

Mashack has made big improvements in ball handling, so he helped some last night. Having said that, I would press the hell out of this team going forward and I don't understand why arkansas didn't adjust their gameplan

Fouling too much as it was I think if Arkansas pressed they would have more foul out. I get what you’re saying but maybe with a different set of refs. Unfortunately who refs usually hurts our game the most. Just hoping for favorable brackets & the kind of refs that make calls conducive to our playing style. That will be a big factor moving forward.

 

[tombowalker]

I say it now, calmly, but I'm not going to press the alarm if we struggle on Saturday at PG (I reserve the right to go off the deep end), simply because it will be in a very tough environment and will be the first game without ZZ as starter & our opponent has an opportunity to scheme us.

What will concern me on Saturday, besides not being able to break the press, will be if they pick us up at half court and we just absolutely can't get the ball in the paint or get into our motion on offense - that might be more indicative of our lack of skill at PG.

haha. This isn't new.

Haven't you already called the season over a half dozen times this year?

I could be mistaken, but didn't you predict 0-7 to end the reg season?

 

[Vfl2407]

ZZ at 5'9" and is replaced with 6'4" Mashack when Santi slides to PG..... On defense, we are definitely in a "different" type of defense.

The length with Santi at PG and Mashack on the floor will make our defense tougher to face.

So if I understand what most are saying, what we give up in ZZ ball handling, assists, and leadership is somewhat made up for in height and defensive ability.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Man, if Mashack had a legit finish in the style of Julian Phillips, he'd be the most dangerous man on the court. IMO, he gets to the lane and can get to the basket quicker than anyone we have on the roster.

He needs to work all offseason on finishing at the rim and hitting jump shots. If he adds those elements to his game, he'll be an absolute star.

 

[JMSqb11]

So if I understand what most are saying, what we give up in ZZ ball handling, assists, and leadership is somewhat made up for in height and defensive ability.

We are not "giving up" ZZ's production.... This team is as deep as any team Barnes has had at Tennessee... If you think this team will have a leadership void without ZZ on the court, I don't know what to tell you... This team is a experienced and mature as we've had and JJJ is back on the court. I have zero doubt that others will step up and play for ZZ in his absence. This isn't some slight at ZZ.

For weeks we have not been a full health team, usually having 2 guys out..... Just as JJJ/Phillips shots per game have rotated to others who are playing, ZZ and (and now) Key's shots are going to rotate to JJJ/Phillips/Mashack/Key(when he returns) as Santi becomes PG.

We lost ZZ while JJJ/Phillips came back in the rotation... Key will be coming back soon too.... If you thing we are in a situation where we don't have the man power to replace 11 points and 5 assists a game between 3-4 guys, I don't think you've watched this team.

Our offense will definitely be more methodical and slower with us losing ZZ's elusiveness. But am I worried about not being able to replace his production on offense? Of course not. In regards to defense, our defense changes to a bigger and longer defense that is likely going to be just as good as we've been or potentially better... I trust the experience and depth of this team. It sucks losing ZZ, but next man up... We are now a different type of defense without him on the court... That isn't some swipe on him either... Replacing someone that is 5'9" with a 6'4" guy on the court means our defense is bigger which should equate to more disruption and rebounding... Is that saying ZZ doesn't make our defense tougher? No. The team will just be different without ZZ on the court.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Barn REALLY needs a win. Especially if Bama runs them tonight. If Bama, KY, and LSU (an unlikely outcome versus Missouri) all win tonight then Saturday’s game for TN will be a nothing to lose game. It becomes mostly an opportunity to work on some things minus ZZ.

We need to beat Auburn for the NCAA seed not just the SEC seed.

 

[WaywardVol]

Musselman's Opening Statement after last night's game:

"They're so long, so physicality ... on both sides of the ball. The screen-setting. And then when Zeigler got hurt, they became bigger, taller, more physical probably. They completely out-physicaled us, there's no doubt about it. The loose ball game. The rebounding game. The screen-setting was much more forceful than ours. Yeah, I would say it's the best defensive team that we've played."

We're all devastated for ZZ - kid is all heart and a straight dog - but I wonder what our new dynamic will be going forward? Vescovi at PG? Key (if healthy)? PG by committee? Is there any upside to what Musselman alluded to in his statement (Bold font)?

My concern is that we didn't handle a true full-court press well with ZZ, now it may be an even bigger issue - I don't feel confident with anyone else being able to break the press with their dribble.

James should become PG like Danny Manning did.

 

[jaguinn5]

Big time reach - stay with me - but maybe this becomes the rally point we look back at and say "that's when we became a different team and won the natty." A rally similar to 1998 when Peyton just graduated and Jamal tore his ACL; of course, didn't hurt that Travis Stephens and Travis Henry were his backups, but you get the picture!

As you pointed out, that team still had some all time greats waiting in the wings, and ZZ is not the "Jamal Lewis" of this basketball team. Can't really compare that football team to this basketball team.

As much as ZZ contributed, he also had some clear deficiencies that coaches could take advantage of. Key probably won't do very much at this point, but Mashack has potential. Maybe Edward's will get some time. Nobody will be perfect, but nobody on this team is.

We probably aren't going to be better without ZZ, but I doubt we will look any worse without him.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

We need to beat Auburn for the NCAA seed not just the SEC seed.

Obviously it wouldn’t hurt that placement. But losing at Barn probably won’t knock TN down much, if any, in the NCAAT seeding. Still going to need others to lose to climb upward. I’m thinking that a 3 is pretty secure and there’s a small shot at a 2.

 

[The Dog]

I'm going tell you all the best way to beat Auburn's press. They going to trap the guy that receives the inbounds, immediately. But, they are going leave the guy that inbounds the ball to do that, get it right back to him. So you don't need Aidoo, ON or Plavsic throwing the inbounds pass, you need the guy that you think can make the right decision for the next pass or can fly up the floor. Maybe, Mashack, but possibly JJJ or maybe even Phillips, if Mashack can't handle it, well enough. Santi scares me, doesn't seem to handle the press, well. You gotta think Barnes is already working on it

 

[Vfl2407]

We are not "giving up" ZZ's production.... This team is as deep as any team Barnes has had at Tennessee... If you think this team will have a leadership void without ZZ on the court, I don't know what to tell you... This team is a experienced and mature as we've had and JJJ is back on the court. I have zero doubt that others will step up and play for ZZ in his absence. This isn't some slight at ZZ.

For weeks we have not been a full health team, usually having 2 guys out..... Just as JJJ/Phillips shots per game have rotated to others who are playing, ZZ and (and now) Key's shots are going to rotate to JJJ/Phillips/Mashack/Key(when he returns) as Santi becomes PG.

We lost ZZ while JJJ/Phillips came back in the rotation... Key will be coming back soon too.... If you thing we are in a situation where we don't have the man power to replace 11 points and 5 assists a game between 3-4 guys, I don't think you've watched this team.

Our offense will definitely be more methodical and slower with us losing ZZ's elusiveness. But am I worried about not being able to replace his production on offense? Of course not. In regards to defense, our defense changes to a bigger and longer defense that is likely going to be just as good as we've been or potentially better... I trust the experience and depth of this team. It sucks losing ZZ, but next man up... We are now a different type of defense without him on the court... That isn't some swipe on him either... Replacing someone that is 5'9" with a 6'4" guy on the court means our defense is bigger which should equate to more disruption and rebounding... Is that saying ZZ doesn't make our defense tougher? No. The team will just be different without ZZ on the court.

Thanks for the well documented response. I hope you’re right and we make a deep tourney run.

 

[JoeMiltonsAgent]

Vescovi has the experience but I would rather have him roaming the perimeter as he is by far the best 3 point threat on the team.

Not sure they really have another good option at PG though.

 

[Cartervol]

Auburn loves to press, we're going to find out real quick what life without a speedy little point guard is like. They need Key back now.. He may be hot and cold as a shooter but he's pretty good at getting the ball up the court.

 

[rdk4121]

Vescovi has the experience but I would rather have him roaming the perimeter as he is by far the best 3 point threat on the team.

Not sure they really have another good option at PG though.

I think Jahmai is now probably our second best option. He actually had 5 assists yesterday, which was tied for the team lead. He's got one skill which no one else on our team possesses, and that's the ability to break down his man off the dribble, which causes rotations to happen. Santi can do that off a pump fake, but not straight up. ZZ could a little bit for sure, but was better using a ball screen giving how slippery he was.

Tyreke and Jo can run the offense, but are not really point guards by any stretch.

 

[beachvol23]

Mashack has made big improvements in ball handling, so he helped some last night. Having said that, I would press the hell out of this team going forward and I don't understand why arkansas didn't adjust their gameplan

There aren’t many pressing teams as in decades past. Sone do it in spots like we do, but to do it all the time is different. I think we will be fine!

 

[TNVOLFN]

haha. This isn't new.

Haven't you already called the season over a half dozen times this year?

I could be mistaken, but didn't you predict 0-7 to end the reg season?

Dang it, is this my wife’s burner account? Bringing up some old sh*t? I’ll own it, I said immediately after Vandy it was a possibility this team would lose out, save S. Carolina... To be fair, our remaining games were mostly against all Q1 teams when I said it.

 

[Volfan1000]

Auburn loves to press, we're going to find out real quick what life without a speedy little point guard is like. They need Key back now.. He may be hot and cold as a shooter but he's pretty good at getting the ball up the court.

James and Key can spell Vescovi if he needs a rest with Edwards as a possible fourth option at point guard.

 

[tombowalker]

Dang it, is this my wife’s burner account? Bringing up some old sh*t? I’ll own it, I said immediately after Vandy it was a possibility this team would lose out, save S. Carolina... To be fair, our remaining games were mostly against all Q1 teams when I said it.

No need to explain.

You warned that you would overreact if things don't go well at Auburn.

I simply observed it's not the first time you've overreacted after a loss.

That's how you roll I guess.

 

[hUTch2002]

The one good thing we have going is size at PG with Santi now. He isn't as quick as Mashack so a 6'4" Mashack guarding Wendell Green Jr could be interesting matchup.

At end of the day, this team is mature and deep. They just have to go out and play. Losing ZZ will test their experience and maturity. Also big test for Barnes to make adjustments now that ZZ has forced him to go bigger / longer lineup.

My biggest concern will be late game FTs. ZZ was our best late game shooter. Now, I’d look for I guess James first if he’s playing. If he’s not I’d probably go for Key over Santi but they’re about the same percentage-wise.

 

[JMSqb11]

My biggest concern will be late game FTs. ZZ was our best late game shooter. Now, I’d look for I guess James first if he’s playing. If he’s not I’d probably go for Key over Santi but they’re about the same percentage-wise.

Well if our new longer defense causes more disruption, we shouldn’t have to worry about being in a free throw shooting contest.

 

[hUTch2002]

Well if our new longer defense causes more disruption, we shouldn’t have to worry about being in a free throw shooting contest.

And that’s exactly the mindset I hope we have. We do still have to score too but surely getting JJJ and JP back will help there. In the tourney you will definitely have a close game or two if you’re advancing. Teams will use high pressure and hope for FT misses if within about 12 around 1:00. It’s rare but I’ve seen double digits comebacks in the last minute. A&M did it in the dance a few years ago. If we have that problem it’ll be a good one to have as that means we’ve done well to get to that point but I know I’ll be nervous about it if we get there. I agree with you, Auburn will be interesting as we know Pearl will press and trap us a lot.

 

[ColinS]

Dang it, is this my wife’s burner account? Bringing up some old sh*t? I’ll own it, I said immediately after Vandy it was a possibility this team would lose out, save S. Carolina... To be fair, our remaining games were mostly against all Q1 teams when I said it.

It's called message board venting. It's no big deal to most but for some reason a few need their safe space after they read it.

 

[cardvolfan]

ZZ at 5'9" and is replaced with 6'4" Mashack when Santi slides to PG..... On defense, we are definitely in a "different" type of defense.

The length with Santi at PG and Mashack on the floor will make our defense tougher to face.

I’m not sure, but maybe. ZZ did a great job staying between his man and the basket. We will see if Mashack can as well.