Players are counting too much on DK

[Dougie_D]

On DK. It feels like when other players are in a shooting slump they rather let DK do his thing. Or even when he’s not shooting that well, they just want DK to drive.

 

[VolBricks]

Everyone has a bad shooting day, you just hope everyone does not have a bad night at the same time. The USC game was just that, we went 8-20 on layups (shots within 3 feet of the basket) and 12-20 on free throws and still nearly won the game. Everyone had a bad night. I does seem like several players have not scored in multiple games (JJJ, Mashack, Gainey). I do realize that Gainey finally seems to be getting out of his slump but we need more from him.

I am not dogging on anyone just seems like everyone is counting on DK to make the baskets that count.

 

[calban]

On DK. It feels like when other players are in a shooting slump they rather let DK do his thing. Or even when he’s not shooting that well, they just want DK to drive.

Barnes agreed in his post game.

 

[firedog28]

Too much HOOPLA about Knecht,everywhere you look he is talked about.This is not a good situation for team concepts.I would prefer in a perfect world every player get 15 points a game and feel like they matter again! We are doomed to lose more games until the team concept rules again !

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Too much HOOPLA about Knecht,everywhere you look he is talked about.This is not a good situation for team concepts.I would prefer in a perfect world every player get 15 points a game and feel like they matter again! We are doomed to lose more games until the team concept rules again !

I think that team concepts are okay since he’s looking for open teammates. They aren’t doing their part by missing shots or fumbling away opportunities. Knecht draws defenses which should make it easier for his teammates to score if they got any dog in them.

 

[IveGotBigVols]

The OP is correct. It’s all fine and dandy when Dalton is scoring over 30 points and we win with the help of other players scoring. When the supporting cast can’t score, it’s like watching a game in the Wade Houston era where Alan Houston was basically the only player we had that could score game in and game out. How many games were we winning then?

Bottom line we need more constant scorers every game. JJJ is an absolute waste of minutes. I know that hurts his family members feelings that post on here in support of him no matter how useless he is on offense. Great kid. Horrible threat on offense. Should have came back for his 8th year as a GA. May have been more useful there.

 

[walkenvol]

Too much HOOPLA about Knecht,everywhere you look he is talked about.This is not a good situation for team concepts.I would prefer in a perfect world every player get 15 points a game and feel like they matter again! We are doomed to lose more games until the team concept rules again !

Barnes decides how the offense runs and is trying to win games. We start every game playing team motion type of offense, trying to work inside out. If everyone else is struggling to score, Barnes has been going to the isolation off of a high pick with DK because it’s producing results lately. Pretty clear it’s not Barn’s preference, but when your 6’-11” post uncharacteristically keeps missing bunnies what’s the better option? ZZZ & JJJ have been struggling shooting last few games so he’s goes with what’s producing. Seems pretty logical to me. It’s nothing like how KD Johnson randomly is jacking shot after shot and shooting a good team out of a game.

 

[tn4elvis]

Barnes decides how the offense runs and is trying to win games. We start every game playing team motion type of offense, trying to work inside out. If everyone else is struggling to score, Barnes has been going to the isolation off of a high pick with DK because it’s producing results lately. Pretty clear it’s not Barn’s preference, but when your 6’-11” post uncharacteristically keeps missing bunnies what’s the better option? ZZZ & JJJ have been struggling shooting last few games so he’s goes with what’s producing. Seems pretty logical to me. It’s nothing like how KD Johnson randomly is jacking shot after shot and shooting a good team out of a game.

 

[Volfan1000]

I think that team concepts are okay since he’s looking for open teammates. They aren’t doing their part by missing shots or fumbling away opportunities. Knecht draws defenses which should make it easier for his teammates to score if they got any dog in them.

Knecht is rebounding at a high level and he is trying to collect as many dimes as he can but he can't make his teammates's shot attempts.

 

[wmcovol]

I think you can also say the coaches are depending on DK too much also. Everyone liked it when DK went 1 on 5 vs UNC, Ga, Fla, Vandy but it wasnt too effective until too late vs SC.

I dont care how much of a team player you are, nobody wants to play in that environment. Barnes and staff HAVE to get the offense including more players and they have to make easy shots

 

[hUTch2002]

The OP is correct. It’s all fine and dandy when Dalton is scoring over 30 points and we win with the help of other players scoring. When the supporting cast can’t score, it’s like watching a game in the Wade Houston era where Alan Houston was basically the only player we had that could score game in and game out. How many games were we winning then?

Bottom line we need more constant scorers every game. JJJ is an absolute waste of minutes. I know that hurts his family members feelings that post on here in support of him no matter how useless he is on offense. Great kid. Horrible threat on offense. Should have came back for his 8th year as a GA. May have been more useful there.

Sorry, this team is nothing like a Wade Houston team. Night and day.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I think you can also say the coaches are depending on DK too much also. Everyone liked it when DK went 1 on 5 vs UNC, Ga, Fla, Vandy but it wasnt too effective until too late vs SC.

I dont care how much of a team player you are, nobody wants to play in that environment. Barnes and staff HAVE to get the offense including more players and they have to make easy shots

I think it’s on the teammates to produce. DK doesn’t seem like a ball hog. Especially considering the amount of scoring he’s doing. The give him the ball and get out of the way approach is more of a last ditch attempt late in some games to attempt to salvage a win. Early in games teammates have been getting the ball and good looks but just aren’t executing. Looking at the box score it seems like James Harden ball. But it hasn’t been that at all.

 

[Namorto1]

Watching Knecht play is just must-see TV at this point. Just think he has scored 24+ pts, 8x in only 20 games. And some of those games post UNC he was clearly nursing a sore ankle. And many of his points are highlight buckets finishing with his left hand at the rim or draining a 3 pt shot off movement. Really impressive to watch and he is lethal in the open court, even moreso than he is in the halfcourt. To put this in perspective, Grant Williams who has clearly been Barnes best player at UT scored 24+ pts, 10x but that was over 104 games.

DK generally takes good shots and pushes the envelope when Barnes tells him too and he has already corrected the turnover issue he had for a handful of games when he would try and split two defenders in the lane. It is up to the other players to complement him, and not just defer to him completely. Knecht plays well with Aidoo, but Aidoo was extremely ineffective Tuesday. I think he would work well with Awaka too in pick and roll. Vescovi is coming around but even he passes up looks too often. JJJ has zero confidence. ZZ is streaky from outside. Gainey is streaky from everywhere. Mashack doesn't even look for his shot anymore. JP only needs to make layups and dunks. I think it is mental with the other guys at this point, because they know themselves that no matter what they do, Dalton is almost always a better option on offense, but they have to convince themselves that they can be "that guy" on occasion. If in the flow of the offense, take the shot. If you get a good look because DK is drawing so much attention, take the shot. Be ready to shoot or drive quickly.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Everyone has a bad shooting day, you just hope everyone does not have a bad night at the same time. The USC game was just that, we went 8-20 on layups (shots within 3 feet of the basket) and 12-20 on free throws and still nearly won the game. Everyone had a bad night. I does seem like several players have not scored in multiple games (JJJ, Mashack, Gainey). I do realize that Gainey finally seems to be getting out of his slump but we need more from him.

I am not dogging on anyone just seems like everyone is counting on DK to make the baskets that count.

I think, given the comments from Santi and JJJ, that players are yielding to his remarkable offensive prowess. If there is a real pinch on Knecht, the others have shown what they can do offensively. Maybe not as much this year, BUT we lost ZZ late last year before the tournament. Getting to the sweet 16 without him was an accomplishment. Santi gave it to Duke. He will be our X factor in the postseason

 

[CAVPUT]

I think, given the comments from Santi and JJJ, that players are yielding to his remarkable offensive prowess. If there is a real pinch on Knecht, the others have shown what they can do offensively. Maybe not as much this year, BUT we lost ZZ late last year before the tournament. Getting to the sweet 16 without him was an accomplishment. Santi gave it to Duke. He will be our X factor in the postseason

Knecht gets his without being selfish. He's just aggressive. Not sure why Vescovi and JJJ are so timid on offense. ZZ doesn't have a problem getting his. I just think it's their make up.

 

[hUTch2002]

I think, given the comments from Santi and JJJ, that players are yielding to his remarkable offensive prowess. If there is a real pinch on Knecht, the others have shown what they can do offensively. Maybe not as much this year, BUT we lost ZZ late last year before the tournament. Getting to the sweet 16 without him was an accomplishment. Santi gave it to Duke. He will be our X factor in the postseason

I’ve been bullish all year that we’re going deeper than we’ve ever been under Barnes.

 

[VolsAgainstTheWorld15]

Some players need to have a low shot volume. I don’t mind those guys deferring to DK. Santi needs to be more willing to shoot when he’s open. Still passing up too many open shots. Even JJJ needs to be more willing to shoot. His shooting has been bad lately, but he’s gotta be willing to take the open shot. Otherwise, it’s 5 on 4.

 

[wmcovol]

Knecht gets his without being selfish. He's just aggressive. Not sure why Vescovi and JJJ are so timid on offense. ZZ doesn't have a problem getting his. I just think it's their make up.

Barnes has complained about Vescovi driving (according to multiple media sources during games) so how is he gonna get shots in basically a “dribble-drive” offense they are running this year?

ZZ gets 3s on kick out cause his man will leave him to help. Vescovi’s man never leaves him.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Barnes has complained about Vescovi driving (according to multiple media sources during games) so how is he gonna get shots in basically a “dribble-drive” offense they are running this year?

ZZ gets 3s on kick out cause his man will leave him to help. Vescovi’s man never leaves him.

When he drives, Vescovi is wide open for a shot quite often from 10-15 ft. Occasionally he stops and shoots a jumper and drills it. More often he jump passes it out to the wing. I think this is Barnes' gripe about it

My point is that Vescovi should shoot those open 10-12 footers. He's too good of a shooter from that distance

 

[Voljayton]

DK is always looking for a shot or a drive at the basket. That's his killer instinct. He has an abundance of confidence and is not afraid to drive at 3 guys. He's a shoot first, pass second player. He's aggressive and knows he can make a shot happen. The rest of the team has a pass first mentality. If they are not wide open they'd rather just give it to DK (although I think Aidoo is pretty good about taking his shots). If the rest of the team had just a teaspoon of DK's killer instinct it would look way different out there.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

DK is always looking for a shot or a drive at the basket. That's his killer instinct. He has an abundance of confidence and is not afraid to drive at 3 guys. He's a shoot first, pass second player. He's aggressive and knows he can make a shot happen. The rest of the team has a pass first mentality. If they are not wide open they'd rather just give it to DK (although I think Aidoo is pretty good about taking his shots). If the rest of the team had just a teaspoon of DK's killer instinct it would look way different out there.

The rest of this team, with Olivier and without ZZ, beat a favored Duke to get to the sweet 16. Maybe they will dial it up a bit. They won a few games in a row while Knecht was slowed with the ankle tweak. As a base, the offense runs to get the best open shot. Doesn't favor any one player

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Everyone has a bad shooting day, you just hope everyone does not have a bad night at the same time. The USC game was just that, we went 8-20 on layups (shots within 3 feet of the basket) and 12-20 on free throws and still nearly won the game. Everyone had a bad night. I does seem like several players have not scored in multiple games (JJJ, Mashack, Gainey). I do realize that Gainey finally seems to be getting out of his slump but we need more from him.

I am not dogging on anyone just seems like everyone is counting on DK to make the baskets that count.

Two of those 3 footers didn’t draw iron.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Two of those 3 footers didn’t draw iron.

Twilight Zone kind of thing watching it

 

[wmcovol]

Two of those 3 footers didn’t draw iron.

The entire team, even DK, seemed unfocused most of the game. DK just got going last 3+ minutes.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Players now work together year round. IMO, adding DK and altering the offense while ZZ was still rehabbing has put them behind schedule. Then Santi missed a lot of practice just as the season was starting.

As long as the team attitude and locker room culture is favorable I believe that they can be playing very well by March.

I think that it’s been a difficult adjustment more so than a lack of confidence. Some past scoring leaders have maybe been complacent or are a little lazy asserting themselves. If something can be figured out to counter the low center of gravity posts from backing in our post defenders this could still be a highly successful full season. I think that having so many junior and senior leaders will help tremendously. If the key players were less mature then the losses could compound and the final results would be very average or worse.