UTvol1fn
Rub A Dub Dub
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Unfortunately, basketball's not that simple. If you can't make a shot, no one is going to guard you on the perimeter; thus, when you starting forcing drives, you just charge, which is happening a lot to Tatum.
Tatum doesn't come around screens full force? When is a screen ever set for Tatum? I can't recall one instance this year where a screen was set for Tatum and he received the ball. Not one.
So when Hopson struggles, its always an effort issue, but when Tatum struggles (which i cant remember the last time he didn't) its always a confidence issue?
I don't remember a team playing five feet off of Tatum. Despite his miserable funk, they have still guarded him relatively close. He's just not taking the ball to the hole.
I was talking about our half-assed baseline screens, but nobody on the team does it right, so I can't really blame Cam there.
He absolutely plays harder than Hopson consistently. He just doesn't play well, unfortunately. The better question would be, which player on the team doesn't play harder than Hopson consistently.
I don't remember a team playing five feet off of Tatum. Despite his miserable funk, they have still guarded him relatively close. He's just not taking the ball to the hole.
I was talking about our half-assed baseline screens, but nobody on the team does it right, so I can't really blame Cam there.
You're letting one game where nobody else besides Tobias showed up overshadow what Scotty has done. If you think Hopson doesn't play hard most of the time...I don't know what to tell you.
Then you're not watching the game. In the Arkansas game, Cam had numerous, numerous open shots that he turned down and forced a drive. The result: charges. That's why it's not as simple as saying, "oh, you're not shooting well? Just take off to the basket every play then."
Then you're not watching the game. In the Arkansas game, Cam had numerous, numerous open shots that he turned down and forced a drive. The result: charges. That's why it's not as simple as saying, "oh, you're not shooting well? Just take off to the basket every play then."
I'm not letting one game do anything. Scotty Hopson has consistently all year taken possessions off defensively, loafed around on offense unless the playcall is specifically designed for him. Hopson has the potential to be an absolutely phenomenal player; I'm not cutting him down. I'm just stating the obvious.
Then you're not watching the game. In the Arkansas game, Cam had numerous, numerous open shots that he turned down and forced a drive. The result: charges. That's why it's not as simple as saying, "oh, you're not shooting well? Just take off to the basket every play then."
You are overstating it. Yeah, I would like for him to go 100% defensively, run everything 100% on offense on cuts, and never take a play off. However, he carries too much of the load offensively to play defense 100%, nobody on the team runs the offense...they all jog through it, and it's hard not to take a play off playing 35 minutes a game with so much of the offensive burden on him.
There's a difference between passing up open shots for tougher shots and what I'm talking about. When Cam gets the ball when someone is guarding him, he eithers take a dumb three or passes the ball off. He doesn't take the ball to the hole, ever, this year. He did 3-4 times in the Arky game. Where was it in the Florida game when the lane was open because so much attention was to Scotty in the first half?
I wish he didn't, but he does. Do I think it's a significant problem on this team? No. He still has work to do defensively. Scotty isn't a problem on this team, nor has he been all year.
He's our best player. I don't dispute that at all. The point of this entire thread was to point out that the staff has done a pathetic job at improving Scotty's weaknesses. And, I have consistently said that I don't blame Hopson for his play. You're a good poster; I didn't mean any disrespect. :hi: