Tyler Smith and late-game situations

#1
k-townvol

k-townvol

well shoot.
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#1
I think that Tyler Smith should not be allowed to be anywhere near the ball under 20 seconds left in the game. He is a good player, but his decision-making late in games kills me. The 5-second call today wasn't his fault, and he got the timeout that wasn't given to him. But the last inbound should've happened before it did. He takes bad shots and they are WAY too early. Again, he is a very good player, I just don't have the trust in him late in the game as I do during the game.
 
#2
#2
Tyler had a terrible game and I blame him for this loss more than anything, but it's ridiculous to claim he chokes in late game situations. I've seen him take over games at the end more than once.
 
#5
#5
OWB said:
Tyler had a terrible game and I blame him for this loss more than anything, but it's ridiculous to claim he chokes in late game situations. I've seen him take over games at the end more than once.
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I never said he chokes, I said he makes bad decisions. There is a difference. Choking is not being able to make any kind of decision at any time of a big game. I simply believe that he tries to be a hero and carry the team on his shoulders when he many talented teammates that he can rely on.
 
#6
#6
k-townvol said:
I never said he chokes, I said he makes bad decisions. There is a difference. Choking is not being able to make any kind of decision at any time of a big game. I simply believe that he tries to be a hero and carry the team on his shoulders when he many talented teammates that he can rely on.
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Fair enough.
 
#7
#7
Is this a Joke? He has saved us so many times in late game situations the past 2 years.....

Just because he ruins one game, doesn't mean he is a terrible end of game player.....

SOme Examples...Xavier Last year, Ole Miss, Florida, Memphis.....

YouTube - Tennessee Basketball - Tyler Smith
:49, 1:07, 2:12....
 
#8
#8
Big Train said:
Is this a Joke? He has saved us so many times in late game situations the past 2 years.....

Just because he ruins one game, doesn't mean he is a terrible end of game player.....

SOme Examples...Xavier Last year, Ole Miss, Florida, Memphis.....

YouTube - Tennessee Basketball - Tyler Smith
:49, 1:07, 2:12....
Click to expand...
That was my point, but the OP said he was talking about poor decisions at the end of the game. I don't know. I would have settled for a poor decision from Tyler tonight. Unfortunately, he couldn't even do that.
 
#9
#9
Tyler Smith is a good player and I don't agree that he shouldn't have the ball in his hands. The guy has a knack for getting the ball in the bucket. The problem is when you have a human ball swatting machine (like every other 6'10" player in the NBA) in Varnado shutting him down, it changes his game.

The 5 second call was BS, the ref counted the one second off as he handed Tyler the ball.

Last add, Tyler will enjoy Turkey for about 2 seasons. I hope he stays one more year, will give him a better shot to play in the real NBA.
 
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#10
#10
Big Train said:
Is this a Joke? He has saved us so many times in late game situations the past 2 years.....

Just because he ruins one game, doesn't mean he is a terrible end of game player.....

SOme Examples...Xavier Last year, Ole Miss, Florida, Memphis.....

YouTube - Tennessee Basketball - Tyler Smith
:49, 1:07, 2:12....
Click to expand...

All of those examples he caught the ball or stole the ball and had the ball there at the bucket. I guess what I'm saying is don't let him create for himself. Let someone set the shot up for him.
 
#11
#11
I knew we would lose because we are a lock for the tourney. No way the SEC misses a chance for two teams to go.
 
#12
#12
Did you hear Tyler in the post game interview? He said something to the effect that he wasn't playing well and was looking for his team-mates to pick him up, at the same time the team was looking to him to lead.

Really shows a lack of leadership imo.

Tyler really excels when we have everybody involved and the ball is moving around, when he has to take the reigns and force the issue, he just struggles, would like to see him take another shot at it next year though.
 
#13
#13
toyotaboy said:
Did you hear Tyler in the post game interview? He said something to the effect that he wasn't playing well and was looking for his team-mates to pick him up, at the same time the team was looking to him to lead.

Really shows a lack of leadership imo.

Tyler really excels when we have everybody involved and the ball is moving around, when he has to take the reigns and force the issue, he just struggles, would like to see him take another shot at it next year though.
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My thoughts exactly. If you didn't understand what I've been saying, here it is.
 
#14
#14
Considering we don't have a pure shooter, I'm not comfortable with anyone shooting the ball with a close game on the line.
 
#15
#15
Z06Vol said:
Considering we don't have a pure shooter, I'm not comfortable with anyone shooting the ball with a close game on the line.
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I feel the same way. I was actually thinking that Chism might be our best option from 3 and that's scary.
 
#16
#16
OWB said:
I feel the same way. I was actually thinking that Chism might be our best option from 3 and that's scary.
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Hopson hit a few along with Tabb and Tatum. But yeah, Chism was our best 3-point treat today. And yes, that is scary.
 
#17
#17
ut 4 me said:
Did you happen to watch the Memphis or Ole Miss games last year?
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Two games? That's all it takes to be "clutch"?


Tyler Smith is a lot of good things, but a clutch player isn't one of them. He's played a role in more than 2 late game collapses this year than the two you mentioned that clearly make him the "heart" of our team.
 
#18
#18
OWB said:
I feel the same way. I was actually thinking that Chism might be our best option from 3 and that's scary.
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Chism is the only one with the balls to hit that shot. Everyone else would have done exactly what Tatum did and that's manage to throw up a runner/leaner with an extra 3 seconds on the clock.
 
#19
#19
Tyler has not played well but did not one else think that JP had a lot to do with the crap that they did at the end of the game?...I think he was as much to blame
 
#20
#20
k-townvol said:
I think that Tyler Smith should not be allowed to be anywhere near the ball under 20 seconds left in the game. He is a good player, but his decision-making late in games kills me. The 5-second call today wasn't his fault, and he got the timeout that wasn't given to him. But the last inbound should've happened before it did. He takes bad shots and they are WAY too early. Again, he is a very good player, I just don't have the trust in him late in the game as I do during the game.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and who do you suggest get the ball?
 
#21
#21
Larkin said:
Tyler Smith is a good player and I don't agree that he shouldn't have the ball in his hands. The guy has a knack for getting the ball in the bucket. The problem is when you have a human ball swatting machine (like every other 6'10" player in the NBA) in Varnado shutting him down, it changes his game.

The 5 second call was BS, the ref counted the one second off as he handed Tyler the ball.

Last add, Tyler will enjoy Turkey for about 2 seasons. I hope he stays one more year, will give him a better shot to play in the real NBA.
Click to expand...

I'll start off by saying that I'm no expert at predicting NBA success. I see some problems with Tyler's transition to the next level, though, and it has surprised me at how highly he has been projected.

Smith is a 6'7" 4-man. He hits the boards hard, he has a nice turn-around, and he can use his athleticism in the paint and find ways to get the ball into the basket. None of that makes up for the fact that he is primarily a post, and he is going to be going against guys bigger than he is who are just as athletic every night in the NBA. He struggled, for instance, against Tasmin Mitchell when we played LSU. He will face a better player than Tasmin Mitchell on every posession he plays in the league.

That being said, Tyler's game has developed some. More and more often I see him handling the ball in the open court or facing up on the perimeter and driving or shooting. Those are skills necessary to play the 3, where I think he has a shot at having much more success at the next level. For the sake of the Vols, I hope he sticks around for another year to develop those skills more, but if I were in Tyler's camp, I would be hard pressed to advise him to work on his game for free in Knoxville rather than working on it for pay in the league, especially if those late 1st or early 2nd predictions are accurate.
 
#22
#22
We were at one point down 46-41 yesterday. From that point on, if it wasn't a fast break or a free throw, it was a 3-pt shot, because we could get nothing to drop in the basket from the paint, largely due to their shot blockers.

Perhaps we should have gone for the three. Chism was going to pull the three when it was 62-60, but Pearl called a timeout. Open threes were all we had been getting.
 
#23
#23
UTLCA said:
Yeah, and who do you suggest get the ball?
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On Sunday, I would've given the ball to Chism, Prince, or even Hopson. They were the ones knocking down the shots. You could have an argument against Hopson, but it wouldn't have hurt to let him put one up. He is a great talent and I hope he stays a few more years.
 
#24
#24
Tyler had a bad game Sunday. That said, he is the one guy I would want with the ball in his hands in a clutch situation.
 
#25
#25
k-townvol said:
On Sunday, I would've given the ball to Chism, Prince, or even Hopson. They were the ones knocking down the shots. You could have an argument against Hopson, but it wouldn't have hurt to let him put one up. He is a great talent and I hope he stays a few more years.
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Prince is the guy who couldn't hit 2 FT's to tie the game and caused the turnover that struck the nail in the coffin for us.
 
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