UK is going to be a Beast

[Codaxx]

Wasn't trying to be judgmental regarding Booker. Sorry if it came off that way. I agree with you that Harrison would be the goto guy if you need to hit a buzzer beater, but I think if you're just trying to get the offense going I would think that Booker and maybe even Lyles might be higher on my list than Harrison.

But certainly no shame in averaging almost 10 a game when you're only playing about 20 minutes per game.

I think it will end up being Towns by the end of the year, but that is a lot of projecting. Harrison on the drive is another option. That was a staple of the Tourney run. Harrison drives basket good, foul, or offensive board. I don't think Booker is the kind of player to breakdown a defense and create his own shot. Lots of options, but whatever it ends up being the offense will go inside first. Either get the shot or look to kick to Booker or Harrison on a double team in the low post

 

[UKnation87]

Wasn't trying to be judgmental regarding Booker. Sorry if it came off that way. I agree with you that Harrison would be the goto guy if you need to hit a buzzer beater, but I think if you're just trying to get the offense going I would think that Booker and maybe even Lyles might be higher on my list than Harrison.

But certainly no shame in averaging almost 10 a game when you're only playing about 20 minutes per game.

I believe Booker has the best stroke of the bunch and once the game slows down for him, he will be the guy that will play a role close to that of Doron Lamb... just way more athletic (in my opinion).

The good thing about this specific UK team is the fact that they run with anyone and although as Trolly pointed out in another thread, their half court offense isn't even good at this point, they can still run it inside out or spread it out with shooter such as Harrison, Booker, and even Lyles.

 

[TrollyMcTroller]

I believe Booker has the best stroke of the bunch and once the game slows down for him, he will be the guy that will play a role close to that of Doron Lamb... just way more athletic (in my opinion).

The good thing about this specific UK team is the fact that they run with anyone and although as Trolly pointed out in another thread, their half court offense isn't even good at this point, they can still run it inside out or spread it out with shooter such as Harrison, Booker, and even Lyles.

The funny thing about their offense is it doesn't have to be good. It's actually very efficient. (#2 in KemPom) Even through they seem to be completely incapable of running a half court set, they score well in transition and they get to the line a lot. Throw in a bunch of 2nd and 3rd chance points because of great offensive rebounding, and they're going to get points on the board pretty effectively.

As far as Booker goes, I think he's going to be on par with Lamb's shooting, but he's already a much better defender.

 

[Codaxx]

The funny thing about their offense is it doesn't have to be good. It's actually very efficient. (#2 in KemPom) Even through they seem to be completely incapable of running a half court set, they score well in transition and they get to the line a lot. Throw in a bunch of 2nd and 3rd chance points because of great offensive rebounding, and they're going to get points on the board pretty effectively.

As far as Booker goes, I think he's going to be on par with Lamb's shooting, but he's already a much better defender.

Its the old Kelvin Sampson offense. Throw it up and go get it. Texas is another school that has done well in that area over time. Right now Kentucky is getting 48% of the offense rebound chances. Not too hard to be efficient when you are almost a coin flip to get a second shot every possession. I just went to 4th rebound on 100 possessions and UK will make roughly 53 baskets, despite shooting 46.7% from the field and turning it over 15.5% of the time. I think Kentucky can get a lot better in the half court over the season, they usually do. I happen to think that this team may have the highest basketball IQ of any Calipari coached UK team. We shall see though, I am bit clouded in my judgement to be honest.

 

[UKnation87]

The funny thing about their offense is it doesn't have to be good. It's actually very efficient. (#2 in KemPom) Even through they seem to be completely incapable of running a half court set, they score well in transition and they get to the line a lot. Throw in a bunch of 2nd and 3rd chance points because of great offensive rebounding, and they're going to get points on the board pretty effectively.

As far as Booker goes, I think he's going to be on par with Lamb's shooting, but he's already a much better defender.

No question Booker is already a better defender. He's about 2 inches taller than Lamb and more athletic. He brings a different dynamic to the table but overall, on this specific team, I can see playing a similar role offensively anyway.

One of the biggest differences I see between this years version of the Cats and last years is that they're having a lot of fun. Obviously, winning will help with that but there is big, big difference in the overall attitude of this team and I love it.

 

[gpm1976]

UK played their best ball in the tourney and that was hardly the Randle show. Nobody averaged 15 pts. 4 guys over 11. . UK is returning to starters that averaged double digits. Towns is a terrific prospect. Just too much talent on the court for any one person to dominate. You can bet after the tourney that if UK needs a bucket it, Harrison will get a look.

I would expect him to be your go to guy as well.. but overall, I'm not sure he's it. I kept expecting to see him break out last season and neither one really did. But the good think about being loaded is that you may never need that from a player.

 

[Codaxx]

I would expect him to be your go to guy as well.. but overall, I'm not sure he's it. I kept expecting to see him break out last season and neither one really did. But the good think about being loaded is that you may never need that from a player.

I just think it is impossible to truly break out on the current team. No player is going to get enough shots or minutes to awe people. You will see flashes, but it will be very rare to see a player take over a game. You might not see any player dominate a game until the it is Tourney time.

 

[podsox]

it is going to take an amazing outside shooting performance to beat this team. their defense is the best ive seen in a very long time

 

[UK Cowboy]

it is going to take an amazing outside shooting performance to beat this team. their defense is the best ive seen in a very long time

I think back to the MKG/Anthony Davis championship team. They were lights years better in March than they were in Nov/Dec. This team is good now, but if they have the same level of improvement that that squad had, no one's gonna be able to play with them at the end

 

[dcZONAfan]

I think back to the MKG/Anthony Davis championship team. They were lights years better in March than they were in Nov/Dec. This team is good now, but if they have the same level of improvement that that squad had, no one's gonna be able to play with them at the end

god you guys are so cocky. There will be plenty of teams that can play with them. Will they beat them, probably not. But you seem to think that your team is the only one who will make huge strides throughout the season. It's hilarious you could watch a team like Duke and think to yourself, "nope, they don't have a chance to beat us". Seriously, hilarious.

Let me be clear: YOU DO NOT HAVE ANTHONY DAVIS ON THIS TEAM. You have a lot of talent, but none are "future best player in the world".

 

[Codaxx]

god you guys are so cocky. There will be plenty of teams that can play with them. Will they beat them, probably not. But you seem to think that your team is the only one who will make huge strides throughout the season. It's hilarious you could watch a team like Duke and think to yourself, "nope, they don't have a chance to beat us". Seriously, hilarious.

Let me be clear: YOU DO NOT HAVE ANTHONY DAVIS ON THIS TEAM. You have a lot of talent, but none are "future best player in the world".

Not sure I understand that. People forget how raw Davis was as a freshman. The post that seems to set you off, only said that if this team makes the same improvements as that team made they will roll. The sheer volume of talented players is truly amazing. I believe it to be the best since Pitino's Untouchables. That was a much older squad. Nobody knows how this team will develop and at what rate. The Noel team barely improved. Davis's team improved by leaps and bounds. If this UK team played to its full potential and avoided serious injuries, nobody would threaten them, but very few teams ever play to their full potential.

 

[gpm1976]

I just think it is impossible to truly break out on the current team. No player is going to get enough shots or minutes to awe people. You will see flashes, but it will be very rare to see a player take over a game. You might not see any player dominate a game until the it is Tourney time.

to a certain extent, I"m seeing Ohio State having similar issues. a lot guys with similar talent fighting for playing time. On one hand, it's a nice problem to have.. on the other, does trying to get everyone in the game hurt you down the road?? but where Kentucky sits better than anyone else is that they can afford to be SUPER aggressive all game. If no one's having a good night.. screw it, we'll just try to run you off the court. I know I"m jumping the gun, but this years tourney will be very interesting.. just in seeing how teams try to game plan UK.

I hear WAY too many people saying this season's over and kentucky ruined it. I disagree. If anything, it made it more interesting.

 

[UK Cowboy]

god you guys are so cocky. There will be plenty of teams that can play with them. Will they beat them, probably not. But you seem to think that your team is the only one who will make huge strides throughout the season. It's hilarious you could watch a team like Duke and think to yourself, "nope, they don't have a chance to beat us". Seriously, hilarious.

Let me be clear: YOU DO NOT HAVE ANTHONY DAVIS ON THIS TEAM. You have a lot of talent, but none are "future best player in the world".

Just stating the obvious. I said if this team improves at the same rate some other Cal teams have, namely the Anthony Davis team, they would be unbeatable come March. I watched you guys struggle against Kansas State and SDSU. Pitt beat KSU like a JV squad the next night. I would love to see Arizona on the schedule. We'd blow your freaking doors off.

 

[UK Cowboy]

Not sure I understand that. People forget how raw Davis was as a freshman. The post that seems to set you off, only said that if this team makes the same improvements as that team made they will roll. The sheer volume of talented players is truly amazing. I believe it to be the best since Pitino's Untouchables. That was a much older squad. Nobody knows how this team will develop and at what rate. The Noel team barely improved. Davis's team improved by leaps and bounds. If this UK team played to its full potential and avoided serious injuries, nobody would threaten them, but very few teams ever play to their full potential.

Exactly

 

[UK Cowboy]

to a certain extent, I"m seeing Ohio State having similar issues. a lot guys with similar talent fighting for playing time. On one hand, it's a nice problem to have.. on the other, does trying to get everyone in the game hurt you down the road?? but where Kentucky sits better than anyone else is that they can afford to be SUPER aggressive all game. If no one's having a good night.. screw it, we'll just try to run you off the court. I know I"m jumping the gun, but this years tourney will be very interesting.. just in seeing how teams try to game plan UK.

I hear WAY too many people saying this season's over and kentucky ruined it. I disagree. If anything, it made it more interesting.

OSU is going to be a team to recon with come March. They are going to be a tough defensive team with some clutch scorers

 

[dcZONAfan]

Not sure I understand that. People forget how raw Davis was as a freshman. The post that seems to set you off, only said that if this team makes the same improvements as that team made they will roll. The sheer volume of talented players is truly amazing. I believe it to be the best since Pitino's Untouchables. That was a much older squad. Nobody knows how this team will develop and at what rate. The Noel team barely improved. Davis's team improved by leaps and bounds. If this UK team played to its full potential and avoided serious injuries, nobody would threaten them, but very few teams ever play to their full potential.

Raw? He dominated the NCAA tourney like nobody has since Carmelo. Call him raw all you want, but there haven't been many in the history of the NCAA who dominated like him. And they very well might have lost to UNC had Kendall Marshall not broken his wrist. So that dominant team easily could have been challenged, but this team with nobody like Davis is just light years better than every other team and can't be challenged?

I said in my post that it's unlikely anyone beats you. But to think that you won't be challenged is utter nonsense, the type of thinking that only a UK fan could come up with.

Last year, when I KNEW we were the best team with a healthy Brash, I never thought "there's no chance we could lose". I just knew that our best was better than any other team's best.

This year, your best is better than anybody else's. But your best is heavily reliant on FRESHMAN, and if you think that's a small thing in March then you're smoking some good shit.

To be clear, I'm addressing the Davis raw comment but mostly talking to UK Cowboy

 

[dcZONAfan]

Just stating the obvious. I said if this team improves at the same rate some other Cal teams have, namely the Anthony Davis team, they would be unbeatable come March. I watched you guys struggle against Kansas State and SDSU. Pitt beat KSU like a JV squad the next night. I would love to see Arizona on the schedule. We'd blow your freaking doors off.

Also, you struggled for 30 minutes against BU. Get the fuck out of here with that garbage "you played one team this way and then they played this other team and lost who lost to another team".

Transitive property does not apply in basketball my friend. Is Butler a top team because they played one great game against UNC?

 

[UK Cowboy]

Also, you struggled for 30 minutes against BU. Get the fuck out of here with that garbage "you played one team this way and then they played this other team and lost who lost to another team".

Transitive property does not apply in basketball my friend. Is Butler a top team because they played one great game against UNC?

LOL, when you have to grab at a team that played well for a HALF before getting stomped.....Again, I said IF this talented team improves at the same rate as the AD team, which was leaps and bounds. This team is better at this point than the AD team was in November. And there are plenty of teams that would give UK fits...but Arizona isn't one of them. Teams like Wisconsin and Duke, with structured offenses and great outside shooting. Arizona is going to win a lot of games, but UK would be a nightmare matchup for them. Arizona has a bunch of super athletic bricklayers. You think SDSU shut yall down? UK would wipe Zona out. Same athletes, only 2''-3'' taller across the board and 10 deep

 

[gordontrue]

I don't think there's any question Kentucky fans are getting a little ahead of themselves, but that's what fans do so it doesn't bother me at all. It would be hard not to, especially with the media constantly slobbering over them.

As for the comments on Arizona v Kentucky... you're just proving DC's original point about being cocky. Your assessment of Arizona is as near-sighted as your assessment of Kentucky is far-sighted.


IMO, November didn't tell us much about Kentucky, since we know even less about Kansas... December will change all that, though.

 

[UK Cowboy]

I don't think there's any question Kentucky fans are getting a little ahead of themselves, but that's what fans do so it doesn't bother me at all. It would be hard not to, especially with the media constantly slobbering over them.

As for the comments on Arizona v Kentucky... you're just proving DC's original point about being cocky. Your assessment of Arizona is as near-sighted as your assessment of Kentucky is far-sighted.


IMO, November didn't tell us much about Kentucky, since we know even less about Kansas... December will change all that, though.

We shall see