@ralster Ah, terrific point. “Why did a Self-coached team (2008) demolish opposing zone defenses with ease, while another Self-coached team (2013), got really upended by zone-D’s? This 2013 team just didnt have it.”
Which goes to my point on our zone offense and our defensive inadequacies.
Look, a team of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh would destroy any college zone. Why? They are better players.
On a continuum, 2008 was better than this year’s team.
So, do you run the same “stuff” with the 2013-14 Jayhawks as you would with Lebron James’ team? Or with the experienced bunch we had in 2008?
That’s all I’m saying. And your example was very helpful. You can’t run a spread offense if your quarterback isn’t accurate. You can’t stick with man to man defense when you have two black holes in your starting crew.
You stay in man to man and you are an historically bad defensive team (under Self)? Is that rational?
You can pass the ball around the perimeter looking for entry passes against Stanford, with a poor three point shooting team, missing your best post player, and against a team with bigger guys. Or you can adjust your attack.
Your best player gets six shots. Six. How do you get Wiggins open? Screen against the zone aggressively to create open looks. Move him to different spots. Change angles in which he cuts to receive the ball (for example, cut from baseline to wing).
See, your statement is essentially one that figuratively throws up its hands and says, we can’t win (envisioning Adrian in Rocky III).
There are other options than just sticking with Self ball. I suggested one before the tourney. I said that we would not win playing Self ball without Embiid. I suggested we play a UNC type game - fast, create more possessions, focus on offense, etc.
I ask this, as I have asked of others – please give me a comprehensive defense of Self’s offensive attack against Stanford. Tell me why the approach was sound. I am truly all ears.
