Death of the 4-1?
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As for whether he’ll look to employ the four-guard lineup again in the near future, Self took a simple approach to answering that question.
“If we could find a 6-8 guard that could play like Josh, sure,” he said. “That would obviously change things. The reality of it is, based on our personnel the way it is today, that personnel will demand that you’ll at least play small some. And it probably will, but I’m not going into it believing that this is the way we want to play.”
http://m.kusports.com/news/2017/may/21/dynamic-four-guard-offense-required-complete-buy-k/
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Even if say Billy Preston starts at the 4 he’s more guard than post player.
In all I didn’t find his comments to be anything we didn’t expect with the roster we have currently.
Svi coming back would put him in a position to put his 5 best players on the court again which would make the 4-1 a viable option
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I just keep an eye if we are going backwards offensively to the old hi/lo.
In the very least, I expect us to play a hybrid hi/lo which combines a motion offense with Self’s traditional hi/lo.
In the most, I expect us to use the “spirit of Self’s old hi/lo” within a modern motion offense. Meaning… using our bigs in the low post to attack while equally promoting driving guards. Some of that attack being “back to the basket” while other low and high post attacks come from slashing and screening. And the, of course, always having the threat of an open trey shot.
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@drgnslayr We do potentially have the personnel to run the traditional high-low with Azubuike down low and Preston and Whitman up high. A 4 with shooting range is a big key in the high-low to keep the low post guy from being doubled.
Honestly, I’m surprised we didn’t see it more last year with Josh and Landen. Josh was good enough from deep to force teams to respect that part of his game and Landen never required a double team so it easily could’ve been part of the offense last year.
As long as the personnel is capable of running the high-low, I’d love to see it return because it is difficult to defend.
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Personnel-wise we are very similar to a traditional Bill Self KU team. Big oaf at Center, athletic 4, drive-capable PG and 2 spot up shooters in Newman and Vick/Svi.
This might be the best starting 5 we’ve ever had as far as talent goes. At least that’s my opinion. NBA talent at all 5 spots. A potential for 4 first round picks and 6 total being drafted. I don’t see Svi and Vick both going in the 1st round. One will prevent the other. And DG won’t be a first rounder at this point either. Unless he goes all Buddy Hield. But Buke, Preston and Newman are almost sure-fire 1st rounders if they perform like I expect them to.
We will definitely need to run some 4 guard for short stretches. But we are athletic enough to do that. Cunliffe will be that guy I think. Heard a lot about how athletic he is from my manager buddy. Like freak athlete. So as long as he can stretch the floor with spacing and defend, we have that option.
I don’t see this team losing more than 5 games all season the way they are built. Have the personnel to pound it in the post and follow it up with a trey. Depth is the only concern. Can’t have any major injuries. Especially Doke and DG. They are irreplaceable.
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@Kcmatt7 oaf?
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@Crimsonorblue22 It’s a word. I mean I don’t know what else I’d call doke
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@Kcmatt7 I’d rather call the big on the other team that!
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@Crimsonorblue22 Kaun, Aldrich, Withey… All pretty much Oafs. But very good important pieces to some great KU teams.
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@Kcmatt7 a stupid, uncultured, or clumsy person. synonyms: lout, boor, barbarian, Neanderthal, churl, bumpkin, yokel;
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Common usage in a basketball context is much different, and the intent is obvious. Of course, if someone is looking to be offended, they will be offended. The PC police are always patrolling, always looking to claim something to be an insult. Good grief.
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Let’s just call him ABCD - A Big Center Dude…
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Great coach speak by Self.
He hasn’t got a clue what he will do.
If Doke heals, and Preston clears, 3-2.
If not, 4-1, 5-0 and pray for rain.
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Abcd as in: I got kicked in the ass ball connector, dude?
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“We’re going to need Udoka, Billy, Mitch and Jack to all play big for us and give us good minutes,” Self said. “Because I anticipate us playing two bigs a lot more of the time.”
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@HighEliteMajor I never heard the word “oaf” used except to mean a clumsy, uncoordinated person. So, I don’t think this is a PC reaction choosing the insulting definition of a word that could have several well-known meanings, or one that used to be considered okay but is now sensitive to some (“handicapped”, for example). If it has a positive basketball connotation, I have never heard of it, but am willing to accept that from the ballers on here.
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@mayjay Well, it is a PC reaction. It’s someone being offended when no offense was indicated or intended. Someone could be offended by nearly any descriptive word. All of the big guys noted are a touch slow and clumsy – Kaun, Aldrich, Withey. They aren’t as quick and coordinated as smaller guys. And their not as quick and coordinated as other big guys, say Embiid. That’s the completely benign comparison in a basketball context. That’s what’s important. Now you bring up handicapped people. Ridiculous.
In fact, I’m offended that you’d associate the word “oaf” with handicapped people in first place. Why would you do that? Why would you even think that? Are you calling handicapped people “idiots” or “morons” because two definitions of oaf is “idiot” and “moron.” You should really think before you make such comparisons. But it does show how your mind works. Right? Or not?
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@HighEliteMajor Now, that is funny!
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@HighEliteMajor well Embiid is freakishly gifted. Not sure comparing to him is fair when assessing their oafishness.
