Favorite play of the season (so far)?
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Yes, the subsequent T was stupid, but Cliff actually made his first dunk attempt of the game, and we need the big guys to start dominating… so this is my favorite basket:
Photo by “shutterly awesome” Nick Krug, LJW
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@DanR I didn’t know he could jump that high. Most impressive.
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Camera angle might have exaggerated the leap. He was losing his grip…
Another photo by “shutterly awesome” Nick Krug, LJW
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I don’t think Cliff can do that with his left hand ( by the rules).
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This is a wonderful play and a wonderful picture.
And the picture reveals the key reason Cliff with the awesome upper body, is not yet able to do this sort of thing with the frequency that Thomas Robinson eventually did.
Look closely and the picture tells all.
Cliff went up for a dunk just like he did in high school. He is preparing to use his superior height, hops and strength to overwhelm his opponent.
This is not how it works in D1.
In D1 even a smaller guy like Allen will go up and try to hurt you–face slap you, etc.
Recall Thomas Robinson and the Twins aerial work.
Thomas sophomore season, where he was the supplementary player to the Twins, Thomas regularly went up forearm slammed the throats of opponents at the same time that one of the Twins were airborne and trying to score. Thomas was in effect a wingman taking out anyone that tried to come close to Marcus or Kieff. Cliff has no wingman anywhere in sight in this picture. In fact, he has two Cowboys in the picture with him. That is part A of Cliff’s problems. He has no one on this team that is both able and willing to be Cliff’s wing man.
(Note: notice that Okafor on Duke has a seasoned Plumlee to deliver blows for him and so Okafor is doing much better than Cliff, who actually stayed even with Okafor in head to heads during their schoolboy years. Cliff would be doing better than Okafor, if they switched teams.)
Part B of Cliff’s problem is Cliff himself. He has not yet learned to deliver a forearm smash while dunking; this is absolutely imperative to learn in order to play big man in D1. Cliff is pulling Allen’s arm down and so taking a blow himself. D1 Big Men deliver pain, when ever they are on the way to iron. ALWAYS, They are in the pain dispensing business. Until they realize this and do it EVERY play they are just big, talented athletes trying to learn to play the game.
When Cliff actually learns how to play D1 big man, Allen will be receiving both a forearm smash to the throat in this picture and likely getting kicked in the balls too. This is how it is and how it has to be. Thomas Robinson and Marcus and Kieff never let opponents get near their faces, except when they were pivoting on the block through double teams and had to hang on with both hands. Any time they were moving to the basket they were delivering blows on the way.
Cliff in proper dunking position here would be leading with one leg and foot out contacting Allen in the abdomen and actually using him for a step ladder with a forearm smash downward as Allen lowered his arms to protect his abdomen. The forearm smash would come down either directly on soft spot on top of the skull, or more preferably across the bridge of the nose. The forearm smash is always delivered with the radius bone in the forearm to the bridge of the nose. If the player turns to protect his face then an attempt is made to bring the blow to the temple, or the neck. And with any luck the leaper actually comes down on the opponent and whip kicks with the trailing leg.
Cliff is just running around and one step jumping. It is beautiful, but it will get him hurt eventually if he does not start delivering blows as he arrives at the iron. Thomas Robinson, or Marcus Morris would have hit Allen so hard across the face or throat that he would have buckled his knees, or gone all the way down.
Cliff has to learn this before he can be effective. And one of the other KU big men has to learn to be his wing man, before the team can be effective.
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@jaybate-1.0 OMG…you’re the best…
**The forearm smash would come down either directly on soft spot on top of the skull, or more preferably across the bridge of the nose. The forearm smash is always delivered with the radius bone in the forearm to the bridge of the nose. If the player turns to protect his face then an attempt is made to bring the blow to the temple, or the neck. And with any luck the leaper actually comes down on the opponent and whip kicks with the trailing leg. **
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@DanR I love this dunk or “throw-down” whatever you want to call it. And I love the monster dunk that Mari had the other day. Bruise Brothers 2.0 !
