Fire Dave Paulsen / Hire Tony Skinn

[By George.]

can't afford another person in the game that doesn't play a lick of defense.

The Richmond game wasn’t his best showing, but prior to that he had 5 straight games with 4+ defensive rebounds and has 15+ blocks on the season. We finally got a 6’9 240 pound center who can score and we criticize him because he’s too slow on D right now. Saying that he can’t play in this league is wrong.

We were just held to 50 points, Richmond scored 65 but our defense is the issue?

The true issue is that DP has botched the center position since he got here, wasn’t ready for Shevon, Dixon/Temara/Relvao, Reuter top 5 in A10, potentially killing Cali’s confidence by starting him as interim and now the carousel at that position continues. Injuries, transfers happen etc...I get it but can’t overlook the way this position has been treated since Mar started there.

 

[sleeperpick]

I know I’m just making excuses because I’m madly in love with the coach and want to have his baby, but don’t we have to acknowledge that this offense was tailored to fit an excellent 1 on 1 player who has barely played this season because of injury?

The only other guy on the roster who can do what Kier does is XJ and he’s a freshman. Not surprising at all that the offense is struggling — it’s not like you can just put in a whole new system in the middle of the season.

Paulsen tailored an entire offense to a guy he knew would miss most of non conference and was rushing back from injury? That is case in point why he is an inept coach

 

[tblack33]

I know I’m just making excuses because I’m madly in love with the coach and want to have his baby, but don’t we have to acknowledge that this offense was tailored to fit an excellent 1 on 1 player who has barely played this season because of injury?

The only other guy on the roster who can do what Kier does is XJ and he’s a freshman. Not surprising at all that the offense is struggling — it’s not like you can just put in a whole new system in the middle of the season.

I'll give you that the offense was built around Kier but IMO that is part of the problem. Assuming Kier stayed healthy all year, what were we going to do when we had to sub him out? It just seems like poor planning to build something around a single player rather than looking at your strengths as a team. There's alot of other offenses we can run that would let Kier's 1 on 1 abilities shine while not having the other 4 guys hand off the ball to him and watch him.

All that being said I think even with Kier I would not like to watch this offense, but I understand that is my personal preference and just not my favorite brand of basketball. It's like the NBA of the early 2000s, no real team dynamic to it.

 

[mkaufman1]

I'm very confused about the handoff offense as well. Yes I get it was designed for Kier, but Kier also went down early in the year. It didn't look like they used this hand off offense in the non conference, or they ran some variation of it that was better (and yes the competition was less, but they still looked half competent).

My confusion mostly lies around why the offense looks worse as games go on. Yes I know Kier being hurt matters, but I'm just curious where the adjustment is. Why run the same offense and same style every game that gets shutdown without any new wrinkles or things to it? Aren't there various styles of offense that Paulsen could run? He always tailored his scheme to personnel, so why not now?

Something doesn't add up to me, whether its stubborness or coaching or some combination of both

 

[gmujim92]

I'm very confused about the handoff offense as well. Yes I get it was designed for Kier, but Kier also went down early in the year. It didn't look like they used this hand off offense in the non conference, or they ran some variation of it that was better (and yes the competition was less, but they still looked half competent).

My confusion mostly lies around why the offense looks worse as games go on. Yes I know Kier being hurt matters, but I'm just curious where the adjustment is. Why run the same offense and same style every game that gets shutdown without any new wrinkles or things to it? Aren't there various styles of offense that Paulsen could run? He always tailored his scheme to personnel, so why not now?

Something doesn't add up to me, whether its stubborness or coaching or some combination of both

These are all excellent points.

 

[mkaufman1]

These are all excellent points.

As I tell my wife "occasionally I have good ideas" lol

I mean we don't' even run hand off offense in pickup, we spread the floor and move the ball.

If we as fans and not basketball professionals see that this isn't working and how easy it is to scout, then what the heck do the coaches see?

 

[gmujim92]

Paulsen tailored an entire offense to a guy he knew would miss most of non conference and was rushing back from injury? That is case in point why he is an inept coach

I highly doubt the offense was installed after Kier’s injury. By that point, DP might have thought it was too late to scrap it and go in another direction — especially given the uncertainty of when Kier would be back.

 

[PoorManProfit]

I absolutely hate this "hand off" offense at the top of the key. Defenders always jump up and stop our guy getting the ball. He then has to stand there, and then it basically becomes a 1:1 situation. The offense completely stalls. It is TERRIBLE!

Two questions: What is this offense called, and can someone show me an example of a team that runs this offense effectively? Whether in the NBA or college hoops? In order to better evaluate it, i'd like to see a team that runs it effectively

It's dumb because they don't have the athletes to do anything with the ball out there and they aren't strong/quick enough to dive to the basket. Frumpy Dave...

 

[sleeperpick]

I highly doubt the offense was installed after Kier’s injury. By that point, DP might have thought it was too late to scrap it and go in another direction — especially given the uncertainty of when Kier would be back.

Kier was injured in preseason right? Paulsen couldn't have scraped it with Time? I mean he scheduled the 25th weakest Non conference schedule. should have had ample opportunity to try a new offense against crap competition.

 

[GMUgemini]

I mean he actually said they changed from a 4 out to a 3 out 2 in after Kier’s injury, but the dribble handoff basically pulls one of the bigs out of the post anyway, so not sure they got that right.

 

[PoorManProfit]

Kier was injured in preseason right? Paulsen couldn't have scraped it with Time? I mean he scheduled the 25th weakest Non conference schedule. should have had ample opportunity to try a new offense against crap competition.

Those games were tight too. G Mas was very lucky to win all of those games. Could very easily be 9-17.

 

[FreeGunston12]

I mean he actually said they changed from a 4 out to a 3 out 2 in after Kier’s injury, but the dribble handoff basically pulls one of the bigs out of the post anyway, so not sure they got that right.

If you pause the game at any given time, you'll see the majority of our players in non-threatening positions.

What's Calixte supposed to do from the top of the key? He rarely, if ever, scores when rolling to the basket. The only area he scores from is the low block.

I'd say the same thing goes for Mar, but he doesn't score from anywhere.

Oduro can shoot from the free throw line extended, but he's not great at catching and finishing when rolling to the bucket either.

For that matter, Reuter was much more threatening from the low block than rolling to the basket last year.

It just seems like Paulsen puts his bigs in positions to fail. The thought of playing with so many guys out on the perimeter is to create space for cuts to the hoop. We don't do that well enough to warrant sticking with this offense.

 

[gmujim92]

If you pause the game at any given time, you'll see the majority of our players in non-threatening positions.

What's Calixte supposed to do from the top of the key? He rarely, if ever, scores when rolling to the basket. The only area he scores from is the low block.

I'd say the same thing goes for Mar, but he doesn't score from anywhere.

Oduro can shoot from the free throw line extended, but he's not great at catching and finishing when rolling to the bucket either.

For that matter, Reuter was much more threatening from the low block than rolling to the basket last year.

It just seems like Paulsen puts his bigs in positions to fail. The thought of playing with so many guys out on the perimeter is to create space for cuts to the hoop. We don't do that well enough to warrant sticking with this offense.

Only thing I will disagree on is Oduro. He has soft hands and has effectively finished several times in pick and roll situations. The bigger problem IMHO is we only have one guard capable of consistently finding the “rolling” big and making an on-target pass and that is XJ.

Our guard play has to get a lot better if we’re gonna continue running this offense.

 

[GMUgemini]

Would be nice if we tried more off-ball movement and cuts to the basket and tried to hit some high-low passes from the high post or top of the key instead. Miller, Greene, XJ and AJ can all finish at the rim if we pull their rim protector out, especially since as you said you’ve got to at least respect Oduro’s game 15-19 feet out.

 

[PoorManProfit]

Miller, Greene, XJ and AJ can all finish at the rim if we pull their rim protector out, especially since as you said you’ve got to at least respect Oduro’s game 15-19 feet out.

Def on #2 and #12. Miller and Greene aren't the most athletic around the rim to say the least.

 

[By George.]

Did someone really say we’re not running a motion offense? The name of DP’s offense is “handoff motion offense” or “high ball screen motion offense” see below -

All motion means is that it’s continuous and not a set play. Everyone can score from it. I’m not in favor of anything about it currently but let’s not insult people who identify the offense by its name. What’s going on here lately? Losing sucks

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3eNTVcK_tPA

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PLa6_t0-jgQ

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MIlKw7sArLA

 

[gmutom]

Only thing I will disagree on is Oduro. He has soft hands and has effectively finished several times in pick and roll situations. The bigger problem IMHO is we only have one guard capable of consistently finding the “rolling” big and making an on-target pass and that is XJ.

I've noticed this at least a dozen times over the last several games. Oduro will either set a pick or hand the ball to a guard at the top of the key before rolling to the basket, and our guards rarely if even look for the pass.

It doesn't matter what offense we run — regardless of how bad it is — if we don't actually run that offense. Oduro is raw and slow, but he does have really good hands and deceptive skills. More often than not, if he catches the ball in the post on the move, he is either going to score or draw a foul.

 

[GMUgemini]

I've noticed this at least a dozen times over the last several games. Oduro will either set a pick or hand the ball to a guard at the top of the key before rolling to the basket, and our guards rarely if even look for the pass.

It doesn't matter what offense we run — regardless of how bad it is — if we don't actually run that offense. Oduro is raw and slow, but he does have really good hands and deceptive skills. More often than not, if he catches the ball in the post on the move, he is either going to get score or draw a foul.

Ive noticed it since the beginning of the season. Hartwell especially either completely ignores the roller (or can’t see him over the defender). But no one seems to be reading the defense.

 

[tblack33]

Did someone really say we’re not running a motion offense? The name of DP’s offense is “handoff motion offense” or “high ball screen motion offense” see blow -

All motion means is that it’s continuous and not a set play. Everyone can score from it. I’m not in favor of anything about it currently but let’s not insult people who identify the offense by its name. What’s going on here lately? Losing sucks

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3eNTVcK_tPA

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PLa6_t0-jgQ

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MIlKw7sArLA

Motion implies that there is actually movement happening away from the ball. Can you honestly look at our offense and see anyone screening down? Setting backside fades? Hell even cutting to the hoop?

Just because we call something a motion doesn’t make it a motion.

 

[GMUgemini]

Ah, ye olde motionless motion offense. I’ve heard this complaint before...