I always thought Caris was undervalued last year for how well he played when the rest of the team didn’t (Duke game most prominently), which I think supports guestavo’s point. Nik may have been more “valuable” because if you took him out, the team suffered, but when all else failed, Caris was still putting in work.
Wisconsin, Duke, Iowa, Michigan State, Arizona…pretty odd narrative you got going. It was pretty clear that Caris was the only 1 who never backed down, though Walton was brilliant at MSU (Caris had 17) and at OSU.
Did Walton have any defensive performance like Caris against Purdue or at MSU?
I always thought Caris was undervalued last year for how well he played when the rest of the team *didn't* (Duke game most prominently), which I think supports your point. Nik may have been more "valuable" because if you took him out, the team suffered, but when all else failed, Caris was still putting in work.
I have to disagree with with that - Caris may have played well offensively at Duke, but his intensity on the defensive end of the court left a LOT to be desired. I remember sitting in Cameron thinking to myself “how many times can you lose your man in a single game?”
Fair enough…I was definitely referring to the offensive end.
In clutch moments I'd much rather have the ball in Walton's hands or charge him with stopping the oppositions best perimeter player. Caris is very skilled but he is timid in my opinion, doesn't impose his will. Walton imposes his will on both ends of the court when the intensity picks up. Love that about his game
I think you are both right - having Caris, DWalton, and Big Shot Zak are three reasons they will have success this year. They all have some “dog” in them IMO.
Frankly, there isn’t much to lend credit to Walton as a clutch iso player or a ballhawk.
Frankly, there isn't much to lend credit to Walton as a clutch iso player or a ballhawk.
There was the lay-in at Nebraska, but small sample size.
Wisconsin, Duke, Iowa, Michigan State, Arizona...pretty odd narrative you got going. It was pretty clear that Caris was the only 1 who never backed down, though Walton was brilliant at MSU (Caris had 17) and at OSU.Did Walton have any defensive performance like Caris against Purdue or at MSU?
You’re forgetting the clutch plays at NEB as well Have to account for the fact that Walton was a true FR as well. No knock on Caris, because he is a damn good player, but I definitely don’t think he’s a “dog”. When I watch Derrick rebound in traffic at 5"11 and knock down big shots and drop dimes in clutch moments on the road it signals to me that he has that dog in him. He wants the ball in those moments
IMO Caris doesn’t have the “dog”…he’s just one cool cat (see what I did there?)
All I can think about was that big 3 right before half last year - who was that against?
He drains it, then calmly runs to the locker room.
The look on his face didn’t show grit, dog, fight, swag…nothing. All it said was “I’m doing my job for the team.” No celebration. No trash talk.
He is the player form of John Beilein IMO
Frankly, there isn't much to lend credit to Walton as a clutch iso player or a ballhawk.
Same can be said for Caris
Wisconsin, Duke, Iowa, Michigan State, Arizona...pretty odd narrative you got going. It was pretty clear that Caris was the only 1 who never backed down, though Walton was brilliant at MSU (Caris had 17) and at OSU.Did Walton have any defensive performance like Caris against Purdue or at MSU?
You’re forgetting the clutch plays at NEB as well Have to account for the fact that Walton was a true FR as well. No knock on Caris, because he is a damn good player, but I definitely don’t think he’s a “dog”. When I watch Derrick rebound in traffic at 5"11 and knock down big shots and drop dimes in clutch moments on the road it signals to me that he has that dog in him. He wants the ball in those moments
So basically MSU and OSU?
Wisconsin, Duke, Iowa, Michigan State, Arizona...pretty odd narrative you got going.Frankly, there isn't much to lend credit to Walton as a clutch iso player or a ballhawk.Same can be said for Caris
The leash will be off these young dogs this year…watch them grow! Woof!
Just remember the late season games vs Tenn, MSU, @OSU, vs OSU where Caris seemed to have a lot of TOs or missed shots down the stretch. From what I can recall, he just looked scared to me. Don’t have any statistical data to back it up, just my recollection. I would think to myself this is the moment where he should be picking his game up as the #2 guy beside Nik.
I always thought Caris was undervalued last year for how well he played when the rest of the team *didn't* (Duke game most prominently), which I think supports guestavo's point. Nik may have been more "valuable" because if you took him out, the team suffered, but when all else failed, Caris was still putting in work.
I agree. Caris made some big shots in clutch moments and was not afraid to take them. My fav, of course, was the three at the end of the half in the MSU game at Crisler where he started running to the locker room before the ball went through the net.
Just remember the late season games vs Tenn, MSU, @OSU, vs OSU where Caris seemed to have a lot of TOs or missed shots down the stretch. From what I can recall, he just looked scared to me. Don't have any statistical data to back it up, just my recollection. I would think to myself this is the moment where he should be picking his game up as the #2 guy beside Nik.
When he had a broken foot?
Level claims that didn’t happen until tourney time so im not buying that one
Level claims that didn't happen until tourney time so im not buying that oneHe said the foot had been bothering him but that it didn't effect his play. It wasn't actually fractured until the tournament. Although, it was a stress fracture, so it might have been a hairline fracture that got worse late in the season.
Level claims that didn't happen until tourney time so im not buying that oneHe said the foot had been bothering him but that it didn't effect his play. It wasn't actually fractured until the tournament. Although, it was a stress fracture, so it might have been a hairline fracture that got worse late in the season.
Well that would seem to mitigate any justification considering he potentially had foot issues long before the fracture. In other words he most likely had those same issues at Wisc, vs MSU, Iowa, etc. so we can’t use that as a convenient “out” for his performances later in the season - Sane is this what you’re trying to convey or do you take the opposite stance?
Doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things because Caris is option 1 and Walton option 2. Both will have relatively equal opportunity to make plays when it matters most. Im sure both of them will have their moments under the bright lights and come through in some and struggle in others.