I didn’t say he is fine, I said I think he is going to be fine. It may not be until next year, but he is a scorer and he doesn’t look broken to me. I think he is just going through a period of adjustment.
Edit: I am responding to Chezaro’s comment about Brooks.
His shot is consistently inconsistent. After two years under JBs tutelage, his 3 point and free throw percentages are abysmal.
Beilein rode the storm with Irvin last year, Robinson this year, although he did give up on Simmons for a while, I don’t think Matthews is in any danger of losing his starting spot this season.
I don’t know if it was merely coincidental but PSU roared back in a hurry with Poole starting in place of Matthews to start the second half…
It sounds like we agree that the coaching staff has actually toned down Matthews role as playmaker. Has that toning down reached its practical limit in your opinion? Part of fitting the pieces of the puzzle together, I think, is not just swapping players, but looking at what Matthews can do differently, as well as think about the type of offensive action that he might be better at handling and going to those types of plays more often. I wonder if he might have more success accepting pin down screens rather than high ball screens for example.
All great points…I also do not see Poole being able to get the defensive rebounds like CM.
I think the current playmakers on this team are:
Poole
Z
MAAR
(Gap)
Matthews
(Gap)
Simmons
This is a different list than I would have made after our beginning of the season. Everyone on this list is trending up except one. Again, not trying to make a comment about player value. These are all valuable players but I am wondering about trends in their roles and projected roles.
I totally agree.
His misses have looked very good to me. I think he is going to figure it out too.
I dont disagree with your list, but feel like there should be some contextualization for it… Z and Matthews are playmakers from entirely different perspectives. Z is definitely doing a better job than Matthews but it is more for others than himself. Matthews is the complete opposite. Poole and MAAR at least feel somewhat balanced (although leaning more towards themselves) than one dimension “playmakers”
I agree. Combined with Buckets comment about player combinations and its impact on Matthews success and it becomes an even more complicated thing to ponder.
I’d be interested in seeing more of the MAAR/Poole lineup with Mathews, Duncan, and Moe. I really think that lineup would open up the floor and give Mathews more room to operate. You’re not gonna cheat off Duncan. You’re not gonna cheat off Poole, and you’re not gonna cheat off Moe. I don’t think a team would really want to cheat off MAAR, either. Now, Charles would have to be a willing and adept passer if they did, but I’d like to see it. You’d also have two others, at least I think so, in Poole and MAAR who can create for themselves, slash to the basket, etc. Just my thoughts. I’m sure there will be some who differ with me on this.
Just wondering how being the main ball handler affects MAAR on offense.
I wouldn’t mind finding out. I actually think Poole can do it, too, and certainly will before his career is over, at least part time.
Poole is the real deal even if he is streaky. He is going to score a lot of points in his career. With Duncan’s D lately maybe JB will try it.
JP has made great strides this year, not in terms of talent, he’s had that from day one, but in terms of understanding what Coach B wants him to do. He still makes mistakes, of course. He’s just a puppy, but he’s a talented puppy, and you can see the dog 
in that puppy! I was not happy, not that I have a particular right to be unhappy, but I was not happy with the 2-1 break with Duncan last game. Pass it to Duncan, defender takes Duncan, Duncan gives it back and Poole SLAMS it…and stares at the camera…again! Waaaay back when I coached eighth grade basketball my kids knew how to run a 2-1 break, not the dunk part or the staring part, but the correct way to execute the 2 on 1!
Charles needs to be taught to not hesitate and read. He needs to have a feel for which way to go with his first move and then power dribble one time in that direction and rise up. Unless the lane is empty when he gets it. A sudden movement combined with his ability to rise and fire would help him avoid these turnovers and would likely be quick enough that he’d have the step on just about everyone to get that shot off.
Silver blue we go way back in time, lol.
No one ran a break to feed a guy standing on the 3pt either, lol
Totally agree. Much like McIntosh for Northwestern. He drives into the paint under control and if there is no opening, he rises up for a short jumper.
I agree! When I originally coached eighth grade there wasn’t a three point line! 
I’ve gotta ask: where did you get your peach baskets? 