There’s no counter when a player gets caught under the basket in the air. It doesn’t mean that set has been completely taken away by a defense. Players can run sets better, and JB’s very successful offense is based on countering what the defense does, getting leverage, etc.
If you teach a player to counter a hard close out by, say, shot-faking and driving, that’s countering a defensive strategy. You’re punishing a defense for its choices. If you teach a player to counter a defender going under a screen by shooting a 3, that’s a counter. If you teach a player to take a better angle on a baseline drive so that he won’t get caught under the basket, or to keep a dribble alive – and then, say, go up on the other side of the basket, or any of a number of possible next moves, those are counters.
It’s generous of you to soften your stance on Zak’s back surgery “to some extent.” Zak had a perfectly respectable vertical leap before his surgery.
Irvin maybe had a respectable vertical leap what he has never had is explosion off the bounce. Two very different things. And yes I’m surprised he has done what he has done this year. Back surgery is no joke
What I believe Matt is talking about is a counter to driving baseline and the weakside guy always going to that corner. It’s the counter to the designed play. If A happens then B must happen scenario. Pump fakes are not the counter he is describing
No. I agree. I only meant Irvin is less explosive now, relative to his prior self, not trying to say he has ever been an explosive athlete compared to other college players.
Pratt nailed it - you are referencing individual decisions/moves within the same designed set. Don’t want to make this into a back and forth type deal, so I’ll say this in summary and leave it at that - you think the problem is Zak himself not being able to properly run the set, I think JB deserves some blame for not implementing an actual play counter for a player that is clearly limited in running such set. Basically you are saying ‘run the play better’, whereas Im saying that play simply cannot work for said player considering the physical/skill limitations once opposing defenses have scouted.
Also, Zak never had a respectable vertical, it was 30-31 inches as an incoming recruit, and reached it’s peak at 35 inches prior to his sophomore year. Essentially, that is going from a poor athlete to a below average athlete. To add to it, Zak can’t elevate off 1 leg which is problematic. When you have a limited vertical to begin with, it just takes far too long to stop, plant, and go up off 2 legs in traffic…and the results reflect that.
I agree with you that one of his main problems is that he can’t seem to jump off of one foot. That is ok if you are Jason Richardson and can just jump over people. When you are Zak Irvin, it’s a problem.
Even someone like Spike had a much lower percentage of his layup attempts blocked than Irvin. Spike had the nifty running, non-jump layup that allows smaller guys to get the ball out before a defender even has time to block it.
I’d say it’s a bit below average, but not much. 2 leg jumping with limited verticality is a problem unless said player is proficient at getting into the chest of the big…which Zak certainly does not (this is also the EXACT reason Kam is a poor finisher).
I agree with that especially if Irvin doesn’t take control of this team next year. MAAR seems like the only one who really wants it out there. While there are many reasons Irvin may not be at 100%. Taking bad shots has nothing to do with being hurt and he still does that quite a bit. Is it just me or does his form on his jump shot change from shot to shot?
Hail, I don’t know. I think this has been a very insightful and civil conversation all around.
Regarding efficiency: Last year’s scramble which led to piecing together a 500 season was impressive in my mind, it probably should have been a lot worse with all the injuries and inexperience, but I wouldn’t use last season stats, with all the chaos it entailed, as a reliable measuring stick of a players efficiency.
In any set, a player has to read and react. Post set – is there a double, where’s it coming from? PnR, are they hedging? And so on. Further, defenders engage in different strategies? Are they sagging off? Contesting hard? For each, players must read the defense and react – i.e., counter --accordingly, and coaches must help players do so. You can have as many “counter sets” or “counter actions” as you want, but players must recognize the implement. It’s a pretty simple point, and it’s impressive (and a little disturbing) how far some will go to dispute it. In my view, Zak can react and make better decisions at times, in many sets and actions that Michigan runs. That’s a challenge for him – to remain aggressive but make better decisions. And of course it’s JB and co’s job to help him in that regard. (And everyone involved is doing it well enough to be a top-20 offense, but there’s still room for improvement). If you believe that Zak is making the right decision and just carrying out JB’s orders and there’s some magic counter set that would solve all the problems, fine. Have a good one.
Not to beat a dead horse, especially since this thread is focused (deservedly so) on MAAR, but I don’t think you can discount what Zak is being asked to do on the defensive end. That is CLEARLY wearing him down. Note I’m not making an argument that Zak is a good defender, but he is working his tail off on that side of the court - particularly when his man doesn’t have the ball.
With that said, I think it supports the argument to get the ball in MAARs hands more often…let Zak and Walton both do something they’re good at…knocking down catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Going forward that will be the plan I’m sure. Only until recently has MAAR been driving and passing pretty well. Here’s to him keeping it up and Duncan hitting wide open shots.
As inconsistent As Irvin’s offense has been I think he’s done well on post d and solid on the boards. We actually have been very solid on the boards. One positive.
He really has done a good job. Especially being undersized and guarding guys that have 30-40lbs on him. I’m so hoping next year we can play dj and Wagner at the three a bit more.
Wagner can play. Not to beAt a dead horse but coach b stunted his growth imo. I think if he had been given more slack hed be a good rotation guy right now. Needed to let him work through his mistakes because the talent is obvious to me, he could be at the four right now. I also think kam could help alleviate some pressure and guard the fourvS well