Not really sure where this goes… but how do we feel about Abdur-Rahkman’s senior year? Last year at this time people were begging for the offense to run through him. He had a brutal stretch this year, but has been hot from three in league play.
His 2 assists per game (and 2:1 assist:TO ratio) are nice, but he hasn’t shown any consistent ability to pass out of the PNR. Zak and Walton both eventually added that, so I’m not saying that MAAR cant, but he doesn’t look to be enough of a facilitator for the offense to run through him. Since X, MAAR, CM and a few freshman are our leading options at running the PNR, I think it’s fairly likely that the PNR drops off some and we revert to the Princeton-style stuff that basically all of our non-PNR actions already are, though I’d suppose MAAR must be considered the most likely to assume the PNR responsibilities (favoring the devil you know, rather than the one(s) you dont)
Very good chance I’ll be asking the same question year after next, too lol.
What’s Rahk’s usage rate this year compared with last season? Seems like he’s been less involved in the offense this year but his counting stats are pretty similar to last season. I think next year, Rahk will be asked to take on a bigger role with Irvin and Walton gone. He was really good at the end of last season but we really haven’t seen that type of aggression out of him this year.
Wiscy made two final fours based mostly on their front court. Koenig was good as a fresh/soph but they made it because of Kaminsky, Dekker, and Hayes.
I think people are underestimating how good Wagner/Wilson/Matthews could be next year.
And let’s wait until this year’s over before we make any final conclusions about this year, let alone the next one.
I was pretty down on MAAR earlier this year, but he’s doing exactly what he should be now. Taking wide open, rhythm threes and going hard to that basketball and nothing else on O, while playing tough, energetic D. The offense won’t and shouldn’t run through him, but he can be a very valuable piece next year.
I ain’t worried about the offense next year.
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Dekker and Koenig were pretty dynamic from the perimeter that year and even Frank could create off the bounce from the 3 point line. Don’t really see that similarity.
Really? He has some good games at the end of last year and tthere were certainly advocates for More touches but I don’t think anyone outside of Sly was calling for the offense to be run through him. This could be my bad memory though
IMO I could easily see maar going to to focal point or fading into marginal bench player depending on how well the young players step up with the void left by Walton and Irvin
I tend to think this about “most” 1st year players and pgs in particular. Xavier seems to have gained that little bit of extra confidence now. Good for him. Rather have the player who gains that late in the season than one who starts off strong and fades.
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Frank had a pump fake + spin move from the 3pt line, it’s not like he was crossing people over; I actually think Mo already has similar ability to take guys off the bounce. Frank’s advantage was back-to-the-basket play. Koenig was a catch-and-shoot guy during that run. Dekker was undoubtedly the combination of skill and athleticism that Michigan would love to have, but he never averaged more than 1.5 assists/per game. Actually, no one on the team averaged more than 2.6 assists/game.
I’m not saying our 17-18 team will be anywhere as good as that Wisconsin team, but you’re creating dissimilarities that aren’t there.
Frank could straight line slash and find guys from the perimeter off close outs. Mo does not have that vision.
Koenig was not a catch and shoot guy. After Traevon Jackson went down, He was one of the best ball screen guys that year and a good ISO guy @umhoops has a chart somewhere on this very site.
And assist is not the sole metric of creation. Sam Dekker could create his own shot off the bounce and I don’t see any of the perimeter players going forward as a sure thing in that regard.
"Bronson Koenig entered last season as a backup, but will enter this season as a potential top ten player in the league. Koenig isn’t the flashiest guard in the Big Ten, but he stepped up to the plate after Traevon Jackson’s injury last season. Twelve Big Ten guards executed at least 200 ball screens last year (including passes) and Koenig was the most efficient of that group — scoring 1.02 points per possession according to Synergy Sports. Koenig is also an effective isolation player and he was the Big Ten’s third best three-point shooter in conference play at 45.5%. "
If you think there is any player on the roster similar to this then well we will have to disagree
Two games=significant data?
You’re turning this argument into something that it’s not. Of course Mo isn’t as good as Frank, the NPOY. And I dont think anyone thinks we have someone likely to produce at Dekker/lottery-pick-on-a-FF-team talent. And yes, Koenig was super efficient on a team where he was surrounded by senior/NBA talent. But he wasn’t the key to their success, nor was Gasser or Jackson–>the front court was.
All @UMHoopsFan was saying is that Michigan could be good next year, on the back of its front court. Their welcome to correct me if I’m misinterpreting, but I dont think they were saying that Michigan will be as good as those Wisconsin teams, just drawing a parallel between the importance of the frontcourt compared to the backcourt.
His biggest contribution next year might be bringing stability to the backcourt.
The combination of Kaminsky, Dekker and Koenig being able to create was absolutely a huge key to their success. I don’t see any similarity in roster construction to make any parallels just because the team has 2 good bigmen.
You dont think his play over the last two games has been significant? Encouraging? Sure seems like the best-case scenario, considering the first 2/3 of the season. What would you call it?
Okay, I think I understand. Neither of us think the team will be as good as Wiscy’s FF teams, nor do we think our front court will be as good as Wiscy’s.
I think that if we are going to be good, it will be primarily/mostly because of our front court. No idea if I’m as confident as UMhoops that we will be a ‘good team,’ but I think our front court will be good, with CM being the biggest question mark, though that question mark is widely assumed to immediately be the best defender on our team.
You dont think our front court will be very good and (maybe?) dont think that, if we are good, the front court will be the reason.
No, the frontcourt will be good and the team will be solid and a potential tournament team but I don’t see any elite squads or deep runs without adding a perimeter player or a few making a significant leap.
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