Coach Howland Channels Bruin Nation
by Nestor on Feb 24, 2009 8:00 PM PST
in Basketball
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Coach Howland states what we have been discussing here for last few days. From Brian Dohn's blog on Daily News:
Howland also talked about the ability of former players like Arron Afflalo, Russell Westbrook and Cedric Bozeman to take it personally when an opponent scored on him.
I asked him if anyone on the roster was doing that this season.
"It's learning to be like that,'' Howland said. "Malcolm (Lee) has that in his future. I think Jrue (Holiday), for a freshman, has done a good job. But the thing is you have to do that every day."
I don't have much to add to this because I have already discussed it over here, and other BNers have been talking about it here, here, and here.
Per the Dohn post linked above, apparently Howland will not tinker with the starting lineup. However, given what we have seen in recent games hopefully he will not hesitate to plug in ML early if he needs to a boost of defensive intensity. ML provides that jolt and right now the whole team would benefit from extra defensive intensity whoever it comes from.
Still, we are fortunate to have a head coach in charge of UCLA basketball who has the exact pulse of the Bruin Nation.
GO BRUINS.
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I agree with that, but is CBH going try to put bobo in for more Experience and i think we will need him for march.
by kyl57es on Feb 24, 2009 8:12 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
JMM
Is not up to par defensively. We have talked about that over and over again.
by Nestor on Feb 24, 2009 8:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
JMM in march?
A player who’s not good enough in December, January and February will not become suddenly invaluable in March.
The lust for Bobo this year can only come from having never seen him play. It’s Forcier Syndrome all over again.
Bobo will take at least a year or two.
by bluebland on Feb 24, 2009 10:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
DC left off of Naismith finalist
I am not going to complain about this, but I know for a fact that DC is one of the best 30 players in college basketball. Hopefully this along with the aforementioned comments from CBH will light a fire under DC’s that will propel him to be everything that he can be and lead us on a nice winning streak to end the season.
by bruinponcho on Feb 24, 2009 9:37 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
It's cruel to overrate DC
But in our hearts, we clearly have. His shortcomings have not come from lack of effort or (as I read elsewhere on this blog) “mental inhibition.” He’s just not that quick. It’s not easy to accept, because he seems like he should be. But he’s not.
We can only hope DC plays to the best of his abilities and to the best of his smarts and experience. Anything else is just not fair to him.
by bluebland on Feb 24, 2009 10:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
DC is one of the fastest linearly, but he’s not near the top laterally. Unfortunately, executing and especially defending the dribble drive in an iso situation requires lateral quickness.
by dokein on Feb 24, 2009 11:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry, blueband, you are way off base...or have been asleep for the last 3 years!
DC is an incredibly fast player, both in terms of foot speed and hand speed.
How many times over the last few years have we seen him surprise the opposing PG and pick his pocket or intercept a pass? DC’s on-ball defense has caused numerous turnovers both in the half-court and in transition.
In fact, I’ve seen him on at least one occasion have the ball stolen from him, but recover so quickly that he immediately steals it back from the other player!
Remember that, for the first half of last season, he was recovering from the knee injury and was not at full speed. Other than that period, I think his speed has been just fine.
The real problem is that he can be out-muscled by taller and larger players. This is what happened last year in the Final 4, for example. When guards have 3-4 inches on him and 15-20 pounds, they can both disrupt his offensive game and cause him problems defensively.
However, he has been a terrific player for us. Who can forget the Pac-10 Tournament game last year against Stanford when LRMAM was in foul trouble and K Love was having back spasms? DC led us to victory by taking right to the 7-foot Lopez twins.
by PeterUCLA on Feb 25, 2009 4:01 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Agree with PeterUCLA
I don’t think Collison was EVER overrated.
I think DC is having a relatively tough year given the expectations and his previous play the last three years. Of course, when I say relatively tough, I mean—he isn’t playing like an all-american. He is, on the other hand, playing like the star of this team and one of the top players in the country. He is a terrific player.
He is one of the quickest guards in the country, and one of the best point guards. He is also a terrific shooter (this year, slightly less good), and the best free-throw shooter in the nation. I’m not sure what else I can say.
I do not think his defense this year has been as good in the past—but Howland has called him one of our best defenders the last 3 years—so I think he is capable. And he has bulked up this year, which shows that he has put in the time in the off-season to get stronger and address deficiences.
Collison is the man, its just been hard to be THE Guy on this team—when other players are young or not giving the team quite what was expected.
What Collison did against Kansas two years ago will never leave my mind. He carried us against a terrific team with end of the shot clock threes, tough d, and heart. And then, last year in the second round. And there are other games, so many.
Bottom Line: Collison isn’t overrated in my opinion. He might not be having his best year (barely), but he is capable. No doubt about it.
by rfirpo on Feb 25, 2009 7:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Speed is not the same as quickness
I haven’t been asleep for the last 3 years. I’ve been to every game in the last three years.
Are you telling me that Glasser, Rochestie, Thomas/Overton, Wise, and (previously) Augustin are “bigger and stronger”? Are you telling me he got outmuscled by those guys? They blew right around him play after play.
Believe me, nobody’s appreciated Collison’s game as much as I have. I liked it so much that I wasn’t bummed when Farmar left. But his strengths are not what I expected them to be, given his linear speed and fast hands. He’s actually just not that great at blowing past his man (and vice-versa). Nor does he have great court-vision or passing skills. Those are the most important things for a PG. When you find yourself wishing he would play the 2 — as Nestor repeatedly has — that means his play at PG has not been quite so great, whatever we would like to believe. His outside shooting has been clutch and usually excellent, but that’s never the priority for a PG, and it only comes handy when he’s not the first option on an offense (and can therefore get open).
Collison is a great piece of the puzzle. But he can’t be the main piece when too often he’s not winning his own matchup. We overrated him but putting him in the same leadership category as AA, RW, even Farmar. I’m not gonna question his mental tenacity to justify the disappointment.
by bluebland on Feb 25, 2009 11:43 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Some good points
You are right, he hasn’t won his matchups as much this year. But that is where I think we disagree. I think he should be winning those hands down, which is why I don’t think he is having his best year, and which is also why I think he is deserving some criticism—even though he is a great player. AA is the only one in your list that I think was a huge leader. Farmar was never the leader that AA was (in my opinion), and RW was a just a physically talented player—not so much a team leader.
Anyway, I agree with some of what you said regardless.
by rfirpo on Feb 25, 2009 1:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Not Sure I Agree
DC is very, very fast (and quick). But sometimes he is out-hustled and out-muscled by other quick guards. I am one who believes something mental is at play for him since he seems to be up and down in his intensity and ability to lead the team or take over a game—for which he clearly has the athletic wherewithal. I see him get tentative on both sides of the ball and I chalk that up to a lack of confidence. Other times, he seems very confident in his abilities and will take it any body and will play tough, hard-nosed D. So call it what you will but I have no doubt in his skills.
Bruins Forever
by bruinsince69 on Feb 25, 2009 10:07 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
oops--that was a reply to bluebland's comment about DC
Bruins Forever
by bruinsince69 on Feb 25, 2009 10:08 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Ouch
But I partially agree (end of Memphis, as much as I hate to agree with that, was how I saw things too—maybe I’d say he let his frustration completely control him as opposed to quitting, but that’s sematics).
I disagree that the Memphis game carried over to this year. I think he is stronger than that. That said, we know he wants the NBA and really considered coming out last year. I personally think he came back because he thought UCLA was going to have a great year again, and because he expected more out of the team than has so far panned out. As this year has delivered some key challenges however, I’m sure he is questioning his decision (or at least I would, even though I would know it was the best decision—it’s just part of being a human being). Anyway, this year is going to make DC a stronger person in the long run.
by rfirpo on Feb 25, 2009 1:29 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
DC v. Tyus comparison
I often find myself comparing him to Tyus Edney, and I find the matchups intriguing:
Speed? DC with the edge. Sprinter’s genes and longer limbs combine for great end to end ability, though Tyus was no slouch, by any stretch.
Quickness? Tyus has the edge, as he seemed to have more explosiveness.
Ballhandling? Again, I give it to Tyus, not just for Missouri, but for his repeated ability to drive and dish in the paint and split a double team. DC is often flummoxed by double teams at the high part of a zone.
Shooting? DC is a deadeye from outside. Clear edge.
FT shooting? Again, clear edge for DC.
Inside shooting? Tyus, even at 5-10, went to the basket strong, and absorbed a surprising amount of contact while making shots. DC, however, has seemed to developed a habit of relying on the scopping layup, taking off a step too far from the rim (even when the lane is EMPTY), rather than go up strong for a dunk or even a closer-range layup. Also, his ability to elevate and loft a shot up in traffic is really hit or miss recently.
Defensive aggressiveness? Slight edge to DC, as both were great ballhawks.
Offensive agressiveness? More of an edge to Tyus, who wasn’t afraid to cut down trees in the paint.
M
"In this program your passion bucket must be full to play SC." -- CRN, to Dan Patrick, 1/2008
by Meriones on Feb 25, 2009 5:42 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
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