🏀 KuBuckets Archive

I think no one playing exceptional , but my thought - -I think Braun is playing as well as anyone per minutes played at this point.

Bringing energy - -example believe it was Doke barely drew iron on free throw - -Braun hustles underneath and grabs the rebound making some shots - showing toughness, think he starting to grasp things.

I think we can see the progression - -Tristian barely got a sniff of the floor today - - Braun I believe they said played the entire 2nd half , playing more aggressive. - -just my thoughts take it or leave them it's ok.

Can't say Devon is playing better struggled the last 3 games 5-15 shooting the last three, - -for sure not McCormack - - - AgbaJi ? - -don't really think so - -non exsistent the 1st half - - maybe the entire game , pretty quiet. - - Marcus maybe? - - - MAYBE - -just think Braun doing about as much a any other on the team right now. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

Best: Marcus and Doke.

Good: Ochai playing great D. I have no probs with Braun and Tristan off the bench on D. I wish Lightfoot was available.

Need: Moss to heat up, and I'm still hoping Dotson figures out how to be a team leader.

DanR said:

Best: Marcus and Doke.

Good: Ochai playing great D. I have no probs with Braun and Tristan off the bench on D. I wish Lightfoot was available.

Need: Moss to heat up, and I'm still hoping Dotson figures out how to be a team leader.

We're going to need Dot to shoot from the outside, can't all be dribble drive - though usually effective.

On Saturday the best lineup KU put out was the Dotson, Garrett, Agbaji, Braun, Azubuike. Avg 1.26 points per possession.

2nd best combination was Dotson, Braun, Agbaji, Moss, Azubuike, scored 1.06 points per possession.

Start the best lineup that @BeddieKU23 noted - Dotson, Garrett, Agbaji, Braun and Doke.

As a note, Braun is much better than Moss in rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. And I like his energy level. Moss is nice to have as a shooter off the bench.

The minutes distribution Saturday was the most telling stat of all, related to where Self's head is right now, I think. Dave 10 minutes. Moss 7 minutes. Enaruna 1 minute. DeSousa 7 minutes. That's 25 minutes of "sub" time essentially (counting Dave as the sub). Pretty low, but when Self puckers on PT, that's what we've seen in the past.

HighEliteMajor said:

That's 25 minutes of "sub" time essentially (counting Dave as the sub). Pretty low, but when Self puckers on PT, that's what we've seen in the past.

You wouldn't believe the arguments I had about this over the summer. It's like some people have never watched a Bill Self team before. Thinking he was going to really play 9-10 guys in games that matter...

@BShark

I will add that he crunches the lineup when his teams are not playing well as was the case in the first half Saturday.

Self was looking for toughness in his players against WV. We can use the PT as an indication of who he thinks is the toughest and who he thinks needs to be the toughest moving forward.

Right now... I see Marcus as our toughest, and I might give the second spot to Braun. This is how he was praised prior to receiving PT. Contrary to what some think, I think Braun is nowhere near reaching his potential.

Devon is also a tough cookie but gets a bit rattled still and needs to settle down and keep his poise steady. Still... I can't complain about where he is as a sophomore.

I am enthused to see us come on in the second half. It's good to see us knocked down and then stand back up. I don't think we can expect the same result from WV in Morgantown. WV played tired the second half. I think the stress and effort caught up with this young team on the road. We will have to deal with a team that will likely look like they did the first half but the entire game. We will have to do a much better job of sealing the boards.

Don’t forget get big Dave gave doke a quick rest at the end. Grabbed a big board and on the other end threw down a huge dunk! We needed both!

@Crimsonorblue22 You are correct. Dave is incredibly valuable. He allows us to play the same way when Doke is out. He'll be the man next year inside (or earlier if Doke gets hurt). I would be fine, though, if I didn't see those two on the floor together unless a match up makes it advantageous or in a blow-out.

@Crimsonorblue22

Your right he did well giving Doke a breather, playing the 5.

@BeddieKU23 yep

Dave is absolutely our best back-up 5.

... and you are best @BShark on this board.

@HighEliteMajor Hey Silvio is on the roster, that's more competition than I have.

BShark said:

@HighEliteMajor Hey Silvio is on the roster, that's more competition than I have.

Don't forget about the man, the myth, the legend Mitch Lightfoot

@DanR Dotson totally crushed it in Hawaii and ever since he has been out of sorts (from a leadership standpoint). Remember he and Doke won co-MVP for the tournament. I was in Hawaii for the Maui Invitational, and it was interesting after the game that Doke grabbed the MVP trophy and wouldn't let Devon have his time with it during the celebration after the game. Dotson made a comment, something like "Doke can have this one", seemingly conceding the trophy to him because he couldn't get it back from him anyway.

I'm wondering if that has caused a riff between the two of them. Another thing that has me wondering is I read an article a couple of days ago saying that Dotson hasn't given Doke a lob since the Colorado game, and that was only one lob, I think.

Maybe there's nothing to this, but Dotson's attitude lately is reason for concern. He's been pretty emotional on the floor too towards other players and the refs. Being verbal towards other players can be a good thing if done from the right perspective, but I'm not so sure Dotson has that nailed down. I also wonder if Doke is becoming the leader of this team now. Agbaji is not taking that on, Dotson is struggling to do it, Garrett is the quiet glue-guy. Maybe Braun will step up? mostly kidding :)

I’ve noticed Dotson trying to talk more too but mostly after he blows a defensive assignment and then points at someone else. Maybe it’s bad communication from the other guy but seems like he has been either left out to dry or straight up wrong on several easy buckets lately.

I personally think he’s dealing with some leg injury that just isn’t quite bad enough to keep him off the court. Jaybate would be all over his leg sleeves and padding etc. He seems like just the fastest guy on the floor marginally most games instead of the faster guy in college basketball by a wide margin like we saw at the beginning of the year. He’s going under a ton of screens and isn’t getting out to shooters as well and I would never call him lazy so it must be something in the legs or in the head that’s got him a bit out of sorts. Still in one of our top three players no question but closer to third than 1st at e moment.

@benshawks08 not to go full jaybate but I would agree he has a leg injury.

Not worried about the chemistry of this team fwiw.

@BShark They even mentioned in one of the last two broadcasts that he was getting some extra attention on a leg pregame.

@SlickRockJayhawk I thought I read or heard somewhere that they were going to get a second trophy so Doke and Dot would each have one. Anyone know if this is true?

benshawks08 said:

@BShark They even mentioned in one of the last two broadcasts that he was getting some extra attention on a leg pregame.

And at halftime of the last game