So what does everyone think

I agree Al still has a lot of things to iron out in his game, like getting it into the post and driving with a little more control, but I am more comfortable when he has the ball in his hands compared to any other gopher.

I dont know if anyone else has seen this, but IMO it almost seems as if the defense puts less on ball pressure when Al is bringing it up court as opposed to Devoe. Its almost as if they know it is a waste of energy to try and pick Al at halfcourt, but it isn't when Devoe is bringing it up.
 

FTB,

I think with Devoe in the game the offense seems to flow better than it does with Al, not saying Devoe is a better offensive player, just saying the TEAM offense seems to be better when he is on the floor and we seem to end up with better shots earlier in the shot clock. But as i stated, Al is and should be our starting point gaurd, i just wish he would iniate the offense ealier in the shot clock, maybe give up the ball earlier, and get it back with 8-12 sec remaining if nothing else materializes.
 


what stats?
team stats, including quality shots when joseph is on the floor
vs
team stats, including quality shots when al is on the floor.

i would be very itnerested in seeing this breakdown just to see if what i am watching plays out on paper.
do you know of such stats? if so id love to take a peak.
 

I'd start by looking at Joseph's assist to turnover ratio, which has been less than 1 in 6 games compared to Nolen's twice.
 


i guess i'm have a difficult time conveying what i mean by "better". not looking to stir anything up, just my opinion on what i'm seeing and watching. no worries. All i care about it 18-3, improving and being successful in march.
GO Gophers!!!
 

I agree Al still has a lot of things to iron out in his game, like getting it into the post and driving with a little more control, but I am more comfortable when he has the ball in his hands compared to any other gopher.

I dont know if anyone else has seen this, but IMO it almost seems as if the defense puts less on ball pressure when Al is bringing it up court as opposed to Devoe. Its almost as if they know it is a waste of energy to try and pick Al at halfcourt, but it isn't when Devoe is bringing it up.
We all said the same last night.
As for Nolen, let me give an example from my own life. I'm a painter and I was studying with a mentor. I was cranking out some paintings that I was feeling pretty good about. Then I did one that I thought was pretty much crap. But my mentor said, "ah, I see you tried to something that was too hard for you. This is not a great painting but its going to take you into better work as you figure out what you're trying to do here." She was right and when I'd worked through some challenges (and some crappy paintings) I moved to a new level.
I just sense that Tubby is pushing Nolen to expand his skill set, which shows the kind of confidence Tubby has in his players. Its risky to do so, and its going to look like regression, but I don't think so. If Nolen was limited (and we've seen some limited around here in the past years) then it wouldn't make sense to push him to become a complete player. But we'll be a great team when Nolen grows into his role.
 

Al

Al Nolen is a great point guard! We would get pressed fullcourt alot more if we didn't have him. He used to always drive and lay if off to a big for an easy bucket last year. This year teams have him scouted and that pass isn't their as often.

He does stare at the post player, and the defender takes the angle away. As soon as he looks to throw it back to the other guard, the post is open again. Hopefully he will figure out the telegraph error.

I did feel like he played great overall, guilty of overpenetrating at times and getting blocked, but that was Westbrook's liability in his past and now he is thriving.
 




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