Hoops Snowflakes thread

Submitted by San Diego Mick on December 19th, 2023 at 9:45 PM

How many times do we need to see this type of flailing by the basketball team at the end of games.

I watched this whole game, been watching since Campy Russell and CJ Cupek and I was screaming at the TV because of how they were coached and played from the end of the 1st OT till the end, truly pathetic.

bronxblue

December 19th, 2023 at 9:53 PM ^

What drove me crazy was Michigan actually closed out the end of the game really well - they were down 4 with under a minute and got turnovers and scored 2nd-chance points.  That's really impressive, especially for a team that typically doesn't keep the plot to end close games.  Then they get to OT, again do well defensively and make some plays, get up 3 and then fall apart not defending that last 3 attempt before whatever Burnett ran to end the period.  By the 2nd OT they were clearly gassed and Florida got some good shots and hit them and it was over.  But had they got one more break, one more bucket or stop in regulation or the first OT then we're talking about how this team is figuring out close games and making big strides.  It's a totally different narrative on basically 2 possessions, and it's not like Florida was doing anything all that great either.

Just fucking infuriating to watch.  I'm fine if both sides part ways after this year; there's just this weird stink/juju right now around basketball that probably isn't probably  going to be something you can play your way out of.

ST3

December 19th, 2023 at 9:56 PM ^

Florida sucks, which makes this game more painful. I know they’re 8-3 now, but they can’t shoot. I assume they have been beating up lesser teams with their size and athleticism. But they’re just 5 chuckers who attack the glass. Izzo has made a career crafting those types of teams. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.

bronxblue

December 19th, 2023 at 10:07 PM ^

They aren't elite but Florida is, yeah, like a lot of those middling NCAA teams that Izzo and guys like him get to the 9 seed in the tourney and more often than not don't make it out of the first weekend.  What's interesting to me is they also suck defensively, which you usually assume these teams can at least do.

Denard In Space

December 19th, 2023 at 9:59 PM ^

The defense is what is so disappointing to me. Even excellent players like Nkamhoua get this space-cadet syndrome where they make these completely inexplicable (or inexplicably slow) rotations. The gulf between the physical capabilities of the players on the floor and the defensive performance points directly to coaching. Major improvements needed. 

bronxblue

December 19th, 2023 at 10:11 PM ^

Yeah.  Good defenses really function like they're not even thinking; it's just instinctive moving to spots and defending guys.  Michigan displays that in spurts but then you have moments where guys just slow down and start thinking and not reacting and that's what bad things happen.  

My very slight hope is that last year we saw them absolutely lost defensively early on and they got a bit better as the year progressed to the point where they were basically even offensively and defensively to sites like KenPom and Torvik.  Michigan's offense right now is top-25 and their defense is around 100th, so if you see some familiarity and slight improvement from that happen then they have a good chance of getting better but it might not be enough because this league is pretty shitty and they aren't likely to go 13-7 or whatever they'd need to make up for an underwhelming OOC schedule.