Michigan Bball Starting Lineup for 2010-11
Next years Bball season could be a long one, and I was wondering who people think will be in the starting 5 next season?
My picks:
G: Darius Morris
G: Stu Douglass
G: Novak?
F: McLimans
F: Morgan
G: Morris
G: Douglas
G: Novak
F: Metrics
F: McLimans
That is correct.
It's not going to be a long season, it's going to be a fun and exciting season and I expect these guys to have fun and get better as the year goes along.
We aren't going to know a true starting 5 till probably mid Dec but that's a pretty good guess I would say.
It's not going to be a long season, it's going to be a fun and exciting season
You sure are either a true optimist or a masochist. I don't know which.
PG- Darius Morris
SG- Tim Hardaway Jr.
SF- Zach Novak
PF- Evan Smotrycz (or however the heck you spell it)
C- Blake McLimans
Young, but hopefully can gel together and play well as a unit.
Stu played over 31 minutes a game last year and started almost every game. He's been a starter for the majority of the past two years. He is starting. Hardaway will get minutes but I think we learned last year that Beilein works in freshman slowly.
I don't see how you can keep Metrics out of the starting lineup from day 1. He is exactly what the offense calls for and I know he is only a freshman, but he is badly needed. He was ranked nearly as high as Manny coming out of high school, let's just hope he can step in and make as big of an impact as a true freshman.
Mark me down for worried...
I have a deep-seated aversion to the three-guard offense as a team's base formation, especially in a power conference like the Big Ten. I would have to call Novak a three instead of a third guard just to make this more palatable. I do, however, agree with Caracajous' lineup regardless of what Novak is called.
This season scares the shit out of me. Part of me is almost as pessimistic about the basketball team as I am optimistic about the football team. Then again, another part of me realizes that even though most (well, actually, all) of the height is freshmen and redshirt freshmen, the team has gotten taller. If one of the bigs has a "big" year and two more develop into solid players, we could be pleasantly surprised this year.
If Caracajous' starting lineup proves correct, and three players from the group of Vogrich, McLimans, Hardaway, Horford, Christian, and Jordan can play their way into the rotation, this year might not be as bad as many of us fear.
Did you already have big plans for the Final Four? Just hold off on the commemerative tatoo and things will be ok.
I dont see Beilein throwing Metrics out there at the beginning of the season, but I get your point and believe he will crack the starting 5 before the seasons over. But even if the team isnt that great, the crowd should be interesting with the likes of Al Horford, Tim Hardaway, and Joe Dumars in attendence
Hopefully the European tour helps this team bond and provides needed maturity out of the freshman. Plain and simple, if Novak starts much beyond the first few games, we ARE in for a long season. He is a typical role/bench player. A few minutes here and there to help provide a spark is what we need him for. If he is to be relied upon to be a major contributor, well we will probably not even reach 15 wins.
My dark horse this year is Vogrich. As a freshman he showed some flashes. We all know he can shoot the heck out of the ball, he just looked lost most of the time he was on the court due to lack of experience. We should see a huge improvement for him as he learns the system and puts on some muscle. He could come on strong.
Morris
Stu
Vogrich
Metrics
Mclimans
Even though Novak was a starter and major contributor on one of the 32 best teams in 2008 as a freshman?
If you are going to put Vogrich in the lineup for anyone it should be at the 2 guard for Douglass.
he played the 3 a little bit last year. Stu is going to be arguably our best player next year so its hard to leave him off the court
is our best player we are in big trouble. Im hoping someone like Darius makes a big jump and becomes our creator. otherwise we will have a bunch of guys standing around that 3 point arc without any room to shoot
I know that Stu seems to be a polarizing figure on this team, but based on past performance, I think he's the best player on the team. I think people underestimated his contribution when he shifted to the point last year. He isn't going to break anyone down off the dribble, but he can handle it against pressure and turns his man and manages to get the ball up. Add to that he was clearly (IMO at least) the best passer on the team and he's a valuable piece. I expect his shot to come around and if he can develop a pump fake, one dribble and shoot move, he can be a regular 15-20 point 5 assist guy this year.
Stu had a terrible year shooting last year (is there a word for worse than terrible?), but there is absolutely no reason that should happen again. His shot is solid. I can see why Novak and Harris struggled with consistency; their shots have a lot of moving parts (think Novak's weird leg kick). But Stu has a good, technically sound shot. I have to conclude his trouble was more mental than anything else. He has to get better this year. Right?
Right?
Right. Stu should shoot better. He has very good form on his shot. His problem last year was more getting squared up properly before he shot. Sometimes he was drifting a little when he shot and you knew it was a miss before it left his hand.
McLimans is NOT starting. He redshirted this year and it wasn't because of injury. Did he imporve? Sure. Based on all reasonable projections (scouting opinion, recruiting hype, talent, versatility), Smotrycz is starting at 4. J Morgan likely to start at 5 just so as to have any semblance of a physical presence both defensively in the post and rebounding. We will not be getting any post scoring next year so scratch that from any consideration as to who starts.
Again: Blake McLimans can not play center in the Big Ten. He's a stick.
You really should stay on top of the basketball program if you are going to make posts like this. Blake is up to 238 (from the 190 stick he used to be) and Morgan is down to 240. I doubt 2 pounds is going to make much of a difference. Reports from last week's camp are that he filled out nicely. I expect him to surprise the haters this year.
I agree with Carcajous. I think Morgan has been too hurt for too long, doesn't fit the system as well, isn't tall enough to be effective as a pure defensive center, and has had no practice hype around him. At best he's a defensive spark off the bench and your third big guy.
I think Hardaway is going to be given every possible chance to steal minutes at the 2/3 positions. They had NO ONE who could hit open shots last year and if he can do that he'll get the time. Hell, if a walk-on can hit open shots he'll get PT.
I think Horford is going to surprise everyone. I think by mid-season he'll be the first big guy off the bench and pass Morgon on the depth chart. I know people think he'll redshirt because he's skinny, but my prediction is that he plays and plays a lot. He has documented skill in the post and as a passer with added height compared to Morgan and others.
The real question is where the points come from in this lineup.....Novak finally plays a more natural position so they're not using a 4-guard lineup anymore, but who scores?
1. Morris
2. Douglass
3. Novak
4. Smotrycz
5. McLimans
Key reserves:
2. Vogrich
3. Hardaway
5. Morgan
McLimans is not a center. Sure he's 6'11" but doesn't have the skill set of a center. He has the skill set of a high post 4 type player. Does Roy Hibbert getting dominated by DeJuan Blair ring a bell to any of you. Sure Hibbert was taller but Blair was just more physically imposing. It's basically the same situation. McLimans may be taller but he will get dominated at center.
The coaches disagree with you. They have been working him at center for the past year.
but not many mentions of Colton Christian. I think he could see significant minutes. He went to prep school, so he's essentially a redshirt freshman, and physically, he's definitely ahead of Horford.
Personally, I think McLimans starts at the 5 but it doesn't matter as much as some on here think because we will run a LOT more 1-3-1 when he is in. JB looks for long athletic guys with big wingspans. I don't think McLimans is a freak athlete, but with what JB wants him to do, I think he will do just fine.
I think Morgan will be the 5 spot - I see McLimans as more of a 4. In other words, I see the rotation like this:
1. Morris/Douglass
2. Douglass/Hardaway
3. Novak/Vogrich
4. Somtrycz/Mclimans
5. Morgan/Horford/Christian
We should get a sneak peek at this question when the team travels to Europe. If Smotrycz is as good as advertised, then the question becomes who starts at center. Like some previous posters, I don't think it terribly important who starts, but my hunch is McLimans.
Christian is the sleeper of sleepers of the big men. Effort guys often add chemistry to a team and hopefully this guys attitude is infectious, if so, I wouldn't be shocked to see him in the starting lineup paired up with Novak in the front court to set the tone. But then again, maybe it would be better to insert Christian into the game when Novak goes out, IDK.
I miss Cronin, his height and length were imposing even when playing on a damaged hip which severely limited his mobility, I think he would have been a good one.
This thread is probably dead at this point, but here are some thoughts on what you guys have been saying:
McLimans may not have the game of a center, but he has the size and will almost certainly get the most minutes there. Michigan has been playing a 6'8" earth bound "power" forward at center for the past two years. I think a 6'11" guy who knows the system and weighs 238 pounds can hold his own. Most likely Morgan will get minutes at that spot and maybe Horford too.
Colton is an interesting player who might get a look as a hustle defender, but I don't see him getting many minutes. They will need all the points they can find so guys like Vogrich, Hardaway, Novak, and Douglas are going to need minutes. Metrics will also need minutes. I don't see a player like Colton getting a lot of minutes THIS season.
I always forget about Vogrich. I think he and Hardaway are going to get every chance to show they need minutes. I also think that Douglas will be on a shorter leash this year after his awful performance last year and since Novak won't have to stay at PF the entire time.
Metrics must be in or the communists win.