Will we ever see the old Dominic James

[NotAnAlum]

After watching the first 2 games it struck me that we really don't expect much from Dominic anymore.  Yes he is doing a pretty good job of distributing the ball and he has some flashes on defense but gone is the Dominic who could simply take over a game.  I realize that given his knack for forcing up bad shots the team may be better off if he accepts this new role.  That being said there were times earlier in his career when he was simply unstoppable.  Will we ever see that kind of play out of him again?  Its hard to believe he has lost his talent.  Did he try to chance something and now he can't get back to where he was?  Is it strictly a case of lost confidence? Is he just not trying as hard? 

[yellow chickens]

well from talking to him i know that he is really really frustrated right now, and i dont think that effort is an issue

[LovinCrowder]

What is he frustrated about?

[Markusquette]

It seems like Mcneal, Matthews, and Lazar are definitely our scoring options now.  I think his job needs to be driving to the basket a lot and drawing fouls.  In my opinion he is best at that for his game.  Buzz just doesn't run as many plays for Dominic in scoring anymore.

[LovinCrowder]

I did notice that Buzz isn't afraid to substitute him out....  didn't he sit out a substantial amount of time (for him, anyway) against Colorado???

[MUONTOP]

Whoa I know boards are all about speculation but lets not get out of control...its only been two games.  Theres a new coaching staff, new offense and new mentality everyones got a new role.  Lets at least get to the big east season before we start making assumptions...unless you take the first TWO games of the season as determinents for the entire season and actually believe Wes is going to average 25 points this season

[MilWarrior]

I don't really think these are assumptions. After watching almost every single one of the games for the past 3 plus years, I think it is clear that Dominic was best during his freshman year, and has seemed to slip a bit each subsequent year. While you are right saying that it is too early to tell what he will accomplish this year (and I hope it's a ton!) it is probably fair to say that he hasn't lived up to what most of us were expecting him to be. I thought for sure after a 15 point scoring average and a Big East Freshman of the Year Award there was no way he would be around all four years. I just guess his lack of shooting touch has changed the way teams defend him. I really like Dominic and I hope he can prove me wrong this season, because we would be a scary team if he could return to his freshman form. (At least offensively)

[Doctor V]

the answer is yes. and btw, we will need to if this team is going to have the success it expects. he will be back, and i believe in a big way

[bma725]

I don't really think these are assumptions. After watching almost every single one of the games for the past 3 plus years, I think it is clear that Dominic was best during his freshman year, and has seemed to slip a bit each subsequent year. While you are right saying that it is too early to tell what he will accomplish this year (and I hope it's a ton!) it is probably fair to say that he hasn't lived up to what most of us were expecting him to be. I thought for sure after a 15 point scoring average and a Big East Freshman of the Year Award there was no way he would be around all four years. I just guess his lack of shooting touch has changed the way teams defend him. I really like Dominic and I hope he can prove me wrong this season, because we would be a scary team if he could return to his freshman form. (At least offensively)

He'll never return to what he was as a freshman because there are no shooters on this team like he had as a freshman.  DJ was able to do things freshman year that he can't do know because he had Novak and to a lesser extent Chapman on the perimeter. This team doesn't have that kind of shooter anywhere.

[Pardner]

This has been a topic of discussion in our seating area.  He is clearly pressing in the new O.  But, I have actually been impressed as he is sticking with his new role within the O trying to make it work for the team (first option is to give it up to the wings). The 5's, JM and DJ don't look as comfortable while Wes and Lazar look totally unbridled.  DJ has been very unselfish..and at times passed up good shots in his range.  The FT's are part form and part overthinking (there were five NBA scouts at the BC the other night).

IMO, it will come as there has been quite a leap from CSU-P to ChiSt in the team flow, noting that Buzz was counting on Otule in there early season in order to establish some sort of presence prior to the BE.  DJ always turns it up with the opponent as he gets his energy off his D--that is when he is at his natural best. 

[NavinRJohnson]

Looks like the demise of Dominic James discussion is firing up especially early this year. He has been 1 or 2 in scoring in every one of his 3 seasons. Why would anyone expect that this year will be any different? Like he has done every year, he will lead the team in assists, be at or near the top in scoring, play stellar defense, and single handedly pull a couple games out of the jaws of defeat. Seriously, I don't understand the point of the discussion.

[bilsu]

The new offense favors our forwards. Crean's offense favored the guards. The ball no longer sits in the guards hands for 25 seconds on a possession. Dominic will need the post season to pass George Thompson. I predict McNeal will pass Thompson before Dominic does. I thought Matthews would average 15 points this year and I am now upping it to 17. Our best scorer is Hayward, but he has been held down by Buzz who sits him for extedned times after fouls.

[jaybilaswho?]

I did notice that Buzz isn't afraid to substitute him out....  didn't he sit out a substantial amount of time (for him, anyway) against Colorado???

But if you saw him on the bench, you would have seen that he was sitting between coaches and talking to them. I don't think that he was sat because buzz wasnt afraid to sit him, but rather because they wanted Dom on the bench with the coaches so they could help point out the new angles and emphasis in Buzz's offense. This benching was more of a coaching method than lack of confidence in him.

I hope that Dom gets back to form. Will it be his form from Freshmen year? no. I think that he and Rel have pressures on them to be superstars this year and that is affecting their play (in these first 3 games). Once they get into the flow of the season, they will improve.

[MUONTOP]

It seems to me he's hit quite a few 15-footers this year already that look very pure...I hope he begins to give up the 3-pointer, dribble in and attempt more of these type of shots

[NotAnAlum]

Hey Navin, I'm not ripping on Dom.  Just the opposite.  I beleive that to be great a team at MU's level must have a dominate player emerge.  On the 03 team that was Wade.  I believe everyone just assumes that McNeal will be that player this year.  But as good as McNeal was in the tourne last year Dom was every bit as dominate in the early season of his Soph year.

[jaybilaswho?]

It seems to me he's hit quite a few 15-footers this year already that look very pure...I hope he begins to give up the 3-pointer, dribble in and attempt more of these type of shots

I dont think i have seen what you have seen. I am not sure i agree with you.

[MarquetteVol]

A few posters have touched on what I think the real issue might be. Dominic has been the most important player in our offense for three years in Crean's system. He touched the ball the most, relayed play calls and directed the entire "orchestra." Clearly, he has the biggest adjustment to make in this new system. Ultimately, I think it will favor him as he will receive the ball in better spots and not just have to break down his man in a one-on-one situation. While he excels in the one-on-one game, it's much easier to score when you already have a step on the defender or a little space to operate.

On a side note, it's interesting that Buzz continues to preach that the team only works on defense. Defense should be easy for these guys. Perhaps not post defense, but we shouldn't be giving up 30+ points to any guard we play this year. Yet, we've given up a lot of points to two inferior teams. Our offense, though, looks high powered and nearly unstoppable.

[Big Papi]

The point guards role on this years team based on its skill set is to distribute the ball first and look to score last.  I believe DJ is doing just that and doing a good job of that.  Unfortunately DJ has not been able to improve his perimeter shot and that has limited his offense to a large extent.  For the past 3 years, TC would run hundreds of plays so DJ was always higher up on the option list to shot.  Not this year with a greater emphasis on scoring down low.

On a side not if anyone is interested, here is a link to Scott Monarch explaining the fast break offense that I believe MU is trying to use.  
( http://www.scottmonarch.com/express.html )  

I think it provides some basic core principles of what the team is attempting to do on offense.  The two key things I took away from this article is (1) get a good percentage shot which Buzz always talks about and (2) it is the role of the 1 guard to look to pass first, second, third and fourth and only than score for himself.  I believe the half court offense is run under those same principles.  DJ jacking up jumpers from long range is not a good percentage shot for this team so unless he is WIDE WIDE open from the outside, DJ needs to find a better percentage shot by either beating his man when driving to the paint or making a pass.  

Now if only DJ could have improved on his perimeter shot, this team would have been extremely explosive with or without a legit low post threat.  

[denverMU]

First, to answer your question, yes we will (I hope).  Second, this is only two games, but his numbers are way down versus last year.  Minutes per game down 30% (26 v 30) , points per game down 50% (6.5 v 13), and both Hazel (8.5 ppg) and Butler (8 ppg) are out scoring him with less minutes. Finally, we need him to get back to form and I think we will see that by the UW game.

[Big Papi]

On a side note, it's interesting that Buzz continues to preach that the team only works on defense. Defense should be easy for these guys. Perhaps not post defense, but we shouldn't be giving up 30+ points to any guard we play this year. Yet, we've given up a lot of points to two inferior teams. Our offense, though, looks high powered and nearly unstoppable.

Faster paced offense this year means more shots for us and our opponents.  

Also, its hard to believe with the number of guards we have who suppossedly play very good defense but if you look at the stats from last year we typically got killed by guards who could hit the 3 and are quick enough to get us to foul them.  Johnny Flynn, AJ Price, McKenzie, Ruoff, Harvey, Burns, Vaughn, Sosa and Wallace are all players that led their team scoring.  Almost all either hit 3 or more 3 pointers and got to the free throw line or hit at least 2 3pointers and got at least 8 free throws.    Leads me to believe we were way too aggressive on defense last year and that has carried over into this year.

[Aughnanure]

we now call him Rel?

[jaybilaswho?]

we now call him Rel?

sorry, thats something that my friends and i call him in conversation.

[dwaderoy2004]

if you think back to his freshman year, the "old dominic james" is a player who distributed the ball and took what the defense gave him.  While he scored a lot, that was much more a product of novak stretching the defense out to open up lanes than DJ being a "better" player then as opposed to now.  i don't think we need dominic to score much to win.  hayward, matthews and mcneal are all better shooters AND more efficient scorers.  When James scored a lot last year it was because he either caught fire (nova game) or because he jacked up a ton of shots.  if he averages 10 pts and 6 assists a game this year, this team will be very good.  He still has to be respected, so it's not like teams will be able to slack off him.  and he should most certainly fire up a couple threes in the first half to see if he is hot.  otherwise, he should be relegated to only taking wide open mid-range jumpers, driving to the lane and making something happen at the end of the shot clock.  if james is frustrated right now, i think it's because he's fighting internally as to whether to do what is best for the team, or what is best for his future pro prospects.  I think he'll realize that if he is a true point guard on a very successful team, he will do both, and boost his stock more than being a high-scoring point guard on an above-average team.  James is still the most important player on the team, we just don't need him to do as much as frequently as we did the last couple years because Mcneal, Matthews and Hayward have improved so much offensively.

[avid1010]

well from talking to him i know that he is really really frustrated right now, and i dont think that effort is an issue

That's a loaded response.  Frustrated with what?????

[TallTitan34]

Keep in mind Dom has just become only the fourth Marquette player to ever record 500 assists and he still has a season to go.

Also on a minor note he is on pace to become the all-time leading scorer as well.