Otule/Gardner

[tower912]

I am happy with the distribution of minutes.   I recognize that DG is an offensive force.   CO's mobility is down after the knee surgery.   Both struggle to play extended consecutive minutes.   Gardner had the one game with 5 steals, but he is still struggling on the pick and roll hedge as well as the help rotations in space.  Both are struggling against strong athletic bigs.  So keep the rotation as is.   Let CO start and let DG play 22-25 minutes a game. 

[Stretchdeltsig]

Gardner should get the majority of the minutes.  Chris is not the player that he was before the injury.  He's a liability on offense.  Taylor at 6'8" is athletic enough to spell Gardner. 

[brewcity77]

And yet Chris has the third highest offensive rating on the team. The only reason he seems to be such a liability on offense is because Gardner is such a boon on offense. Chris is smart about not forcing it if it isn't there. He is shooting over 61% from the field and his eFG% is the best of anyone logging significant minutes on this team. He also hasn't had a single game this year where he missed more than 3 shots.

Chris may not be an offensive juggernaut, but he's smart about taking it when it's there and has developed some go-to moves that allow him to make high percentage shots. His numbers may not show it, but he is a MUCH better offensive player than he was before the injury.

[tower912]

Gardner should get the majority of the minutes.  Chris is not the player that he was before the injury.  He's a liability on offense.  Taylor at 6'8" is athletic enough to spell Gardner. 

Gardner gets the majority of minutes now.   

[nyg]

Gardner gets the majority of minutes now.   

Gardner  20.4
Otule      16.3

[Stretchdeltsig]

Brew... you have to be kidding.  Right?

[chren21]

Brew... you have to be kidding.  Right?

Seriously... 

[brewcity77]

Brew... you have to be kidding.  Right?

No. You can look up any of the numbers I cited. And if you think he's such an offensive deficit now, clearly your memory doesn't stretch back 2 years.

[Stretchdeltsig]

You are about 100% off.  It doesn't deserve an argument.  He has trouble catching in bound passes to the post. The players are not comfortable passing into him.  Don't know what you are smoking.

[brewcity77]

You are about 100% off.  It doesn't deserve an argument.  He has trouble catching in bound passes to the post. The players are not comfortable passing into him.  Don't know what you are smoking.

Again, you have a bad memory. Otule had a lot more trouble with passes before the injury. Part of that was all of Buycks' no-looks, but his hands have been much better. And as far as his offensive rating and efficiency, those are stats, not really debatable points. Him not missing more than 3 shots in any single game...again, those are just the facts.

Is it actually your assertion that he was better offensively before this year? Because I think you'd have a very hard time finding anyone to agree with that argument. The only thing he wa doing more effectively before this year was shooting free throws.

[MUBurrow]

Yeah Brew, my unsupported qualitative opinion clearly disproves your empirical statistical analysis.

[brewcity77]

Tonight was another good example of Otule's efficiency. Smart on offense, solid defense. Clearly DG had a bigger game and needed to be in there at the end, but CO is getting back to his game.

[MU82]

Otule made some very nice contributions tonight. I have liked the distribution of minutes between him and Gardner all season.

[karavotsos]

Otule made some very nice contributions tonight. I have liked the distribution of minutes between him and Gardner all season.

Agree.  OK - Otule has a high efficiency, but his usage rate has also got to be pretty low.  Gardner's usage rate has got to be high and the team needs scoring a good amount of the time.  Otule is better on defense, and I'm sure the guy Gardner is defending likely has a higher usage rate because teams love to test Gardner in the pick and roll.  Gardner's getting better on d.  Otule's getting better on o.  I'm ok with the big situation, especially with STJr starting to assert himself.   

[DSEEagle]

Otule made some great plays on defense. Unfortunately I remember a couple times he forced UCONN into a bad but we gave up the Off. Rebound and putback.

When possible Otule should be in when we need D, Gardner on O (this is obvious)

[romey]

CO's put back power dunk was sweet!

[brewcity77]

Agree.  OK - Otule has a high efficiency, but his usage rate has also got to be pretty low.  Gardner's usage rate has got to be high and the team needs scoring a good amount of the time.  Otule is better on defense, and I'm sure the guy Gardner is defending likely has a higher usage rate because teams love to test Gardner in the pick and roll.  Gardner's getting better on d.  Otule's getting better on o.  I'm ok with the big situation, especially with STJr starting to assert himself.   

His usage rate is low, which is a large part of why he takes criticism as people simply don't see him as contributing much. But if a guy isn't gifted around the basket, I'd much rather he be smart and not try to force it. His game has improved incredibly and he's again showing his knack for blocking the ball. Agree that both of them are improving on the ends they weren't as good at.

[Dawson Rental]

Otule made some great plays on defense. Unfortunately I remember a couple times he forced UCONN into a bad but we gave up the Off. Rebound and putback.

When possible Otule should be in when we need D, Gardner on O (this is obvious)

What is truly obvious is Gardner must be in at the end of games due to his much, much better FT shooting %.  When we're protecting a lead at the end of a game any better defensive ability by Chris is offset by giving the opponent a 45.5% FT shooter to foul when trying to catch up.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

They are an awesome compliment to each other.

When 54 comes in, you know there is going to be some action offensively.

When Chris eventually comes back in, he's a pretty good shot blocker and a better defender.

Chris is looking better as the season goes on. When he catches the ball in the deep post, he is a load. Hard to move and can shoot the hook shot with either hand. I'd like to see if they can get him some more deep post opportunities, especially early in the game or early in the 2nd half.

The kid shoots 60%! The guards/wings have to be better at getting him the ball in the 1/2 court.

[🏀]

Chris gets better the more shots he takes.

He'll miss the first couple hooks, but drain the next few.

[AZWarrior]

What is truly obvious is Gardner must be in at the end of games due to his much, much better FT shooting %.  When we're protecting a lead at the end of a game any better defensive ability by Chris is offset by giving the opponent a 45.5% FT shooter to foul when trying to catch up.

Do you think this is why Buzz does not start Gardner at the beginning of the 2nd half?

I used to think Gardner should start the 2nd half, in order to maximize his minutes.  Now I suspect that Buzz's substitution pattern, and wanting to be sure to have Gardner in the game in the last three minutes, is responsible for Buzz starting Otule in the 2nd half.

[Dawson Rental]

Do you think this is why Buzz does not start Gardner at the beginning of the 2nd half?

I used to think Gardner should start the 2nd half, in order to maximize his minutes.  Now I suspect that Buzz's substitution pattern, and wanting to be sure to have Gardner in the game in the last three minutes, is responsible for Buzz starting Otule in the 2nd half.

I bet that you're right.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Gardner is a "difference maker."  Otule is not period.

[forgetful]

Do you think this is why Buzz does not start Gardner at the beginning of the 2nd half?

I used to think Gardner should start the 2nd half, in order to maximize his minutes.  Now I suspect that Buzz's substitution pattern, and wanting to be sure to have Gardner in the game in the last three minutes, is responsible for Buzz starting Otule in the 2nd half.

That is absolutely the reason Buzz starts Otule.  He has said Gardner only has about 20 minutes in him.  If you watch Gardner, when he gets tired he not only isn't effective, he gives the other teams buckets.

Against UCONN, I would actually say of the 28 minutes he played only 18 were effective minutes.

[tower912]

 Gardner was asking to come out while shooting free throws.   Yes, he is an offensive force....until he gets tired.    And his defense really falls off when he plays too many consecutive minutes.    I think Buzz has got this one dialed in.