I can't believe some of you guys. Seriously.
This is the same offense they have been running, only the shots went in? This had to be a joke right? This was NOT the same offense. The offense that was being run before was one with a big on the block and another setting a screen at the top of the key. There was no big on the block 95% of that game. They were running a form of the dribble-drive offense that Calipari made famous at Memphis and now Kentucky. Take your man off the dribble and then kick to an open shooter or go to the basket. Simple, but effective.
They took too many threes out of the context of the offense, but at least they went it? They were running a 4 guard, and sometimes 5 guard line up in which they drove the lane effectively and kicked to open shooters. There were also solid screens away from the ball to help open guys up on the perimeter. You don't shoot 14-32 from 3 by taking a bunch of contested shots. People still think no one on this team can shoot. Kilpatrick is a very good shooter from 3. Actually, so is Dion. Cash shoots pretty well from three and we finally saw Jermaine Sanders do what he did in HS from outside the arc. These guys were not getting the open looks on a consistent basis earlier this year.
Now just take away their second "best" player, i.e. Dixon, and they will be even better? Please tell me this was a joke. Some of you guys need to chill out. You can't have your cake and eat it too. You want this team to play with confidence but you don't want Dion to dribble between his legs because it is street ball? How OLD are you? Seriously. I want my team to have players with confidence and swagger. I want Dixon to think he is the best player on the court every night. I want SK to think he is the best player on the court every night. Same for every player. And can someone please tell me how Dixon is a selfish player? There's not a player on this team that can be called selfish. EVER. In fact, I think sometimes some of these guys aren't selfish enough. I want my best players to want the ball all the time. That is what makes a good player great and a great player a hall of famer.
I must be delusional l but I really thought, after watching the game last night, people would be happy and talk about how nicely the offense flowed. How they were constantly getting good shots and knocking them down. I thought there might actually be a comment or two about how Mick's offensive adjustments in the last couple days worked and worked well. The fact that people refuse to give Mick and this team any credit at all baffles me. The story was not how many threes they shot, it was how they played in response to the tough situation they were in. And, by the way, you can win and win big shooting 30 threes a game. Look at Duke. Look at the Memphis and Kentucky teams of Calipari. Look at Villanova or even Louisville. The three point shot is a weapon that should be used often and when used properly can dominate a game. I would much rather see 32 threes in a game than 15 threes and 17 shots from 15-20 feet. The 15-20 foot jump shot is the most worthless shot in basketball any more. Why have "mid-majors" been successful in recent years? The three point shot. Butler was a great team that shot a bunch of threes. They rebounded their misses well and got quality looks from the outside. The three point shot is the great equalizer in the game of basketball.
