Cook is a 5

[NikeHawk21]

If you watch the way he plays and where he really excelled last year. He likes to catch it in the post and have some space to operate down there with his back to the basket. Unfortunately with Garza down there on the block much of the time he’s spent more time away from the basket and the results really aren’t very good.

While he has the athleticism that makes you think he would be able to beat people off the dribble, when he tries that he loses the ball out of his hands about 80% of the time. Right now I think his biggest asset in the half court would be his strength where he can back people down.

On the defensive end he really can’t guard either 4s or 5s and to be quite honest I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a player get out of position as often as he does.

I don’t know about starting lineups and all that but from what I’ve seen I actually think our best lineup would be:

JBo
Moss
Baer
Nunge
Cook

That gives you four legitimate 3pt threats. That gives you a legitimate low post option in Cook. Defensively that lineup has a good amount of foot speed and length. Our rebounding has sucked the last two games regardless of who was out there but I think Baer will help in that regard since he is relentless on the glass.

 

[smitharooney]

He is not a 5. If you can’t guard your position you can’t play that position

 

[smitharooney]

Therefore Bohannon is not a 1

 

[PCHawk]

Therefore neither are any position.

 

[NikeHawk21]

He is not a 5. If you can’t guard your position you can’t play that position

He literally can’t guard 4s or 5s. Offensively imo he is better at the 5. Our spacing was really bad the first two games. Looked a little better in the third game and obviously Garza and Cook had better nights.

 

[ibahawkeye]

I don’t know if I can agree Cook is a 5 but I like the idea of a smaller lineup filled with balanced guys.

JBo
Moss
Baer
Nunge
Kriener

What about a lineup like that. Now you have Nunge and Kriener who can go both inside and outside and you still have Baer at the 3 to help with rebounding. You’re still long on D.

 

[lightning1]

He literally can’t guard 4s or 5s. Offensively imo he is better at the 5. Our spacing was really bad the first two games. Looked a little better in the third game and obviously Garza and Cook had better nights.

I disagree. He's a classic 4. If you put him at the 5 in the half court defense that Fran runs, he'll foul out or be extremely limited in playing time.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I disagree. He's a classic 4. If you put him at the 5 in the half court defense that Fran runs, he'll foul out or be extremely limited in playing time.

He started at the 5 the second half of last year. Foul trouble was an issue at times but that was also when he really started to get in his offensive groove.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I don’t know if I can agree Cook is a 5 but I like the idea of a smaller lineup filled with balanced guys.

JBo
Moss
Baer
Nunge
Kriener

What about a lineup like that. Now you have Nunge and Kriener who can go both inside and outside and you still have Baer at the 3 to help with rebounding. You’re still long on D.

Cook was starting at the 5 at the end of last year, I think some people forget that. That’s when he really got it going in the offensive end.

Just my opinion but following the last three games I’d like to see less of Kriener. His foot speed is so slow and he gets out of position quite often. I don’t think he defend and I think others are still slightly ahead of him on offense.

 

[lightning1]

He started at the 5 the second half of last year. Foul trouble was an issue at times but that was also when he really started to get in his offensive groove.

I have no doubt that he would be better at abusing opposing Centers on the offensive end. Everybody loves a mismatch on offense. I'd rather get 32 mins per game out of him at the 4 than 24 mins a game at the 5.
It's an interesting concept, however. If you wanted to do that, you'd have to start Nungee at the 4 and get 30 mins per game out of him. With Baer at the 3 to help cover any defensive lapses. Hmmm.....I'm rolling these possibilities around in my mind and I gotta be honest, I'm not hating the idea.
Player with minutes per game in parenthesis, followed by back up.
5) Cook (28) Garza (12)
4) Nungee (30 Pemsl (10)
3) Baer (28) Wagner (12)
2) Moss (30) Dailey (10)
1) Bohannon (30) McC (10)
That would give us plenty of length and scoring. If we can get rebounding out of that line up, it might work out.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I have no doubt that he would be better at abusing opposing Centers on the offensive end. Everybody loves a mismatch on offense. I'd rather get 32 mins per game out of him at the 4 than 24 mins a game at the 5.
It's an interesting concept, however. If you wanted to do that, you'd have to start Nungee at the 4 and get 30 mins per game out of him. With Baer at the 3 to help cover any defensive lapses. Hmmm.....I'm rolling these possibilities around in my mind and I gotta be honest, I'm not hating the idea.
Player with minutes per game in parenthesis, followed by back up.
5) Cook (28) Garza (12)
4) Nungee (30 Pemsl (10)
3) Baer (28) Wagner (12)
2) Moss (30) Dailey (10)
1) Bohannon (30) McC (10)
That would give us plenty of length and scoring. If we can get rebounding out of that line up, it might work out.

Good post. It’s been only a few games, but if we are going to play zone, I think Nunge and Baer are the two best defenders to have out there. That offense would be very free flowing. Only concern would be rebounding.

 

[lightning1]

Good post. It’s been only a few games, but if we are going to play zone, I think Nunge and Baer are the two best defenders to have out there. That offense would be very free flowing. Only concern would be rebounding.

I don't want to play zone defense. Zone defense is becoming obsolete in the College game, as everyone shoots 3 pt shots these days. Boeheim is the only coach I can think of off the top of my head, that employs the zone defense with any effectiveness. And he recruits at a much, much higher level than Fran does. Zone defense is a bandaid for a poor man-to-man defense. Or a poor level of athleticism.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I don't want to play zone defense. Zone defense is becoming obsolete in the College game, as everyone shoots 3 pt shots these days. Boeheim is the only coach I can think of off the top of my head, that employs the zone defense with any effectiveness. And he recruits at a much, much higher level than Fran does. Zone defense is a bandaid for a poor man-to-man defense. Or a poor level of athleticism.

I don’t love the zone much either, but it seems like that’s what Fran wants to do. Whatever defense we play let’s hope Baer can really help us with some of our current issues.

 

[lightning1]

I don’t love the zone much either, but it seems like that’s what Fran wants to do. Whatever defense we play let’s hope Baer can really help us with some of our current issues.

He can help with some of the issues. He can't guard more than 1 person or more than his area of the zone. I like the guy but he's not the kind of difference maker that carries a team.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Bump.

I said it before and I’ll say it again, the spacing when Garza and Cook are on the floor at the same time is flat out awful. Both guys like to operate from the same areas on the floor.

This team is much better off with Cook as the 5 and Nunge as the 4. Garza has shown nothing in terms of a defensive presence or rim protection, however Nunge’s foot speed and length has led to some good plays defensively.

 

[1hawkeye1]

and nobody is a 1. Not a bash on JBo, he does alright, but he's more of a 2.

 

[in8hawk]

I don't want to play zone defense. Zone defense is becoming obsolete in the College game, as everyone shoots 3 pt shots these days. Boeheim is the only coach I can think of off the top of my head, that employs the zone defense with any effectiveness. And he recruits at a much, much higher level than Fran does. Zone defense is a bandaid for a poor man-to-man defense. Or a poor level of athleticism.

I don't know if you were aware, but Duke is playing a lot of Zone defense now. I think being able to change defenses is good, but if you have good enough defenders to play Man, that is the way to go.

 

[NikeHawk21]

Let’s get serious about this for a second. Cook is far and away are best basketball talent. What is the best way for us to use that talent?

Imo it would be to spread the floor with 4 shooters and Cook operating on the block. With shooters surrounding him, it gets much tougher for a defense to send a double at Cook. If they do there is a good chance we will have a good look at 3.

 

[lightning1]

I don't know if you were aware, but Duke is playing a lot of Zone defense now. I think being able to change defenses is good, but if you have good enough defenders to play Man, that is the way to go.

That's because Grayson Allen can't guard a bar stool. Not without tripping it while it blows by him, anyway.