It'll be about Connor

Connor has been very good this year and certainly grown on me a ton.

I personally think that moving him to a role off the ball was very big for him on both ends of the floor. He’s a very good post entry guy, elite I would say, but he’s not a high usage type PG player. You don’t want him to have to handle the ball for 30 full minutes and handle pressure, I don’t believe he’s best suited for that. As a second or third ball handler, though yes he can be very good, Likewise I don’t think he’s capable of consistently guarding quicker players. Thus his new role as a small ball 4 and 3 has been very good for Connor. He’s kind of like the Swiss Army knife out there. The jump shot continues to improve.

It didn’t appear that was the plan going into the season as Connor started at the PG spot, but nonetheless it has worked out well for both he and Iowa, and he should be a very positive player in that 3 & 4 spot for the next few years.
 
C-Mac's toughness, grit and bball smarts is reason #2 why Hawks had a surprisingly successful season.
As Rob alluded to, his stellar A:to has been crucial and he's even been able to help offset - somewhat - for JoeW's tailspin on the offensive end.

Every year, a bunch always factor the cliche "development" into future success. C-Mac seems the player where it might actually be likely to come to fruition - defensively and with his shot / scoring production. At least you won't see regression, like so many seem to suffer.
 
SteveGarvey1 said:
The other night, he shot those two threes late and while the ball was in the air I was saying "no, no, no....yes!"

He's improved from last year and he can be 35% three, we'll be OK.
Click to expand...

Very true. I just hate the fact that its almost like he's willing himself to take open shots. I'd like to see him look to get inside more and attack the basket. That way even if he's not necessarily looking for his shot we can at least get him to the stripe.
 
I just like the grittiness. Can't remember a time when we've ever had 2 double techinicals called at the same time. Definitely need that toughness. Garza plays with heart and toughness, but you need that guy who's chippy and has that nasty side to him. I simply don't see it in Garza.
 
kicker22 said:
I just like the grittiness. Can't remember a time when we've ever had 2 double techinicals called at the same time. Definitely need that toughness. Garza plays with heart and toughness, but you need that guy who's chippy and has that nasty side to him. I simply don't see it in Garza.
Click to expand...
In hockey you don’t want your “goon” or your “enforcer” to be your best player. Same logic goes for Garza here.
 
NikeHawk21 said:
In hockey you don’t want your “goon” or your “enforcer” to be your best player. Same logic goes for Garza here.
Click to expand...

I just don't see Garza in that role. He's playing good defense, but he doesn't seem to have that nastiness to him. Does he work hard, absolutely. But he just doesn't have that confrontational approach to his game. He takes a business approach to things where even when he's fired up its directed at the crowd or toward his teammates. He just doesn't strike me as the type of guy that's going to commit the much needed "hard foul" or get in an opponents face. Not a shot at him at all, but just doesn't seem to fit his personality.
 
kicker22 said:
Very true. I just hate the fact that its almost like he's willing himself to take open shots. I'd like to see him look to get inside more and attack the basket. That way even if he's not necessarily looking for his shot we can at least get him to the stripe.
Click to expand...

I see it as Connor is taking what the defense gives him. He's not forcing shots and/or forcing drives. This may be what his biggest attribute is, playing within game. He rarely takes a bad shot and really only takes wide open shots. He's now hitting them. If he score 5-8 a game with the assists he provides, that's pretty good for Iowa's net points in the game.
 
NikeHawk21 said:
Connor has been very good this year and certainly grown on me a ton.

I personally think that moving him to a role off the ball was very big for him on both ends of the floor. He’s a very good post entry guy, elite I would say, but he’s not a high usage type PG player. You don’t want him to have to handle the ball for 30 full minutes and handle pressure, I don’t believe he’s best suited for that. As a second or third ball handler, though yes he can be very good, Likewise I don’t think he’s capable of consistently guarding quicker players. Thus his new role as a small ball 4 and 3 has been very good for Connor. He’s kind of like the Swiss Army knife out there. The jump shot continues to improve.

It didn’t appear that was the plan going into the season as Connor started at the PG spot, but nonetheless it has worked out well for both he and Iowa, and he should be a very positive player in that 3 & 4 spot for the next few years.
Click to expand...
I honestly don't know if this post is accurate or not. Did Connor start playing better because he's the 4? Or did he start playing better because he has more experience? Maybe some of both. I think our offense would be just fine with him at point, and he can guard whoever Fran wants him to on defense so that doesn't matter at all. I also think over the next couple years we will be seeing Connor score in the lane more and more.
 
PCHawk said:
I honestly don't know if this post is accurate or not. Did Connor start playing better because he's the 4? Or did he start playing better because he has more experience? Maybe some of both. I think our offense would be just fine with him at point, and he can guard whoever Fran wants him to on defense so that doesn't matter at all. I also think over the next couple years we will be seeing Connor score in the lane more and more.
Click to expand...
It does matter at all who he guards on defense. If he’s playing point guard it’s more likely he has to guard a point guard or quicker player all things equal. You can’t have guys covering for other positions all the time that creates bad matchups. So if you play a point guard who has a tough time defending point guards, you’re already behind the 8 ball.

There is no question he’s gotten better this year regardless of position, but I think he’s much better off here than he was at PG.
 
NikeHawk21 said:
It does matter at all who he guards on defense. If he’s playing point guard it’s more likely he has to guard a point guard or quicker player all things equal. You can’t have guys covering for other positions all the time that creates bad matchups. So if you play a point guard who has a tough time defending point guards, you’re already behind the 8 ball.

There is no question he’s gotten better this year regardless of position, but I think he’s much better off here than he was at PG.
Click to expand...
Why does he have to guard a point guard if he plays point guard? That's not true at all.
 
PCHawk said:
Why does he have to guard a point guard if he plays point guard? That's not true at all.
Click to expand...
I didn’t say he had to and I suspect you know that. This is a losing argument for you. What position would you say Connor is best suited to defend? If he plays point guard and doesn’t defend a point guard who will? Again all things equal it’s going to be a disadvantage to your team to put someone at PG that has a tough time defending PGs. You’re going to have to have guys covering for that position that way. You’re going to ask a non PG to defend a PG, in that scenario. Maybe you can make up for that by your PG being elite offensively or hiding in a zone defense, maybe you can’t.


Again this is all my opinion but I think Connor’s skill set is much better suited in his current role than it ever was at PG. I think he’s best suited to defend the 3 and 4 spot.
 
NikeHawk21 said:
I didn’t say he had to and I suspect you know that. This is a losing argument for you. What position would you say Connor is best suited to defend? If he plays point guard and doesn’t defend a point guard who will? Again all things equal it’s going to be a disadvantage to your team to put someone at PG that has a tough time defending PGs. You’re going to have to have guys covering for that position that way. You’re going to ask a non PG to defend a PG, in that scenario. Maybe you can make up for that by your PG being elite offensively or hiding in a zone defense, maybe you can’t.


Again this is all my opinion but I think Connor’s skill set is much better suited in his current role than it ever was at PG. I think he’s best suited to defend the 3 and 4 spot.
Click to expand...

I don't get your reasoning at all. If he plays the 1, Bakari the 2, CJ the 3 and Wieskamp the 4, how is that any different than Bakari 1, CJ 2, Wieskamp 3, and Connor 4? It's the same players on the court either way. They can guard whoever Fran wants them to guard.

This is like the "Bohannon isn't a 1 because he can't defend the 1" arguement. Bohannon can just as easily guard the 2 while our 2 guards the 1 if that works better. It doesn't mean he can't run the point on offense. Connor runs the point at the end of the games normally. Does that mean he instantly starts guarding the 1 and getting burned on defense all the time? Can't Fran still have his quickest defender guard the 1?

And that's not even getting into how bad we get toasted on the glass with Connor at the 4.
 
PCHawk said:
I don't get your reasoning at all. If he plays the 1, Bakari the 2, CJ the 3 and Wieskamp the 4, how is that any different than Bakari 1, CJ 2, Wieskamp 3, and Connor 4? It's the same players on the court either way. They can guard whoever Fran wants them to guard.

This is like the "Bohannon isn't a 1 because he can't defend the 1" arguement. Bohannon can just as easily guard the 2 while our 2 guards the 1 if that works better. It doesn't mean he can't run the point on offense. Connor runs the point at the end of the games normally. Does that mean he instantly starts guarding the 1 and getting burned on defense all the time? Can't Fran still have his quickest defender guard the 1?

And that's not even getting into how bad we get toasted on the glass with Connor at the 4.
Click to expand...

Not sure if you've played bb or coached, but switching defenders can disrupt rhythm. Most coaches would want their best handler going against the other's. Makes it difficult to defend quick breaks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top