Derrick, Part 3,000

[pbiflyer]

Perhaps in the spirit of a good message board, instead of being an arrogant J/A, you could simply respond to the the points that were made. I realize that expectation may be a bit lofty for you, though.

I think he did. And the point was you could have. Posted this in any of the other threads instead of starting yet another one.

[MUMac]

I think he did. And the point was you could have. Posted this in any of the other threads instead of starting yet another one.

Ding, ding, ding, ding ... we have a winner. Sorry abovetherirm that comprehension missed you in school, that could have been your one strength. Yeah, this is snarky, but after the snark you have laid out there, it is deserved.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Jesus, can we have one thread that isn't dedicated to bashing Derrick? The thread title alone expresses the idiocy of belaboring this point to the level of obsession it has become. We get it. Half the board has dedicated their existence to trashing Derrick. Now shut the hell up. We get it. You hate him. Give it a freaking break. This record was broken a month ago.

[Nukem2]

In the end, Derrick is going to be our point guard, though Buzz will be doing things to minimize his weaknesses....using 3 guard sets, etc. Also telling that Buzz put Derrick on the bench yesterday with 23 seconds to go as MU was about to inbound the ball as Derrick was dribbling into SHU's press on prior inbound plays and was bricking FTs earlier in the game. Need to utilize DW's strengths while not letting opponents take advantage of his weaknesses. We move on.

[MUMac]

In the end, Derrick is going to be our point guard, though Buzz will be doing things to minimize his weaknesses....using 3 guard sets, etc. Also telling that Buzz put Derrick on the bench yesterday with 23 seconds to go as MU was about to inbound the ball as Derrick was dribbling into SHU's press on prior inbound plays and was bricking FTs earlier in the game. Need to utilize DW's strengths while not letting opponents take advantage of his weaknesses. We move on.

I think the main reason why Derrick was on the bench at that time was due to his poor free throw shooting, not his ball handling.

[Nukem2]

I think the main reason why Derrick was on the bench at that time was due to his poor free throw shooting, not his ball handling.

Probably so, but its telling that our PG is not on the floor with 23 seconds to go while inbounding the ball with 23 seconds to go and a 2 point lead ( I believe Buzz was out of time outs at the point as well ). Quite unusual, but Buzz is adapting...

[Phantom Warrior]

Wow, just because a poster criticizes parts of Derrick's game does not mean the poster is "bashing" Derrick; nor does it mean that the poster "hates" Derrick. That assertion is, frankly, absurd.

The point of the original post is, at the very least, worthy of discussion.

Consider this: Buzz has said - and posters on this site have stated- that even if Jake is not hitting his shots - such as yesterday - he still helps the team because his presence improves the spacing on the floor, thereby making the offense potentially more efficient/effective. If one accepts that line of reasoning, then it stands to reason that something that hinders spacing on the floor inhibits or limits offensive effectiveness/efficiency.

It is obvious that defenses sag off Derrick and either take away the entry pass to the low post or cut off passing lanes and driving lanes by perimeter players. Consequently, an argument could be made that by creating inferior spacing, the offense becomes less efficient.

Now, the question raised by the original poster is whether or not that inferior spacing leads to an increased number of turnovers. That is an intriguing question. Has it led, for example, to a few of Davante's travels because the defender double teaming him can get there more quickly which leads to DG being more off balance or having to rush his move? Personally, I think at times that is the result.

Does the inferior spacing lead to a teammate not having quite the driving lane he might otherwise have, and, if so, has that helped create an occasional turnover that might not otherwise have occurred?

I don't know the answer because I did not watch the games specifically looking for any of those events. But I think the premise has some merit and is worth discussing.

Whether people want to admit it or not, the fact is that Derrick is leading the team in mpg, and his limitations do have ramifications. This fact is obvious to even outside observers, including national media, who repeatedly comment on them. Therefore, the topic does not, and will not, slink silently away.

I actually think this thread is interesting because it looks at a facet of the Derrick issue from a slightly new angle. How people answer the question being proposed will obviously be a direct consequence of whether they are, in essence, pro-Derrick-should-get-nearly-30 mpg or anti-Derrick-should-get-nearly-30 mpg. But that does not change the merit of the original premise or its worthiness as a topic of discussion.