Sammy & Eddren?

[it's boogie time]

I'll be interested to see how much McCain has improved. BU needs him to be able to knock down perimeter shots to become an asset on offense.

[wizard1]

Sammy & Edren

If JL really said "size doesn't matter", he is wrong. How many players are there under 6'-0 in the NBA? A 6-4, quick & skilled point guard will eat a 5-10, quick, skilled point guard alive every time. Bigger point guards have longer arms for playiong D, they can see over a defender to make the good pass, it is harder to take them inside for a mismatch and an easy score, it is harder to block their shot, the list goes on and on. Granted, Mugsy boggs, Spud Webb, JL, and others were great point guards but how much better would they have been if they were 6-3 or 4 and had the same skill set?

[wizard1]

Sammy & Edren

If JL really said "size doesn't matter", he is wrong. How many players are there under 6'-0 in the NBA? A 6-4, quick & skilled point guard will eat alive a 5-10, quick, skilled point guard every time. Bigger point guards have longer arms for playing D, they can see over a defender to make the good pass, it is harder to take them inside for a mismatch and an easy score, it is harder to block their shot, the list goes on and on. Granted, Mugsy boges, Spud Webb, JL, and others were great point guards but how much better would they have been if they were 6-3 or 4 and had the same skill set?

[amckillip]

If JL really said "size doesn't matter", he is wrong. How many players are there under 6'-0 in the NBA? A 6-4, quick & skilled point guard will eat a 5-10, quick, skilled point guard alive every time. Bigger point guards have longer arms for playiong D, they can see over a defender to make the good pass, it is harder to take them inside for a mismatch and an easy score, it is harder to block their shot, the list goes on and on. Granted, Mugsy boggs, Spud Webb, JL, and others were great point guards but how much better would they have been if they were 6-3 or 4 and had the same skill set?

Agreed, but how many players 6-6 and above DIDN'T make it to the NBA? It's not that size doesn't matter, but talent matters more.

[SaintLouBrave22]

I don"t like playing Sam and Edge at the same time because it presents us with matchup problems on defense, I think if you have a big lead and are trying to run down the clock then it is ok but I don"t want to have 2 point guards that are not 6' tall trying to guard 6-3 or bigger players as you have to worry about foul problems, last year we were missing A.Warren and some of our other guards were not as experienced as this years are so I know that it will happen but I see no good reason why it should.

I agree and would rather not have them out there at the same time. Edge proved he can guard anyone when he shut down Dillard in St. Louis last year, but I don't think many of us want Sammy to be guarding the SG much this year as there aren't many if any that are the same size as him and his off the ball D is sloppy at times...


I'd much rather have Dodie or A-Dub or C-Rob in there guarding the 2, especially if the game is tight and rotate Sammy w/ DSE in with him because of his size and have him guard the 2.

Basically these rotations:

Roberts - Dunson - (X)
Brown - Knezevic - Thompson
Egolf - Singh - Prosser
Warren - Maniscalco - Eastman
McCain - Simms Edwards - (X)

[SaintLouBrave22]

Oh, and BTW...


Tony Bennett was always listed at 6'1"

[Bradleyguy10]

My opinion is that I would like to see the best team of 5 players on the floor starting and finishing each game. I will leave that up to JL to decide as I don't believe he has an UNREASONABLE bias toward small players.

It's obvious that having a taller team is better WHEN NOTHING IS GIVEN UP. Quickness, speed, and ball-handling tend to favor smaller players. Also, leadership, desire, iced-veins, intensity, conditioning, chemistry, and several more are qualities of great players that have nothing to do with height.

I don't like it when people say this. It is almost NEVER true that a team has it's best players on the floor. There are needs and there are players that fill those needs to some degree. You cannot sit there and tell me that the 5 best players on the team last year were the ones that started.

I never said that he had an unreasonable bias. I am merely expressing my opinion that I don't think there is a need to have the two of them on the court at the same time. WE will start at 5...unproven but who cares he's the best we have right now. AW will inevitably start. I'm pretty sure SM is going to start and I think he should. TB will start...who else do we have? Some just keep talking about how EM and SM need to be on at the same time because people are unproven...well IMHO...EM is less proven than CR and DD...why should he get more credit over those two? I don't think it makes sense to use those two at the same time if you don't need to. And since I'm not the coach and don't see how they play, currently, I think a lineup with SM, AW,CR,TB,&WE is better with regards to rebounding & scoring (unless EM has improved), and doesn't lose much defensively or with speed. I don't know who has improved though so I admit I could be way off, but as of right now what is the NEED to have those two on at the same time? Why is that so much of a better situation for us I'm wondering?

[amckillip]

Roberts - Dunson - (X)
Brown - Knezevic - Thompson
Egolf - Singh - Prosser
Warren - Maniscalco - Eastman
McCain - Simms Edwards - (X)

Never gonna happen. SM will start - you don't leave your top returning scorer, unquestioned team leader, and arguably best player (depending on AW's return), on the bench at tipoff.

[Bradleyguy10]

Thank you. I don't understand this fixation people have with EM being better than SM or even other players that we have. He's a good player with enormous potential....really...enormous. But last year I think he had a worse assist to turnover ratio than SM and his offense was so bad we were playing 4 guys out there practically. Then to boot we had an inadequate 5 so we basically played 3 v 5 haha.

[shaunguth]

Thank you. I don't understand this fixation people have with EM being better than SM or even other players that we have. He's a good player with enormous potential....really...enormous. But last year I think he had a worse assist to turnover ratio than SM and his offense was so bad we were playing 4 guys out there practically. Then to boot we had an inadequate 5 so we basically played 3 v 5 haha.

Here are last year's assists-to-turnover ratios per 40 minutes played....

Season Totals (36 games)
1.5 - Sam Maniscalco
1.4 - Eddren McCain

Last 5 Games
2.2 - Eddren McCain
1.6 - Sam Maniscalco

Valley Totals (18 games)
1.6 - Sam Maniscalco
1.4 - Eddren McCain

[amckillip]

Here are last year's assists-to-turnover ratios per 40 minutes played....

Season Totals (36 games)
1.5 - Sam Maniscalco
1.4 - Eddren McCain

Last 5 Games
2.2 - Eddren McCain
1.6 - Sam Maniscalco

Valley Totals (18 games)
1.6 - Sam Maniscalco
1.4 - Eddren McCain

I think it stays the same even if you don't adjust for 40 minutes played

IIRC Sam did have a game where he had several turnovers near the end of the season...

[Braves4Life]

Never gonna happen. SM will start - you don't leave your top returning scorer, unquestioned team leader, and arguably best player (depending on AW's return), on the bench at tipoff.

I LOVE Sammy! But I'm not so sure about that amckillip. If McCain has upped his game and improved his shot I think Sammy gives us more by being a spark off the bench. And, in the end, I think their minutes will be about the same.

[amckillip]

I LOVE Sammy! But I'm not so sure about that amckillip. If McCain has upped his game and improved his shot I think Sammy gives us more by being a spark off the bench. And, in the end, I think their minutes will be about the same.

I am pretty sure about it... Sam starts every game this season bar injury? A wager? A brew at the tourney?

[Braves4Life]

I am pretty sure about it... Sam starts every game this season bar injury? A wager? A brew at the tourney?

If I make it back you're on

[SaintLouBrave22]

I LOVE Sammy! But I'm not so sure about that amckillip. If McCain has upped his game and improved his shot I think Sammy gives us more by being a spark off the bench. And, in the end, I think their minutes will be about the same.

I completely agree here.


Only certain guys can come off the bench and play well or better than they would as a starter.

Sammy played much better when his minutes were right around 28-30. Any more and he was usually flat.


I think this makes for an easier way to limit his minutes, and I feel like he is the type of player who can play just as well coming off the bench.


This season in all reality with the depth the team has, it is relying on Coach finally being able to properly manage a rotation, getting the entire rotation into games in the right spots (ie not playing small at the 4 or 3 guys 6 feet tall and under at same time) AND most importantly...


Putting guys in situations that they can succeed in.


For example, Will, Edge, and Chris played much better when they started games.

Dodie and Sammy I felt played better off the bench.


Thus my lineup I put on here and chose for the pick-em. Taylor is in there as well because he is our best option at the 4 AND he needs plenty of minutes.