I'm not sure but I completely question why JL is being taken to task once again. Yes he is the coach and yes he drives the ship, but from the seven minute mark on (following PC's getting under double digits) it was the starting 5 on the court. The only change that took place was inserting EM for SM when he tweaked his ankle. Then all that was left was to dribble out the clock.
Nursing an injury or not, SM presented himself as being capable of playing and when the situation called for it, JL played him hoping to steady the ship.
JL can only put these kids into a position to succeed, the players have to execute and during that time all I saw was a complete lack of execution on the starters part (poor shot choices, poor spacing, forced or stupid no look passes & tons of dribbling). JL was frustrated as the rest of us and I'm sure he taking measures and reviewing game film today to make corrections.
My question regarding this team more goes to who is the guy who steps up and puts the team on his shoulders when the wheels are coming off. It's usually a Sr. who realizes this is his last year and last go around who puts his will on the team and drags them with him to a different level. Names like Les (the guard), Hawkins, Parker, Cellus, JJ (as an emotional leader) and even the two headed monster of Ruff/Crouch come to mind. This years team so far is a combination of nice players, but nobody IMO has stepped up to make this team theirs as a leader and I'm watching trying to figure out who that player is going to be. Maybe I've missed something others have seen, but so far maybe TB is moving himself into that postion?
