I was a freshman when Jabari and Stromile were jumping out of the gym. Went to almost every game that year. That was a really fun team to watch.
yes that team was awesome. i remember somebody nicknamed stromile dunks as "stro-berry jams" and i thought that was amusing and i used to cheer for delicious stroberry jams. jabari struck me as a comically goofy guy was fundamentally unserious about basketball, but was blessed with tremendous size and athleticism. i just looked it up apparently jabari played: "Smith also played in Spain, Turkey, Iran, and Puerto Rico" that must have been pretty wild playing pro ball in iran. jabari junior is an absolute monster and will eat efton reid's lunch. he may be the top overall pick.
stats from game http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=378225&vislive=lsu i like plus minus as a stat, and i find it curious how reid was awful at negative 18. eason was plus 21. reid is developing slowly. he is slow footed vs driving defenders, which is often ok because fudge or eason will collapse and block shots. i guess it was a bad matchup for reid, they had a very heavy but mobile and skilled guy who was the centerpiece of their plans. reid is skinny at 238. their guy lofton is 275. as far as 5 star big men named reid, i dont think efton is near as good as naz. naz was much bigger and stronger and could shoot better and take it to the hoop. but naz also started slow, doinking some layups high off the iron for clanking misses. i guess big men often take a little more time, as they are by nature less skilled and more physical. i cant see efton reid being a one and done at this pace. reid threw some bad passes tonight but i liked the idea. i would like to see him catch it down low, hold the ball up and fling it to a fella cutting to the basket, the way nikola jokic does. he needs to work on court vision. but he wont get as many minutes if the refs are gonna treat him like thye did tonight. also fudge is playing like a taller gaines with those long stealing arms. love those guys. whats that superhero with stretchy long arms? those two are like that guy.
I'm happy to see the team continue to win, but I'm not sold on this team until we get into conference play. This team has a tendency to start slow and I don't know how that will work in league play. I'm still not sold on WW as an elite coach. He's a great recruiter - as the recording will confirm - but his in-game decisions leave a lot to be desired. It's almost like we win because we simply have better players and not better coaching.
I will agree that the slow starts are going to cost us if we continue to fall behind early like we have been. I will also agree that we are able to overcome it with pure talent. I disagree on Wade, someone has to tell them what to do and how to do it. I think Wade is probably a year or two away from finally having a team he really feels great about. If I'm right things will be great for as long as he is here.
i think wade is about as good and smart and dedicated as coaches can be. i just think he has guys on this team that do everything well except shoot. thats why i think if wilkinson could emerge as a shooter, o'neal by some miracle gets better and buries triples, or most plausibly, murray emerges as a sniper, it would turn this team from awesome into elite. both gaines and maybe even pinson, they seem like they are not really shooting talents. pinson is old, but gaines may learn to shoot. or days could get red hot, which has been known to do. he can go nuclear. just need a 3 point threat to really tie the whole operation together. like lebowski's rug.
days needs to refine his role as a grinder as he can’t create his own shot. days needs the kick out and be able to shoot in rhythm to be successful from 3… Reid will get schooled some but will grow up quickly. really wished he had more minutes against the tech big sat night… I wish Gaines weighed 10 lbs more…. I want him to play in the lane more… perimeter offense needs more ball movement going forward… I think I expected more from pinson?? I guess… starting 12/29 it’s going to get real interesting…
according to wade he has reminded days: " you are a dirty work board man that can shoot, not a shooter that also does dirty work". days is trying to get to the league, which is mildly in contrast to the team goals. he needs to prove to scouts he can create his own shots. but he cant. bouncing the ball to the hoop is very difficult. eason can do it. pinson should be reliably cool and experienced when its 42 seconds left and down 1 in an SEC game. i am ok with how dolid he has been. he cant shoot, but he is a fine role player. next year i expect justice williams, gaines and miller and murray to be very solid. i think murray getting some 3's up wednesday night would be nice. people seem perplexed that eason doesnt start. it doent matter who starts. parker edwards could start and it would not matter. minutes are the issue. that said, the slow starts are unpleasant.
