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Started By
Message
It's time to start Hunter Dean instead of Baker.
Posted on 1/25/24 at 1:43 pm
Posted on 1/25/24 at 1:43 pm
Our team clearly has 2 good offensive players who should be handling the brunt of the workload from night to night in Cook and Wright. When they're both guaranteed to be on the floor, why not play Dean who is the stereotypical low usage big man who doesn't ever need the ball in his hands? Instead we are throwing the ball into Baker even without a size advantage, and it's not like Baker is a strong passer out of the post to hit our shooters.
But when one of Wright and Cook hit the bench, having Baker in could be good! Especially if he's matched up against a backup big where it's more likely his post-ups will turn into good possessions. Having a lineup of Hannibal, Mwani, Fountain, and Dean is just not tenable. Puts way too much pressure/responsibility on Cook or Wright as the lone credible scorer.
But when one of Wright and Cook hit the bench, having Baker in could be good! Especially if he's matched up against a backup big where it's more likely his post-ups will turn into good possessions. Having a lineup of Hannibal, Mwani, Fountain, and Dean is just not tenable. Puts way too much pressure/responsibility on Cook or Wright as the lone credible scorer.
12
Posted on 1/25/24 at 1:46 pm to DallasTiger45
Baker is better than Dean but both are pretty poor
The problem is the talent level on this team just is too low especially among the bigs.
Baker and Dean were at mid-majors for a reason
Reed hasnt developed at all
Fountain is an end of bench type of talent in a major conference
Collins is an injured mess
Chest apparently couldnt get enough minutes in front of that sad group of players above
The problem is the talent level on this team just is too low especially among the bigs.
Baker and Dean were at mid-majors for a reason
Reed hasnt developed at all
Fountain is an end of bench type of talent in a major conference
Collins is an injured mess
Chest apparently couldnt get enough minutes in front of that sad group of players above
This post was edited on 1/25/24 at 1:48 pm
Posted on 1/25/24 at 1:56 pm to thunderbird1100
quote:
Baker is better than Dean but both are pretty poor
Baker is much more skilled offensively than Dean. The problem is he's not good enough offensively to overcome the fact Dean is more productive for THIS TEAM in every other category.
In conf. play Dean has a higher total rebound % than Baker. He has a significantly better turnover %. Baker is taking the 3 most FG attempts in conf. play. Yet, his offensive efficiency is only slightly better than Dean, if at all. He's a net negative for the team. That's nothing personal. Just reality on the court.
Dean is not going to be able to play 30+ minutes. So LSU is still going to have to play Baker double-digit minutes (Especially since Collins seems to have assumed the role of "mystery DNP" for each game. But it is clear to anyone watch that even though he is not a scoring threat, the team performs better when Dean is on the floor.
Posted on 1/25/24 at 2:04 pm to thunderbird1100
quote:
Baker is better than Dean but both are pretty poor
The problem is the talent level on this team just is too low especially among the bigs.
Baker and Dean were at mid-majors for a reason
Reed hasnt developed at all
Fountain is an end of bench type of talent in a major conference
Collins is an injured mess
Chest apparently couldnt get enough minutes in front of that sad group of players above
I'm not saying that any of these guys are amazing players but this is who we got, might as well put them in the best spots to contribute to the team.
Posted on 1/25/24 at 2:06 pm to Alt26
Just start em both. You can’t bench Baker because the spacing his shooting provides is essential to the ball screen offense we run. If we’re out there running ball screens with Dean, Fountain or Reed teams are just going to play drop coverage and take away any dribble drive option for Cook or Wright. But if you played Dean instead of Reed you’d have that scrappy trash man underneath who could take advantage of the defense focusing on the 3 main threats.
Posted on 1/25/24 at 2:14 pm to Madking
quote:
You can’t bench Baker because the spacing his shooting provides is essential to the ball screen offense we run.
I don't think Baker's 28% 3 point shooting on 1.5 attempts a game is scaring many defenses. Maybe if he was shooting 35% or better like he was at Nevada.
quote:
If we’re out there running ball screens with Dean, Fountain or Reed teams are just going to play drop coverage and take away any dribble drive option for Cook or Wright.
I'd welcome defenses playing drop against Cook, his midrange/floater game would eat that up
Posted on 1/25/24 at 2:21 pm to thunderbird1100
Baker actually has pretty decent talent. He's just not quick enough or strong enough or athletic enough
Posted on 1/25/24 at 2:29 pm to Gonadballbarian
quote:
He's just not quick enough or strong enough or athletic enough
That seems like a problem
Posted on 1/25/24 at 2:45 pm to DallasTiger45
I think Dean gives a lot more than Baker right now. Baker is more skilled offensively, but other guys can contribute that. LSU needs a big that can defend and rebound and Dean does that better than Baker.
Posted on 1/25/24 at 2:46 pm to DallasTiger45
Hunter Dean got out rebounded for the winning bucket for UGA last night
Posted on 1/25/24 at 2:52 pm to DallasTiger45
The point is they have to guard him out there because for his career he’s a good 3pt shooter (38% last 2 seasons). Playing drop coverage doesn’t mean they allow Cook to get within 8-10 feet of the bucket for his floater. ATM walled up just above the FT line with 3 guys so there was no floater being conceded.
This post was edited on 1/25/24 at 3:01 pm
Posted on 1/25/24 at 3:07 pm to Madking
Baker is a mess right now and appears to have 0 confidence.
Dean plays hard, but is not an SEC level player unless it's very limited minutes.
Reed looks like Tarzan and plays like Jane.
Fountain is a wing, but is forced to be a big.
If any of our bigs had the grit that hannibal has, we'd be pretty good.
Dean plays hard, but is not an SEC level player unless it's very limited minutes.
Reed looks like Tarzan and plays like Jane.
Fountain is a wing, but is forced to be a big.
If any of our bigs had the grit that hannibal has, we'd be pretty good.
Posted on 1/25/24 at 3:15 pm to The Pirate King
quote:
Hunter Dean got out rebounded for the winning bucket for UGA last night
Neither of them are good. OP is correct that playing the lower usage big man with Cook and Wright would be worth a try.
Mwani needs to start getting more minutes as well.
Posted on 1/25/24 at 3:34 pm to unctiger4
quote:
Neither of them are good. OP is correct that playing the lower usage big man with Cook and Wright would be worth a try.
Mwani needs to start getting more minutes as well.
Dean has been our best rebounder on the team, despite that last rebounding failure. I think it was just a combination of bad luck, and "good" technique by Georgia's guy. Dean also had the highest eFG%, so this matches the eye test.
I was really glad to see Mwani in the Georgia game. He was playing lockdown defense against Georgia. He stays in front of his player better than anyone on the team. When we need good defense, we should deploy Mwani. I think he may also be the best athlete on the team, and it's fun to watch him. The problem is that he has completely fallen off offensively. I wish someone would help him figure out what has happened to his 3 point shot. He shot in the 40, 40, and 44% in his first 3 years, and this year he is only shooting 15.4%. If he could get his shot back, I think he would start.
This post was edited on 1/25/24 at 3:36 pm
Posted on 1/25/24 at 3:35 pm to unctiger4
It's true that Dean's man scored the winning bucket last night. But I am not sure that things would have been different if Baker had been playing at that time.
I also think Wilkinson's minutes need to be increased.
I would hope that next season, the new big men will have higher skill levels and certainly expect that out of Miller.
I also think Wilkinson's minutes need to be increased.
I would hope that next season, the new big men will have higher skill levels and certainly expect that out of Miller.
This post was edited on 1/25/24 at 3:36 pm
Posted on 1/25/24 at 3:37 pm to Madking
quote:
You can’t bench Baker because the spacing his shooting provides is essential to the ball screen offense we run
He doesn't provide any spacing at all. Dude literally has one made 3 in SEC play and opposing teams have smartly started to let him shoot it if he so pleases. I seriously don't see a single advantage in playing baker significant minutes unless the opposition's 5 is severely undersized
Posted on 1/25/24 at 3:41 pm to DallasTiger45
After watching Dean make a pathetic effort for the crucial rebound late, I expected to see threads playing him less, not more.
Posted on 1/25/24 at 3:44 pm to MetryMauler
quote:
After watching Dean make a pathetic effort for the crucial rebound late, I expected to see threads playing him less, not more.
I wouldn't exactly categorize that as pathetic effort. He found a man, put a body on him, and just got out athleted
Posted on 1/25/24 at 3:49 pm to Gonadballbarian
quote:
Baker actually has pretty decent talent. He's just not quick enough or strong enough or athletic enough
So he isn't good is what you're saying
Posted on 1/25/24 at 4:20 pm to DallasTiger45
The numbers tell a story and the story is that neither has set themselves apart if they have to play both ends of the court.
Neither is the hero we want or need.
I hope that next year's guys coming in help us with two positions I think we need to improve on.
Next year U
Neither is the hero we want or need.
I hope that next year's guys coming in help us with two positions I think we need to improve on.
Next year U
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