Does LSU Team buy into Ben Simmons

It's a completely dumb assessment. How many games have there been this year where people are bitching about Simmons, "not taking over"? Yet now we are going to say the other players don't "buy into him"? Simmons has shown over and over again that he is more than happy to feed his teammates the ball. In fact, too willing to do so according to some. The problem is that LSU's half-court offense is generally such a disorganized mess, that it relies on each individual making one-on-one plays to get baskets. Simmons just happens to be the best option to do so.

Simmons gets the ball in the post and immediately gets doubled. The other 4 guys then proceed to literally stand still and watch him while at the same time Simmons is desperate to find an open guy. No cuts to the basket or the open spot, nothing. Or LSU runs their double-high screen to nowhere play where two guys set a staggered screen at the top of the key, then everyone just literally stands in place after the ball-handler comes off the screen. No one rolls to the basket. The perimeter guys don't flash anywhere once the help defense goes to the ball-handler. Everyone just stares and watches.

Simmons could be the most "unselfish" superstar to come to the college game in a long time. So there must be some complete disconnect on the team if the other players aren't "buying into him." Either Simmons is supposed to be "taking over games" and he's just not by continually trying to set up his teammates. OR Simmons is supposed to be a team player and his teammates are getting in position for him to set them up.

I can understand the jealously of some of the older players with the intense marketing of Simmons that LSU has done this year. But come on! The guy WANTS to be a team player. If he didn't he would just be jacking up shot after shot nearly every time down the court ala Marshall Henderson

Quarterman clearly has a problem playin with simmons. Just look at his body language when he's forced to give up ball handling duties, he pretty much stands around and sulks.

Not according to Alt26.

Alt26 must not have watched the Arkansas or Tennessee games where this team quit.

Alt26 must not watch second halves of games where the team absolutely stops playing defense.

quote:

---

Quarterman clearly has a problem playin with simmons. Just look at his body language when he's forced to give up ball handling duties, he pretty much stands around and sulks.

---

That big baby needs to be sent home. It's not Simmons' responsibility to hold his teammates hands or stroke their egos.

Quarterman and Simmons are never on the same page. When TQ has a good game, Simmons is kind of quiet. When Simmons has a good game, TQ does everything he can to try and match Simmons and it never works out.

I think it's a legit possibility and I've thought this myself. When you have a STAR player coming in, egos get hurt. And when that STAR player is more of a versatile talent than taking over games being a scorer, then it's a double whammy.

Simmons as good as he is, doesn't have the dominating mentality or dominating scoring ability. So when the only thing some of the egos on the team hear is Simmons this, Simmons that, they can check out and team chemistry is skewed. And when you double down with Simmons not being a give me the ball type, it's increased.

I don't want to call out any individual player, but from my eyes watching every game this year, how many times have you seen a player or two kinda go "rogue". TQ is the usual suspect, but Epps comes on the bench and within 10 seconds he's shooting a shot whether it was passed around or not. Malone jacking up a 3 three with 20 seconds left on the shot clock. It goes on.

I do not have a hard time at all believing that some of the players haven't bought in to making this a team. The inconsistency to me is a direct result of a lack of team chemistry.

I don't know about all that but I've thought for most of the year there has been an Alpha thing between Ben and Q. To me it seems pretty obvious just watching and I've head some comments where you could read between the lines.

As to how much that affects the rest of the team and real performance, I'd have to see what's going on behind closed doors and practices to know that.

Tim has been different since the Oklahoma game. I wouldn't be surprised if he took it personally that the media reacted about Simmons not having the ball late instead of him getting credit for carrying us when Simmons disappeared.

Simmons should pound that double team. He doesnt.

Jarell martin did last year. Mickey too.

Job, glenn davis, etc.

Thats most people's point. Ben doesnt want to play that way, but its needed for the college game.

quote:

---

The lack of good entry passes to ben in the post is ridiculous, he consistently has his man sealed and the guards just look him off and reverse the ball around the perimeter instead of giving simmons a touch. This is why the offense is stagnant.

---

You've watched us play.

Spot on.