D'Angelo Harrison - Sixth man?

beast of the east

beast of the east

Active member
Watching last night's game, in which D'Angelo Harrison put up decent numbers, but fizzled at the end, got me thinking.

1) I'd hate to have a teammate who I am running on the break with who continually launches three point shots on a 3 on 2 break, ignoring conventional strategy of pushing the ball to the center of the court, with the lanes being filled by others to create spacing to break down the defense.

2) I'd get tired of the pass as a last option by Harrison

3) I'd probably pop him eventually for mouthing off to his teammates or coaching staff.

Forgetting about the abysmal performance in the clutch at the line in the last few minutes of the game. The ill advised three point shot in the next to last possession with plenty of time on the clock and SJU down by one point was ridiculous.

Branch will never run the show with Harrison hogging the ball. Phil Greene has regressed, and seems a little lost out there. Branch coming off the bench provides little firepower.

What do you think of Harrison coming off the bench, as a Cazzie Russell type of 6th man. He'd still get plenty of shots, be likely finishing most games, and probably still lead the team in scoring.

After watching his performance last night, it appears as if this is last years early season guard debacle, only this time its Harrison thinking any shot he takes is much better than any shot one of his teammates takes.

I think with Harrison on the bench, the offiense could really develop under Branches control. When they need more firepower, Harrison could become instant offense.
 
Watching last night's game, in which D'Angelo Harrison put up decent numbers, but fizzled at the end, got me thinking.

1) I'd hate to have a teammate who I am running on the break with who continually launches three point shots on a 3 on 2 break, ignoring conventional strategy of pushing the ball to the center of the court, with the lanes being filled by others to create spacing to break down the defense.

2) I'd get tired of the pass as a last option by Harrison

3) I'd probably pop him eventually for mouthing off to his teammates or coaching staff.

Forgetting about the abysmal performance in the clutch at the line in the last few minutes of the game. The ill advised three point shot in the next to last possession with plenty of time on the clock and SJU down by one point was ridiculous.

Branch will never run the show with Harrison hogging the ball. Phil Greene has regressed, and seems a little lost out there. Branch coming off the bench provides little firepower.

What do you think of Harrison coming off the bench, as a Cazzie Russell type of 6th man. He'd still get plenty of shots, be likely finishing most games, and probably still lead the team in scoring.

After watching his performance last night, it appears as if this is last years early season guard debacle, only this time its Harrison thinking any shot he takes is much better than any shot one of his teammates takes.

I think with Harrison on the bench, the offiense could really develop under Branches control. When they need more firepower, Harrison could become instant offense.
Click to expand...

Get real! Cazzie Russell was a sixth man (a role he hated, by the way) because he was playing behind Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Dick Barnett, and Willis Reed. Not exactly the offensive punch we're putting out on the floor as a starting five. Right now, D'lo is not is a position to be our "instant offense" off the bench ... he's our ONLY offense. And you may say he's "hogging the ball" but last night, when he passed to open men, they couldn't finish the play. Meanwhile, you admit that Phil "has regressed" and that Branch "provides little firepower." So where are we supposed to get our offense from? It would only give D'lo more reason to come in and start looking to do nothing but score. Granted, he gets over-the-top emotionally at times, but I wish everyone else on this team had as much intensity as he does. We'd be a lot better off if they did.
 
Watching last night's game, in which D'Angelo Harrison put up decent numbers, but fizzled at the end, got me thinking.

1) I'd hate to have a teammate who I am running on the break with who continually launches three point shots on a 3 on 2 break, ignoring conventional strategy of pushing the ball to the center of the court, with the lanes being filled by others to create spacing to break down the defense.

2) I'd get tired of the pass as a last option by Harrison

3) I'd probably pop him eventually for mouthing off to his teammates or coaching staff.

Forgetting about the abysmal performance in the clutch at the line in the last few minutes of the game. The ill advised three point shot in the next to last possession with plenty of time on the clock and SJU down by one point was ridiculous.

Branch will never run the show with Harrison hogging the ball. Phil Greene has regressed, and seems a little lost out there. Branch coming off the bench provides little firepower.

What do you think of Harrison coming off the bench, as a Cazzie Russell type of 6th man. He'd still get plenty of shots, be likely finishing most games, and probably still lead the team in scoring.

After watching his performance last night, it appears as if this is last years early season guard debacle, only this time its Harrison thinking any shot he takes is much better than any shot one of his teammates takes.

I think with Harrison on the bench, the offiense could really develop under Branches control. When they need more firepower, Harrison could become instant offense.
Click to expand...

Betweeen this and your post after the game about Harrison you really don't like him, eh?
 
He is the best player on the team at this point. No way he doesn't start.

I agree about some of your points, as I personally find him to often be a tough player to like and I don't care for his overall demeanor on the court at times.

But, without him, where the heck are we? We are lucky that we have him on this team. Otherwise, we are talking about a potential 20 loss season as opposed to a potential 20 win season.
 
I want a bunch of choir boys on my team..............
Click to expand...

So then you like the way he comes across on the court?
Click to expand...

I have no problem with it. Those are guys you should hate to play against but want on your team. So long as they have the talent to back it up and obviously he has that.
 
I want a bunch of choir boys on my team..............
Click to expand...

So then you like the way he comes across on the court?
Click to expand...


I may be mistaken but he has been hit with only 1 T in 2 seasons. He is intense, and plays hard. What is there not to like , or how does he come across on the court?
 
He is a little too arrogant for me, at times.

But as Reggie once said, "It ain't bragging if you can back it up."

If Harrison carries us to an NCAA berth, I will gladly watch him gloat.
 
He does tug on his jersey after a big win, or after he hits a big shot he grins and lets you know about it-- but as you said he is a great player and we have to accept it. We would be lucky to win another 3 games w/out him.
 
He does tug on his jersey after a big win, or after he hits a big shot he grins and lets you know about it-- but as you said he is a great player and we have to accept it. We would be lucky to win another 3 games w/out him.
Click to expand...

Think many would say we would be lucky t win 3 more even wit him

If we can do better at the foul line wins will be hard to come by
 
He does tug on his jersey after a big win, or after he hits a big shot he grins and lets you know about it-- but as you said he is a great player and we have to accept it. We would be lucky to win another 3 games w/out him.
Click to expand...

Think many would say we would be lucky t win 3 more even wit him

If we can do better at the foul line wins will be hard to come by
Click to expand...

We better win more than 3 with him!!!
 
D'Lo shouldn't and will never come off the bench as long as he stays out of lavin's doghouse. But i do agree that he needs to learn how to play better off-ball if Branch is to run point. Seems like he had no problem distributing at the end of the Rutgers game finding Karr and Chris for open looks towards the end.

He does his best work when the ball is in his hands. Reminds me a little bit of Melo and the Knicks, and i think the person who first suggested the idea is akin to when Melo got hurt last year and Lin took over...Knicks looked more cohesive and played as a team. Can't argue with the Knicks now but Melo has also adjusted his game a bit to pass more.

Bottomline is if Branch is to play, and play a lot at PG, drive and dish, get people involved...act like a point guard, Harrison is going to have to start moving without the ball, come off screens and be ready to catch and shoot (which I'm sure he has no problem with lol). But Harrison starts no matter what, he gives us the Best, if not the only, chance to win.
 
D'Lo shouldn't and will never come off the bench as long as he stays out of lavin's doghouse. But i do agree that he needs to learn how to play better off-ball if Branch is to run point. Seems like he had no problem distributing at the end of the Rutgers game finding Karr and Chris for open looks towards the end.

He does his best work when the ball is in his hands. Reminds me a little bit of Melo and the Knicks, and i think the person who first suggested the idea is akin to when Melo got hurt last year and Lin took over...Knicks looked more cohesive and played as a team. Can't argue with the Knicks now but Melo has also adjusted his game a bit to pass more.

Bottomline is if Branch is to play, and play a lot at PG, drive and dish, get people involved...act like a point guard, Harrison is going to have to start moving without the ball, come off screens and be ready to catch and shoot (which I'm sure he has no problem with lol). But Harrison starts no matter what, he gives us the Best, if not the only, chance to win.
Click to expand...

I think that is a bit unfair, as I have seen D'Lo work pretty hard without the ball on offense. Second, I don't believe he has ever played with a true PG here. I am a big proponent of giving Branch a chance to run this team, as I think he has a chance to make the biggest impact. His pass first mentality will provide DH a chance to get much better looks at the basket and might actually provide more minutes to Marco.
 
He is a great player, getting better, and one of our best long range shooters ever. I had the very fine pleasure of meeting him after practice in S. Florida last winter and found him to be an equally fine young gentleman and one of the single most enthusiastic people I have ever met on a StJ team. Enjoy him while we can. There will rarely be another one as upbeat as he in future. He's a special player. If anyone, he reminds me of Matt Brust when it comes to confidence and guts; he didn't get those scars while dancing.
 
He does tug on his jersey after a big win, or after he hits a big shot he grins and lets you know about it-- but as you said he is a great player and we have to accept it. We would be lucky to win another 3 games w/out him.
Click to expand...

Think many would say we would be lucky t win 3 more even wit him

If we can do better at the foul line wins will be hard to come by
Click to expand...

We better win more than 3 with him!!![/quoto

Its a shame that we have to question if we can get more than 3 It should be a given at least 8
Click to expand...
 
He is a great player, getting better, and one of our best long range shooters ever. I had the very fine pleasure of meeting him after practice in S. Florida last winter and found him to be an equally fine young gentleman and one of the single most enthusiastic people I have ever met on a StJ team. Enjoy him while we can. There will rarely be another one as upbeat as he in future. He's a special player. If anyone, he reminds me of Matt Brust when it comes to confidence and guts; he didn't get those scars while dancing.
Click to expand...

Funny, but Matt Brust was not one of my favorites neither.

I'm quite sure DLo is a good kid. Even though he rubs me the wrong way from time to time, I am happy that we have him. We could have way worse than him and we are a bottom 1/4 BE team without him.
 
He is the best player on the team at this point. No way he doesn't start.

I agree about some of your points, as I personally find him to often be a tough player to like and I don't care for his overall demeanor on the court at times.

But, without him, where the heck are we? We are lucky that we have him on this team. Otherwise, we are talking about a potential 20 loss season as opposed to a potential 20 win season.
Click to expand...

The problem to me isn't lack of talent. The problem is style of play. It appears to me, in Harrison's mind, there is him, and then everybody else. With Harkness on the team last year, clearly a better talent, that wasa little muted. I don't see him respecting his teammate's ability. I'd probably have knocked Iverson the same way - it doesn't diminish basketball ability, but it's hard to create a functioning team with one player taking so many ill advised shots. It's one thing to launch an occasional three point shot while running the break, and entirely another thing to shoot the three as the first option.

Just remember, on the old Celtics, Havlicek was the best player, but was the sixth man. Auerbach did it back then in order to have a player whose entry into the game upped the teams offensive firepower.

My biggest criticism is that with Harrison seemingly occupying a bigger footprint on offense, Phil Greene looks lost, and Branch is having a hard time running the show (as he should). Unlike the great team led by Artest a decade ago, I woudl be pleasantly surprised if this team gels with Harrison being the focal point. To me it appears that everyone else is a second option in Harrison's mind.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top