What's Your Opinion on the Starters

J

JackofVirginia

Active member
 I realize practice just began but I have some concerns. Will Lavin start two power forwards (Sampson and Sanchez)? And will it be God's Gift or Obepka to bolster the center position. Or will he go with his returnees, Garrett and Porter at small forward. It's a given that Harrison and Greene start in the backcourt, at least until Branch becomes eligible.
Is it wrong to think Sampson has to be a starter? I'm thinking the lineup looks like this:
Greene
Harrison
God's Gift
Sampson
Garrett

What's your opinion?
 
 Sanchez, Sampson, Garrett or Sir'Dom, Greene, Harrison

Garrett and Pointer can really go either way.Garrett has more of an offense mindset and Dom has more of a defensed mindset
 
 I realize practice just began but I have some concerns. Will Lavin start two power forwards (Sampson and Sanchez)? And will it be God's Gift or Obepka to bolster the center position. Or will he go with his returnees, Garrett and Porter at small forward. It's a given that Harrison and Greene start in the backcourt, at least until Branch becomes eligible.
Is it wrong to think Sampson has to be a starter? I'm thinking the lineup looks like this:
Greene
Harrison
God's Gift
Sampson
Garrett

What's your opinion?
Click to expand...
 
Click to expand...
 

I'll go with Obepka,Sampson,Sanchez Branch amd harrison But at the beginning a few of last yrs team will start
 
 I realize practice just began but I have some concerns. Will Lavin start two power forwards (Sampson and Sanchez)? And will it be God's Gift or Obepka to bolster the center position. Or will he go with his returnees, Garrett and Porter at small forward. It's a given that Harrison and Greene start in the backcourt, at least until Branch becomes eligible.
Is it wrong to think Sampson has to be a starter? I'm thinking the lineup looks like this:
Greene
Harrison
God's Gift
Sampson
Garrett

What's your opinion?
Click to expand...
 
Click to expand...
 

I'll go with Obepka,Sampson,Sanchez Branch amd harrison But at the beginning a few of last yrs team will start
Click to expand...
 

No way they start Obekpa, Sampson and Sanchez together. Two of the three maybe, with DLo, Greene and either Amir or Sir Dom.
 
Opening game I expect to see God's Gift, Amir, Dom, Greene and Harrison starting. But I guess we will find out, 
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You may be right on the money. Perhaps Jakaar will start in place of Amir or Sir Dom.
 
Honestly does it matter who starts? I think we will mix and match depending on the opponent with very little drop-off. The only position I can see being a little problem is point guard. Particularly until Branch is eligible. I noticed Greene did not play at Midnight Madness. We really need him and D'Angelo early. Of course I am not sure how good Branch is either since I have not seen him a whole lot. Very interested to see how Coach Lavin brings it all together. He certainly has many talented pieces. Go St John's! :yell:  
 
Wow!! What a deep team.... Finally going to be able how Lav wants! The way I see it is....
Dlo
Pointer
Amir
Jakaar
Sanchez
 
Wow!! What a deep team.... Finally going to be able how Lav wants! The way I see it is....
Dlo
Pointer
Amir
Jakaar
Sanchez
Click to expand...
 

This is what I've been thinking as of late. What a defensive lineup! Anyone of them could get the ball and go!
 
Wow!! What a deep team.... Finally going to be able how Lav wants! The way I see it is....
Dlo
Pointer
Amir
Jakaar
Sanchez
Click to expand...
 

This is what I've been thinking as of late. What a defensive lineup! Anyone of them could get the ball and go!
Click to expand...
 

Defensively and athletically that is a sensational lineup, but there is no real threat of a second ball-handler or outside shooter. The interesting thing is that all five guys in that lineup can handle and shoot relatively well...(besides Harrison) just not really well. I would think Garrett becomes the second ball-handler in that group and the second option for scoring in the half court. Of course, the goal with that five would probably be to see as few half court sets on both ends as possible!

I find it hard to picture a lineup after December without 2/3 of Harrison, Greene, and Branch. I think people are really sleeping on what Phil Greene can do here. His shot looks really nice to me, and I do not expect him to be shooting anything less than 30-33% from deep. He can also create with the ball in his hands, and his effort on defense is awesome. Of course, you all know my thoughts on how awesome I think Garrett will be. This will be a fun season for us. I think we are just one year away from being a top ten team, but if these guys gel quickly and stay injury-free, a Sweet 16 is not unattainable at all IMO. There is no way this team missed the NCAA tournament.
 
It was said that Pointer might get some time at PG this year. 
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That will never happen. I believe Lavin was saying that Pointer will be looked to push the ball from the wing in transition from the defensive end. That's what the defense is built for.
 
It was said that Pointer might get some time at PG this year. 
Click to expand...
 

That will never happen. I believe Lavin was saying that Pointer will be looked to push the ball from the wing in transition from the defensive end. That's what the defense is built for.
Click to expand...
 

I think that really speaks to the defense to offense transition game Coach Lavin will want to play when the opportunity presents itself. He now has the athleticism and sheer number of quality athletes to play a little more uptempo while not being "out of control". Looking forward to see what he has in mind.
 
It was said that Pointer might get some time at PG this year. 
Click to expand...
 

That will never happen. I believe Lavin was saying that Pointer will be looked to push the ball from the wing in transition from the defensive end. That's what the defense is built for.
Click to expand...
 

Disagree. Obviously D'Lo and Jamal (when he's eligible) will be the primaries, and Phil will be the 3rd. But things happen. One of D'lo or Phil go down (injury or fouls) before Branch is eligible, I think Dom gets the nod. I think Steve views him very much as he did Toby Bailey on his early Bruin teams and Rico on his later ones - someone he can plug in 1-4 depending on the situation/matchups. Not "real" pgs, certainly. But Rico was 10-1 as a starter at UCLA, and Toby's year as the 2nd PG, the team reached the Elite 8.
 
It was said that Pointer might get some time at PG this year. 
Click to expand...
 

That will never happen. I believe Lavin was saying that Pointer will be looked to push the ball from the wing in transition from the defensive end. That's what the defense is built for.
Click to expand...
 

Disagree. Obviously D'Lo and Jamal (when he's eligible) will be the primaries, and Phil will be the 3rd. But things happen. One of D'lo or Phil go down (injury or fouls) before Branch is eligible, I think Dom gets the nod. I think Steve views him very much as he did Toby Bailey on his early Bruin teams and Rico on his later ones - someone he can plug in 1-4 depending on the situation/matchups. Not "real" pgs, certainly. But Rico was 10-1 as a starter at UCLA, and Toby's year as the 2nd PG, the team reached the Elite 8.
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Pointer has the worst handle on the team, Willie Glass like.
Team is 3 deep at PG.
 
The way I see it, for the first semester, we have only two guys to play PG. Therefore, Harrison and Greene will only be on the court together for possibly 5-10 minutes.

Also, in the begining, the only player I see getting a starter slot immediately is Sanchez.
 
The way I see it, for the first semester, we have only two guys to play PG. Therefore, Harrison and Greene will only be on the court together for possibly 5-10 minutes.

Also, in the begining, the only player I see getting a starter slot immediately is Sanchez.
Click to expand...
 

Coach Played Baron Davis and Earl Watson 30 minutes a game together for two full seasons. :)

When they were his ONLY centers on the roster, he played Gadzuric and Moiso together 25 minutes a game - Gadz as the starting 5, Moiso the starting 4.

The best players will be on the court. If D'lo and Phil are on the court together only 5 minutes a game it will ONLY be because someone BETTER is available to take any additional minutes - not because one is the backup to the other's position and is being "saved for an emergency".... 
 
The way I see it, for the first semester, we have only two guys to play PG. Therefore, Harrison and Greene will only be on the court together for possibly 5-10 minutes.

Also, in the begining, the only player I see getting a starter slot immediately is Sanchez.
Click to expand...
 

Coach Played Baron Davis and Earl Watson 30 minutes a game together for two full seasons. :)

When they were his ONLY centers on the roster, he played Gadzuric and Moiso together 25 minutes a game - Gadz as the starting 5, Moiso the starting 4.

The best players will be on the court. If D'lo and Phil are on the court together only 5 minutes a game it will ONLY be because someone BETTER is available to take any additional minutes - not because one is the backup to the other's position and is being "saved for an emergency".... 
Click to expand...
 

Great point CR, and a philosophy that I firmly believe in. Play your best players, don't get hung up on measurements and positions.

BTW Johnny4life, you dont think Harrison has a guaranteed spot in the starting lineup?
 
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