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'17 Serbia PG Lazar Nikolic (Signed to COLORADO)

When people say "true PG", do they mean guys who are under 6'4", have a good handle, don't score much, and generate assists?

Like Arizona has with Parker Jackson-Cartwright and had with TJ McConnell before him? It's definitely one approach and it can work. But I think that Sean Miller being so locked in on having a "true PG" in the same mold he was as a player at Pitt actually limits them. Football changed with this when coaches realized that putting the ball in the hands of your best player every play is a winning formula (so we saw the rise of the dual-threat QB and zone read offenses). Basketball has seen that with having your best offensive weapon bring the ball up, which LeBron even does in big games. Case in point being with the NBA's Rockets being so much better once D'Antoni told Harden he's now a PG, Arizona would be much more dangerous if Trier was in that role. New school works. And I like that Tad looks to have an offensive weapon who creates matchup problems bring the ball up.
 
When people say "true PG", do they mean guys who are under 6'4", have a good handle, don't score much, and generate assists?

Like Arizona has with Parker Jackson-Cartwright and had with TJ McConnell before him? It's definitely one approach and it can work. But I think that Sean Miller being so locked in on having a "true PG" in the same mold he was as a player at Pitt actually limits them. Football changed with this when coaches realized that putting the ball in the hands of your best player every play is a winning formula (so we saw the rise of the dual-threat QB and zone read offenses). Basketball has seen that with having your best offensive weapon bring the ball up, which LeBron even does in big games. Case in point being with the NBA's Rockets being so much better once D'Antoni told Harden he's now a PG, Arizona would be much more dangerous if Trier was in that role. New school works. And I like that Tad looks to have an offensive weapon who creates matchup problems bring the ball up.
Nikolic is pass first and initiates offense, which means he's a PG to me. The height is an added bonus
 
He is a PG, just saying.
Tell me that in 2 years when we have 3 SG / SF hybrids,all 6'6", on the court, with him in the middle, and still can't run an offense.

Watching his highlight tape, all I can see is Lazar with that lightning quick first step, trying that dribble drive, and then watching the other team with the ball, running to the other end for yet another dunk.

Just don't see it.

Show me someone, ANYONE who was in the sweet 16 this year without a true PG.
 
Tell me that in 2 years when we have 3 SG / SF hybrids,all 6'6", on the court, with him in the middle, and still can't run an offense.

Watching his highlight tape, all I can see is Lazar with that lightning quick first step, trying that dribble drive, and then watching the other team with the ball, running to the other end for yet another dunk.

Just don't see it.

Show me someone, ANYONE who was in the sweet 16 this year without a true PG.
Xavier
 
Purdue, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and I'd even argue Gonzaga all were teams that I'd argue didn't have "true PG"'s - at least by your standards.

Or we could say that 50% of the Final Four didn't.

And actually, I can throw UNC in. Joel Barry had a higher %Shots rating (22.6% of his possessions he shot the ball) vs ARate (only 19.7%). So 3/4 final four teams.
 
What's interesting to me is the reaction to Nikolic seems to be solely a matter of ratings and him being a Euro. Take the same player with the same game, make him a CO prep, and people would be over the moon happy.
 
You don't qualify Goodin? Or are you considering that Blueitt/Macura really "ran" the offense more than anything else?
Goodin had like 1 assist the entire tournament. That offense was set through Bluiett and Macura having the ball in their hands on the perimeter. Goodin, to me, is akin to a Deleon Brown who can d up a quicker guard and give you another ball handler but isn't going to be doing the "traditional PG" things for your offense that has been suggested as vital on this and other CU fan forums.

Edit: And Goodin was only on the court because Sumner (a 6'6" combo guard) went down and they lost their primary ball handler.
 
Williams-Goss, Mason, Ball, Berry, Fox, hell, even Blueitt . . .
So you are ok with a 6'6" combo guard who shoots a high volume and has more turnovers than assists as your lead guard? I'm now totally confused on what you mean by a "true" point guard. :confused:
 
Williams-Goss, Mason, Ball, Berry, Fox, hell, even Blueitt . . .

Yeah, most of those guys aren't "true points". NWG is a chucker. I'll agree that Mason is a true PG, but I'll also point out that he shot almost as much as he passed the ball. I already addressed Berry. Fox is the same boat as Mason. As for Bluiett, he's 6'6" - which I believe you said makes Larar not a PG. And no one classifies him as a PG.

But other than that, dead on...
 
So you are ok with a 6'6" combo guard who shoots a high volume and has more turnovers than assists as your lead guard? I'm now totally confused on what you mean by a "true" point guard. :confused:

Seriously, I think we're just flinging **** at the wall now and seeing what sticks.

There are legit reasons to be concerned about Nikolic. But man, complaining because he's too tall is definitely NOT one of them.
 
Seriously, I think we're just flinging **** at the wall now and seeing what sticks.

There are legit reasons to be concerned about Nikolic. But man, complaining because he's too tall is definitely NOT one of them.
Yes. Back to Nikolic. I'm concerned whether he's got the 1st step to get to his spot against this level of competition and I'm concerned about whether he'll be playing matador defense in a man system.
 
I don't define a true PG as one who never shoots. They should be able to do some of everything, but running the offense, passing and driving are VERY high on the list of required skills.

Mason averaged 20.9 and a 2-1 A-TO ratio, with 5.2 per game.

You can score AND run the offense. It is possible.

Height isn't the issue, but not everyone on the team needs to be 6'6"
 
Yes. Back to Nikolic. I'm concerned whether he's got the 1st step to get to his spot against this level of competition and I'm concerned about whether he'll be playing matador defense in a man system.

Agreed. I have some serious concerns there, but he has been playing in a decent league overseas so that gives me hope.

I have a strong strong STRONG hate of zone defense, but it's pretty obvious that Tad is happy heading that direction a little bit more. Wish I could find a breakdown on how often we were in zone last year. KenPom's defensive fingerprint is "inconclusive" which isn't surprising considering one of the components is turnover percentage - and when we were 100% man we always had a low TO rate.
 
Agreed. I have some serious concerns there, but he has been playing in a decent league overseas so that gives me hope.

I have a strong strong STRONG hate of zone defense, but it's pretty obvious that Tad is happy heading that direction a little bit more. Wish I could find a breakdown on how often we were in zone last year. KenPom's defensive fingerprint is "inconclusive" which isn't surprising considering one of the components is turnover percentage - and when we were 100% man we always had a low TO rate.
As Will mentioned, a lot of what we thought of as "zone" last year wasn't really zone. It was "run and jump", which is a trapping man defense that jumps passing lanes. I think we'll see quite a bit of that (the old Dean Smith defense, sorta) as a break from our straight man rather than seeing a lot of minutes in the 2-3.
 
As Will mentioned, a lot of what we thought of as "zone" last year wasn't really zone. It was "run and jump", which is a trapping man defense that jumps passing lanes. I think we'll see quite a bit of that (the old Dean Smith defense, sorta) as a break from our straight man rather than seeing a lot of minutes in the 2-3.

Agreed. And I love teh 2/3 court press that we would do at times. I just wish it fell back to man to man. But you have to match your personnel and it's pretty obvious we aren't going to have many defensive stoppers. Hell, who would you even consider a plus defender right now? Bey & Brown? If we go with "neutral" defenders, I might add in Tory & Dom (I don't know enough about Battey and Schwartz on D).
 
Agreed. And I love teh 2/3 court press that we would do at times. I just wish it fell back to man to man. But you have to match your personnel and it's pretty obvious we aren't going to have many defensive stoppers. Hell, who would you even consider a plus defender right now? Bey & Brown? If we go with "neutral" defenders, I might add in Tory & Dom (I don't know enough about Battey and Schwartz on D).
One thing I really liked is that both Dom and King were a lot more active in a trapping defense and were creating turnovers. What we give up with getting beat doing that we were giving up anyway with the two of them leaving shooters open or getting beat off the bounce. Tad's got to use them where they actually give us some plus plays on defense.
 
One thing I really liked is that both Dom and King were a lot more active in a trapping defense and were creating turnovers. What we give up with getting beat doing that we were giving up anyway with the two of them leaving shooters open or getting beat off the bounce. Tad's got to use them where they actually give us some plus plays on defense.

If we can get both to be neutrals constantly, I'll take it. King on the 2/3 court press was always terrifying (and poor White had to scramble a LOT to help there).
 
Does Tad going more to zone help when we practice against it?

Previous teams have looked completely lost when they come up against a competent zone, where this year not quite so much. Of course, White would cover up many issues with any team's offense
 
As Will mentioned, a lot of what we thought of as "zone" last year wasn't really zone. It was "run and jump", which is a trapping man defense that jumps passing lanes. I think we'll see quite a bit of that (the old Dean Smith defense, sorta) as a break from our straight man rather than seeing a lot of minutes in the 2-3.
After reading up on "run and jump", yes please. More of that
 
Agreed. I have some serious concerns there, but he has been playing in a decent league overseas so that gives me hope.

I have a strong strong STRONG hate of zone defense, but it's pretty obvious that Tad is happy heading that direction a little bit more. Wish I could find a breakdown on how often we were in zone last year. KenPom's defensive fingerprint is "inconclusive" which isn't surprising considering one of the components is turnover percentage - and when we were 100% man we always had a low TO rate.


The zone was not good at Cal this year.
Dug early hole and got back in when went to man with King on Rabb
 
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