Episode 12: I Love Myself for Hating You

Last night’s UNC-Duke game was a pretty good game to watch. But there were lots of mistakes by both teams. UNC played better and should have won by 10 points, but failed to execute and play defense down the stretch. I am not surprised the game came down to free throws.

But it keeps surprising me that Williams is so bad in close games and at the end of games. It proves that he is really just a recruiter.

UNC needs to reconsider their end of game strategies and end of game personel usage. Williams has always struggled with understanding and exploiting mis-matches. This was very evident last night. UNC needs to try to get the ball to their two best players – Harrison Barnes and Tyler Zeller – in the final 3 minutes of any close game. But they need to understand who is guarding them and THUS how to utilize them. In the case of last night, Plumlee was guarding Barnes. Thus, putting Barnes in space or the open floor makes sense — and a 4 low strategy (Barnes at the top with the ball four on the baseline) would have worked well. Plumlee would have had no chance in space. Barnes should have been briging the ball up the floor to tire out Plumlee. Instead, UNC tried the same high post entry pass they had been using all game — this time the pass was intercepted by Plumlee. Barnes is faster than Plumlee, why are you trying to have him post up? Heck at least do an L cut to get open. Plus, Barnes is your best free throw shooter.

BTW – for how good of a passer, Marchall is horrible at passing into the post – he fails to realize when a bounce pass, lob pass, or wrap pass is neccessary. Maybe it is because he fails to setup his defender or the post defending with his eyes or movements and make it an easier pass. It is always very obvious when and how he is trying to pass into the post.

When you thought I was done, I have more critcizing to do:
Against most teams, since they are void a big man, Tyler Zeller should be getting the ball 30% of the trips down the floor. Even if he does not shoot it, you are stretching the defense and creating cutting lanes and 3 point shoots for the rest of the team. UNC is actualy improving on their use of cutting in the past year…it is nice to see.

Also, if UNC insists on using their horrible motion offense and getting Barnes the ball at the wing, then they need to clear out once he gets it. Everytime Barnes caught the ball at the wing they had Zeller in the post and Marshall running to the corner. They need to isolate Barnes on the wing and allow him to drive with either hand to the basket. This provides expentially more
options for Barnes (pull up J, shoot over a smaller player, drive past a slower player, drive and dish, etc). This will stretch the defense. I am not syaing run this everytime, I am just saying UNC needs to get easier buckets with the talent they have. UNC has won with the out of control point gaurd pushing the ball down the floor on every possession and crashing the boards with big men. Williams tries running the same offense with every team he has and against every team he plays. With his athletes and personel, he needs to switch to a more pro-style offense to create mis-matches, space, and isolations. Some suggestions are — screen and roll with corner isolation, power isolation to the post, strong isolation to the wing, Iverson screens for Barnes, high low option for zeller, henson, and barnes – zeller high and barnes low with henson as screen and pop).