Looks like Curry is starting as of now

This makes sense, but what a good problem to have. If he can trust Curry enough over Ihnen that's most likely a positive towards Curry's development.

For me, it's a sign that he sees Curry more as a 4 and Ihnen as a 3. Which, to me, seems like Pitino still has not fully grasped how the game has evolved. I hope I'm wrong, but we'll see.
 

“Modern basketball!” Some of you experts make me laugh. What the hell does that mean, anyway? Playing with the 3 point line vs before it? Good teams put their best talent on the floor and find ways to leverage their advantageous matchups and minimize the risk of their poor matchups. I don’t care how Steve Kerr coaches the Golden State Warriors. We don’t have Steph Curry on our team. Until we get some better shooters, I’m not sure I want us launching 50 threes per game. If an opponent wants to go small, I’d pound it in to Robbins on the block every play, and hide the quickness deficiency on the D end (even if it meant going zone). It’s more important to know your team talent and take advantage of it than to adopt a trendy approach.

It's not Steve Kerr, it's literally everyone who is winning. You can keep your head in the sand if you'd like, but every team pretty much gets this except for us. We kind of get it too (remember Pitino's re-emphasis on 3 pt shooting last year?). It's really not super complicated, it's just move the ball, eliminate long twos, and don't run your offense through the post.

As far your post, I agree with the last sentence. If we didn't have a perfect stretch 4 being misused (Ihnen), I wouldn't be complaining. You are often forced to play the hand you were dealt. However, we have Ihnen. We misused him down the stretch last year and it looks like we might do it again this year.

Also, I'm really not an expert at all. Knowing how basketball is played today is about as esoteric as knowing that a lot of college programs run the spread in football. To develop that level of expertise, you just need to turn on a basketball game. It's everywhere.
 

For me, it's a sign that he sees Curry more as a 4 and Ihnen as a 3. Which, to me, seems like Pitino still has not fully grasped how the game has evolved. I hope I'm wrong, but we'll see.

I believe Ihnen played the 4 most of the time he was in on Wednesday.
 

For me, it's a sign that he sees Curry more as a 4 and Ihnen as a 3. Which, to me, seems like Pitino still has not fully grasped how the game has evolved. I hope I'm wrong, but we'll see.

Yeah we will see. There’s still plenty of ball screen and even high low offenses in college basketball that’s ran by some really successful programs. I think Pitino emphasizes threes and shots in the paint offensively. Also does identify his 4 and 5s still so yeah I see your point on some of the lack of modernizing too. If all the 4s can shoot then 3 to keep defenses honest it’s still fine imo.
 

For me, it's a sign that he sees Curry more as a 4 and Ihnen as a 3. Which, to me, seems like Pitino still has not fully grasped how the game has evolved. I hope I'm wrong, but we'll see.
Let me get this straight - So you're saying that Richard Pitino, a guy who lives and breathes basketball, is paid millions of dollars a year to coach a high D1 collegiate basketball program, and likely watches an enormous amount of basketball film at all levels year round, understands less about the "modern game of basketball" than you?


Sorry chief, but I'll trust Pitino's judgment over yours on whether or not we should play Ihnen primarily at the 3 or the 4.
 


I heard modern basketball was positionless?

Let’s keep it simple. We need personnel groups that defend well and score well together.

Pitino will tinker, take chances, and observe how the many new faces fit together leading up to the big ten. Roles should be pretty well defined by then, and guys with fatal flaws won’t see much action if those flaws can be exposed by the opponent.
 
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For me, it's a sign that he sees Curry more as a 4 and Ihnen as a 3. Which, to me, seems like Pitino still has not fully grasped how the game has evolved. I hope I'm wrong, but we'll see.
I think you have a bit of tunnel vision with your criticism. Ihnen had to play minutes at the 3 because both Tre and Mutaf were in street clothes. Gach played heavy minutes at the 3, but who else would you have play there after Gach? Despite some idiot preseason commentary, our front court depth is substantial, but our guard depth, with Tre and Mutaf out, was pretty thin. Pitino had a lot more bodies available for the 4 and 5, than he had for 2 and 3.
 

I heard modern basketball was positionless?

Let’s keep it simple. We need personnel groups that defend well and score well together.

Pitino will tinker, take chances, and observe how the many new faces fit together leading up to the big ten. Roles should be pretty well defined by then, and guys with fatal flaws won’t see much action if those flaws can be exposed by the opponent.

Bingo on the part in bold.Your “position flexibility” is about who you can guard. Offensive systems are basically fluid and more motion principled vs set principled. Like I said above Pitino does identify his 4 and 5 to a point because of his reliance on ball screens. His ball screeners need to be able to pop and shoot the 3 though, which is “modern”. It’s about a collective group of pieces with certain skills vs guys fitting a position set of 1,2,3,4, & 5
 




I think you have a bit of tunnel vision with your criticism. Ihnen had to play minutes at the 3 because both Tre and Mutaf were in street clothes. Gach played heavy minutes at the 3, but who else would you have play there after Gach? Despite some idiot preseason commentary, our front court depth is substantial, but our guard depth, with Tre and Mutaf out, was pretty thin. Pitino had a lot more bodies available for the 4 and 5, than he had for 2 and 3.

As I've said, if he is piecing together a lineup, I don't have a problem with it. You have to do what you have to do. My problem is that I am concerned Pitino sees Curry as a 4 and Ihnen as a 3 (maybe a 3/4) under normal circumstances. We'll see, I hope I'm wrong.
 

Bingo on the part in bold.Your “position flexibility” is about who you can guard. Offensive systems are basically fluid and more motion principled vs set principled. Like I said above Pitino does identify his 4 and 5 to a point because of his reliance on ball screens. His ball screeners need to be able to pop and shoot the 3 though, which is “modern”. It’s about a collective group of pieces with certain skills vs guys fitting a position set of 1,2,3,4, & 5

Even this is a little problematic - - having two guys clog up the paint.
 

Let me get this straight - So you're saying that Richard Pitino, a guy who lives and breathes basketball, is paid millions of dollars a year to coach a high D1 collegiate basketball program, and likely watches an enormous amount of basketball film at all levels year round, understands less about the "modern game of basketball" than you?

Sorry chief, but I'll trust Pitino's judgment over yours on whether or not we should play Ihnen primarily at the 3 or the 4.

This is the worst argument anyone can make on a message board. Your statement is true about every single college basketball coach who has ever lived. Every single coach in the country probably knows more about college basketball than me or anyone else on this board. That said, they aren't always right. Using your argument, no fan should ever complain about any coach for any sport for any reason. Tim Brewster put his entire life into the game of football, I assume no one on this board had any opinions on him? It's a dumb argument.

So yeah, I think Pitino knows more about basketball than me. It doesn't show in the systems that he runs or how he sees the game, but a lot of people are slow to change and adapt - - even people with a great level of expertise.
 

So why didn't Curry start on Monday?
 




Curry is the best post defender on our team, I don't know if that peaks to his tenacity or how terrible Robbins looked.
 


And because Johnson is better.
Significantly better. Curry seems like he could give us 15 minutes a game but anymore than that I'm not comfortable with. Would rather have Ihnen take more of Curry's minutes.
 

Significantly better. Curry seems like he could give us 15 minutes a game but anymore than that I'm not comfortable with. Would rather have Ihnen take more of Curry's minutes.

I like Curry. From all accounts a great kid. No doubt he worked hard to get back to where he is, able to play and give minutes. But man, he doesn’t give a lot. Backup post minutes I guess? Even that is questionable. He can make a mid range jumper if left open.
Unless he is able to knock off more rust and get more aggressive...I don’t see it. I’ve had 6 knee surgeries. The ability to go hard for a loose ball or really go for a rebound may not come back. I wasn’t a D1 basketball player but I did play college soccer. Never was the same after 1 ACL, let alone what he has gone through.
 

Pitino is rewarding Curry's perseverance, leadership, and loyalty to the program. Its more about optics and message than what he can bring to the game at this stage of his basketball career. Hopefully he can he knock off the rust and contribute to the teams success in a limited way.
 


Curry played well on Monday, so does he move back into the starting lineup?

Gabe shot poorly, he will get more minutes.
 

Significantly better. Curry seems like he could give us 15 minutes a game but anymore than that I'm not comfortable with. Would rather have Ihnen take more of Curry's minutes.
Curry, even with the way that he is, is still the best backup center we’ve had in a while, better than Matz, Konate, Diedhou or Omersa IMO.
 

Curry, even with the way that he is, is still the best backup center we’ve had in a while, better than Matz, Konate, Diedhou or Omersa IMO.

Hmmm...yes on BK, Gascan and Jarvis. Matz I liked. I think he really did some nice things. He was more impactful at his best than Curry has been so far but I hope Curry is just getting back into it. Cause if he improves at all (mobility, aggressiveness, etc) then you're right.
 


Hmmm...yes on BK, Gascan and Jarvis. Matz I liked. I think he really did some nice things. He was more impactful at his best than Curry has been so far but I hope Curry is just getting back into it. Cause if he improves at all (mobility, aggressiveness, etc) then you're right.
I thought Matz was a solid backup center as well. He was certainly an upgrade over Konate. But I think Curry is a bit better right now, can give you more offensively and is just more competent.
 

Hmmm...yes on BK, Gascan and Jarvis. Matz I liked. I think he really did some nice things. He was more impactful at his best than Curry has been so far but I hope Curry is just getting back into it. Cause if he improves at all (mobility, aggressiveness, etc) then you're right.
Plus Omersa is just so ... different.

Just like Leaupepe.
 

Curry deserves minutes, but I just don't think he should be playing more than Johnson and Robbins. He lacks explosiveness, his defense and rebounding are suspect (because of the lack of explosiveness), he has trouble creating his own shot.

However, those other two have been pretty bad so far. If Curry continues to get a little quicker and a little more confident with his body I think he could be giving more impactful minutes by the end of the year if those other two don't figure it out.
 

I’m also more talking about Omersa from last year as I consider Jarvis this year to be more the backup PF, Curry the backup center. And the rim protection with Curry is much better than when Omersa was at the 5 last year, seemed like teams could get whatever they wanted inside when he was in.
 




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