Ben Simmons' Next Game (after OU)

[CoachTalk]

He's slow laterally. Especially guarding versatile 4s. Good enough Coach mannford?


And I'm not bashing him. He's a terrific player and has been big all year.

i dont coach mannford if thats what your implying or why that matters.

Good stretch 4's are hard to guard for anyone, Ryan is a fantastic rebounder, always gets the best big. Did a great job on simmons.

Is he elite? probably not, but he far above the curve esp rebounding.

 

[KBaden145]

Another thread where multiple posters get their knowledge of this team and their understanding of the game exposed. Ryan is the key link to our ability to guard teams. Whether it is rotating, calling screens out, defending pick and roll, rebounding, etc, he is vital to the way we play defense. Weak link? Just unreal...


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[WTSooner]

Another thread where multiple posters get their knowledge of this team and their understanding of the game exposed. Ryan is the key link to our ability to guard teams. Whether it is rotating, calling screens out, defending pick and roll, rebounding, etc, he is vital to the way we play defense. Weak link? Just unreal...


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I still say that bolded part is BS. Just b/c he is calling out the switches (do these really need to be called out, we switch darn near every one of them), doesn't mean anything. He is calling them out b/c he has the best view as a post coming up from the underneath side of the play. Not other reason. If Spangler is out on the perimeter and about to get screened, the man defending that screener will call it out. Stop trying to make switching a screen more complicated than it is. It's not.

And if Spangler isn't the week link, who is? Only other person in the discussion would likely be Woodard due to his size, and I think he has played well on that end of the court this year. Our D isn't perfect, so there is a weak link, by definition. I don't think Spangler has done a bad job at all this year, but to suggest he isn't the weak link is just silly.

 

[CoachTalk]

I still say that bolded part is BS. Just b/c he is calling out the switches (do these really need to be called out, we switch darn near every one of them), doesn't mean anything. He is calling them out b/c he has the best view as a post coming up from the underneath side of the play. Not other reason. If Spangler is out on the perimeter and about to get screened, the man defending that screener will call it out. Stop trying to make switching a screen more complicated than it is. It's not.

And if Spangler isn't the week link, who is? Only other person in the discussion would likely be Woodard due to his size, and I think he has played well on that end of the court this year. Our D isn't perfect, so there is a weak link, by definition. I don't think Spangler has done a bad job at all this year, but to suggest he isn't the weak link is just silly.

You think switching screens is easier than not switching?? So they guy talking the whole time on def isnt important? You mean like the middle LB in football. Those guys are fairly important or QB on offense not important at all.

 

[WTSooner]

You think switching screens is easier than not switching?? So they guy talking the whole time on def isnt important? You mean like the middle LB in football. Those guys are fairly important or QB on offense not important at all.

Switching is WAY easier than not switching. That is why OU is doing that. It takes a lot more work and effort to not switch, fight through the screen, and stay in a good defensive position. The hedgers have to do a good job on this as well. That is tougher than just switching, yes. Not debatable.

I didn't say communicating and talking isn't important. Obviously it is. I just said that doesn't make Spangler a good defender, b/c he can call out a screen. I see people at the YMCA gym that probably have an IQ of about 40 that can call out a screen. And my main point was, Ryan isn't calling them all out. He is calling them out when his guy is the screener. That is basketball 101. Nothing special about it. Kids in elementary school get taught that. To use THAT as support for Ryan being some key link to our defense is silly.

 

[CoachTalk]

Switching is WAY easier than not switching. That is why OU is doing that. It takes a lot more work and effort to not switch, fight through the screen, and stay in a good defensive position. The hedgers have to do a good job on this as well. That is tougher than just switching, yes. Not debatable.

I didn't say communicating and talking isn't important. Obviously it is. I just said that doesn't make Spangler a good defender, b/c he can call out a screen. I see people at the YMCA gym that probably have an IQ of about 40 that can call out a screen. And my main point was, Ryan isn't calling them all out. He is calling them out when his guy is the screener. That is basketball 101. Nothing special about it. Kids in elementary school get taught that. To use THAT as support for Ryan being some key link to our defense is silly.

If its some much easier then why doesn't everyone do it?

 

[WTSooner]

If its some much easier then why doesn't everyone do it?

A lot of teams do. It depends on your personnel as well. You have to have guys across the board that can defend multiple positions. And while I don't think Spangler is some defensive genius, he is athletic enough to switch on occassion, and not have that hurt OU.

There have been games and matchups where OU has tried not to switch when possible, to avoid these matchups. But we're experienced enough and athletic enough to switch them all right now. All being 1-4. But even Lattin switches sometimes, though he isn't really good enough to get isolated on a guard. Simmons abused him the two times Lattin was on him out on the wing. Not his strength.

Short version, the biggest reason not to switch is to avoid bad matchups. The way college basketball is moving, I'd expect to see more and more teams switching screens.

 

[CoachTalk]

A lot of teams do. It depends on your personnel as well. You have to have guys across the board that can defend multiple positions. And while I don't think Spangler is some defensive genius, he is athletic enough to switch on occassion, and not have that hurt OU.

There have been games and matchups where OU has tried not to switch when possible, to avoid these matchups. But we're experienced enough and athletic enough to switch them all right now. All being 1-4. But even Lattin switches sometimes, though he isn't really good enough to get isolated on a guard. Simmons abused him the two times Lattin was on him out on the wing. Not his strength.

Short version, the biggest reason not to switch is to avoid bad matchups. The way college basketball is moving, I'd expect to see more and more teams switching screens.

I see. We switch screens, most at our level dont take advantage of mismatches. Once you get it taught I think its easier but most dont switch at our level.

 

[KBaden145]

I still say that bolded part is BS. Just b/c he is calling out the switches (do these really need to be called out, we switch darn near every one of them), doesn't mean anything. He is calling them out b/c he has the best view as a post coming up from the underneath side of the play. Not other reason. If Spangler is out on the perimeter and about to get screened, the man defending that screener will call it out. Stop trying to make switching a screen more complicated than it is. It's not.

And if Spangler isn't the week link, who is? Only other person in the discussion would likely be Woodard due to his size, and I think he has played well on that end of the court this year. Our D isn't perfect, so there is a weak link, by definition. I don't think Spangler has done a bad job at all this year, but to suggest he isn't the weak link is just silly.

Fundamentally speaking, the weakest link of our starting unit is actually Lattin or Woodard. Lattin struggles to keep people in front of him and misses rotations. He provides rim protection, yes, and saves baskets, yes, but he is also not physical enough to hold his ground in the post and gets lost in rotations at times allowing open shots at the basket. Ryan is a far better post defender than Lattin is right now.

Woodard takes unnecessary chances in man to man. He isn't the quickest of guards and gambles on steals when he just needs to stay in front of his man.

I'd argue they only truly superior defender in the first unit to Spangler, all things considered, is Cousins.


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[Seymore Cox]

https://youtu.be/jePUHqaeuFU

I think WTSOONER articulates my view better than I do. The Simmons dunk was something I have seen at different points this year with Spangler in regards to awareness and help defense.

 

[KBaden145]

Switching is WAY easier than not switching. That is why OU is doing that. It takes a lot more work and effort to not switch, fight through the screen, and stay in a good defensive position. The hedgers have to do a good job on this as well. That is tougher than just switching, yes. Not debatable.



I didn't say communicating and talking isn't important. Obviously it is. I just said that doesn't make Spangler a good defender, b/c he can call out a screen. I see people at the YMCA gym that probably have an IQ of about 40 that can call out a screen. And my main point was, Ryan isn't calling them all out. He is calling them out when his guy is the screener. That is basketball 101. Nothing special about it. Kids in elementary school get taught that. To use THAT as support for Ryan being some key link to our defense is silly.

You're downplaying a very important part of playing defense (communicating switches, screens, and how to handle pick and rolls) but that's ok. It's far more complicated than you realize, at least how OU plays some of these option flows. You have an opinion and you're defending it. It's wrong but it's your right.


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[Seymore Cox]

A lot of teams do. It depends on your personnel as well. You have to have guys across the board that can defend multiple positions. And while I don't think Spangler is some defensive genius, he is athletic enough to switch on occassion, and not have that hurt OU.

There have been games and matchups where OU has tried not to switch when possible, to avoid these matchups. But we're experienced enough and athletic enough to switch them all right now. All being 1-4. But even Lattin switches sometimes, though he isn't really good enough to get isolated on a guard. Simmons abused him the two times Lattin was on him out on the wing. Not his strength.

Short version, the biggest reason not to switch is to avoid bad matchups. The way college basketball is moving, I'd expect to see more and more teams switching screens.

I'm not a big fan of the switch 1 thru 4. Some of this philosophy is tied to recruiting and I get that. But you're right, Spangler and Woodard get short end of the stick. Also Lattin has had to guard more 4s to hide Spangler this year.

 

[KBaden145]

Also, I promise you, OUs coaches value Ryan's defense a lot more than people on this board do. I'm probably downplaying his importance myself. Make a practice or 2 and see why I say what I say. I think you'd look at it differently, WT...


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[KBaden145]

I think there needs to be a distinction made. Ryan is not the greatest one on one defender in the world. There a number of players he would struggle with. In our games through his career, those guys have mostly been talented, athletic guys with too much length for him to match up with. However, within OUR system and how WE scheme the teams we play, he is vital. A great 'team' defender, if you will. This doesn't make him a great defender (I never said that or even hinted at it) but he is far from our weak link and it's absolutely absurd to say so. He is the best post defender we have and by far the best rebounder we've had in years. He gets caught at times in bad spots bc he has to clean up other people's messes. Not his fault and admittedly, he doesn't have the ability to protect the rim like Lattin.


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