So excited with what has transpired to date with this year's team. So much fun to watch - whether Trae scores 40 or tries to distribute more - either way fun to watch how much better they are than last year. Here is what I think we need to see moving forward.
1) Trae finalizing his role. To me, Trae needs to find a medium between OSU and KU. Shooting 40 times is too much, not attempting a 3 in a half is too few. I think we will do that. Sort of like when Aaron Judge burst on the scene and was hitting HRs for a month and then the league adjusted, he struggled for a little bit and then Judge adjusted. Trae's KSU and OSU games may have been the adjustment period.
2) Post play - seems like McNease was better early and Lattin has been better recently and I was even encouraged by Polla's play, but consistent post presence - really rim protection is critical as OU's on-ball defense has not been good and I don't believe it can be improved much. Odomes is very good, but James and Young are average at containing the dribble and with all of the switching OU does, teams just weave until they get the matchup they want and then go to work. Hence the need for Lattin and McNease to be good, at least, if not great, every game.
3) Doolittle or McGusty has to be a reliable scorer off the bench. Freeman isn't making shots, Lazenby won't shoot and Shepard has really been put in a tough spot with Trae playing so much. Kam is the answer to me, but he is struggling from deep - 33% and that is down from last year's 35%. I was hoping he could go up 3% points, versus down. Doolittle's is so exciting and I want him to dominate smaller 3's and 4's and out-quick bigger ones, but he just seems off right now. Not sure why he is not letting the 3-ball go. He hit almost 40% last year and hit the only one he attempted this year, but seems reluctant to take them. And his lack of a shot seems to hurt OU's spacing.
Either way, he or Kam needs to get it going.
The real issue, like OSU and KSU is what happens if Manek and James are not shooting the ball well? James has been better going to the basket, but Manek seems like a 3 or a dunk right now. Kam has that old-man game, with the head fakes and shooting on the way down, after drawing contact, but with Trae he will get open 3s and he needs to make some.
Love where they are headed and really think they have a chance to finish top 3 in the league and make a Sweet 16 appearance. What a difference a year (or a Trae) makes!
1) Trae finalizing his role. To me, Trae needs to find a medium between OSU and KU. Shooting 40 times is too much, not attempting a 3 in a half is too few. I think we will do that. Sort of like when Aaron Judge burst on the scene and was hitting HRs for a month and then the league adjusted, he struggled for a little bit and then Judge adjusted. Trae's KSU and OSU games may have been the adjustment period.
2) Post play - seems like McNease was better early and Lattin has been better recently and I was even encouraged by Polla's play, but consistent post presence - really rim protection is critical as OU's on-ball defense has not been good and I don't believe it can be improved much. Odomes is very good, but James and Young are average at containing the dribble and with all of the switching OU does, teams just weave until they get the matchup they want and then go to work. Hence the need for Lattin and McNease to be good, at least, if not great, every game.
3) Doolittle or McGusty has to be a reliable scorer off the bench. Freeman isn't making shots, Lazenby won't shoot and Shepard has really been put in a tough spot with Trae playing so much. Kam is the answer to me, but he is struggling from deep - 33% and that is down from last year's 35%. I was hoping he could go up 3% points, versus down. Doolittle's is so exciting and I want him to dominate smaller 3's and 4's and out-quick bigger ones, but he just seems off right now. Not sure why he is not letting the 3-ball go. He hit almost 40% last year and hit the only one he attempted this year, but seems reluctant to take them. And his lack of a shot seems to hurt OU's spacing.
Either way, he or Kam needs to get it going.
The real issue, like OSU and KSU is what happens if Manek and James are not shooting the ball well? James has been better going to the basket, but Manek seems like a 3 or a dunk right now. Kam has that old-man game, with the head fakes and shooting on the way down, after drawing contact, but with Trae he will get open 3s and he needs to make some.
Love where they are headed and really think they have a chance to finish top 3 in the league and make a Sweet 16 appearance. What a difference a year (or a Trae) makes!
