Pie in the Sky Lineups

[Sooner04]

All the best to Jordan Woodard, who's been a fantastic four-year player for us. With his career over (except for an appearance, I hope, on Senior Day), I've been dreaming about a couple crazy lineups. I look forward to being told why each of them would be a disaster, and I'd love to see the combinations anyone else would bring into the conversation.


PG - McGusty
SG - James
SF - Doolittle
PF - Lattin
C - McNease


PG - Shepard
SG - McGusty
SF - Odomes
PF - Freeman
C - Doolittle

 

[CoachTalk]

Freeman isnt playing.

Doolittle isnt a 3.. yet lattin and Mcnease at the same time??

 

[WTSooner]

Don't see how #1 could score or guard smaller lineups well enough. I like that it gets both Lattin and McNease on the court together (might help rebounding), but I don't think you can have Doolittle, Lattin, and McNease all playing together. Especially if you are going to play James (average ballhandler at best) and McGusty (capable, but not a true PG) at the other two spots.

I'd like this lineup a bit better if Odomes were in in place of Doolittle. Or Shepherd, and slide McGusty and James down a spot.

Shepherd is about to get a lot of run.

 

[oudna]

All the best to Jordan Woodard, who's been a fantastic four-year player for us. With his career over (except for an appearance, I hope, on Senior Day), I've been dreaming about a couple crazy lineups. I look forward to being told why each of them would be a disaster, and I'd love to see the combinations anyone else would bring into the conversation.


PG - McGusty
SG - James
SF - Doolittle
PF - Lattin
C - McNease


PG - Shepard
SG - McGusty
SF - Odomes
PF - Freeman
C - Doolittle

I like your thinking out of the box w/ McGusty at the point. Has to cut down on TOs but can really drive it.

 

[oudna]

I'd like this lineup a bit better if Odomes were in in place of Doolittle.

I don't like any idea that would include Odomes over Doolittle.

Those two talents aren't even close.

 

[usedtobe1]

I don't like any idea that would include Odomes over Doolittle.

Those two talents aren't even close.

Really? Odomes is probably our 3rd best player this season. He's pretty easily our best defender. It's not a ridiculous comparison.

They're not going to move Doolittle to a wing anyway. They need him inside.

 

[AdaSooner]

Really? Odomes is probably our 3rd best player this season. He's pretty easily our best defender. It's not a ridiculous comparison.

They're not going to move Doolittle to a wing anyway. They need him inside.

Agreed. If Odomes would take shots from the perimeter when he's open, which he is perfectly capable of making, his star on this team would shine brighter.

He's not only the best defender on the team, he and McGusty are better than anyone else at creating their own shot off of the dribble drive. Rashard was charged with guarding Buddy Hield in practice last season. He was such a pest on defense, Buddy got upset when he was being hounded all over the court. Despite a weakness or two that could certainly be improved, it would be a mistake to replace a player like Rashard in the starting lineup right now.

I also agree it would not be wise to move the team's leading rebounder, Doolittle, to the wing. This team needs all of the help they can get on the boards.

 

[Sooner04]

Thanks for the conversation, everyone. My impetus for moving Doolittle to the wing was just the hope of seeing Lattin and McNease on the floor at the same time. Remember, these are goofy lineups. They are junk, more or less, but I'd like to see what they could do because, frankly, they couldn't do any worse.

Freeman has received several Kelvin "quick hooks" this season, and I'm just curious to see what he could do if given a stretch of play where he could get comfortable. Again, it's not like he could do any worse!

Let the record show that both of my junk lineup still include McGusty and Doolittle.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Thanks for the conversation, everyone. My impetus for moving Doolittle to the wing was just the hope of seeing Lattin and McNease on the floor at the same time. Remember, these are goofy lineups. They are junk, more or less, but I'd like to see what they could do because, frankly, they couldn't do any worse.

Freeman has received several Kelvin "quick hooks" this season, and I'm just curious to see what he could do if given a stretch of play where he could get comfortable. Again, it's not like he could do any worse!

Let the record show that both of my junk lineup still include McGusty and Doolittle.

I wish Freeman would play some longer intervals so he can get more comfortable and we can see what he can do.

I like the first lineup except for James. Maybe Shepard at PG and McGusty at 2 then Doolilttle, Lattin and McNease.

 

[AdaSooner]

Sooner04, your lineups aren't junk if they work. I totally agree they can't be much worse than some of the head scratching lineups we have seen this season. Coach Kruger must have been so bored with last year's rubber stamp lineup, he's like a mad scientist trying to find the right formula.

Seriously, I think Lon may be "playing for next year" right now. And, why not? This season is virtually over short of a miracle if OU should win the conference tournament. The experience our young players are getting now could pay dividends down the road a ways. It will at the very least tell our coaches what each player needs to work on in the off season.

 

[Sooner04]

I like the first lineup except for James. Maybe Shepard at PG and McGusty at 2 then Doolilttle, Lattin and McNease.

I like James at SG in that lineup because I'd like him to shoot himself out of this ditch he's used as his domicile for most of the season.

"Hey, kid. You've got 15 shots coming your way tonight. Go nuts!"

 

[CMSOONER]

I like James at SG in that lineup because I'd like him to shoot himself out of this ditch he's used as his domicile for most of the season.

"Hey, kid. You've got 15 shots coming your way tonight. Go nuts!"

This is the only scenario in which I would give James significant minutes. Luckily for him this season is a wash so LK can make this move.

Maybe what he needs is for another star to shine brighter than his to begin to flourish. There were big expactatinos and pressure for him to be the guy this year and maybe he's a Cousins and not a Hield. And there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I like James at SG in that lineup because I'd like him to shoot himself out of this ditch he's used as his domicile for most of the season.

"Hey, kid. You've got 15 shots coming your way tonight. Go nuts!"

You know, I thought of that too and that's why I was thinking Freeman needs to play more. I can go with that.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Here's a pie in the sky option...try Freeman at the 1/2/3. Any of them and see what he can do. He's clearly not a traditional inside guy. Maybe he's more like a Luke Axtell or (sigh) Kevin Durant.

 

[CMSOONER]

Here's a pie in the sky option...try Freeman at the 1/2/3. Any of them and see what he can do. He's clearly not a traditional inside guy. Maybe he's more like a Luke Axtell or (sigh) Kevin Durant.

So you're saying maybe he's a cupcake? :ez-laugh:

 

[thebigabd]

• Darrion Strong
• Christian James
• Kameron McGusty
• Rashard Odomes
• Kristian Doolittle

 

[WTSooner]

I don't like any idea that would include Odomes over Doolittle.

Those two talents aren't even close.

Odomes is the better perimeter defender.

Odomes is more capable of putting the ball on the floor and going around a "guard".

The 3 and the 4 positions do not require the same skill set. Not sure why OU fans ARE STILL clamoring to see guys that are 4's playing the 3. It never works. Ever.

 

[inoref]

I say put all the players names in a hat and pull names during the game..doesn't matter much at this point

 

[OUHoops]

I'm gonna agree with 04 on McNeace and Lattin playing together. Why the hell not? McNeace is OU's best low-post threat and Lattin thrived when he was the sidekick to Spangler in that role.

May not work. Who knows. Might as well see what happens and try it this season. Then again, I'm not sure I want to see Lattin think he's a "stretch four" out there shooting jumpers. I am also not sure I want to see him catch the ball on the post either with a man squarely behind them. That rarely ends well.

I honestly have no clue what to think about this roster going forward other than McGusty, Doolittle and Odomes. I think Odomes is a great glue guy. Yeah, he can't shoot but he does everything else -- defense, creating for others, rebounding, garbage buckets, transition buckets, slashing buckets, gets to the line, hustles -- really well, and he knows his role and doesn't over-extend it. He'd be in my lineup somewhere.

 

[Sooner04]

I've got a good one. And I dropped only my standard amount of acid last night:

PG - McGusty
SG - Odomes
SF - Doolittle
PF - Lattin
C - McNeace


Then we come out in THIS:

Like we've been saying......it can't get any worse. Plus it further strengthens our K-State connections.