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Best defensive lineup

Scangg

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Mar 20, 2016
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Who is our best defensive lineup?

Up 1 with seconds left...

Miller Mag Caleb Hyatt Cliff
 
The only two locks IMO are Caleb and Cliff. It is quite likely the other three are the ones Scangg listed for a November or December game, but it's way too early to know for sure who we'd want out there in a late season game. We've never seen multiple guys in a B1G game.
 
Miller would be a lock to be in there. On ball pressure of the other team's PG is massive
Especially if they have to bring the ball up the court. Half court sets could be Paul instead of him or someone else because length helps. Of course we know nothing about the 4 new guys but at least we’re taking Basketball!
 
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The only two locks IMO are Caleb and Cliff. It is quite likely the other three are the ones Scangg listed for a November or December game, but it's way too early to know for sure who we'd want out there in a late season game. We've never seen multiple guys in a B1G game.
Paul could be a lock, but I could see him superseded. A lot will depend on how much Miller, Mag, Simpson, Reiber and Hyatt have progressed on development. Pikiell also seemed high on Palmquist defensively, though I had a hard time seeing that last year (he seemed slow on rotations).
 
A savvy PG that attacks him will attack everyone on our roster and 99% of B1G defenders
How many returning PG in the conference, or newcomers to the league this year, will meet this definition?

Xavier Johnson, Indiana (if he doesn't manage to get himself suspended for whenever we play them)
Boo Buie, Northwestern (ehh...)
Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin
A.J. Hoggard, Michigan State
Skyy Clark (5* recruit to Illinois)

Keep in mind that in a one possession scenario, depending on who else is on the floor at the 2 or 3 for the opponent, Caleb could be assigned to cover their PG, and have Mulcahy on their 2 or 3.
 
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How many returning PG in the conference, or newcomers to the league this year, will meet this definition?

Xavier Johnson, Indiana (if he doesn't manage to get himself suspended for whenever we play them)
Boo Buie, Northwestern (ehh...)
Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin
A.J. Hoggard, Michigan State
Skyy Clark (5* recruit to Illinois)

Keep in mind that in a one possession scenario, depending on who else is on the floor at the 2 or 3 for the opponent, Caleb could be assigned to cover their PG, and have Mulcahy on their 2 or 3.
I'll bet Miller can stay in front of a penetrating PG better than Caleb. Obviously playing defense is a lot more that just having lateral quickness.
 
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How many returning PG in the conference, or newcomers to the league this year, will meet this definition?

Xavier Johnson, Indiana (if he doesn't manage to get himself suspended for whenever we play them)
Boo Buie, Northwestern (ehh...)
Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin
A.J. Hoggard, Michigan State
Skyy Clark (5* recruit to Illinois)

Keep in mind that in a one possession scenario, depending on who else is on the floor at the 2 or 3 for the opponent, Caleb could be assigned to cover their PG, and have Mulcahy on their 2 or 3.
We don't want Caleb on their PG. That's Miller's job. It's literally his specialty. Caleb is much more effective and useful covering the best wing
 
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You need to factor in development. He very clearly showed he has the quickness, lateral movement, intensity, and drive to be an elite on ball defender. He has all conference defense type defensive talent

He plays defense with a swagger that will be scary as he develops.
 
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You need to factor in development. He very clearly showed he has the quickness, lateral movement, intensity, and drive to be an elite on ball defender. He has all conference defense type defensive talent
I hope we do see development and maturity. Last year he was overly aggressive and this led to foul calls.
 
From what we've seen I think mine is a legit concern.
I don’t really see this. He picked up fouls is bunches in specific situations where he was asked to come in and be distruptive / try to create a turnover. I’d say the observation is only accurate in pointing out that to this point we haven’t yet really seen him come into games and force steals / create turnovers (because when he tried last season he tended to pick up fouls).

But I don’t recall situations (such as the one described in the OP) where we brought him in trying to preserve a lead and needed to just keep the offense from scoring where he failed to show maturity and put them on the line going for the steal. When Pike used him the way the OP is talking about, I recall him quietly blending into the perimeter defense - the unsung hero really for relieving us of having to use Hyatt or Jaden there while one of the starters rested.

Miller mostly picked up fouls late first half in games where we weren’t in the bonus yet and he was given an opportunity to go in with a full sub line up trying to create a spark.
 
The only two locks are McConnell and Cliff. The rest depends on what the other team is bringing and how the game progressed to that point. My hope is that Simpson will be the third lock for the end game by mid-season.
 
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The only two locks are McConnell and Cliff. The rest depends on what the other team is bringing and how the game progressed to that point. My hope is that Simpson will be the third lock for the end game by mid-season.
If Simpson is better than Miller defensively as a true freshman, then Miller doesn't really have a role on this team. I wouldn't count on that being the case though. Miller is the defensive specialist
 
I don’t really see this. He picked up fouls is bunches in specific situations where he was asked to come in and be distruptive / try to create a turnover. I’d say the observation is only accurate in pointing out that to this point we haven’t yet really seen him come into games and force steals / create turnovers (because when he tried last season he tended to pick up fouls).

But I don’t recall situations (such as the one described in the OP) where we brought him in trying to preserve a lead and needed to just keep the offense from scoring where he failed to show maturity and put them on the line going for the steal. When Pike used him the way the OP is talking about, I recall him quietly blending into the perimeter defense - the unsung hero really for relieving us of having to use Hyatt or Jaden there while one of the starters rested.

Miller mostly picked up fouls late first half in games where we weren’t in the bonus yet and he was given an opportunity to go in with a full sub line up trying to create a spark.
Nailed it
 
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If Simpson is better than Miller defensively as a true freshman, then Miller doesn't really have a role on this team. I wouldn't count on that being the case though. Miller is the defensive specialist
Miller certainly could have a role as a sub and development guy.
 
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What matters is the five players that give Rutgers the best chance of winning.Scoring is going to be far more important than defense with the loss of 28 points from Harper and Baker.Rutgers had a difficult time scoring 65 points with those players because of the lack of bench scoring.
 
If Simpson is better than Miller defensively as a true freshman, then Miller doesn't really have a role on this team. I wouldn't count on that being the case though. Miller is the defensive specialist
Don’t forget ball handling as a possible consideration for PT. Just as Miller’s role was to be counted on to keep his man from scoring on the perimeter last year, he was also (as a frosh) quietly one of our better handlers with pressure applied. We have no idea how Cam or Simpson would look bringing the ball up with pressure applied. If they aren’t reliable handlers, Miller is going to play (whether he’s needed for defense or not). We just lost our best ball handler in Geo - This is probably a bigger deal than most fans think.
 
I'm not sure Pikiell would bring in Miller cold off the bench for a final defensive possession.
 
I'm not sure Pikiell would bring in Miller cold off the bench for a final defensive possession.
I don’t think that will be his role either. But Paul and/or Caleb are going to get into foul trouble at some point so we’re going to need another decent ball handler. Mag and Hyatt certainly don’t provide that. So it would have to come from someone new if not Miller.
 
I don’t think that will be his role either. But Paul and/or Caleb are going to get into foul trouble at some point so we’re going to need another decent ball handler. Mag and Hyatt certainly don’t provide that. So it would have to come from someone new if not Miller.
The OP was asking about "up 1 with seconds left."
 
The OP was asking about "up 1 with seconds left."
Right - My point is that I have a feeling there will be situational use for putting Miller in the game throughout its course. Not just to be a one play defensive stopper. So he wouldn’t be checking in cold.

I’d love to be wrong. That would mean as Scangg said - Simpson and Cam come in solid at defense, AND at least one of them comes in ready to run the point for blocks of a few minutes throughout the game. Miller’s ball handling contributions also got quietly lost because super senior Geo was a steady handler who played almost the whole game. That asset is gone.
 
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