Cliff 50%

[Shelby65]

It doesn’t matter. He misses too many bunnies in close.

The idea is to have multiple pet, go-to moves. He has one, the drive left half hook. Tried it once yesterday and made it.

If not doing that, he’s in futile scoring position either on the wrong side of the backboard or too far away to post up. Lousy awareness. That said, McConnell sucked. That’s what we lost, even with the poor team shooting. I’ve said before Pike is too loyal to him. Like role players in the NBA, he should only be allowed a few shots a game. Cliff didn’t lose the game for us. McConnell did.

 

[RutgersDom]

I love the kid but he is NOT NBA ready. His offensive moves and shots aren’t there yet. He needs to learn how to finish.

Totally agree. Great kid and will play in the NBA but has to improve his post moves

 

[Scangg]

In order for him to get around the defender he has to be more athletic, which he is, but also needs to combine that with the ability to handle the ball, which is suspect.

He really doesn't though. One dribble and w long steps and he is around his defender. Literally 1 dribble

 

[Scangg]

People's perceptions of Cliff as an NBA player is way off. If he ever does make it to the NBA, it will never be as a low post scoring threat. It will be as a lob threat dunker rebounder shot blocker

 

[Kbee3]

They all can dunk. You should know the difference between dunks and bunnies. IMO Hyatt and Mag are kings of the missed bunnies.

So true.

 

[MiloTalon13]

People's perceptions of Cliff as an NBA player is way off. If he ever does make it to the NBA, it will never be as a low post scoring threat. It will be as a lob threat dunker rebounder shot blocker

Yup and ball screen defender able to switch onto smallest guys and not foul
Kevan Looney Clint Capella Robert Williams that kind of guy
His passing and BBIQ are more important than his low post moves

 

[Rutgersray1]

I would love to get him back next year and hope NIL will help. But the NBA game is very different than college. There is no spacing in college for bigs to dribble. He is not a post player. He is a face up player.

Correct. Problem is he is a face up with no mid range jump shot. Hense the problem.

 

[GORU2014]

He holds the ball like it’s a tennis ball. are You saying he can’t catch passes?

Also love Cliff but it’s crazy not to be concerned with his hands. Could add at least 4-5 rebounds a game if they were softer

 

[robjknight]

If anything we should have gone to Cliff more in the 1st half. He was dominating then Reiber came in and had a tough stretch.

Seems like a pattern. Went to Cliff early and 2 nice dunks, then we don’t back to him inside for quite a while.

 

[jtung230]

Also love Cliff but it’s crazy not to be concerned with his hands. Could add at least 4-5 rebounds a game if they were softer

There is no such thing as a soft rebound. You have to rip it down.

 

[jtung230]

Correct. Problem is he is a face up with no mid range jump shot. Hense the problem.

Have not seen enough to draw that conclusion. Wish he shots more but not our offense

 

[fluoxetine]

There is no such thing as a soft rebound. You have to rip it down.

Cliff seems pretty good at grabbing rebounds. It's passes and lose balls where he struggles (IMO).

 

[jtung230]

Cliff seems pretty good at grabbing rebounds. It's passes and lose balls where he struggles (IMO).

No one is better than Cliff at alley-ops. He catches fine. It’s more of anticipation and don’t forget the guy that’s pushing from behind.

 

[GORU2014]

There is no such thing as a soft rebound. You have to rip it down.

I’m talking about soft hands. It’s a figure of speech meaning good hands. Cliff has not shown himself to have soft hands, as athletic as he is

 

[GORU2014]

Have not seen enough to draw that conclusion. Wish he shots more but not our offense

Come on, we all love him but you’re denying any areas for improvement in his game.

 

[jtung230]

Come on, we all love him but you’re denying any areas for improvement in his game.

I’m not denying it. Just saying we don’t see enough of it because that’s not what we run. I’m also acknowledging his post game is weak hence why I said he is more of a face up player.. he sucks up basketballs on ally-ops. You don’t run that play if you think he doesn’t have ball skills.

 

[fluoxetine]

No one is better than Cliff at alley-ops. He catches fine. It’s more of anticipation and don’t forget the guy that’s pushing from behind.

This is true

 

[billgumpper]

Have not seen enough to draw that conclusion. Wish he shots more but not our offense

Are you Cliff or one of his relatives.

 

[Shelby65]

I’m talking about soft hands. It’s a figure of speech meaning good hands. Cliff has not shown himself to have soft hands, as athletic as he is

Isn’t it always that way ? Bigger players are less coordinated. For a big guy he has good hands actually. If you think Cliff’s hands are bad, I have two words for you: Myles Johnson

 

[GORU2014]

Isn’t it always that way ? Bigger players are less coordinated. For a big guy he has good hands actually. If you think Cliff’s hands are bad, I have two words for you: Myles Johnson

I just don’t know what to say to these comments. It’s arguably been his biggest flaw since freshman year. It’s obvious watching the games, most notably this year. All big men are not the same and they do not all have the same traits.

 

[Shelby65]

I just don’t know what to say to these comments. It’s arguably been his biggest flaw since freshman year. It’s obvious watching the games, most notably this year. All big men are not the same and they do not all have the same traits.

It’s true. It’s also why their FT % is lower. Again, compare Cliff to Myles. Or to Shaq. Or almost anyone not named David Robinson who was 6’6” in college and very coordinated before the very late growth spurt. Cliff is very coordinated for a guy nearly 7 ft tall

 

[GORU2014]

It’s true. It’s also why their FT % is lower. Again, compare Cliff to Myles. Or to Shaq. Or almost anyone not named David Robinson who was 6’6” in college and very coordinated before the very late growth spurt. Cliff is very coordinated for a guy nearly 7 ft tall

Coordination and soft hands are different.

I also don’t get the Cliff and Myles comparisons here. I’ll preface by saying both are/were invaluable to the program. However, if you’re trying to make the argument that Cliff’s hands are better than Myles’, or that he’s better overall, it’s debatable over their careers, and not even debatable comparing just their junior years.

Cliff’s advantages over Myles heading into this year were offensive ability/potential, free throws, and avoiding foul trouble. Over their careers, per 100 possessions, Myles had better rebound, assist, steal, and block numbers. Cliff has slightly better turnover numbers, and better foul and scoring numbers. Just looking at their junior years, it more or less flips.

You can’t criticize Myles as a way to defend Cliff’s hands when they had pretty similar numbers overall and Cliff has more turnovers per 100 this year than Myles ever did.

 

[Shelby65]

Coordination and soft hands are not the same thing but very highly correlated. Spasticity causes inability to catch, dribble, shoot, etc. Cliff isn’t spastic.

 

[Scangg]

Cliff's hands are strange. He does seem to catch lobs and rebounds pretty well, but then when there is a loose ball or the ball is getting deflected or bobbled he never seems to be able to grab it

 

[fluoxetine]

Cliff's hands are strange. He does seem to catch lobs and rebounds pretty well, but then when there is a loose ball or the ball is getting deflected or bobbled he never seems to be able to grab it

When the ball is up high he is great. When the ball is down low he never gets it.