TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards: Is UK's starting 5 better than Arizona's?

This is topic Is UK's starting 5 better than Arizona's? in forum UK / NCAA Basketball at TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://www.thecatsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=28;t=030877

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 07-14-2014, 11:07 AM:

It's our depth that makes us stand out so much. That's why I believe it makes Kentucky arguably one of the most talented teams UK has ever had and certainly better than Arizona's team.

Arizona Desert Swarm, the SB Nation Arizona Wildcats blog, points to a Twitter kerfuffle that broke out recently over starting lineups. Returning Arizona player Rondae Hollis-Jefferson asserted on Twitter that Arizona would have the best starting five in the nation next season:

Quote from Arizona sophomore Rondae Hollis-Jefferson: "We have the best starting five in the country."

No, it’s not foolish to say, although I have to question the "versatility" part. Kentucky’s starting lineup, if you project it based on last season, might look something like this:
1.Andrew Harrison
2.Aaron Harrison
3.Alex Poythress
4.Karl-Anthony Towns Jr. (I disagree with Trey Lyles in the four spot)
5.Dakari Johnson

This is a very versatile lineup indeed, with plenty of shooting, ridiculous size, and excellent athleticism. It could be even more versatile by moving Devin Booker to the two and Andrew Harrison to the three, creating maximum perimeter shooting. Having said that, there is no real debate that based on last year’s stats, Arizona would be the superior defensive team, whereas Kentucky is likely to be better offensively, but not by a big margin.

There are two reasons I have Towns at the four rather than Lyles. Lyles is injured, and he’s going to fall a bit behind guys like Towns. For the same reason, I have relegated WCS to the second team. Even when he was healthy, Dakari Johnson managed to take the starting spot from him around mid-season. The second reason I think Towns starts is the flexibility he offers the offense - you can’t guard him on the perimeter with a smaller player, so he’s going to take a big player away from the basket, leaving Alex Poythress and Dakari Johnson to do what they do best against overall smaller players.

To be honest, its really unclear who will man the four and five spots, as the competition will be most fierce for those two positions. Given all this uncertainty and the more clear picture we have of the western Wildcats, I’d say Hollis-Jefferson’s position is quite defensible.

Where Kentucky will be better is practically everywhere else. The Wildcats next season will come at opponents in wave after wave of size and talent. They can also do some very creative things with their size, like move Karl Towns outside on offense where he’ll have a huge advantage on almost every big player in the nation with his combination of size and shooting. Kentucky can do that without sacrificing rebounding due to a multiplicity of 6‘9"+ big players.

Frankly, I’m willing to concede that Arizona’s putative starting five is likely to be considered the best due to their experience, age, and proven defensive ability. At the same time, I assert that Kentucky will be better everywhere else. I can live with that, because let’s face it — Kentucky didn’t have the best starting five in the country last year, either. Yet in the end, the team was more, or at least equal, to the sum of their parts.

Link

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 07-14-2014, 01:19 PM:

quote:
The Wildcats next season will come at opponents in wave after wave of size and talent.

I hope this writer and for that matter most UK fans are right when they say how deep our rotation will be this year. I just don't see it. Cals history has always been a 7 or 8 man rotation, at least to my knowledge. Some of these teams had some pretty good talent sitting on the bench that got very limited playing time, at least when it came to nut cutting time. Sure, early games will see a lot of players getting a decent amount of time but IMO, that will not last when we play the big boys.

I hope I'm wrong but I would bet my left gonad (that's the one I'm most fond of) that we will not see more than a 8 man rotation when we get we past the push over games.

What ever he decides will be fine with me. He may know a little more about basketball and this team than me.

[ 07-14-2014, 01:20 PM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 07-14-2014, 02:03 PM:

handycat,

I'll give my right gonad so someone can have a pair. Cal is going to play a 7 to 8 man rotation. Guys 9-12 job will to be ready when called upon (i.e. see Lee last year).

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 07-14-2014, 03:04 PM:

What helps with our depth is if someone or two do get hurt he can slip more people into the line-up. It's a good feeling that no matter what happens we will always have 8 "solid" players to use in any situation. there not many teams at all that have luxury to do that.

Posted by Old Norm (Member # 1482) on 07-14-2014, 03:57 PM:

Hmmmm..... I have never given much thought to which gonad I favor. Actually, kind of fond of both. I DO know why women rub their eyes when they get up in the morning though. They don't have any to scratch.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 07-14-2014, 04:00 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Old Norm:
Hmmmm..... I have never given much thought to which gonad I favor. Actually, kind of fond of both. I DO know why women rub their eyes when they get up in the morning though. They don't have any to scratch.

LOL!! I'm going to steal that line.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 07-14-2014, 04:38 PM:

Unlike other basketball forums, here on the Domain we keep our conversations intelligent.

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 07-14-2014, 06:05 PM:

Duhhhhhhhh. What's a gonad??? [Big Grin]

Posted by rlt4uk (Member # 3194) on 07-14-2014, 07:36 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Old Norm:
Hmmmm..... I have never given much thought to which gonad I favor. Actually, kind of fond of both. I DO know why women rub their eyes when they get up in the morning though. They don't have any to scratch.

This made me laugh