Your Starters and Lineups

[RaceToTheTop 23,553]

At this point, who do you have for your starters/rotation?

If possible, give your rationale.

Mine would be:

Starters

Phinissee

Green

Durham

Smith

TJD

In my opinion, we need to maximum both our scoring and shooting from the get go.  Also in my opinion, despite Durham's idiotic move last game, he is one of our five best scorers.  The last four are guys averaging in double figures...only RP isn't, but despite his recent shooting woes, he still is in our top five scorers/minute and is a decent facilitator.  I for one don't want to hold back a guy for 'offense off the bench' -- we don't need to hold a guy back at the beginning of the game.

Bench rotation:

Brunk -- I'm still okay with him getting his approximately 20 minutes per game, just think that he needs fewer minutes with both he and TJD on the court at the same time.  If he plays 20 minutes, half that should be spelling TJD and the other half with them both on the court when matchup dictates it.

Thompson subbing in for Smith

Franklin and Anderson spelling Rob, Al, and Devonte.

Hunter, unfortunately, isn't part of the normal rotation....his shot just isn't there and I don't think we can afford waiting around to get him shots in conference games that are likely to be tight.

Davis....can not play.  Right now he's getting his 2 to 5 minutes which always show he isn't worth playing.  I'd put that at zero.

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,181]

I’d like to see
PG- Phinisee- He’s going to have to start being aggressive and doing something with the ball other than pounding it into the floor like he’s Rajon Rondo.
SG- Franklin- he cant shoot a lick, but Durham should be punished for his stupidity and Green just doesn’t need to start.. like ever. He’s a bench player.
SF- Smith- he’s excelled at it more than he has playing the 4 the two years prior.
Race- No he hasn’t been great, but sometimes guys just play better with the first group compared to the 2nd group. He’s much more mobile than Brunk as well and having Brunk coming off the bench gives us some offense down low coming from the bigs.
TJD- I like him playing the 4, but he and Brunk just can’t play together too much. And TJD has to start. He’s clearly the best player on the team and it isn’t even close.

The problem is, we can’t put a good offensive team on the court at any time. And since the start of the season, I’ve said to bring Green and Durham off the bench. I will stick with that.
Also, the only way I see this team succeeding is through defense. But that’d also have to involve Archie taking his current philosophies and throwing them in the trash. This team sucks at offense. Forcing live ball turnovers and fast breaking is their best chance. They need to be playing the passing lanes and running. But we won’t do that and this team will fail.


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[MikeRoberts 6,832]

Brunk
TJD
Smith
Durham
Phinisee

Those 5 should all play 30 and keep the rotation short. No need to play more than 8 on a regular basis


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[TXHoosierDaddy 1,375]

I've been most impressed with Brunk and TJD. Unfortunately, our guards outside of Phinese don't get these guys the ball enough. Green makes stupid entry passes and the rest of the guards aren't looking inside enough.

TJD - Stud who doesn't get ball enough. Should be getting a touch every time down. 

Brunk - Has looked the part so far. It's too bad we can't clone a few more Brunks on this team. 

Durham - Should be coming off bench. Improved shooting but seems better suited as a role player

Phinese - Injuries look to have zapped him this year. Still best passer and ball handler. 

Smith - Much better basketball IQ this year but doesn't seem to be in the flow of the offense. We also don't try to involve him similar to TJD

Franklin - Lots of potential but lots of shooting woes to work on 

Green - Good for a few games and bad for a few. Completely unreliable and shouldn't have the ball in his hands as much as he does

Race - Looks serviceable at times but also looks unsure of himself at other times. 

Damezi/Hunter - Damezi plays good defense but is non-existent offensively. Hunter seems to have potential but looks and plays like a freshman at the moment. 

What we lack: Shooters shooters and shooters, another reliable ball handler, gritty tough guard/small forward that plays with tenacity of Brunk

 

[IUc2016 6,917]

Since phinisee is not healthy or even close to where he was at the beginning of last year it really hamstrings this team. Hopefully the next few games he can get his legs back underneath him. He has had a few good games this year despite his injuries. 

With that said, I still feel like this team's best chance is to go smaller (albeit with a lot of length), but still bring Green off the bench. He does better as a 6th man who can get a feel of the game and come in and try and score. 

Phinisee

Durham

Damezi

Smith

TJD 

 

6th - Green

Fill in the rest depending on the flow of the game/foul trouble. Really like Brunk as a backup, not a starter. 

I do not think Damezi is one of the 5 best players, and honestly i hoped the other wing spot would go to Hunter, but he isn't ready. Damezi is at least consistent on defense. This would also allow IU to bring two guards off the bench instead of starting all three and being shorter on guard depth.  

[Str8Hoosiers 2,965]

Starters:

Green - Still in my opinion the most important guy on the team. ONLY guy on the roster that can consistently shoot and score when needed. Best passer on the team as well (even considering the BAD passes). He tries to get to fancy and make passes that aren't made but I would take that over the other guards not even attempting the pass. Big guys are working hard down low, at least they know Green is going to try to get the the ball.

Durham - Start but be on a very short leash. You can see within a few possessions if he is going to be aggressive on both ends and really effect the game or if he is going to no-show. (if he no-shows bring in Phinisee early and only give Durham spot minutes the rest of the game)

Smith - He has shown the ability to make an impact. Defensively he is much better this year. Needs to be more aggressive on offensive boards, and back-cuts. Not shooting 3s.

TJD - As others have said he is our Best player this year. Continue to play exactly like he has been. Demand the ball, be vocal if we begin to go away from what is working in the game.

Brunk - He has his moments of Houdini but overall he plays HARD all the time. Great motor. Good hands, finishes well around the basket. Continue to learn the defense, don't hedge so far that he can't get back in time. His interior passing with TJD is a thing of beauty (goes both ways for the 2 of them) and I want to see them on the floor together more than relying on just Brunk down low.

Bench:

Phinisee - Has to get healthy... whatever that means... if he needs time off give him time off, if he needs game minutes give him 40 a game and spend every off day in the gym putting up shots..... he hasn't shown me much of anything all year but I think he is important in the grand scheme. Come in for Durham when he is having a bad start to a game.

Race - Spot minutes. He can help on the defensive side but hasn't shown any offense and that is where we are hurting currently.

Franklin - He does some good things but he is not ready for Big Ten level competition. His shot is not there, his handles are not there. Keep working on his game but limited game minutes from here on out.

Damezi - Bring him in to stop an opponent guard. Hound him like nothing else. Irritate him. DON'T shoot. Don't dribble, don't drive.

De'Ron - Come in to give a few HARD fouls at opportune times.

[JSHoosier 19,554]

We need Phinisee starting, he's really the only point guard on the roster.  Bad thing is he's been disappointing this year and doesn't look right.  The alternative gives me nightmares though.

Durham on a short leash.

Smith has been better but still sleep walks.  More consistent at least defensively.

Jackson-Davis, enough said.

Brunk is nothing special but plays hard.  Alternative isn't desirable.

 

Green- at best is off ball and preferably off bench, unreliable and decision making is comical at it's best.

Franklin- shows flashes but not ready

Anderson- more active defensively

Thompson

Davis- 5 fouls

 

[WayneFleekHoosier 46,723]

This roster is depressing.

Phin is so off. Even his dribbling is poor. I can’t make a starting 5 I like.

I say scrap the offense, get out in transition. Jack 3s rebound long misses. Use TJD every trip down.

1. Durham-inconsistent but plays hard-underwhelming starting guard
2. Hunter- just let him play. Open things up let him create
3. Smith- can’t shoot a lick, but his athleticism makes it hard to keep him off the court
4. TJD- no brainer
5. Brunk- good and bad. Works hard.

Green off the bench. Play him a lot of minutes if playing well. Cut way back if not.
Franklin off the bench. Just as a dribbling option. Pretty smart.
Race off the bench to spell a big i guess and rebound. Plays super-tentative. Doesn’t offer much on offense.

I don’t want to play Race, Damezi, DeRon, or Phinisee too much.

This roster is a bunch of meh players and then TJD. Absolutely none of our guys would start for a great team imo. Maybe Justin Smith if he was with a bunch of shooters. And TJD would start for almost anyone.


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[WayneFleekHoosier 46,723]

This roster is depressing.

Phin is so off. Even his dribbling is poor. I can’t make a starting 5 I like.

I say scrap the offense, get out in transition. Jack 3s rebound long misses. Use TJD every trip down.

1. Durham-inconsistent but plays hard-underwhelming starting guard
2. Hunter- just let him play. Open things up let him create
3. Smith- can’t shoot a lick, but his athleticism makes it hard to keep him off the court
4. TJD- no brainer
5. Brunk- good and bad. Works hard.

Green off the bench. Play him a lot of minutes if playing well. Cut way back if not.
Franklin off the bench. Just as a dribbling option. Pretty smart.
Race off the bench to spell a big i guess and rebound. Plays super-tentative. Doesn’t offer much on offense.

I don’t want to play Race, Damezi, DeRon, or Phinisee too much.

This roster is a bunch of meh players and then TJD. Absolutely none of our guys would start for a great team imo. Maybe Justin Smith if he was with a bunch of shooters. And TJD would start for almost anyone.


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I say all this, and I believe it, but then we beat FSU, UConn and Notre Dame with these guys.

??????


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[BGleas 7,880]

On 12/31/2019 at 2:43 PM, WayneFleekHoosier said:

I say all this, and I believe it, but then we beat FSU, UConn and Notre Dame with these guys.

??????


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I know. The only players I really, really like on this team are TJD, and then the hope of what Phinisee, Hunter and Smith could/would be if healthy (Phinisee and Hunter) or developed with skill (Smith). Everyone else is kind of “meh” as players on top tier teams. 

[Brass Cannon 24,064]

My starters would be Phinisee, Green, Smith, TJD, Brunk. With Al, Franklin and Race off the Bench. And nobody else getting any PT unless game is already decided. 

[Stuhoo 75,525]

Rob Phinisee andJerome Hunter need to play whenever possible. Our best five includes them.

[Alford Bailey 12,240]

11 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Rob Phinisee andJerome Hunter need to play whenever possible. Our best five includes them.

Ive seen nothing out of Hunter that suggests he will be a major contributor at this level.

[JSHoosier 19,554]

19 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Rob Phinisee andJerome Hunter need to play whenever possible. Our best five includes them.

Hunter hasn't looked anywhere even remotely close to being ready.

[Brass Cannon 24,064]

It’s not a perfect stat but Hunter has the 3rd lowest PER among our scholarship players. That’s pretty telling. 
 

hopefully he just needs some time to regain his form and comes back strong next year. 

[MoyeNeeded 3,073]

1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

Rob Phinisee andJerome Hunter need to play whenever possible. Our best five includes them.

Don't see how Hunter has shown that he is one of our 5 best.

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,181]

Hunter hasn't looked anywhere even remotely close to being ready.

I think you just have to throw him into the fire if he’s healthy. I wouldn’t mind starting him at the two even over Armaan.


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[MikeRoberts 6,832]

Don't see how Hunter has shown that he is one of our 5 best.

Hes my Hanner Perea - great size and hope coming in. I wonder if this is tied to his medical condition or if he just wasn’t ready regardless

 

 

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[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,181]

I think this kind of says something...

Phinisee 7.
Franklin in 6.
Smith in 6.
TJD in all 9.
Thompson in 5.

My starting 5 I want is Phinisee, Franklin, Smith, Thompson, TJD. And that was before seeing this.


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[BGleas 7,880]

Assuming health, I’d go Phinisee, Green, Durham, Smith and TJD. 

Brunk comes in for TJD

Hunter in for Smith

Anderson in for Durham

Franklin in for Green/Phinisee 

Thompson for a few to go big for a bit. 

We need to get quicker, faster and more skilled, and create more space.