I'd argue those stats show a team that "would not" pass effectively, (lets call it the Austin effect), not necessasarilly a team that "could not". And we are back to my lack of commitment to get it in the low post for easy baskets observation.
CoachJ10...I saw most of the conference games and the bigger non conference games. When Duke was playing better teams, Mason was not a real focus offensively in the low post. The effort was just not there, IMO. At least not at the level I think he should have been involved in the big games.
Trust me, if Tyler Thornton could have averaged 4.0 assists per game, he would have. It wasn't a lack of committment.
Duke did not have quality passing from its point guards. I don't see how that point (ha! ha! I break myself up) could possibly be in dispute.
Post players benefit from better point-guard play and suffer from poorer point-guard play. I don't see how that could possibly be in dispute.
Again this is just not true. You tell on yourself every time you make statements like this. The Kansas game and Ohio State games are just two examples. Mason got the ball early and often and performed well.
Regarding our guards lack of ability to pass, if you want to doubt me, then fine, no biggie, but doubting Jim Sumner who sat courtside for every single home game is just down right silly. I think we know our team much better than folks who caught a handful of games on TV, and just bought into the inaccurate media hype. Passing matters. It was a combination of guards not having the ability to pass on time, in the right place, and with the right "touch", with guards looking for their own shot and ignoring the open post guy.
It reached the point where it was so bad, K dialed it back and put more focus on shooting 3's.
Wishful thinking at the moment. He is going to be a good one though. I am anxious to see how good his court vision is and how well he passed the ball. He tweeted last night that K told him to prepare to play some point, so there must be something there. That also might be a signal that Thornton is used as a backup wing defender vs a point guard. I assume Cook would be the starting PG backed up by Rasheed. Rasheed would be used at the 2 and at the 1.
Jim is saying that the coaching staff wanted to get Mason involved. The players just weren't good at it. So, yes, you are in fact disputing what he said.
You clearly don't watch much of the Duke games if you think Mason spent most of his time in the high post. And if you think Mason wasn't involved offensively against some of the better teams we played.
I don't doubt the staff wanted him involved. It's the decision of how to involve him that I challenge.
Mason was used too far from the basket too much of the time to be as effective as I think he could have been.
That's really all I'm trying to say.
When I say "low post" I mean having at least one foot inside the lane, or being at the front of the rim at the charge circle when the pass is received.
Mason was used at the high post, or at let's call it the wide post,(a step outside the lane), most of the time. He usually had three options. Pass, put it on the floor and drive, or shoot a mid range jumper.
He should catch the ball in a position on the floor where "dunk" is one of his options.