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Kentucky likely will start its third different lineup this afternoon when it plays Africa in the GLOBAL Jam in Toronto..
‘I’m going to start Justin (Edwards) next game and have DJ [Wagner Jr.] and Robert (Dillingham) up, start, and probably Justin (Burks). And either Tre (Mitchell) or Adou [Thiero], one of those two would start,” said Kentucky coach John Calipari after UK’s win over Canada Thursday.
“It’d probably be Tre. So kind of flipping lineups is what I’ve done the entire time we’ve been here.”
That’s what one should probably be doing in July even if these are not exactly normal summer exhibition games. That gives Calipari and his staff a chance to see how different combinations work and what players can handle in different situations.
Kentucky Radio Network analyst Jack Givens, a former UK All-American, is not surprised Calipari is juggling his starting lineup.
“They have done that in practice the entire time they have been working out,” Givens said after the win over Canada. “When I go to practice I will see one lineup on Monday and on Tuesday that lineup never works together again.
“They are used to playing different combinations. That’s obvious because you never saw one unit turn it over more than the other. Coach Cal told me he did not know who he would have on the floor at any given time and that’s a great problem to have.”
16 Responses
Well, if he does not start Reeves, Mitchell, and Thiero, he is still the same coach that does not care about building teams that really win.
It’s summer. Calm down. It’s people like you that give the program a bad look across the country. Let coaches coach and sit on your couch and act smart in front of your wife.
Well…Ugo or Bradshaw will start. I believe Reeves and Wagner will start. I can see Mitchell and Thiero starting. This year Ky has the players that it won’t matter who’s in the game. Sheppard will get his time also. Last 5 minutes of a close game, with his all- around skills, you can bet your booty he will be on the floor.
Exactly !! Try to be a little positive let the man coach he has to try different players to see how they are going to play guys stop being a coach Cal hater !!!
Wow….. Not sure how but some of us seem no matter the situation to not be able to be anyway other than over the top negative.
No needs neg bs!!
Here are the combined results through 2 games. Mitchell, Reeves, and Thiero lead the way, and there is a huge drop to the next tier of players, Sheppard and Wagner. Edwards and Dillingham bring up the rear, ahead of the players who have not seen the floor.
Despite their individual efficiencies, the percentage of possessions ended by the players is turned on its head, just like most Calipari teams.
Why not get the ball into the hands of your most efficient players?
A coach is aware of these type of player results, and a coach makes sure his players are aware of these type of player results.
Not so with Calipari.
No. Player Time Pts ppg Poss’ns RNE % Time % Poss
ppp
4 T. Mitchell 66.0 28 14.0 20 0.545 16.5% 12.2%
12 A. Reeves (C) 58.0 47 23.5 35 0.487 14.5% 21.3%
3 A. Thiero 60.9 20 10.0 15 0.478 15.2% 9.1%
23 J. Burks 30.8 8 4.0 6 0.478 7.7% 3.7%
15 R. Sheppard 42.2 14 7.0 15 0.078 10.6% 9.1%
21 D. Wagner 58.4 25 12.5 29 0.007 14.6% 17.7%
1 J. Edwards 45.5 20 10.0 26 -0.086 11.4% 15.9%
0 R. Dillingham 36.1 12 6.0 18 -0.189 9.0% 11.0%
20 J. Hart 2.0 0 0.0 0 -0.855 0.5% 0.0%
14 B. Canada 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0% 0.0%
25 K. Watkins 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0% 0.0%
Kentucky 400 174 87.0 164 1.061
Opponents 142 71.0 166 0.855
it’s July. There is no way of knowing who will start in November when it counts. And who starts now is irrelevant. The team looks good and they look like they are learning to play together. To me that’s all that matters in July!!
Go Cats!
I’ll say this..without being over the top with prognostications or anointing , but with prefacing out of the way , the game seems to take a calm under control feeling when Reed Sheppard is in the game. I’m very impressed with him.
Wow….. Not sure how but some of us seem no matter the situation to not be able to be anyway other than over the top negative.
Are you speaking to me?
Shepherd has to be on the floor!!!
The Professor should be our next HC. He would play the best 5 players all the time. Maybe give a couple minute rest now and then. Who knows if there would be great players on the bench, he certainly wouldn’t.
For a games in July they are playing great. They could become scary good. Only time woll tell. But I like the fact we ate running. Should be an entertaining year. It our bigs can run that will be great. Already seeing the way they can run I don’t think anyone is going to want to run with us
I am thinking like you Michael. If they are entertaining, run the court and play hard, I can see fans loving this team
Let’s look at it like this…we have 3 different teams that no one can actually make a gameplan against. Opponents won’t have a clue which guys are starting. But what this really could be is Coach wanting to see the best 5 to start consistently. We haven’t even played a regular season game and folks are getting mad. Ya gotta give em a chance to impress or not to impress.