First takes

dlb · 11-15-2007, 07:17 AM

So far this season, I've watched most of the Duke - NMSt game, snippets of OSU - WI-Green Bay and all of UNC-Davidson. I thought the Buckeyes looked very good, but WIGB is too weak to allow a real assessment (rated 159 by Sagarin).

Duke also looked strong. Their defense was tight and while not dazzling, their offense was effective. However, the Sun Devils are not much of a test. This couldn't be considered much more than a tune up for Krzyzewski's squad. Still, the Blue Devil engine hummed quite nicely.

I paid the most attention to the UNC game and I didn't like what I saw. Right now, the Tar Heels are not the best team in college basketball. I don't know who is, but it ain't Carolina.

Davidson is an experienced, well coached team with one NBA-prospect quality player supported by a fine cast of college kids. Carolina has a pretty decent coach of their own, some of the best talent out there and a good mix of sophomores and juniors. Expectations were that Davidson would lose by double digits.

The Wildcats led for a good part of the game and the Tar Heels needed a late surge to pull out a four point win. Roy Williams' squad looked sloppy, disorganized and unprepared. There were flashes of brilliance, but the 'Heels never sustained a high quality of play. Davidson should get some credit for that. They worked hard to make Carolina look bad.

Looking at individual Tar Heels, this is what I saw:

- Hansbrough is unstoppable against teams that don't have a first-quality big man plus someone to help him out. Tyler had a double-double in the first half.

- Ty Lawson was out of control. He picked up three fouls before the break and spent lots of time on the bench. Late in the game, though, when the Wildcat defenders were all but run down, Lawson made some pretty moves to the hoop.

- If the Davidson game revealed what we can expect from Wayne Ellington on a night-in, night-out basis, the rest of the world is in trouble. His silky smooth stroke slid shot after shot right through the bottom of the twine. He also made some very nice moves to the basket; if he finishes on more of those, he'll be deadly.

- Danny Green might emerge as one of the top players on this team. He's smart, active, a good defender and a reliable scorer.

- Marcus Ginyard maintains his uncanny ability to miss layups. Other than that, he's a pretty good player.

- Quentin Thomas, who has been something of a black sheep in the Tar Heel family, looked steady, mature and strong last night. He turned in a much better performance than Lawson did, one that was wonderfully free of the bonehead plays on which his current reputation has been built.

- None of the rest did enough to make an impression. I was hoping for more from Deon Thompson, but didn't see it.

This Carolina squad is at least two weeks away from being ready to take on any comer. Ohio State fans have good reason to look for an upset when we visit Columbus in a week or two. If the Buckeyes don't get us, someone else will. These guys will not finish 07 undefeated, and after they drop out of the top spot, they shouldn't expect to regain it until late in the season. They've got gobs of potential, but it's going to take a lot more work to turn that potential into wins.

dlb · 11-17-2007, 12:53 PM

Memphis is looking pretty good, but they're a bit disorganized right now. Once these guys get used to playing each other, they'll be scary.

The team that has made the most favorable impression on me is Oklahoma. Little Jeffie Capel has these guys playing together well. If he keeps this up, Sooner fans will soon forget Kelvin Sampson.

BravesRule22 · 11-18-2007, 01:51 AM

Rose is a freak

Memphis is going to be good. UConn hung w/ them for a lil while but then Memphis talent just took over & pulled away and won by 11

JoseA · 11-25-2007, 12:29 AM

Big 10 is struggling out of the gates. Indiana had a tough loss to Xavier today and Michigan St. is struggling to find themselves.

Wisconsin looks pretty sharp though after losing one of their best classes. Brian Butch has elevated his play and Trevon Hughes is making himself into a canidate for First Team All Big 10.

JoseA · 11-29-2007, 12:57 PM

Duke had a nice win against Wisconsin on Tuesday...They look like a very solid team. North Carolina is also an outstanding team from the action I've seen of them, they have many great players.

dlb · 11-29-2007, 05:35 PM

I thought we handled a tough test from OSU pretty well. It looks like Hansbrough is going to struggle against guys who are his size or bigger; his stock may fall before the season is out. Ellington, on the other hand, appears to have arrived. If he maintains his current level of play through March, he's a lottery pick. If he gets better, he's in the top five.

BravesRule22 · 11-29-2007, 06:01 PM

Tyler should have left 2 years ago. His stock has just gone down because of his age and his size issues moving into the NBA.

Very good college player but wont be much of anything in the NBA

dlb · 11-29-2007, 10:34 PM

I agree, BR; unless he develops an outside shot, he'll end up as a Kurt Rambis-style role player. Not bad if you're on a team like the showtime Lakers, but laboring in obscurity if you're on just any old team.

11-15-2007, 07:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
dlb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,396	First takes So far this season, I've watched most of the Duke - NMSt game, snippets of OSU - WI-Green Bay and all of UNC-Davidson. I thought the Buckeyes looked very good, but WIGB is too weak to allow a real assessment (rated 159 by Sagarin). Duke also looked strong. Their defense was tight and while not dazzling, their offense was effective. However, the Sun Devils are not much of a test. This couldn't be considered much more than a tune up for Krzyzewski's squad. Still, the Blue Devil engine hummed quite nicely. I paid the most attention to the UNC game and I didn't like what I saw. Right now, the Tar Heels are not the best team in college basketball. I don't know who is, but it ain't Carolina. Davidson is an experienced, well coached team with one NBA-prospect quality player supported by a fine cast of college kids. Carolina has a pretty decent coach of their own, some of the best talent out there and a good mix of sophomores and juniors. Expectations were that Davidson would lose by double digits. The Wildcats led for a good part of the game and the Tar Heels needed a late surge to pull out a four point win. Roy Williams' squad looked sloppy, disorganized and unprepared. There were flashes of brilliance, but the 'Heels never sustained a high quality of play. Davidson should get some credit for that. They worked hard to make Carolina look bad. Looking at individual Tar Heels, this is what I saw: - Hansbrough is unstoppable against teams that don't have a first-quality big man plus someone to help him out. Tyler had a double-double in the first half. - Ty Lawson was out of control. He picked up three fouls before the break and spent lots of time on the bench. Late in the game, though, when the Wildcat defenders were all but run down, Lawson made some pretty moves to the hoop. - If the Davidson game revealed what we can expect from Wayne Ellington on a night-in, night-out basis, the rest of the world is in trouble. His silky smooth stroke slid shot after shot right through the bottom of the twine. He also made some very nice moves to the basket; if he finishes on more of those, he'll be deadly. - Danny Green might emerge as one of the top players on this team. He's smart, active, a good defender and a reliable scorer. - Marcus Ginyard maintains his uncanny ability to miss layups. Other than that, he's a pretty good player. - Quentin Thomas, who has been something of a black sheep in the Tar Heel family, looked steady, mature and strong last night. He turned in a much better performance than Lawson did, one that was wonderfully free of the bonehead plays on which his current reputation has been built. - None of the rest did enough to make an impression. I was hoping for more from Deon Thompson, but didn't see it. This Carolina squad is at least two weeks away from being ready to take on any comer. Ohio State fans have good reason to look for an upset when we visit Columbus in a week or two. If the Buckeyes don't get us, someone else will. These guys will not finish 07 undefeated, and after they drop out of the top spot, they shouldn't expect to regain it until late in the season. They've got gobs of potential, but it's going to take a lot more work to turn that potential into wins. Last edited by dlb; 11-15-2007 at 07:19 AM.

11-18-2007, 01:51 AM	#3 (permalink)
BravesRule22 Basketball Community Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,089	Rose is a freak Memphis is going to be good. UConn hung w/ them for a lil while but then Memphis talent just took over & pulled away and won by 11 __________________ Braves, Knicks, Bucs, Louisville

11-25-2007, 12:29 AM	#4 (permalink)
JoseA Moderator Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 2,097	Big 10 is struggling out of the gates. Indiana had a tough loss to Xavier today and Michigan St. is struggling to find themselves. Wisconsin looks pretty sharp though after losing one of their best classes. Brian Butch has elevated his play and Trevon Hughes is making himself into a canidate for First Team All Big 10. __________________ Register here and join the discussion

11-29-2007, 12:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
JoseA Moderator Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 2,097	Duke had a nice win against Wisconsin on Tuesday...They look like a very solid team. North Carolina is also an outstanding team from the action I've seen of them, they have many great players. __________________ Register here and join the discussion

11-29-2007, 06:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
BravesRule22 Basketball Community Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,089	Tyler should have left 2 years ago. His stock has just gone down because of his age and his size issues moving into the NBA. Very good college player but wont be much of anything in the NBA __________________ Braves, Knicks, Bucs, Louisville

11-17-2007, 12:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
dlb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,396	Memphis is looking pretty good, but they're a bit disorganized right now. Once these guys get used to playing each other, they'll be scary. The team that has made the most favorable impression on me is Oklahoma. Little Jeffie Capel has these guys playing together well. If he keeps this up, Sooner fans will soon forget Kelvin Sampson.

11-29-2007, 05:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
dlb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,396	I thought we handled a tough test from OSU pretty well. It looks like Hansbrough is going to struggle against guys who are his size or bigger; his stock may fall before the season is out. Ellington, on the other hand, appears to have arrived. If he maintains his current level of play through March, he's a lottery pick. If he gets better, he's in the top five.

11-29-2007, 10:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
dlb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,396	I agree, BR; unless he develops an outside shot, he'll end up as a Kurt Rambis-style role player. Not bad if you're on a team like the showtime Lakers, but laboring in obscurity if you're on just any old team.