Sticking with Boston

[IrishMike409]

I’ve been hard on Boston, and have really questioned Cal sticking with him for as long as he has.

That being said, maybe Cal’s strategy has been: This team is severely flawed. Our Only chance of winning the SECT is if Boston somehow finds it, and has a hot weekend. If Mintz and Boston are hot, and everyone else is solid, then UK has a punchers chance of winning this thing.

I don’t hate the strategy, given how utterly average the roster is. If this is Cal’s mindset, then maybe Boston and Mintz are heating up at the right time....

Maybe I’m way off here, but I’m looking for any reason to be confident and maybe even a bit optimistic for Nashville.

Mintz hot, Boston hot- front court guys play hard and fight for 40 min.....maybe we can win 4 straight!?!

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

That was absolutely the strategy. The only way this team could be great was if Boston became great. Didn't happen.

To cals credit, he dialed back on Boston and let him assume a role.

To Boston's credit, he willingly accepted the role and appears to be a very good kid and great teammate. Watching his attitude actually turned me from critic to fan because I don't think it could be handled much better by a player of his ranking.

I am sure cal had the same idea for askew, in that for us to be great he had to elevate. But he just gave askew way too much runway. Mintz should've started at pg about 10 games ago.

 

[know1]

Wow, pay a guy that much money to HOPE a player starts playing better rather than doing any actual coaching.

 

[Emarc]

Wow, pay a guy that much money to HOPE a player starts playing better rather than doing any actual coaching.

 

[BigKari]

It’s like one of the commentators said in the game yesterday...Boston has an NBA game. I know most of you don’t watch the NBA, and so often on this board you see people say things like “he doesn’t play well in college, why would anyone think he’d be ready for the NBA?”. And those people are not always wrong. I very much question how good of a decision it would be for Boston to go pro right now. I could see him ending up like Kevin Knox who played well in college but clearly wasn’t physically ready. He has been playing catch up ever since.

But if you want to see something interesting, watch the 2015 Duke vs UK champions classic game. I was there in person. Brandon Ingram was horrendous. And he didn’t really come on at Duke until February and March. I see a lot of similarities in Boston and Ingram.

We’ve seen it over and over with these teams that SEC play is a rock fight night in and night out because the refs make it that way. And college ball as whole tries to level the playing field by hindering the athletes. The reason Cal does so well in March is because the floor starts to open up with better officiating and talent starts to shine. If Brandon Boston can be who he is and stay hot shooting the ball, Kentucky is suddenly a different team. Mintz is also red hot and Sarr and Jackson have really found their groove. We’ve got some guys who can play, it’ll be interesting to see how this all unfolds.

 

[The_Answer1313_rivals]

Of course that's the plan.

That's why he sticks with players.

We weren't going anywhere with Clarke out injured and getting bench production from Boston. It wasn't happening. And while it just never clicked with Boston, that was really our only shot of having a productive season.

Maybe it clicks now.........or perhaps year 2

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I’ve been hard on Boston, and have really questioned Cal sticking with him for as long as he has.

That being said, maybe Cal’s strategy has been: This team is severely flawed. Our Only chance of winning the SECT is if Boston somehow finds it, and has a hot weekend. If Mintz and Boston are hot, and everyone else is solid, then UK has a punchers chance of winning this thing.

I don’t hate the strategy, given how utterly average the roster is. If this is Cal’s mindset, then maybe Boston and Mintz are heating up at the right time....

Maybe I’m way off here, but I’m looking for any reason to be confident and maybe even a bit optimistic for Nashville.

Mintz hot, Boston hot- front court guys play hard and fight for 40 min.....maybe we can win 4 straight!?!

I think that's exactly what it is.. and I'm glad some people are realizing this. He does this with many of his top10 players: he plays them because he knows that the team will only go as far as it's most "talented" player. Every year we gripe and moan about why someone like Jamal Murray is getting extended minutes (yes, this did happen here), and in the end, they usually figure it out and start playing like the guy we all thought they'd be.

Now Boston was a bit more of a "miss". We can all see that. Maybe this is that one-off year that Cal should have stopped trying to squeeze the talent out of Boston when it's a detriment to winning games. But you don't really know that at the time. And generally, Cal is right about which guys should be getting 30+ minutes per game, and which ones shouldn't.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Of course that's the plan.

That's why he sticks with players.

We weren't going anywhere with Clarke out injured and getting bench production from Boston. It wasn't happening. And while it just never clicked with Boston, that was really our only shot of having a productive season.

Maybe it clicks now.........or perhaps year 2

I sometimes think we're the same poster.. Are you me? Or am I you?

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Boston is a scorer, and there’s no other option than to play him. You got to have at least three guys that can get you double digit points on any given night. UK has three, and only three.

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

Boston has an NBA game

Imo he has an nba game but far from nba ready body. He can't handle physicality at all. He basically runs from contact on either end. Zero ability to create or finish through contact. He isn't an elite athlete either.

Eventually he will be fine in the nba but his extreme physical immaturity is a major issue holding him back. I can't recall seeing a kid his age look and move so young.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Boston is a scorer, and there’s no other option than to play him. You got to have at least three guys that can get you double digit points on any given night. UK has three, and only three.

We have 5:
Boston
Mintz
Jackson
Sarr
Brooks

 

[STL_Cat]

Every year we gripe and moan about why someone like Jamal Murray is getting extended minutes (yes, this did happen here)

Now you’re just making stuff up, this did NOT happen.

 

[Schwagg]

Boston is a bad college basketball player period. One good game against a terrible team doesn’t change anything. The number of shots he takes to get his empty points & his tendency to get abused on defense are a major reason this team sucks.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Now you’re just making stuff up, this did NOT happen.

It 100% did. People were LIVID with how poorly he played defense. Fans.. and you know which ones lol.. were questioning Murray's ability and minutes after some of our losses.

It's not just Murray either.. it happened with Herro, it happened with the twins, it happened with IQ. It happens every single year. Players don't play that well, in some aspect of the game, and those "fans" then ask why they are playing so many minutes.

 

[The_Answer1313_rivals]

I sometimes think we're the same poster.. Are you me? Or am I you?

haha we are on the same page most of the time lol

 

[Crawfords Corner]

Boston has been better in conference. For him it's all about physical maturation. His game will obviously continue to grow if he puts in the work which I have no reason to think he won't. The question is where does he want to develop that at. Kentucky for another season or in the G-League next year and maybe the year after that.

 

[K_TIME]

Boston has improved for sure but let’s be realistic

1. He played pretty bad vs Ole Miss, Florida snd Tenn the three games before South Carolina

2. Let’s see what he strings together in Sec tournament. The likelihood of him playing 4 good games in a row is slim

3. Boston struggles a ton vs physical teams that get up in him.

Ton compare him to Kevin Knox or even Brandon Ingram is a stretch to say the least. Boston is shooting38 percent from field snd 30 percent from deep....even with his improved play. Those are horrible numbers. To imagine him in NBA next year is looney but it’s going to happen

 

[IrishMike409]

Boston is a bad college basketball player period. One good game against a terrible team doesn’t change anything. The number of shots he takes to get his empty points & his tendency to get abused on defense are a major reason this team sucks.

I agree, but realistically- an incredible weekend by Mintz and Boston is the only pathway to getting out of Nashville alive. Not likely....but again, a “punchers chance”
I suppose.

 

[Tubbyfan78]

You play the best players that day, period. Let Boston and Askew improve in practice and once they earn it by outperforming the other guy, then play him. Making a kid play behind someone motivates them, and if it doesn’t, he’s not what we need anyway. You play the guy that gives you the best chance to win.

 

[ABlockalypseBrow]

I think what the OP and everyone else is missing is Cal was letting BJ get away with a level of bad/selfish shot selection not seen since Marshall Henderson (tbf Henderson at least earned the right).

That was hurting the teams record, BJ’s own development in not being held accountable, and the rest of the teams development and morale as well.

Now you might say those bad shots are sometimes necessary to learn to take the good ones. But isn’t that the coaches job to not make you have to do the wrong thing 100 times but only once before it’s corrected?

 

[HagginHall1999]

Boston has improved for sure but let’s be realistic

1. He played pretty bad vs Ole Miss, Florida snd Tenn the three games before South Carolina

2. Let’s see what he strings together in Sec tournament. The likelihood of him playing 4 good games in a row is slim

3. Boston struggles a ton vs physical teams that get up in him.

Ton compare him to Kevin Knox or even Brandon Ingram is a stretch to say the least. Boston is shooting38 percent from field snd 30 percent from deep....even with his improved play. Those are horrible numbers. To imagine him in NBA next year is looney but it’s going to happen

In terms of production he reminds me mostly of Archie and Hami.

Not that their games are similar but their stat lines are relatively similar.

Boston is just hit or miss and is grossly inconsistent. Example- 15 of his 30 three's this year are in 3 games where he shot a combined 15-23. Outside of those three games he is 15-67.

He has a good game but needs to get stronger and more consistent. He SHOULD come back.

I am not counting on him returning but if he does I could see him making a leap like IQ. IQ was more or less awful his Freshman year on a team with way more weapons than this unit has. Boston is carrying a load on his back for better or worse.

 

[ck-2]

This board is a place where people give their points of view. Some may agree some may not. Here’s mine after yesterday. Boston had a good game against arguably the worst team in the SEC with most if not all of the pressure off him. Cal was just letting guys play yesterday.
Is the real Boston the one we saw yesterday in one game, or the one we’ve seen all season? Im going with the one we’ve seen all season. Cal should’ve benched Askew for Mintz long ago. No wait, Mintz is the veteran he should’ve been the starting point guard from day one. Cal is way more responsible for this horrible season than the players.
I want to see Boston have two good games in a row before I’m ready to say he’s finally broken out.

 

[westerncat]

We played one of the worst teams in the SEC. Of course we looked good. We are not winning the SECT with this team.

 

[IrishMike409]

You play the best players that day, period. Let Boston and Askew improve in practice and once they earn it by outperforming the other guy, then play him. Making a kid play behind someone motivates them, and if it doesn’t, he’s not what we need anyway. You play the guy that gives you the best chance to win.

Askew gives us absolutely nothing. He’s been terrible all year. He shouldn’t play. That said, Mintz can’t play PG for 40 min, so Askew needs to be able to handle himself for 8-10 min a night.

Regarding Boston....who would you play instead? Not really a better option.

 

[ck-2]

Askew gives us absolutely nothing. He’s been terrible all year. He shouldn’t play. That said, Mintz can’t play PG for 40 min, so Askew needs to be able to handle himself for 8-10 min a night.

Regarding Boston....who would you play instead? Not really a better option.

Askew should’ve been played in the role you mentioned. If Allen had been developed more and given more minutes throughout the season he could’ve been used instead of Boston at times. Or we could’ve gone big with Toppin in depending on the situation.
Too bad Whitney quit last year or we’d still have Quickley.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

We played one of the worst teams in the SEC. Of course we looked good. We are not winning the SECT with this team.

Noted

 

[kl40504_rivals]

Wow, pay a guy that much money to HOPE a player starts playing better rather than doing any actual coaching.

So. How about paying that guy that much money because he has four final fours and one championship in 11 years.

 

[K_TIME]

For those comparing Boston to Kevin Know or Brandon Ingram from Duke....their numbers far outweigh Boston's dreadful season'

Kevin Knox - 16 pts a game, 5.6 reb 44%FG, 34% 3pt and 77% FT
Brandon Ingram - 17pts, 7 reb, 44%FG 41%3pt and 68%FT

Boston - 12pts , 4.5reb, 36%FG, 30%spt and 78%FT (And that is with his improved play down the stretch).

Guys....Boston isn't' even close to those 2 small forwards. And to be fair Knox looks pretty close to a bust in 3 years in NBA. Any premonitions that Boston is a halfway legit NBA prospect next year or in the new 3 years is just silly based upon the body of work we've seen. Things not seen in stats...Boston isn't nearly as athletic as Knox, his handles are as loose as for a SG as you can get. If there was ever another reason for a kid to not go pro...Boston is a walking billboard of why you don't want to go NBA.

 

[IrishMike409]

Knox had a nice freshman season. Was the best player on the floor in several big wins.

Boston isn’t close to Kevin Knox

 

[kl40504_rivals]

For those comparing Boston to Kevin Know or Brandon Ingram from Duke....their numbers far outweigh Boston's dreadful season'

Kevin Knox - 16 pts a game, 5.6 reb 44%FG, 34% 3pt and 77% FT
Brandon Ingram - 17pts, 7 reb, 44%FG 41%3pt and 68%FT

Boston - 12pts , 4.5reb, 36%FG, 30%spt and 78%FT (And that is with his improved play down the stretch).

Guys....Boston isn't' even close to those 2 small forwards. And to be fair Knox looks pretty close to a bust in 3 years in NBA. Any premonitions that Boston is a halfway legit NBA prospect next year or in the new 3 years is just silly based upon the body of work we've seen. Things not seen in stats...Boston isn't nearly as athletic as Knox, his handles are as loose as for a SG as you can get. If there was ever another reason for a kid to not go pro...Boston is a walking billboard of why you don't want to go NBA.

You would never want to go to the NBA if some team decided to draft you in the first round and give you millions. That would be extremely stupid.

 

[fs-ripcord65]

Wow, pay a guy that much money to HOPE a player starts playing better rather than doing any actual coaching.

Astounding, isn't it !

 

[blackcat714]

You would never want to go to the NBA if some team decided to draft you in the first round and give you millions. That would be extremely stupid.

. Were does the nba teams get all this money they dish out attendance is way down with covid

 

[kl40504_rivals]

. Were does the nba teams get all this money they dish out attendance is way down with covid

Television is a cash cow.

 

[tls]

I’ve been hard on Boston, and have really questioned Cal sticking with him for as long as he has.

That being said, maybe Cal’s strategy has been: This team is severely flawed. Our Only chance of winning the SECT is if Boston somehow finds it, and has a hot weekend. If Mintz and Boston are hot, and everyone else is solid, then UK has a punchers chance of winning this thing.

I don’t hate the strategy, given how utterly average the roster is. If this is Cal’s mindset, then maybe Boston and Mintz are heating up at the right time....

Maybe I’m way off here, but I’m looking for any reason to be confident and maybe even a bit optimistic for Nashville.

Mintz hot, Boston hot- front court guys play hard and fight for 40 min.....maybe we can win 4 straight!?!

Boston got hot for 1 game a few games but then reverted to norm. Hard to think he has found something but maybe.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

That was absolutely the strategy. The only way this team could be great was if Boston became great. Didn't happen.

To cals credit, he dialed back on Boston and let him assume a role.

To Boston's credit, he willingly accepted the role and appears to be a very good kid and great teammate. Watching his attitude actually turned me from critic to fan because I don't think it could be handled much better by a player of his ranking.

I am sure cal had the same idea for askew, in that for us to be great he had to elevate. But he just gave askew way too much runway. Mintz should've started at pg about 10 games ago.

I’m not sure how great of a teammate he’s been all season. I think he was all about Boston for much of the year. He looked good yesterday, though, and is FINALLY playing within the team concept. That’s not been the case all season, though. He’s shot the ball wayyyy more than anyone else on the roster.

 

[cathouse_rivals216755]

Here is my take on Boston’s game against SC.

Cal came out on Friday and said we are going to play DA if Boston is not playing well or if his shot is not going in the basket.

Just like magic, BJB hustle turns up a notch, his defense improved just a little bit, and he actually started showing good form on his shots, and bingo, a few more of them go in.

If you don't think the bench is the greatest motivational tool a coach has at his disposal, then you have never played the game.

I just can't understand why Cal refuses to use it, only as a last resort, or to satisfy his personal ego/agenda.

Cal had rather stomp and scream all game at the same culprits than pull them out and coach them up on the bench.

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

Here is my take on Boston’s game against SC.

Cal came out on Friday and said we are going to play DA if Boston is not playing well or if his shot is not going in the basket.

Just like magic, BJB hustle turns up a notch, his defense improved just a little bit, and he actually started showing good form on his shots, and bingo, a few more of them go in.

If you don't think the bench is the greatest motivational tool a coach has at his disposal, then you have never played the game.

I just can't understand why Cal refuses to use it, only as a last resort, or to satisfy his personal ego/agenda.

Cal had rather stomp and scream all game at the same culprits than pull them out and coach them up on the bench.

Jmo but I disagree. Go back and watch his attitude at Starkville. Bruiser sat him the last several minutes of the game. Kid was up clapping, very involved in the huddle, etc.

It surprised me because based on his play style I assumed he would sulk. Anything but.

After I figured he would opt out. Anything but. He embraced a reduced role and willingly does what's asked.

 

[Schwagg]

. Were does the nba teams get all this money they dish out attendance is way down with covid

China

 

[cathouse_rivals216755]

Jmo but I disagree. Go back and watch his attitude at Starkville. Bruiser sat him the last several minutes of the game. Kid was up clapping, very involved in the huddle, etc.

It surprised me because based on his play style I assumed he would sulk. Anything but.

After I figured he would opt out. Anything but. He embraced a reduced role and willingly does what's asked.

I wasn't talking about his attitude. I was speaking about his intensity.

It was obvious to me that BJB intensity level was noticably higher on both ends of the floor yesterday.

I am sure Cal had put him on notice that he was going to have to substitute him out if he continued his lackadaisical play.

BJB has had no reason to have a bad attitude. He has had the longest leash from Cal of any player I can remember playing for Cal.

Or, it simply could be just because it is getting close to draft day. Time to show them what you got.

 

[Rockfly78]

Now you’re just making stuff up, this did NOT happen.

Funny story actually. I rarely go to the games, maybe 1-2 a year. But I scored tickets once during the Murray season. There were 3 20 something age guys in front of us and they absolutely hated Murray’s guts. Every time he checked in they threw a fit. They said he had no business on the floor. Every time he subbed out they were overjoyed. They were quite vocal about it. They honestly believed he was our weakest player. Everyone around just looked at them like wtf. They were definitely UK fans but they were stupid. It really made no sense.