Whatever man, you can stick to your guns and I will stick with mine. We aren't winning a title without Bagley, bottom line!
The inevitable question per Bagley....
- Thread starter hart2chesson
- Start date
I agree about ball movement and how great we have looked the last 4 games but also think Bags is a smart enough guy to see that what we are doing is working. I think Coach K will integrate him back slowly. The question is when. VT sounds about right to me.
Everyone has a "chance" at a National Championship, all 68 teams.
Think it's best put like this, without Bagley, I give us a 5% chance of winning the title. With Bagley, he raises our ceiling many floors, I give us a 40% chance of winning the title.
I don't know about anyone else, but I prefer to have the best odds at anything.
Think it's best put like this, without Bagley, I give us a 5% chance of winning the title. With Bagley, he raises our ceiling many floors, I give us a 40% chance of winning the title.
I don't know about anyone else, but I prefer to have the best odds at anything.
I don't know about the 5% chance without Bagley, we aren't too bad right now, but if Grayson is this good with Bagley on the floor, I think our percentage is higher than 40% to win it all.
I just don't see Grayson shooting like this for 6 tourney games in a row, shooting percentages always decrease in the massive football arena's too, Bagley will be even more important in a Final Four arena setting. We will need Bagley to win us a game if Grayson has an off night. Not to mention Bagley will rebound all of Grayson's misses and dunk on whoever gets in his way.
Maybe Grayson won't shoot it well for 6 games, but a good Grayson will help Bagley, and vice versa. Hopefully we are about to be the team we projected back in October.
If Bolden comes back he and Javin would be a dynamic duo at the 5 spot next year. Jack could back up Zion. Goldwire and OC for the back up guard spots. I think Bagley's back next week and we will win it all.
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I think our chances are better with Bagley, but I'm not buying that this team isn't still one of the favorites without him. You can only score one basket per possession, and the basket doesn't know the difference in whether it was Carter or Bagley who scored. Cater is very capable. If Carter, Allen, and Trent keep going like they have been, along with the defense. Nobody wants us in their bracket
5% and 40% are wild guesses...it’s probably closer to 8% and 10%.
Our chances are better to reach a higher lvl with Bagley but I honestly believe our floor is lower to flame out earlier.
Much like with Nolan...our team is running through a senior who has and will give up his body to win for Duke. Most nba freshman cannot place themselves in that mindset and when it comes down to a few points...it makes a difference.
We will be best if Bagley can improve his defense...which...right now is really bad and largely offsets his offensive talent.
Our chances are better to reach a higher lvl with Bagley but I honestly believe our floor is lower to flame out earlier.
Much like with Nolan...our team is running through a senior who has and will give up his body to win for Duke. Most nba freshman cannot place themselves in that mindset and when it comes down to a few points...it makes a difference.
We will be best if Bagley can improve his defense...which...right now is really bad and largely offsets his offensive talent.
Strictly my opinion, and I'm sure it won't be met with much agreement, but if we really want to put a number on what our percentage is of winning the title, I say it is roughly 20%, with or without Bagley. Why? Once again, "in my opinion", there are only about 5 or 6 teams that I believe have a strong, realistic chance of winning it all......so....I believe we have roughly a 20% chance. Now, with enough luck, upsets, injuries, or whatever, maybe there are more than 5 or 6, but I firmly believe it will be one of the ones I'm thinking about. Another way to look at it, since the tournament went to 64 teams, a one or two seed has won the title 25 out of 33 times, that means there is a 75% chance that one of 8 teams will win it
It’s easy to reintegrate a big that plays like a big into a lineup. It’s not so easy to reintegrate a player that demands a touch every possession. I.e. gets it while doubled in the post, gets it on a swing to the perimeter, takes ill advised threes, brings it down off every rebound, etc.
My point, the Marvin that needs to come back is the PK80 tournament Marvin. He played within himself and the framework of an offensive juggernaut (and Trent wasn’t nearly as efficient then but was getting the same amount of looks).
The losses to UNC, St. John’s, BC Marvin took threes, dribble drove like he played for Calipari, basically auditioned for the Suns.
I have no doubts that Marvin will come back and fit into what this team is doing because there has to be a trust there now. They’ve been winning and guys have been proving themselves. It’s easier to pass up your own shots when you see your teammates performing well. That’s just a basic nuance of basketball. Also with guys proving themselves, the feeling that Marvin has to play 40 minutes is gone. Jav, Jack and Bolden can give him breathers. I’d like to see him come back by the ACC tournament though. Come back in a less stressful environment.
My point, the Marvin that needs to come back is the PK80 tournament Marvin. He played within himself and the framework of an offensive juggernaut (and Trent wasn’t nearly as efficient then but was getting the same amount of looks).
The losses to UNC, St. John’s, BC Marvin took threes, dribble drove like he played for Calipari, basically auditioned for the Suns.
I have no doubts that Marvin will come back and fit into what this team is doing because there has to be a trust there now. They’ve been winning and guys have been proving themselves. It’s easier to pass up your own shots when you see your teammates performing well. That’s just a basic nuance of basketball. Also with guys proving themselves, the feeling that Marvin has to play 40 minutes is gone. Jav, Jack and Bolden can give him breathers. I’d like to see him come back by the ACC tournament though. Come back in a less stressful environment.
I would agree with this. Marvin has been putting up stupid numbers all year but I believe he was much more efficient earlier in the year in terms of making us the best we can be. He is not a 3 point shooter at this point and only needs to take them in very limited situations, Duval too. I think the efficiency is a combo of freshman struggles (although minor) and teams adjusting. I know it is splitting hairs because he was still putting up big numbers especially for a freshman, but I agree, I think he was making us better earlier on.
I’ll say it as the non-Duke fan, but you have to consider the level of talent you’ve been playing during this streak. The best team was Clemson without its two best players. Your little slump came against some good teams (not St Johns though). This stretch has been easier to survive without him.
My point is Bagley makes you better.
My point is Bagley makes you better.
Yes and No. Yes it hasn’t been our toughest stretch, no it isn’t the causal link to our success. We have been playing our best ball of the year regardless of who the opponent is or could have been. Grayson and Gary shouldn’t stupid numbers from beyond the arc and our defense showing life would have beaten almost every team out there if not every team. I don’t think it was because Marvin was or wasn’t in the lineup, I think it was Grayson playing like an all American and our defense and rebounding taking strides.
But also yes, Marvin makes us better, the notion he doesn’t is absolutely ridiculous.
I absolutely think Grayson’s play is linked to Bagley's being out. I don't know if it is because Grayson knows he has to step up and be the leader of the team or the offense is ran differently or what, but I don't think it's coincidence that Grayson's game changed the moment Bagley stepped off the court. When else did Grayson ball out this year? During the MSU game with an absent Bagley.
Having said that, we need Bagley healthy and playing. We're better with him if he comes back and has a role that aids *this* style of our offense and defense. Not just better, but scary good. Sure, Bagley was putting up insane numbers. But so is Trae Young. Bagley's role has to be one that serves the way this *team* is now playing - like a closed fist.
Spot on Mpm. Grayson must continue looking to score, and the 4 guys out there with him need to look for him as well. That's what has happened in the 5 games we've won without Bagley.