UCLA vs. Kentucky: Game Thread

[Katmendo]

Going forward, I just want to see more guys who can make shots.

That goes for this team and every team Cal coaches for the remainder of his tenure at Kentucky. We usually have one guy who can consistently knock down jumpers - two on a good day.

Same weakness every single year. I can't be the only one who sees it.

Cal recruits the best players, but they don't always compliment each other. It's great to have a guy like Fox, who can break people down, but he needs his 2 and 3 to be shot makers. He needs to be able to kick to shooters.

Lonzo Ball was a fine player, but, make no mistake, his gaudy assist numbers have a great deal to do with the fact that he has shooters to get the ball to. Put him at UK, and his numbers drop by at least a couple a game. His team compliments him, and he them.

[KevinHall]

Bottom line UCLA got too many easy and open looks. You can't give a team who shoots as well as they do that many good looks. You have to find a way to get in their grill and make it tough on them. UK really didn't do that all day long. UCLA is a very good team. Almost everyone can shoot the ball and they have good, tough size. UK may see them again in March. Let's hope UK has some idea on how to cut down on the open looks.
Also thought UCLA out hustled UK a good portion f the game. They seemed to get to most of the loose balls especially when they pulled out to a good lead. That part was the most disappointing. UCLA just seemed to want to win more at crucial points of the game.
Oh well this is part of having nearly all freshman team every year. You just never know what will show up at different times. UK will be fine but this being a special season is probably out the door for now. By the defensive effort I saw today they will take a few more L's this season is over and maybe a couple more before the month is out.

[KevinHall]

Monk's a big-time shot-maker. But re: Willis, you can't make them if you don't shoot them.

We needed guys to make more shots right around the basket. Even Monk had a couple of huge misses in transition. Bam missed two-footers all day.

Bam has no touch on his shots. He's just not going to be a great offensive player at UK. I think he will improve that but we won't see it at UK.

[George]

Cal recruits the best players, but they don't always compliment each other. It's great to have a guy like Fox, who can break people down, but he needs his 2 and 3 to be shot makers. He needs to be able to kick to shooters.

Lonzo Ball was a fine player, but, make no mistake, his gaudy assist numbers have a great deal to do with the fact that he has shooters to get the ball to. Put him at UK, and his numbers drop by at least a couple a game. His team compliments him, and he them.

I don't think it's fair to say this at all. What does it mean to compliment each other? If you're talking about a single, specific style of play, then maybe you're right. But what Cal's so good at is developing a style - an identity - for his teams once he sees exactly what he has with his players. They may not compliment each other if you're expecting a traditional drive-and-kick year in and year out, but if Cal devises a plan for his team that focuses on, say, the pick-and-roll, a la Jorts and Knight, then suddenly those players compliment each other very well.

There are far too many ways to play this game to say that his players never compliment one another. It all depends on the style of play for that particular team.

But, I'll still agree that an extra shooter or two would be nice.

[Joneslab]

Cal recruits the best players, but they don't always compliment each other. It's great to have a guy like Fox, who can break people down, but he needs his 2 and 3 to be shot makers. He needs to be able to kick to shooters.

Lonzo Ball was a fine player, but, make no mistake, his gaudy assist numbers have a great deal to do with the fact that he has shooters to get the ball to. Put him at UK, and his numbers drop by at least a couple a game. His team compliments him, and he them.

This isn't accurate.

I think people believe an assist can only go to a three-point shooter for some reason I can't comprehend.

Kentucky has racked up assists this year off of transition. They've got the ball to where it's needed to go on the court virtually every night. They averaged 95 a game for a reason. An assist is an assist.

Lonzo Ball is much bigger than Fox for one. If you put him at Kentucky he'd be doing the same thing, because that's what he does. It's what he did in high school. What I think Fox can do much better on most nights is defend and get end to end much better than Ball.

Fox fell away a little as the game went on, but he still played a pretty good game. Ball hit a big shot but I don't think either he or Fox were individually the reason the game was played like it was. UCLA's best player operated mostly in the paint today.

[Joneslab]

And we're playing in a heck of an era for UK basketball for our players not complimenting each other well, lol.

[Joneslab]

UK will be fine but this being a special season is probably out the door for now.

What would make you say that? It's one game.

I sat in Rupp Arena and watched Sam Houston St. kill the John Wall team with threes. I think they hit something like 15 of them. This was like two weeks after Miami (Ohio) did the same thing.

If that team cleared up its defensive problems, this team can. Especially after a week where a bug ripped through the players. And especially when it's still December 3rd.

[Westtncat]

This loss will mean nothing later, its just sore now because it just happened. I am a firm believer that if you play crap defense then somehow pull a victory out by the bounce of the ball then you wont learn from it. We didnt play D, we lost. Move on and learn. I know I am harping on this but....also moving forward Briscoe needs to evaluate his leadership role. What does it mean to be a leader. I have not liked what I have seen out of him all year going all the way back to the media day. Oozing with arrogance and not all of the good kind. The absence of Ulis doesnt automatically make him the leader in my opinion.

[Katmendo]

What would make you say that? It's one game.

I sat in Rupp Arena and watched Sam Houston St. kill the John Wall team with threes. I think they hit something like 15 of them. This was like two weeks after Miami (Ohio) did the same thing.

If that team cleared up its defensive problems, this team can. Especially after a week where a bug ripped through the players. And especially when it's still December 3rd.

Interesting reference. Where's the championship banner that team with three max contract NBA players won? Yeah, they cleared up their defense, but their skill deficits did them in. Just saying. Not complimentary in the end. Take Bledsoe off that Team and exchange him with Lamb, and they cut nets.

[Joneslab]

Interesting reference. Where's the championship banner that team with three max contract NBA players won? Yeah, they cleared up their defense, but their skill deficits did them in. Just saying. Not complimentary in the end. Take Bledsoe off that Team and exchange him with Lamb, and they cut nets.

So teams have to win national championships to be "complimentary"?

That would mean that Kentucky has only eight such teams in the history of this program.

Strange take.

That Wall team was flawed because it couldn't shoot the ball. But still: 35-3. I think every team Calipari has had here has been complimentary except the Noel team. Even the team with the Harrisons--a team that got absolutely killed by UK fans until March--turned out to be pretty complimentary of each other for eight of the final nine games, when it counts.

When you average 95 a game, you're complimenting each other pretty well I'd say. You'd hope that will improve as the year goes on, especially because we start four freshmen and a sophomore.

What we saw today were colossal defensive breakdowns. I put that on the scouting report, on lethargy, on effort. But I think they've fit in pretty well with each other so far.

[Joneslab]

And the reason I referenced the Wall team was that they became a really good defensive team as the year went on.

It just took them a couple of months.

This team looks to be on that track. It was living off steals and run-outs until today, but when that game didn't work I think they panicked.

[Lighthouse]

I know Bam has a strong body and a motor that's always running, but he got schooled today, and his weakness was exposed. He doesn't play as strong as he looks. I think he will learn to play stronger but he has a way to go. We, as well as several coaches, saw what it will take to beat us. Lock down the inside, and let us shoot. Personally I don't think UCLA played D a whole lot better than we did, but they did shut off the paint.

[Joneslab]

I know Bam has a strong body and a motor that's always running, but he got schooled today, and his weakness was exposed. He doesn't play as strong as he looks. I think he will learn to play stronger but he has a way to go. We, as well as several coaches, saw what it will take to beat us. Lock down the inside, and let us shoot. Personally I don't think UCLA played D a whole lot better than we did, but they did shut off the paint.

One issue is that when you're letting us shoot it's crowding the post. Bam is much better with somebody operating down low (the high/low game with Humphries, etc.) to take some pressure off him. He's a great passer for his size, but it's hard to do that when Fox's and Briscoe's men are in there sloughing. Everything is smothered.

Not sure about him playing weaker than he looks. He really attacks balls when they come off the rim. I think offensively his footwork and touch are his biggest issues.

This guy was a 4 in high school and is being asked to learn how to play center at this level. Very tough to do.

[Lighthouse]

One issue is that when you're letting us shoot it's crowding the post. Bam is much better with somebody operating down low (the high/low game with Humphries, etc.) to take some pressure off him. He's a great passer for his size, but it's hard to do that when Fox's and Briscoe's men are in there sloughing. Everything is smothered.

Not sure about him playing weaker than he looks. He really attacks balls when they come off the rim. I think offensively his footwork and touch are his biggest issues.

This guy was a 4 in high school and is being asked to learn how to play center at this level. Very tough to do.

True, but when he used his quickness to make a move and get open with the ball, he threw up clunkers instead of finishing strong. He will learn to finish, and today he found out how much he needs.

[George]

Interesting reference. Where's the championship banner that team with three max contract NBA players won? Yeah, they cleared up their defense, but their skill deficits did them in. Just saying. Not complimentary in the end. Take Bledsoe off that Team and exchange him with Lamb, and they cut nets.

"Skill deficits" and "complimentary" aren't at all the same thing. It sounds more and more like you're saying a successful team must have some measure of every major skill, but there's decades' worth of evidence that that isn't true. Not every championship team had it all.