Looking at some video of the last two years. It really looks like he has lost some of his trademark explosiveness. His rebounding fundamentals are certainly better, which is why his average is high. But he just seems…off. This issue could have something to do why his low post moves are so off. I don’t know.
Is Cliff hurt?
- Thread starter RUSCFORMERLYRULOU
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That is a possibility. There is no way he even gets a sniff at the d league next year. But I still think he may be hurt.
I feel like he might be feeling the late season fatigue more than the other guys.
His offensive game hasn't developed compared to Edey and even the big bearded fella on Michigan. They have nice baby jump hooks from around foul line in. Cliff doesn't. He mostly just cleans up by flushing.
It's important to flush, but flushing alone won't cut it for RU and Cliff's individual game to take next step.
I think Cliff did a lot of work on his jumpshot in the off-season. It does not seem though that he did a lot of work on his moves in the low post and that area does not show very much development. We do see a big improvement in his foul shooting.
What has been more distressing is his low post defense. He did play much better in the second half against Nebraska. First half was a disaster.
What has been more distressing is his low post defense. He did play much better in the second half against Nebraska. First half was a disaster.
It seems he is getting double teamed more and the defense is forcing him further away from the basket for his shots. The results are more turnovers and missed shots with no rebound position.
His leg is definitely bothering him. He was wearing a compression sleeve on the whole leg and limping noticeably. Seems like it has been an issue much of the year, some games it looks better than others.
It seems he has difficulty with ANY pass below his head.
He just wants lobbs above the rim
He just wants lobbs above the rim
There could be some relevance to what you are saying.I belive McConnell was wearing a similar wrapping on one of his legs.
Sleeve or not, he is clearly laboring w/ some sort of injury. It may not be obvious watching on TV or in the rafters, but from my view I can definitely tell that he's dealing w/ something. The lack of explosiveness under the basket, the way he seems to be laboring up and down the court, his facial expressions. Not sure what it is, I think it's some sort of leg problem but could easily be some sort of back issue. There's something there.
Most of what people see as bad hands are instead bad passes from Paul and Caleb. The lack of coordination manifests in clumsy and awkward low post moves.
People have been commenting on it all year that something looks off.
Up close in person he looked like he was favoring one leg at Mohegan to me. It was quite noticeable.
Others had commented on this more recently, maybe late December or January.
And again above
Up close in person he looked like he was favoring one leg at Mohegan to me. It was quite noticeable.
Others had commented on this more recently, maybe late December or January.
And again above
1st half on Tuesday (he was playing D right in front of me): looked awful. Almost like a statue in the paint. Wasn't even attempting to block shots DESPITE not committing a single foul.
2nd half on Tuesday - appeared much more active at times and at least was going after shots.
2nd half on Tuesday - appeared much more active at times and at least was going after shots.
He seemed very tentative in 1st half, have to think he was overly focused on not getting into foul trouble early.
Yup. One of the reasons IMHO we didn't pull away when up 16-10. Instead we go down 5 at the half.
He was hurting against Iowa when I sat right by the court. Slight but noticeable limp from up close
So when he goes up for a dunk he is not hurt but when he misses baby jump hooks or does not move his feet to play defense or can't grab a rebound he is hurt.
Folks he is NOT hurt, stop making excuses for an overrated, low skill Rutgers player.
Folks he is NOT hurt, stop making excuses for an overrated, low skill Rutgers player.
I don't really think he's hurt but it's not that hard to imagine an injury still allowing him to dunk while negatively impacting his defense. It's not like that is some great contradiction as you are trying to imply here.
Yes His explosiveness has been quite apparent in how diminished it us. Hoping it's a strain/rest thing as opposed to something post season re surgery
Funny how after 3 consecutive losses a phantom "Cliff is Injured" thread pops up. He like leaped through the ceiling when the kid hit that triple against Minny in garbage time. C'mon guys.
To be fair people have been speculating about this for at least all of 2023 if not longer.
and almost always after losses, when Cliff is doing gumbies off the floor or acrobatic leaps and dunks no one says much
So he is wearing a compression sleeve on on one leg and not the other because it is fashionable?
I have never participated in athletics as a college basketball player, so I am not up to date on how players deal with injuries.
I see lots of wrapped knees, ankles, etc. which I assume are needed because of injury. I have assumed having a leg wrapped is indicative of a problem. What other viable explanations are there?
Of course, it could be precautionary also. Doubt if anyone would tell us either way.
I have never participated in athletics as a college basketball player, so I am not up to date on how players deal with injuries.
I see lots of wrapped knees, ankles, etc. which I assume are needed because of injury. I have assumed having a leg wrapped is indicative of a problem. What other viable explanations are there?
Of course, it could be precautionary also. Doubt if anyone would tell us either way.
I think Cliff is just being utilized poorly tbh.
I don’t know why, for the life of me, they continue to try to feed him away from the hoop with his back to the basket.
Makes no sense to me. He’s not a wide body guy that can bully down low.
Know why Paul can go back to the basket? He has a significant size advantage over his defending guards.
Cliff requires space. He’s not down there moving mountains.
Not sure if it’ll happen, but I’ll bet if Cam figures it out, Cliff will become more of a threat when they’re on the same side of the court.
No one on this team right now creates space.
I don’t know why, for the life of me, they continue to try to feed him away from the hoop with his back to the basket.
Makes no sense to me. He’s not a wide body guy that can bully down low.
Know why Paul can go back to the basket? He has a significant size advantage over his defending guards.
Cliff requires space. He’s not down there moving mountains.
Not sure if it’ll happen, but I’ll bet if Cam figures it out, Cliff will become more of a threat when they’re on the same side of the court.
No one on this team right now creates space.
To this point, I think Cliff will be far more successful in an NBA or D league game than he is at RU. Even though the players he’s up against will be consistently better.
Personally, I don’t think we have any injuries that are affecting the level of play we’re seeing from the players currently available to play.
Just my opinion.
After the season it’s possible Pike will say Cliff played through an injury all year that hampered his play.
But I highly doubt it.
Cliff brings the team out for warmups with a flying reverse dunk every game.
Just my opinion.
After the season it’s possible Pike will say Cliff played through an injury all year that hampered his play.
But I highly doubt it.
Cliff brings the team out for warmups with a flying reverse dunk every game.
If Paul would shoot the ball consistently in good rhythm, Cliff would be able to time and read off it, box out, get positioning and get tons of offensive rebounds and put backs
Those would place him close to the basket where he’s best and allow for a bunch of dunks.
The way we shoot the ball it’s very difficult for Cliff to read the play
Those would place him close to the basket where he’s best and allow for a bunch of dunks.
The way we shoot the ball it’s very difficult for Cliff to read the play
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It's funny some people think Cliff needs to be 100% healthy to dunk
None of us fans know his true current health.
He was for sure limping earlier this season when I sat front row close enough to see it for myself. No idea if it's still bothering him or not but why is he wearing a leg sleeve? Is it for fashion? Seems unlikely
Cliff at say 85-90% is still going to be very athletic but he does seem to be a little less explosive and not running the floor the way has in the past
None of us fans know his true current health.
He was for sure limping earlier this season when I sat front row close enough to see it for myself. No idea if it's still bothering him or not but why is he wearing a leg sleeve? Is it for fashion? Seems unlikely
Cliff at say 85-90% is still going to be very athletic but he does seem to be a little less explosive and not running the floor the way has in the past
No one thinks Cliff at 6-10 needs to be 100% healthy to dunk.
The dunk he performs leading the team out is not a the kind of explosive movement you’d take a chance on doing if you were nursing a sore leg.