Should we start Mike Williams?

[BillyC80]

The guy brings instant energy, defensive toughness, rebounding and shot-making every night.

We would no doubt get off to a faster start in games, avoid falling behind early on, and still have Thiam come off the bench to knock down threes and defend.

 

[soundcrib]

Yes, agreed.

 

[RUsojo]

If it ain't broke don't fix it. (Yet).

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Williams and Johnson came in at 17 minute mark. I think it is a non issue

 

[chrisman8604]

Whether they start or not is irrelevant if they get their minutes.

 

[BillyC80]

I think we fell behind by 10 in the first 4 minutes of the Miami game. Just sayin...

 

[FAT MOON]

I think you can make a pretty strong case that our 6, 7, and 8 men off the bench might be part of our top 5 overall. But the rotation seems to work so keep it going IMO.

 

[BillyC80]

Not suggesting the rotation isn't working, just that we have gotten off to a slow start in almost every game, and starting off in a hole, especially against better competition, is never a good idea.

 

[RUsince52]

I'm sure the CS has options if they want to tweak the rotation. Seems workable at the moment for these type games.

 

[RutgHoops]

Not sure how long Laurent holds on to that starting spot. Williams might be the guy there.

I would not do it for Thiam. Thiam is getting valuable minutes and playing the first four or five helps keep his minutes up. I think Issa has to be averaging close to 20mpg. That will pay off. If he came off the bench I think he'd wind up closer to 12 minutes per game just due to game flow and patterns.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Thiam is at 20 MPG and Mike at 24 MPG....no one person is over 30 MPG (Sanders at 29)....it's the perfect combination of not wearing out your best players and it's more taxing to play tough defense over an extended season, by playing more than 25 MPG.....if anything impacts your legs and shooting percentages, it's expending energy on rebounding and defense.....

 

[bac2therac]

Not sure how long Laurent holds on to that starting spot. Williams might be the guy there.

I would not do it for Thiam. Thiam is getting valuable minutes and playing the first four or five helps keep his minutes up. I think Issa has to be averaging close to 20mpg. That will pay off. If he came off the bench I think he'd wind up closer to 12 minutes per game just due to game flow and patterns.

I would agree Laurent seems in danger of losing that job and losing minutes. I like Mike off the bench as a spark with Johnson. Certainly hasnt been an issue thus far, as we get into better competition the coaching staff is probably flexible to make a move

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Thiam is at 20 MPG and Mike at 24 MPG....no one person is over 30 MPG (Sanders at 29)....it's the perfect combination of not wearing out your best players and it's more taxing to play tough defense over an extended season, by playing more than 25 MPG.....if anything impacts your legs and shooting percentages, it's expending energy on rebounding and defense.....

Can't be said enough

 

[rubaseball78_rivals]

The guy brings instant energy, defensive toughness, rebounding and shot-making every night.

We would no doubt get off to a faster start in games, avoid falling behind early on, and still have Thiam come off the bench to knock down threes and defend.

Other than Miami, please indicate which games we have fallen behind early. For the reasons you gave, it is good to have him coming off the bench.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I would think the staff in the next 3 games needs to balance winning the games, but also getting Laurent on track. We need what he can bring come B1G time.

As people have said he is a man offense player. Zone defenses don't suit his offensive game.

 

[xkiesterx]

Starters are about ego. Minutes are what really counts. I think Pikiell would say the same thing.

Players do care, and I think Mike Williams has responded very well to coming off the bench.

 

[BKIn118]

I don't anticipate any changes anytime soon.

Coach has always said that who starts is far less important than who finishes. Laurent has hit a rough patch, but Williams is killing it off the bench.

Leave things alone...8-1 seems to be saying if it ain't broke....

 

[CPCU]

I just watched the George Mason vs. PSU game and the guard Marquis Moore from NYC scored 25 points & grabbed 13 rebounds (averaged 17.3 and 10 rebounds earlier) same physic and height as Williams w/o the rep coming out of high school. With Coach Pike & staff coaching I think Mike can get close to those statistics by his senior year also. Stats with from 3.8 as frosh to 9.5 soph. to 11.4 Jr. to 17.3 Sr. I believe Williams is ahead of that curve.

 

[higgins3]

The guy brings instant energy, defensive toughness, rebounding and shot-making every night.

We would no doubt get off to a faster start in games, avoid falling behind early on, and still have Thiam come off the bench to knock down threes and defend.

You said it, he provides instant energy. That is the reason he is coming off the bench. I am sure we will see him start at year end.

 

[BillyC80]

Rubaseball78, let me turn it around and ask, please indicate which games we got off to a fast start. Just based on memory, our starts most often have been slow.

Brian, my contention is that the first few minutes of almost every game is "broke."

Some have turned this into a thread about minutes played, which I have not criticized.

Just pointing out we tend to start slow, and Mike would give us a much needed jolt right from the opening tip. Besides, having both Nigel and Thiam (or Laurent) coming off the bench would not be too shabby.

 

[BKIn118]

Rubaseball78, let me turn it around and ask, please indicate which games we got off to a fast start. Just based on memory, our starts most often have been slow.

Brian, my contention is that the first few minutes of almost every game is "broke."

Some have turned this into a thread about minutes played, which I have not criticized.

Just pointing out we tend to start slow, and Mike would give us a much needed jolt right from the opening tip. Besides, having both Nigel and Thiam (or Laurent) coming off the bench would not be too shabby.

I hear you...and I get the line of reasoning completely.

But Mike has said a couple of times in interviews that coming off the bench is something he embraces because it's what coach needs from him, and it allows him to get a feel for the game and what's needed most from his minutes. To me, that's too big a risk to assume that the same thing happens as a starter.

Issa needs to be a starter. If you want to swap out Johnson for Laurent, I'd be more able to see that.

 

[BillyC80]

Good points Brian. I assume then that you put Thiam at the 3 spot if Nigel starts? That actually makes perfect sense to me. Would love to see that.

 

[hiwater]

I think we fell behind by 10 in the first 4 minutes of the Miami game. Just sayin...

We fell behind early and stayed there because Miami started off by hitting uncontested 3's and jumpers. I think that the reasoning for playing the longer lineup is to get out to a fast start on D. I don't see how williams helps with that. Opposing teams shoot right in his face because he doesn't have the length to disrupt their shot. The first 3 was on Laurent. He didn't step out and play his man. The starting lineup as it is has the length. They just have actually step out and play their man instead of worrying about some driving by them if they do.

If these guys play D as they should and make a team struggle shooting wise from the start, it will have a bigger impact than the possible scoring and energy that Williams would bring from the start. If the oppenents start off having a bad shooting night they are more likely to carry on having a bad shooting night. If the opposing player starts off well, he's more likely to be feeling it the rest of the game whether you are D'ing him up well or not. I think Pike knows what he's doing.

 

[BillyC80]

Seems to me our slow starts have had as much if not more to do with our offense. Witness the CCSU game where we had 4 points in the first 4 minutes, and several if not most other games that we similarly got off to a slow start offensively.

 

[Scangg]

I just don't want to see multiple players on the bench who are consistently outperforming the starters. The teams we are playing now pretty much all suck so it doesn't matter as much. It could be a potential issue when we get into the B1G schedule and struggle to score right out of the gate. Swapping either Issa or Laurent for Nigel or Williams makes sense to me. Keeping one of them on the bench for a spark I think is a better idea than not starting two of the better players on the team

 

[Trekology]

Mike Williams seems to be the spark off the bench that the team needs to get going (again). It might not be the glamor position, but I think he is in one of the most important spots on the team. I hope he knows that.

Oh, and dude's got some serious ups.

 

[RUich]

Although I understand the point of the OP, 8-1 with our only loss to a better team seems to question making any changes. If Williams is not unhappy with it, why not just leave it as is? After enduring the football season and the train wreck going on with the women, this is such a joy to watch

 

[BillyC80]

I totally love the coaching and the way this team is playing, not to mention all the winning so far. Only concern for me, in regard to who plays when, is that we tend to start too slow offensively, which will hurt us against better competition (harder to come back from a deficit). Seems like we may have some pieces on the bench, namely Mike and/or Nigel, that can help us get off to a stronger start.

 

[letterman_rivals28119]

Let the coach decide who plays or not. We don't know crap about what goes on at practice, etc. or who deserves minutes. Also, I keep reading threads on Laurent.... Why isn't he playing ....what's his problem,etc. is this kid going to be the Hayden rettig of the basketball thread? Let the coach figure it out and stop the bs.

 

[RUJMM78]

One thing that I would like changed is Thiam instead of Freeman on the initial jump ball of games.Rutgers rarely has won the initial possession.Its not a big deal but against stronger opponents every possession matters.

 

[RUinFla]

This is a message board, and trading opinions on who should start and who should sit are perfect topics for a message board. We can say all we want, but we don't see practice, or understand the factors that go into the staff's decisions on starting and PT. That said, we are free to speculate all we want, secure in the knowledge that what we say is of no consequence. Would not be surprised if one of the staff is assigned to check out this board, and that they are pleased by the positive tone. And yes, would start Williams at the 2 and Thiam at the 3--against some teams.
TL

 

[Anon1751594821]

Until we start losing games, Coach is not going to change the starting lineup. Call it superstition or strategy, he will stay with what is working for us.

Who finishes is way more important than who starts.

Best of Luck,
Groz

 

[bowlgoal]

Mike said he doesn't mind coming off the bench and I believe him. He says it gives him a chance to watch the flow of the game and see some opportunities for himself.

I ageee Laurent hasn't done much but don't write him off. He was excellent last year and we need him in big 10 play. No way I'm taking Thiam out of the lineup either. He's adjusting to the speed of the college game that will only get faster.

No need to tweak anything just yet. We are playing well and just need to step up the perimeter defense a little bit. It's not even that bad. Teams have been sinking some really good shots with defenders there.