Can't seem to buy a 3 pointer lately. Even air balling a few. I wonder if it's the pressure or just a slump? Sure could use him knocking down some of those sweet treys for the stretch run. Once those start falling, UK becomes scary good...
What's going on with Booker?
- Thread starter CatBallou252
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He is struggling somewhat here lately. Just needs to knock down that 1st three and that should get him going today, tomorrow, whenever.
Devin needs to learn to be able to shoot through the pressure (and I'm sure he's felt pressure given the attention he got when he was on that streak); needs to be able to shoot over defense - he has been defended more, but those shots were still makeable, IMO. This is why I think he comes back next season; to work on that aspect of his game.
Someone asked not long ago on another thread who I would rather have taking the last 2nd shot for a game winner, Aaron Harrison or Devin Booker. I said Aaron, because he proved himself last season - even though Devin has shot better overall this season. I stand by that
Someone asked not long ago on another thread who I would rather have taking the last 2nd shot for a game winner, Aaron Harrison or Devin Booker. I said Aaron, because he proved himself last season - even though Devin has shot better overall this season. I stand by that
He's missed a lot of wide open shots in that stretch. Yesterday's were both without a defender near him.
We need the mid-January Devin back.
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We need the mid-January Devin back.
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If memory serves (and it distorts once in awhile), didn't he go thru quite a slump early in the year as well. I love the guy, good player, good shooter, role model of a young man....but I wonder if the 'real' Booker is somewhere in between. Mid part of the season when he was shooting 'lights out' could he have been playing a little over his head? I don't know. You'd have to be in practice every day, following his shooting for several years to know exactly.
I was watching him during warm up before the FL game and he couldn't hit a thing.
He missed like 15 shots in a row. However he seem like he didn't have any concerns about it.
Like I did.
He missed like 15 shots in a row. However he seem like he didn't have any concerns about it.
Like I did.
Love this kids game. Plays hard all the time. Much better defense than anyone could have hoped for. I really hope he comes back next year to polish a very good game already.
As for the slump (?). Scouting from all the teams we play know he can break your spirit with those threes so he is a targeted young man when he gets into the game.
Two words for a successful player slumping this time of the year.
Pressure Pressclippings
As for the slump (?). Scouting from all the teams we play know he can break your spirit with those threes so he is a targeted young man when he gets into the game.
Two words for a successful player slumping this time of the year.
Pressure Pressclippings
you are correct. I remember the threads about Devin, discussing how everyone thought he would be a great three-point shooter - and he wasn't showing it. Then, he was...now he's not again. It's just a slump I think. But he's doing other things he wasn't earlier in the year, like his defense and his ability to get a runout.
If he gets his mojo back, well.......it's ALL over
This is what I was thinking too. Yes, he is the target of pressure now, not denying that, but he has also been missing a lot of wide open shots as well, including that horrible air ball that he had all day to shoot. It does seem he is going through a bad slump right now but hit a couple of shots and we could see all that come to an end, just in time for the tournament (I hope). He's a great shooter but it may just be a freshman feeling the pressure (in his mind type of pressure) right now. Keep shooting, Devin.
All of our players are slumping from 3. If we don't work to take it inside when we can't shoot, this is the making of 2010 year. Best team loses because it can't shoot. Hopefully we pull out of this slump. Bookers percentage was unsustainable but he is definitely struggling.
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him get hot again starting next week!
THAT as well as the improved play of Towns would make us almost impossible to beat!
We still have never seen this team with a hot Booker AND a dominant Towns at the same time!
THAT as well as the improved play of Towns would make us almost impossible to beat!
We still have never seen this team with a hot Booker AND a dominant Towns at the same time!
To me he's trying too hard to get his shot. If you remember he started the year as a spot up shooter and was very cool and calm and waited for his opportunities and knocked them down when he got them and became a weapon. Since his initial success he started getting a little hyper in his movements and trying to create too much and it has thrown him off IMO. I make the comment all the time to my buddies that sometimes he gets in Steph Curry mode and he's not there yet. He can be down the road but he's much more effective for us right now letting the flow come to him and being more of a spot shooter. Needs to calm and smooth out his game and we'll see the lights out guy come backIMO.
Love Booker but he's streaky. I said as much months ago in a thread comparing Booker and Lamb. I was nearly lynched.
Pressure to preform maybe? He wasn't expected by the outside BBN world to be much of a contributor on this team, but as his season got rolling everyone starting noticing. Then his name starts being mentioned as a top 15 pick and he starts forcing shots and getting back in a slump.
I for one think him and Trey need to come back and work more on their games next year. Being bigger contributor than they already are this year plus working in fine tuning their games would have them both being top 10 picks next year.
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I for one think him and Trey need to come back and work more on their games next year. Being bigger contributor than they already are this year plus working in fine tuning their games would have them both being top 10 picks next year.
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Yep. You likely did the same thing I did when u saw that and looked up the stats for our other three 3 point shooting threats. Unreal that our offense efficiency numbers have increased like they have over the past month considering that as poorly as Booker has shot it, he's been much better than Aaron and only slightly worse than Tyler. They better get it together or it will be hard to win 6 in a row.
ill also say that if he really is lottery now, and i thunk he will leave, I'd be very surprised. Love him as a prospect, but the warts in his game have really started to show. To the person who said he's been good defensively, I don't even know what to say. He's better than Young was on D, and he does try, but Willie and Karl make all our guards look much better than they are defensively.
It's mental with him like all great shooters. The only way to get out of a slump is to hit some shots early. Devin seems to have a good attitude about it, but he needs his confidence back. His defense is not very good right now either. He is becoming a liability on the court. This team needs him to snap out of this funk.
LOL you gotta love this fly by troller as he posted a couple of nonsesne things in the game thread as well.
Not a troll at all just saying that we haven't been playing great lately and WCS and Booker has been in a slump. We have been giving up easy shots under the basket too, I don't think its a big secret to anyone. Luckily we have someone step up every game and makes a difference and lately its seems to be KAT and thats great. But to say we have been playing perfect is a stretch, the Ga game was terrible and both Fla games have been a mediocre effort especially in the first half. I think UK will go 40 and 0 and I am hoping the less than stellar play is from boredom of playing the same SEC teams again and they are just ready for the NCAA to begin.
See, I guess this is where I differ from the rest of Rupp Rafters posters. I don't think a guy saying "we may hit a hot team and go down" really qualifies him as a troll. That's some very mild trolling. Maybe the guy is just a pessimist? I see this a lot on here.
And this is why I "think", no one knows for sure, that he'll return next year. It might not happen, but personally believe it's very possible..
The new has worn off more or less. He and Ulis had it made early in the season because every defense was focused on the Twins. That has changed now, teams learned they could shoot and the looks aren't as easy anymore. I think he is just in an adjustment stage and hope he is learning how to fight through it.
I think at mid-season he was just having fun, now he's probably feeling the pressure as he knows we need his three point shooting. We tried to feed the post yesterday, and our bigs boys were really trying. My concerns are along with Booker tightening up( he should put more spin on the ball) Trey not a consistent 10-15 foot jumper great under basket, WCS struggles finishing seems to have gotten away from the dunk imagine his ribs were taking a pounding, and KAT needs to continue to assert himself, Aaron not stroking it like last season but at the end of the day we are 32-0 so..
He had a nightmare game yesterday.
We need January Booker in March. With him playing like he was then, nobody touches us.
We need January Booker in March. With him playing like he was then, nobody touches us.
I think Booker is going through some confidence issues. He's a lot more reluctant to shoot now, and that has to stop.
But on the flip side, he posted one of our best +/- of the day yesterday. The offense flowed better with him in the game even though he wasn't hitting.
But on the flip side, he posted one of our best +/- of the day yesterday. The offense flowed better with him in the game even though he wasn't hitting.
Unfortunately he is shooting just like he did in high school....all that knock down shooting he did early was the anomaly. High school he shot just like this, low 30s from 3 and low 40s overall.
Booker went 2 of 3 in the las t regular season game. Part of this slump also coincides with Cal wanting the guards to take more close in shots. With Booker and Aaron, I have wondered if it is a matter of not putting up enough shot attempts in a game to get comfortable. Maybe the platoon/split minutes thing has thrown them both off. Although that wouldn't account for the mid season hot streak.
I'm afraid a couple of our guys have some "draft cutter" going on. I can only imagine what it would be like to be an 18 year old kid in lottery talks and then go on a cold streak with the attention of the whole nation watching everything little thing you do. Happened to the Harrisons last year until papa came down and told them to stop worrying about getting drafted and just to play ball and have fun.
Def slumping for sure .. But hopefully he catchs fire the next 8 games or at least the final 4 games of the season. IF he is hitting we are darn near unbeatable this year . But without him coming off the bench and scoring we get much weaker as a team. And 65car didnt troll anyone , he spoke alot of truth in his post . If Willie cant make anything like yesterday , and Booker continues to slump we can be beat . No doubt about it . But those two just play normal or bring their B game we are going to be fine . But the D level game from DJ,WCS and Book could lead to disaster .
