Exclusive 2022 March Madness thread

Well, Holmgren's got at least one more game to show me that maybe tonight was just an off-night. Based on what I saw this evening, I'm still hoping he's not on the board when the Blazers pick.

I also wouldn't pick Duren. His feel for the game is as lacking as his raw athletic ability is overflowing. He's the type of player you get your hopes up for who never gets it.

 

How far can Michigan go?

 

Uncoordinated? For a 7'1 19-year old big man he's very coordinated. Don't really know where you got this from.. Is this the first time you watched him?

 

Duren was 3-for-11 tonight and did nothing. Chet owned him at the start of the game and Duren had no luck in "bullying" him like many said he would. Where's the clips of that? Both ended up with foul trouble and played a bit tentatively afterwards (which is why Chet flopped to try to draw Duren his 5th). But Chet trying to draw a foul is Chet "Getting bodied!!!" even though that was the only time Duren had any success backing him down all game.

It's so fucking hilarious to me that people are criticizing Chet for this game when he played better than Duren and he didn't get pushed around by him. This dude obviously wanted to nitpick Chet all night... Some people who are in love with Duren are criticizing Chet for fouling too much when Duren averages 6 fouls per 100 possessions to Chet's 5.

This clown's tweets is even posting Chet trying to help his teammate then recover to block the dump off pass when no big would've had a chance at getting there in time. Dude was flying around the court defensively all night and is going to be a terrific defender in the NBA. While the guy doesn't have "takeover the game ability" (yet), he can do everything else offensively. But oh no, power forwards might back him down in the post even though Duren couldn't...

 

Those guards for Memphis were thinking twice about driving to the hoop with Holmgren waiting there. It changed the trajectory of the game. That Memphis player who got the flagrant was frustrated. Length like that, with mobility like that can completely disrupt a game.

This game honestly made me more excited about Holmgren as a prospect. You can see the touch is there. Some of those deep shots will start falling.

 

I was at a brewery watching this game and was telling everyone there that I wasn’t concerned at all at half. I bet all the Zag haters were sporting wood though lol. Memphis, while a valiant effort blew their load in the first half. And then Drew Timme happened.

Speaking of Timme, I think he’s worth a 2nd round flier. If Luis Scola can carve out success in the league by up and undering people over and over than Timme can too.

 

Memphis had 14 offensive rebounds and 44 points in the paint. If not for Drew Timme being unconscious, Gonzaga's done.

Memphis, a 10-loss team with a lot of gifted athletes and pretty much no chemistry. Duren played 11 minutes fewer than Holmgren and had nearly as many points and rebounds, had as many assists, and no one considers him on Holmgren's level. I watched a couple of times where Chet had rebounds in his hands that he either dropped or had taken away because he either wasn't strong enough for aggressive enough to hold the ball in traffic.

Holmgren has some intriguing elements to his game but, if you can't accept that there's a lot of reason to see him as a risky prospect, too, I really don't know if we can have a rational discussion about player evaluation or basketball in general. There are legitimate questions about his potential and he did nothing tonight to diminish them.

 

Well, I didn’t see anyone talk about Duren “bodying” Chet, or maybe I missed it. But I did see that Chet would “expose” Duren. And I’d be really curious why people would think Duren, a very, raw prospect particularly offensively would work over Holmgren. That’s some bad logic.

As a matter of fact, I think I posted that you can’t really expose Duren because he’s a raw offensive prospect with no real offensive game, so that wouldn’t be particularly impressive or difficult.

additionally, Duren is almost 2 years younger than Chet. Duren reclassified, so he is young.

Also, I’m curious. Do you hold Jabari Smith to the same standard as Jeremy Sochan? I would assume not.

Criticism is placed according to their anticipated draft status. Of course you’re going to nitpick the possible #1 pick much more the #10 pick, or even #5 pick for that matter.

 

I don't and haven't wanted us to take Chet no matter what but that's just because I think he has a ways to go on his game and we need immediate help. If we were trading Dame and building around Ant/going young, then I'd have Chet like fourth on my board. The slander about him in here is insane. His current team doesn't really use him correctly on offense... they're so concerned with getting Timme his. Chet has great feet and hands for a guy that tall and lanky. He has great court vision and a serious handle for a big. He shoots the lights out. He has fantastic length and timing when defending the rim. That's what he brings to the table: elite shot blocking, elite spot up shooting, very good cutting to the hoop without the ball, solid passing and dribbling, oh and I forgot that he gets boards to. He's not Zach fucking Collins, Zach had the hope of becoming a decent shooter and this guy shoots the lights out, Zach was about as athletic with not close to the length and Chet's feel for the game is light years ahead of where Zach's ever got while here.

So again, I do not want to draft him and if we're in position to do so, I want to find the team that values him the most and take them for as much as we can get that makes sense for what we need. That being said, he's a really interesting prospect that does two things at an elite level and a few things at a starting level at the NBA level. He definitely has weaknesses (like the fact that he's weak) that make his floor really low, especially if he doesn't develop and he doesn't have a creative coach. He is valuable though.

 

Lol its funny you quote me. This game might push Duren to the latter part of the lottery.

 

Ya i dont want either of these dudes after watching this game. More and more falling into the Jabari or bust category.

Still would be happy with my guys Paolo or Davis too

 

I'm pretty unsettled on this draft as my previous posts have shown. Don't even like the idea of tanking but here we are. That was a fun game to watch.

Now looking at players obviously some i have never seen i am even more confused about who to take? If the Blazers actually get a pick high enough to get Chet then they absolutely better take him. We have been through this time and again with this team. You absolutely take "Best Player Available". Now do you take him before Jabari Smith? I don't think so? The Blazers need a well rounded player now however you don't pass up a player that might be great in a couple years because you are looking for a fit.

Now to the people saying draft him and trade him? That proposes you have a team that is looking for a player that falls in line with your pick? I think Chet did what Chet was supposed to do but it's much more likely the Blazers fall to the pick that gets you Jalen Duren.

Here is a very funny note. Most drafts have Timme undrafted or very late second round. You all just watched that guy compete and drop 25 points with 14 rebounds on Memphis. If the Blazers get a chance to get a player with that kind of motor and ability to score as an undrafted rookie i would expect them to jump at that.

 

agree and look at what Whatford is doing this year. He has that nice floater and up and under.

 

Zach's injuries and [no big man coach] lack of development might be coloring your memory.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/zach-collins-1.html

67.2% from two, 47.6% from three, and 74.3% on FT's is a hell of a lot better than hopeful of becoming a decent shooter.

Zach seemed more mobile around the hoop than Chet does. I'm not sure he played enough on the perimeter to make a comparison there.

Chet and Zach are the same height, but Chet does appear to have longer arms.

I'll grant you the "feel for the game" advantage to Chet. He's got the composure that sort of makes me think of Jokic, if he ever fills out enough to make his length a strength instead of the liability it currently is.

 

Lofty for sure but I can’t say I disagree.

 

That Houston team just plays defense. Amazing to watch. That Illinois big man Kofi is huge.

 

Chet has skills but if you compare who did better between the two bigs neither of them show out. Offense I see Chet sitting in the corner doing nothing and smaller guy on him again really didn't exploit his height advantage. Not good hanging on the ball when contested rebounds shows me lack strength now get he stronger sure. Duren right offense he probably rim runner and defense he will problems if he has to guard the premeter. I think both hit or miss at the NBA level but hopefully they both make it but this my opinion of both players. Is either player top 3 players I say no to many if's on both players to me. Other people has different opinions that's find but we will find out next year if the teams that draft them made the right choice.

 

Banchero plays like Carlos Boozer

 

That was obviously off duke

 

Chet is so much better than Zach i really don’t get the comparisons