Do We Even Want Nwora Hot Right Now Anyway?

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

He's streaky. So if he is red hot in January/February then he could go cold in March?

Let him go ahead and get through it, and then turn it on in March. Maybe that doesn't happen. But what if it did? I know his overall #'s are pretty good. Not complaining.

Just saying - Picture all these parts gaining confidence heading into March WITHOUT seeing a hot Nwora going with them, and then all the sudden Nwora gets hot?

Thoughts?

 

[Cue Card]

He's streaky. So if he is red hot in January/February then he could go cold in March?

Let him go ahead and get through it, and then turn it on in March. Maybe that doesn't happen. But what if it did? I know his overall #'s are pretty good. Not complaining.

Just saying - Picture all these parts gaining confidence heading into March WITHOUT seeing a hot Nwora going with them, and then all the sudden Nwora gets hot?

Thoughts?

He looked like he got the message to be a team player first. He was playing his tail end off on defense and wasn't even looking for his shot. He only took 5 shots today and hit 3, 1 for 2 behind the arc.

The ball movement is key and it's no secret the ball moves better when David Johnson is on the floor. He also shot 5 times today and hit 3, but more importantly, he had 6 assists with just 1 turnover. He also got 5 rebounds.

Nwora is a great offensive player, but it's his defense and rebounding are needed more than his scoring. We got plenty of guys who can score when the ball moves within the offense.

 

[Mike'sMarbles]

Nwora has had to carry the load offensively most of the season. Up until the last 3 games, he was the leading scorer for us every night except for 1 game. We're more dangerous now with other guys stepping up and taking over some of the scoring.

Our offense is much more balanced and I think that's what we needed to have happen to possibly go deep in March.

 

[nccardfan]

Just thinking about how this seems to be playing out is that Jordan is learning to play in an offense now where he’s not the only focus (which I think is good). However I hope we are tested in a close game to see if his confidence hasn’t been lowered to a level that in crunch time, we’re not sure where we need to go for offense. During the first half at times we looked the best we have this season but when they started hitting 3’s, we started going one on one and not getting the same results.

 

[KerryRhodes]

Honestly doesnt matter as long as they win.
If BC focuses more on David, Sam and Enoch, Nwora can go off.

He'll get plenty of time to work on his scoring at the professional level.

Right now he has to do things that help the team win.

6 game winning streak. I ll take it !

 

[LeFors4Ever]

Jordan needs to watch tape on how Justin Jackson played at UNC during their title run. Jackson could score in bunches, but he didn’t have but didn’t have to be the focus of their team.

He’s lethal and needs to pick his spots.

 

[vivid_red]

Catch fire a' la Billy Thompson at tournament time!

 

[KozmasAgain]

I agree with Kerry we now have multiple scoring threats with the emergence of Johnson & Williamson. The defense is spreading themselves thin which should open up scoring opportunities for the whole team.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

No doubt, Nwora's cold streak has allowed others to contribute. And it's looking great no doubt - now I will say the ACC is down this year, but I still think UofL is improving in a # of areas.

I'm just sitting back trying to picture this team having a close call somewhere opening weekend maybe Nwora comes up big late in a game and then gets steaming hot rest of the NCAA. You combine a red hot Nwora with the rest of how this team is beginning to play and this is a team that can make a deep run.

 

[CardsFirst]

Ipartiedwithhopgood said:

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No doubt, Nwora's cold streak has allowed others to contribute. And it's looking great no doubt - now I will say the ACC is down this year, but I still think UofL is improving in a # of areas.

I'm just sitting back trying to picture this team having a close call somewhere opening weekend maybe Nwora comes up big late in a game and then gets steaming hot rest of the NCAA. You combine a red hot Nwora with the rest of how this team is beginning to play and this is a team that can make a deep run.[/quote]

Here’s the beauty of where we are. It doesn’t have to be just Nwora, it can be DP, Sutton, DJ, Williamson and time a degree Williams. This team is becoming a very dangerous team at the right time. We’re becoming exactly what everyone thought would be; just not right out of the gate. How does a team guard all those weapons? The answer is they can’t. And what makes it even more of a challenge? Who will have the hot hand? And it can literally be a number of them. Yep it’s coming together at the right time.

 

[RockvilleRed]

A hot Nwora will sleepwalk or cruise on defense. I want a slow-burning Nwora playing with an edge under control.

 

[Shonda97]

Jordan needs to watch tape on how Justin Jackson played at UNC during their title run. Jackson could score in bunches, but he didn’t have but didn’t have to be the focus of their team.

He’s lethal and needs to pick his spots.

This! Justin Jackson was a quiet assassin. Explodes w buckets right when they are needed

 

[zipp]

OP is right and in just about every sport for that matter. You make your postseason job easier if you play well enough during the season to get a good tourney seed. Anything beyond that is irrelevant except for bragging rights. And if an individual player is streaky, timing is even more important.

Between now and season's end, I'm looking for continued development by the freshmen who contribute and gradual improvement in chemistry and team play. Nwora is about as good as he's gonna get by the first of March and can put himself in NBA cruise control--which is probably what he wants to hear!...

 

[Louis III]

Is 37 points hot enough??

 

[KerryRhodes]

Is 37 points hot enough??

Nope.
He should have had 43

 

[Louis III]

Its funny, you can tell he was trying to get 40, couldnt make that last 3.

 

[LeFors4Ever]

Is 37 points hot enough??

Yes and no.

I don’t think we’ve doubted Jordan’s ability to get points against teams that are at the lower end of the ACC.

It’s the no-shows against Texas Tech, Kentucky, and Duke. Can he show up against an FSU and get hot? Yes, but then will he slow down the next few games?

Jordan scoring A LOT of points is the only way this team goes far in March. When you have an ACC POY and All-American player, they have to carry you at times.

The 2 games against UVA will tell a lot. Slow pace, limited in transition, and hard for a player to get in a rhythm.

 

[Louis III]

As long as someone picks up the slack, a la @ Duke, I dont care if Nwora scores 7 or 37. Those are signs that show he doesnt have to score 25 for us to win which is a sign of a deeper, at times, more balanced team which is a MUST to go far in the tourney.

 

[LeFors4Ever]

As long as someone picks up the slack, a la @ Duke, I dont care if Nwora scores 7 or 37. Those are signs that show he doesnt have to score 25 for us to win which is a sign of a deeper, at times, more balanced team which is a MUST to go far in the tourney.

This is where I see it, if Jordan sprained his ankle before the start of the tournament, how confident would you be in our chances to make a Final 4?

We have a deep and talented roster, but the long range hopes is predicated on our leading scorer and All-American being the one who can get us to the promised land.

 

[Louis III]

This is where I see it, if Jordan sprained his ankle before the start of the tournament, how confident would you be in our chances to make a Final 4?

We have a deep and talented roster, but the long range hopes is predicated on our leading scorer and All-American being the one who can get us to the promised land.

Thats not the same thing as Nwora can take up the other teams best defender leaving their 2nd or 3rd best defender on a guy like DJ. Plus, Nwora is 6'8 and 220 pounds and can rebound pretty well. Not a like for like comparison.

 

[Morgantown Card]

FARR that sonofabeyitch.

 

[LeFors4Ever]

Thats not the same thing as Nwora can take up the other teams best defender leaving their 2nd or 3rd best defender on a guy like DJ. Plus, Nwora is 6'8 and 220 pounds and can rebound pretty well. Not a like for like comparison.

That’s good, but if he’s not scoring I don’t feel confident in the other guys some nights because they’re all kind of streaky.

Nwora is averaging 19 a game and Enoch is averaging 10. Those are our only 2 double digit scorers. In ACC play, I believe Jordan is the only one averaging double digits.

If he’s off in a Sweet 16 game and it’s a close game, who is gonna carry the load if Jordan is off against a good athletic team? Depth is good, but you need 2-3 guys you can count on come March.

I still think we are an elite team, don’t get me wrong. But when you have title aspirations, a little nitpicking can be done. I wouldn’t say I have too high of expectations.

That’s why the Virginia game is big. Similar to Texas Tech and KenSucky, they will have guys that can guard Jordan and make it a very different game.

Against Duke and sUcKs, our supporting cast did carry us well. But Jordan struggling did cause some issues. Down the stretch agains sUcKs we really were looking for someone to make a big basket and couldn’t count on Jordan. Missed free throws and lack of execution hurt, but you need your star to make some baskets in that situation. We just didn’t execute and lost a game we should’ve won.

Against Duke we did well, but the final 4:26 we did not score a made basket until the last dunk by Malik with 8 seconds left. We got some free throws when they fouled, but we really could not score when it got right. Nwora didn’t take a shot.

Last night was big because we score a bunch late to close out the game. But those of us critical are just making points because we’ve seen national title teams and title level teams. We’ve seen how we get upset. Nwora has to score and score well for us to go deep into March. It won’t be all BC’s, you’ll get some efficient athletic teams that you can’t let hang around late.

If Jordan can kick on that green light and just stay consistent, there isn’t a team that can beat us in March. I truly believe that right now.