Cal has a decision to make, who will start at point for the games John Wall will miss, contests against Campbellsville and Morehead? Darius Miller or Eric Bledsoe have both been playing the point in practice, and both have pros and cons that they bring to the table. I'll give you a poor man's critique from the limited evidence that I have from early season practice and reports.Bledsoe: Eric is super quick, probably only second to Wall in that category. He can get by his defender and to the rim with little effort. However, what he does after that could be the problem. He has shown a bit of both selfishness and indecisiveness that will hinder his ability to run the point, common faults of freshmen. Eric will need to learn to dish the rock and finish strong before he'll reach his complete potential. He also needs to work on his jump shooting and free throws.
Miller: Miller is no where near as quick as Bledsoe, nor can he handle the ball as well. However, a year of experience under his belt can make a big difference, as could the summer he spent representing the USA abroad. Darius has show the ability to drive, pass, and shoot the ball with effectiveness. He's also strong at the charity stripe. If he can become confident within the DDM offense, he might be the safer choice for now, until Bledsoe improves his shooting and decision making abilities.
Either way, we should be okay against the overmatched opponents that John Wall will miss.
Nice points (pardon the pun).
ReplyDeleteI think you have to start Bledsoe at the point. Miller gives us a lot at the 3 and I believe you have to find a way to incorporate both of them in the line up.
My Wall(less) starting 5
G-Bledsoe
G-Dodson
F-Miller
F-Patterson
C-Cousins
austin here.. I like the idea of giving the ball to Miller early in the season to get him off to a solid start and build his confidence. He has a tendency to disappear and it is a shame given how talented he is. On the flip side I could see Bledsoe having issues with a reduced role. Everything has been all poop and ice cream, but Bledsoe has a lot of confidence and in his mind he is just as good as any player in the country and he is used to being the top dog. It is a two edge sword but hopefully Cal knows how to handle these type of egos.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong, I won't be disappointed if Miller gets the start at the point. He is capable of doing it, however, I am not sure if it's needed. When Wall comes back from his short suspension he'll be starting every game as we know. Bledsoe will also get a lot of time at the point and probably be the man if Wall ever gets into foul trouble. Miller on the other hand is the logical and best option at the 3. I had rather see him get as much time at that position early on. Also, this gives Dodson a chance to log some more minutes at the 2. That probably works best if Bledsoe is at the 1. Just my thoughts, but I totally trust that Cal will do what's best for the team.
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