Hard to downplay the game by Sheppard as they won, hit a game winner, great stat line... but I do have a few issues/notes here.
The-Power wrote:But please do tell me which of his made baskets and assists were contingent on him playing against a small opponent. There's a video posted right above you. It should not be difficult for you to do it. Re: ‘Sheppard's man Hubbard’. Please, that takes the cake and just shows that you have not even cared to watch the actual game we are talking about. Do you know how many points Hubbard scored on Sheppard in the entire game? 5. That's it. One midrange jumper and one prayer-3 as part of his shooting clinic at the end where he hit three consecutive 3s. That's it.
You do realize that video above doesn't show every single defensive possession that Sheppard played right? Also, I watched the video and there were several instances just in that short video where the size of Miss St guards were a huge disadvantage. The fact that most of the night he was guarded by smaller weaker opponents does matter just in general. but here are a few that stood out.
1. Reed gets beat backdoor 30 second mark, blocks one of the tiny guards from behind at rim.
2. Reed throws a backside alley oop at 45 seconds where the 5-10 guy is the backside help rotation.
3. Reed had two breakaways in fastbreak at 2:25 and 3:00 mins vs the small backcourt guys that are much easier to finish because of size advantage.
4. Reed block late, he blocks the 3 vs one of small guards. If that guy was an average height that isn't blocked.
5. Game winner, he beats his defender, then 5-10 kid slides in front late but is so small it doesn't affect the shot.
Some of these are nitpicking, but this was your request.
The-Power wrote:Sheppard was not even assigned to guard him in the first half (Wagner and Dillingham were), and when Sheppard was guarding him more in the second half he went 2 out of 5 by my count on possessions that ended with Sheppard as the primary defender.
Also, shouldn't this be a bit of a RedFlag that if Sheppard is supposedly this great defender that he would be guarding the opponents best player? Not letting him score 34 pts and almost go to OT? At a certain point I have to think Cal isn't this dumb and maybe Reed isn't all that good as a on ball defender. Heck just even the last possession, Reaves is on the guy with 34 and he gives up the game tying 3, if Sheppard is elite why is he not the one guarding him there? Are you telling me Cason? Caruso? Suggs? aren't guarding #13 there?
