A Game That Defines the Season

Last night's loss to Duke was more than a disappointing loss to our smug and lesser arch-rivals. The loss epitomizes why so many Tar Heel born, bred and dead fans feel uneasy about this team and it's lack of progress.

To me, there have been 3 themes - or problems - with this team, and all were on display last night in Chapel Hill.

1. This team is too dependent on Marcus Paige. I love Marcus Paige; in our new post-Wainstein era he is exactly who we need leading this team and frankly being the student face of the entire university. But the operative word there is lead. A leader leads but does not make every play, but that's what this team expects and all the opposing teams know it. As Jawad Williams tweeted (@worldwad) last night, someone else needs to step up and help Paige and this team win some games. Paige was magnificent last night vs. the Devils but needed help down the stretch but did not get much if any assistance. Finally, in a cruel twist considering recent events, an over reliance on one player is anti-Dean. One 'criticism' of Dean is that he was too egalitarian and team-oriented (yes, some idiots actually said that). Well, sharing the wealth is how you win games and championships. Look at Worthy-Perkins-Jordan, or Montross-Williams-Lynch-Phelps, or Lawson-Hansbrough-Ellington-Green, or Bird-McHale-Johnson-Parrish, or LeBron-Wade-Bosh, or Duncan-Parker-Ginobili-Popovich, Magic-Kareem-Worthy, Jordan-Pippen-Jackson, etc.
2. Point two is related to point one: the uneven development of the players on this team. Paige and Brice Johnson were both named third-team ACC, which seems about right. Johnson is the only player to have gotten better this year, and was the only other reliable Tar Heel on the floor versus the Devils besides Paige. Offensively Johnson is confident and has some great moves, is as athletic as you would imagine a state high jump champion to be, and does the work on the glass. But this team has been undone by a lack of progress from Kennedy Meeks and T.P. Tokoto and spotty  play from everyone else in the rotation: Britt, Jackson, Berry, James, Pinson. None of those guys are reliable contributors game to game. At the end of a season you should see more development from all the players, but especially from Meeks and Tokoto. Both could and should have been All-ACC players but instead they have looked lost down the stretch.
3. Which of course is maybe our biggest problem. In addition to being un-Dean in terms of players, it also appears that this team is very un-Carolina at the end of games. Your typical Tar Heels squad - the pre-broken wrist 2012  Kendall Marshall squad is probably the most recent example - is a well-oiled, smart and poised machine at the end of the season. But not this one. The late-game melt downs at Duke, at Louisville, and at home versus Virginia, State and the Devils could not be more frustrating or vexing. Of course, this problem is the sum of the first two issues. Who are these guys making all these unforced errors? Their jerseys say Carolina so my eyes believe it but my gut, my heart and the Carolina-blue blood coursing through my veins does not.

So what's next? It's hard to be optimistic at this stage of the season. To win the ACC tournament the Heels would have to go through Louisville (doable; we've practically beaten them twice already), Virginia (also doable especially if Meeks and Tokoto show up), and Duke. One of Dean's sayings is it's hard to beat a team three times in one season so I would love our chances to prove Dean right (again) and get some revenge against the Devils.

Even if this happens it's hard to imagine us going more than 2 or 3 games deep in the NCAAs. Another example of how un-Dean and un-Carolina team this teams seems to be. As sad as those 3 issues just discussed THAT may be the saddest admission of them all. 

Despite all that - GO HEELS!

Bad News for Wizards

Terrible news this morning regarding NBA All-sTar Heel Antawn Jamison. His shoulder injury is not expected to heal as quickly as originally expected, and 'Twan will likely miss a few games to star the season.

Though I hadn't blogged about them yet, I am looking forward to the start of the Wizards' season with Arenas, Jamison, favorite-NBA-player Brendan Haywood and Butler expected back on the floor. But this team seems incredibly snake bitten.

BTW - don't forget to vote for your favorite Wizards player, too.

Hard to remember that "just" three seasons ago, prior to Arenas' first injury, the 'Zards had the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Of course, I'm also excited about watching the '09 Heels play on the next level, especially Danny Green and Tyler Hansbrough. I hope to StubHub - have had great luck using StubHub to Wizards games - tickets when Cleveland and Indiana come to town. And I imagine I will be the only fan in the building (besides Evan) primarily there to watch the Cavaliers second most famous due, Danny Green and Jawad Williams.

2005 Team Redux

In the wake of Carolina's win on Monday, there have been a lot of comparisons between the 2005 and 2009 squads.  The similarities are obvious: May=Hansbrough; Felton=Lawson; McCants=Ellington; Marvin Williams=Davis, even Thomas=Drew II. 

The comparison's break down at cousin Jackie Manuel and Danny Green. Manuel and Marcus Ginyard match up but there was no one on the 2005 team quite as versatile as Green.  That fact may put the 2009 Tar Heels ahead of the 2005 champs. 

The other place the comparison breaks down is with Jawad Williams and Deon Thompson.  Though they had similar stats - and coincidentally both torched Michigan State in the first half of a Final Four game - Jawad was more of an outside threat while Deon is almost exclusively a low-post player.

I've saved Jawad for last as a way of celebrating the news that the Cleveland native has signed with his hometown Cavaliers for the remainder of the season.  Jawad had a cup of coffee with the Cavs earlier this season, and has played all over the last four years (Spain, Japan and Israel)  but primarily in the D-League. He was recently called up from that league's Grand Valley franchise when anti-Heel/former NC State karma wrecker J.J. Hickson was lost for the season due to injury.

Jawad is the sixth member of the 2005 national champs to play in the NBA, joining the stars of that team (May, McCants, Felton and Marvin) and David Noel (who spent a season with Milwaukee and is currently playing with the Reno Bighorns in the D-League).  

Despite Green's versatility having six NBA players - though in fairness only Felton and Marvin Williams are starters and consistent contributors to their teams - may give the edge to the 2005 champs.

Either way, GO HEELS!