Plain And Simple - John Calipari Lost This Game For Kentucky
Plain and simple, it's one of the rare times that John Calipari just flat out lost a game for Kentucky. This isn't playing the Harrison twins over Devin Booker, which is the biggest myth in the world, because Booker couldn't defend and was in a massive shooting slump while the Harrison twins were winning games. This was coaching malpractice. This was refusing to see what's going on. This was the worst fucking thing I've ever seen from a coach - including NFL coaches punting on 4th and inches last week.
Playing Olivier Sarr, refusing to play Dontaie Allen makes no sense. It was something that Cal can't twist. He lost this game. His coaching decision lost this game. Olivier Sarr is the softest player to ever play the game of basketball and it isn't close. I was 100% fooled by his empty calorie stats at Wake Forest. He stinks. He sucks. BJ Boston? Yeah, the hype isn't there. He was supposed to be good, great even. Instead he has the worst hands I've ever seen. He was engaged for the first 20ish minutes and looked good. But then as Kentucky was in the moment where the game was being decided he just lazily threw a pass for a pick 6 layups. I'm sure he'll look better in the NBA, but as a college player he's the biggest bust of a high recruit ever at Kentucky. Yes, even more than Skal.
But this goes back to Cal. There's no explanation for what he's doing. None. I don't give a fuck what he says in the postgame press conference or this week. Yes, I will ride and die with Cal until he's no longer at Kentucky. But right now? He lost this game. He needs to change. Stop saying bullshit like you're giving guys in front of Dontaie Allen a chance to miss shots before he gets a chance. Allen is arguably Kentucky's best player. He's for sure their most important. Stop playing two bigs. For the love of all things holy stop playing lineups that consist of two bigs and Toppin. It's not tough. I promise you it isn't. Play Askew/Mintz/Allen/Toppin/Brooks - it works. Shit, don't believe me? How about Jordan who is one of the best guys out there about a 5-out offense this year:
Every fucking team but Kentucky is willing to adapt (and UNC to an extent). You need to start being more versatile. You have one of the best pure shooters in Dontaie Allen, who was the best player in the first half of this game. Waiting over 6 minutes to play him in the second half? That's where Calipari lost this game. Benching him after 3 minutes for a dogshit lineup? That's where Cal lost it again. It makes no sense.
Olivier Sarr can't play in games. He can't. He's softer than my 1-year old son's shit after blueberries. He can't defend. The offense when he's in the game revolves around trying to post him up, which he can't do, and then shitty entry passes leading to turnovers. This is about next year and the future. Askew/Ware/Allen/Toppin will and should all be back next year. Play those four. The starting lineup should be Askew/Mintz/Allen/Brooks/Ware. Bring Boston in for Allen or Brooks, bring Jackson in for Ware, bring Toppin in for Brooks. That's the rotation. Sarr doesn't deserve to play right this second. He's our 3rd best big.
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This was a game Kentucky should have won. You limit what Auburn does from three. You made Sharife Cooper look like a freshman in his 3rd game for the majority of the game. But this? This is a fucking disgrace
11 minutes for Jackson! 23 for Allen! Fucking unreal. Sarr should play 5 minutes and that's only if there's foul trouble. Boston should not be playing 27 a game right now. You can't defend this. There's not one thing here you can defend. Don't believe me? How about one of the, if not the, best draft evaluators out there?
4-8. Fucking embarrassing. This one though? This one is on Calipari and no matter what he says it'll be bullshit. His decision to refuse to adapt is why we're here. Modernize the offense, stop playing two bigs and play your best players, novel concept I know. So fucking stupid.