Gaffney! WTH man?!!! | The Boneyard

Gaffney! WTH man?!!!

Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
6,299
Reaction Score
13,937
If you never watched a Uconn game but watched this game you would be sure Gaff is one of our best players , all conference and a budding star with 1rst round in his future.
Could someone please explain how we don't see this every game? Obviously not perfect but being a major factor in every game?
If this version of him shows up for the BET you might as well hand us the trophy ?now.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2015
Messages
3,410
Reaction Score
9,645
If you never watched a Uconn game but watched this game you would be sure Gaff is one of our best players , all conference and a budding star with 1rst round in his future.
Could someone please explain how we don't see this every game? Obviously not perfect but being a major factor in every game?
If this version of him shows up for the BET you might as well hand us the trophy ?now.
Good matchup. I also think some of it was due to Gtown not playing much D. Once Gtown was down 20 they didn't put much effort into D. They kept playing offense. Just stopping playing defense.

But the 3s Gaff hit were nice to see. He was hot. He frequently gets those type of shots. Today he obviously hit them. Hopefully he stays hot.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2021
Messages
343
Reaction Score
1,154
He can’t shoot (28-% career 3pt %) and hit a few today..... today was an outlier 3/3 from 3... let’s hope today is the norm going forward.
 

Chin Diesel

Power of Love
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
32,406
Reaction Score
97,215
This is the level of aggressiveness several of us, myself included, have been hoping for all year.

Not expecting him to make every shot, but when he catches with his feet squared I want him shooting. I want him filling the lanes and driving aggressively to the hoop. The dunk is a bonus but the aggressive running to the rim is something he can do.
 

hardcorehusky

Lost patience with the garden variety UConn fan
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
2,668
Reaction Score
13,098
Two things- (1) he isn't a natural point guard and when he plays the point, he isn't playing naturally and 2) when he is one of the main scoring options on the floor, he is more aggressive and usually can score.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
13,766
Reaction Score
143,919
We saw this athleticism in his high school mixtapes so if you paid attention during his recruitment, you probably knew he was capable of it. It just takes time for some players, especially those fringe top 100 guys. Also, it’s hard to keep it in perspective, but he just played in game 20 of his sophomore year (which usually takes place around late January in a normal year), in which there wasn’t really a normal off season and there’s been a few COVID breaks that disrupted the flow of the regular season. I think now that he’s starting to show some of that athleticism his confidence is building and we’ll see a different Gaffney the rest of the season.
 
Joined
Mar 5, 2015
Messages
264
Reaction Score
665
I been thinking it’s all a confidence thing with Gaffney. It be times he starts to drive and I get mad he isn’t attacking the basket. He be looking to pass. The more aggressive he is going to the basket, the better for us. When he is spotting up to shoot, I have got confident it’s a good chance he is hitting it.
 

gtcam

Diehard since '65
Joined
Sep 12, 2012
Messages
10,924
Reaction Score
28,873
He showed some speed and better footwork
NOTHING to take away from his impressive showing but the Gtown D was abysmal at best
But this should give his confidence somewhat of a boost
Good game for Gaff
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
1,485
Reaction Score
4,867
Two things- (1) he isn't a natural point guard and when he plays the point, he isn't playing naturally and 2) when he is one of the main scoring options on the floor, he is more aggressive and usually can score.
Hadn’t thought of this much since he’s always listed as a point guard or at least in my mind. But I think there’s a lot of truth to it. And add, like I said, he’s probably a really genuinely nice kid that prefers to defer and be a great teammate.
 

formerlurker

www.stjude.org
Joined
Aug 2, 2012
Messages
5,622
Reaction Score
27,357
This is the level of aggressiveness several of us, myself included, have been hoping for all year.

Not expecting him to make every shot, but when he catches with his feet squared I want him shooting. I want him filling the lanes and driving aggressively to the hoop. The dunk is a bonus but the aggressive running to the rim is something he can do.

He needs to play mad. Today he did.
 

ClifSpliffy

surf's up
Joined
Nov 9, 2018
Messages
9,512
Reaction Score
14,295
If you never watched a Uconn game but watched this game you would be sure Gaff is one of our best players , all conference and a budding star with 1rst round in his future.
Could someone please explain how we don't see this every game? Obviously not perfect but being a major factor in every game?
If this version of him shows up for the BET you might as well hand us the trophy ?now.
the quick version of the explanation.
 

MyDorona

The Hebrew Hammer
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
218
Reaction Score
1,424
Two things- (1) he isn't a natural point guard and when he plays the point, he isn't playing naturally and 2) when he is one of the main scoring options on the floor, he is more aggressive and usually can score.
100% this.

Last year, Gaff was pressed into PG duties after the Alterique Experiment failed and Danny realized that years of poor recruiting by the prior regime had left his cupboard bare of natural ball handlers. It's NOT his natural position, Danny just deduced that he needed CV off-ball (because, oops, our cupboard was also bare of scoring options) and Gaffney was one of the best ball handlers on the squad. It worked out very well for us the last dozen games of '19-20.

This year, he has to spell RJ at the point when RJ's resting because, again, the cupboard is bare. Rahsool will change that dynamic next season.

Every other game or so, Gaff flashes the ability, on one or two plays, of an athletic slasher from the wing. My hope is this will show more consistently, and that he continues to develop his outside shot, eventually spending 0 minutes a game at the point.
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2011
Messages
48,013
Reaction Score
161,486
Two things- (1) he isn't a natural point guard and when he plays the point, he isn't playing naturally and 2) when he is one of the main scoring options on the floor, he is more aggressive and usually can score.
He'll be playing mostly at shooting guard next season since we have Diggings coming in. Should see a major jump in his game.
 

McLovin

Gangstas, what's up?
Joined
Dec 3, 2018
Messages
2,770
Reaction Score
17,514
Gaffney’s only limitation is what’s going on between his ears. He has the athleticism and a great 3 point shot. He just needs to find his confidence. He will end up being a really valuable piece by the time he is a senior (either as a starter or off the bench).
 
Joined
Jan 29, 2021
Messages
860
Reaction Score
2,979
If you never watched a Uconn game but watched this game you would be sure Gaff is one of our best players , all conference and a budding star with 1rst round in his future.
Could someone please explain how we don't see this every game? Obviously not perfect but being a major factor in every game?
If this version of him shows up for the BET you might as well hand us the trophy ?now.
Strange isn't it? We have a couple of great looking players for highlight reels but then???? More consistency would benefit everybody. At this point in the season we aren't young anymore. Gaff's sure has a lot of upside and we saw some of that several times this season.
 
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
6,299
Reaction Score
13,937
Good matchup. I also think some of it was due to Gtown not playing much D. Once Gtown was down 20 they didn't put much effort into D. They kept playing offense. Just stopping playing defense.

But the 3s Gaff hit were nice to see. He was hot. He frequently gets those type of shots. Today he obviously hit them. Hopefully he stays hot.
I hear you but the point im making is he has shown flashes all season but also disappeared and looked lost at time. Itd be understandable if he was BA level ability wise but hes legit talented. Those 3s today how many times have we seen him pass those up? Or blow by a guy and get to the basket only to not do it again for the rest of the game? I think he really needs to get more aggressive. The only way you get better is be aggressive and live with your mistakes on the way and emerge on the other side a better player. Just ask RJ Cole.
 
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
6,299
Reaction Score
13,937
Strange isn't it? We have a couple of great looking players for highlight reels but then???? More consistency would benefit everybody. At this point in the season we aren't young anymore. Gaff's sure has a lot of upside and we saw some of that several times this season.
Yeah i dont buy into the young stuff either. Iirc kemba had a starting five of one soph (Roscoe) and 3 freshmen (Oriahki,Lamb,Olander) with 2 more(Giffey, Bazz) freshmen getting a lot of minutes off the bench.
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
1,553
Reaction Score
13,330
He can’t shoot (28-% career 3pt %) and hit a few today..... today was an outlier 3/3 from 3... let’s hope today is the norm going forward.
In fairness, he’s shooting 37% from 3 this year. I’ve always thought he’d be a solid role player. If he can shoot about 40% from 3 and continue to play as assertively as he did today, he’ll really help fill the scoring void that will be left by Bouknight after this year.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
2,268
Reaction Score
6,031
He is inconsistent and still finding his way - all signs of a young player. The thing is, as fans, we see glimpses of his ability and it drives us nuts that we don't see it all the time.

Hurley is going to get the best out of Gaffney. And since this year doesn't count, that means more game time for Gaffney, more learning and more time for Coach to mold him during the years he's here.
 

Dream Jobbed 2.0

“Most definitely”
Joined
May 3, 2016
Messages
14,827
Reaction Score
55,739
Yeah i dont buy into the young stuff either. Iirc kemba had a starting five of one soph (Roscoe) and 3 freshmen (Oriahki,Lamb,Olander) with 2 more(Giffey, Bazz) freshmen getting a lot of minutes off the bench.
You have Rosco and Oriakhi’s classes swapped
 

formerlurker

www.stjude.org
Joined
Aug 2, 2012
Messages
5,622
Reaction Score
27,357
the quick version of the explanation.


Him and Robin Leach are two old men I consider a big part of my childhood, in a non creepy way.

The Grey Poupon and Charmin dude too!

I'm starting to think the 70's TV Illuminati was grooming me..

family guy queue GIF
 

jleves

Awesomeness
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
4,253
Reaction Score
15,065
Good matchup. I also think some of it was due to Gtown not playing much D. Once Gtown was down 20 they didn't put much effort into D. They kept playing offense. Just stopping playing defense.

But the 3s Gaff hit were nice to see. He was hot. He frequently gets those type of shots. Today he obviously hit them. Hopefully he stays hot.
Wait a second. The D was good until they got down 20 points and then they stopped playing D?
 

Online statistics

Members online
583
Guests online
3,617
Total visitors
4,200

Forum statistics

Threads
155,773
Messages
4,031,116
Members
9,864
Latest member
Sad Tiger


Top Bottom