Yes, I have been playing for a while and yes I've run zone for a while. Question is should this def be better than it is?
https://www.whatifsports.com/hd/TeamProfile/Ratings.aspx?tid=14347. My PG and SG have SP, my SF has Ath/Def. Yes Hazard is below avg. in Ath, that's why I run 3-2 right now. Giving up 46fg%, should I go 2-3, but that leaves Hazard by himself. Should I run slowdown. Think this starting 5 should be better than my record. Yes my backups are FR. Any thoughts

With only 4 upperclassmen, I would definitely consider slowdown to lean as heavy as possible on those A level IQ. I suspect that’s most of the reason you feel like you’re underachieving.

FWIW, I’d be running a 3-2 with Heater and Ramirez down low, and Hazard off the bench, moving Bianchi to start at the 3. Not a cure all, but I think that improves your defense a little, overall.

HMmm, I like that idea of Ramirez at the 4. Never thought of that. Thanks Shoe

Ramirez is a stud 4 IMO. Best player on your team and wasted at the 3.

I just thought with that low BLK that he wouldn't be good at the 4 in a zone.

Posted by terps21234 on 9/19/2020 8:34:00 AM (view original):
I just thought with that low BLK that he wouldn't be good at the 4 in a zone.

I'd say on the flip side, that with the ath advantage he's a better rebounder and shot blocker than Heater. I like playing a high ath SF at 4 in a 3-2. Ben Friday on my St. John's (edit: that's the D3 MN St. John's) team plays at the 4 even with the 39 reb number (he pulls over 4 rpg in just over 20 mpg at D3) and with only 26 blk has still blocked 12 shots on the year (not great, but at least a bit of production).

Cool, always learning something new. Thanks guys

In zone, I would probably avoid him at C in a 2-3, with a BLK that low. More BLK is good, as with everything, of course, but for the forwards in 2-3, and for the bigs in a 3-2, I still have athleticism, rebounding, and defense quite a bit higher than BLK.

So the big question for me is who hurts you less getting more minutes - Bianchi at the 3, or Hazard at the 5. I think the former, by my calculations, is pretty clearly the less harmful for your defense at this point, and you don’t need another offensive weapon in your starting 5. That’s my reasoning. Being a freshman, his C+ IQ is still holding him back, but with only 4 upperclassmen, your options are kind of limited. I’ll take the 20+ extra points of athleticism as a trade off for the 2/3 IQ grade pretty fast, but it’s not as much of a slam dunk as it would be if these two were in the same class.

Thanks shoe, I know my IQ's are low, but my starting 5 I thought was above avg. I'm not going anywhere with this team this year, maybe I was weighing BLK too much for PF and C in a zone. Def playing better and have better rotation down low. Hazard seems to play better against back ups. That low Ath is killing him. Yes I know BLK is more important in zone, but with this squad I just don't have it. Need better recruiting class this offseason