Can’t afford to keep Joey on the bench because of his shooting this year. And you can’t afford to have him on the court because he’s still such a defensive liability. Challenging situation for Izzo for sure, as you’d have to believe that he cringes watching these continuous lapses and seemingly mediocre efforts on the defensive side of the court, knowing he needs him out there to make the offense work optimally.
What gets to me is watching Sissoko’s defensive transformation in one offseason. Yet Joey has been here for multiple seasons and the defensive effort and ability has basically improved none. And no, he doesn’t have some of the physical tools that Mady has, but defense is so much more effort than anything else. Joey seems reluctant to be physical in post defense, and his perimeter close outs seem so lethargic and casual. Everything about him on defense screams casual, and that tells me he has the potential to be better. But then again, if Izzo can’t get it out of him, then the odds are that maybe he is at his defensive ceiling.
He is so frustrating to watch, yet there is no question that without his offense, we would not have won some of the games we have won. I just wish we could have seen even a 25% improvement in defensive ability, and it could have made a big difference.
What gets to me is watching Sissoko’s defensive transformation in one offseason. Yet Joey has been here for multiple seasons and the defensive effort and ability has basically improved none. And no, he doesn’t have some of the physical tools that Mady has, but defense is so much more effort than anything else. Joey seems reluctant to be physical in post defense, and his perimeter close outs seem so lethargic and casual. Everything about him on defense screams casual, and that tells me he has the potential to be better. But then again, if Izzo can’t get it out of him, then the odds are that maybe he is at his defensive ceiling.
He is so frustrating to watch, yet there is no question that without his offense, we would not have won some of the games we have won. I just wish we could have seen even a 25% improvement in defensive ability, and it could have made a big difference.
