Hoosier State of Mind
Fansided

Indiana Basketball: Lineup changes possible in near future?

By Alec Lasley

BLOOMINGTON, IN - NOVEMBER 09: Head coach Archie Miller of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts in the first half of the game against the Montana State Bobcats at Assembly Hall on November 9, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. The Hoosiers won 80-35. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - NOVEMBER 09: Head coach Archie Miller of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts in the first half of the game against the Montana State Bobcats at Assembly Hall on November 9, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. The Hoosiers won 80-35. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 10: The Connecticut Huskies and Indiana Hoosiers huddle during the first half their game at Madison Square Garden on December 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 10: The Connecticut Huskies and Indiana Hoosiers huddle during the first half their game at Madison Square Garden on December 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

Starting Lineup

There is no question that a change is needed for Indiana’s starting lineup. Too many times the first five-to-seven minutes of the game and second half have made a huge impact on the outcome and final score.

While it has basically been the same starting lineup after the first few games of the season, I think there is one glaring adjustment that is needed.

For the majority of his career, Devonte Green has been a bench player who has been able to come in and be an impulse scorer and shooter in his minutes out of reserve. This year however, Green has started almost every game he has played in, and at times it has worked, but for the majority of the first two months of the season, it hasn’t.

Related Story. Hoosiers' Success In Hands Of The Backcourt. light

What is the change? Someone who has a reserve role that hasn’t worked too well off of the bench. That is Rob Phinisee. A starter all of last year, Phinisee has been way out of sorts so far this season. Whether that be because of injuries or role, we need to find out and change things up to see if Phinisee’s effectiveness improves. With him in the starting lineup, it brings a true point guard to the floor and will allow for more of an offensive rhythm to start the halves.

What will this allow? Al Durham to become more of an off the ball scorer and attacker, helping get him in an early groove. It is no shock that the Hoosiers need a scorer on the wing and Durham needs to be that guy. He has proved that he has the ability to be a 13-15 point per game scorer but needs to be able to do it more consistently; getting started early will help. Thus far, the experiment of him trying to morph into a point guard hasn’t worked great, so taking some of that responsibility off of his shoulders should be better for his scoring ability.

For Green, if Durham and Phinisee are able to find those roles, or at least establish themselves as a consistent piece to the puzzle, all Green will have to worry about is his shot. We have seen the good and the bad for his entire career, and when he is on, all he is doing is shooting and not trying to create for others.

This move may not come, but it needs to in order to try to get some sort of cohesiveness with the starting unit.

Home/Indiana Basketball