Who is your starting five?

Submitted by champswest on
We will likely see many different starting line-ups this year since we now have the depth. Who do you think will start the opener on Thursday. My prediction is: Burke, Vogrich, Hardaway, Robinson and Morgan. Edit update: Trey Burke is suspended for the NMU game.

tbeindit

October 31st, 2012 at 12:47 PM ^

Horford only started the first game.  He played deep into the non-conference schedule before he suffered his season-ending injury.  Horford played some solid defense, but he was pretty ineffective on the offensive side, which is why I think Beilein picked Morgan as the main guy.  I think Horford has a shot at getting some starting time if he improves (seems likely), but I don't agree with many people when they have him starting at the 4 spot.  His body fits better there because of Morgan and McGary's massive frames, but he doesn't have the offensive firepower in my opinion to do well there.  I anticipate he will be Michigan's best 6th man this year.

mpbear14

October 31st, 2012 at 2:02 PM ^

IMO, Horford will average between 8-12 minutes a game...   He will have games where he gets a lot of minute because of foul trouble on Mitch or Jordan, but there will be games where he will play very little because he simply isn't very good.

Blue boy johnson

October 31st, 2012 at 2:24 PM ^

Not to get hung up on terms, but Stauskas isn't a PG; he does have a nice handle, but a PG is something that he ain't. Stauskas would have no chance defensively against a top notch point guard, and it wouldn't be playing to his strengths offensively to play the Point. Nothing against Stauskas, I just kinda doubt he's ever played PG. Stauskas is a 2 or a 3 all day.

Just the same, Spike might have a nice jumper (he does actually), but that doesn't make him a 2, Spike is a PG.

MGoDC

October 31st, 2012 at 11:36 AM ^

With the caveat that McGary's knee is okay, I'd like to see:

Burke, Hardaway, Robinson, McGary, Morgan

With Spike, Vogrich, Caris, Horford, McLimans, and Stauskas as a legitimate 11 deep lineup coming off the bench. Who knows, maybe even Akunne or Bielfeldt will get some significant minutes against not-so-great competition.

When's the last time Michigan's 11th best player was someone like Caris Levert or McLimans or Stauskas? When Belein started I think those guys might've even been as high as the #3 player on the team (after Manny. Exciting times.

MGoDC

October 31st, 2012 at 11:43 PM ^

May be true. My reasoning for leaving it at McLimans/Stauskas/Levert as the 9th/10th/11th was:

Spike -- super important position. Maybe he isnt as talented but I think he will be far higher than he 11th most important person.

Horford -- if you believe the hype, he has moved into the top-6 (if not the top-5).

Vogrich -- mostly giving him the benefit of the doubt with experience and solid play last year.

But you're right, the fact that any of these 6 players would, by default, be our 11th best player, is freaking crazy. Any of these 6 would probably be in the top-7 at most teams in the country.

Blue_MQT

October 31st, 2012 at 11:38 AM ^

If Horford's knee is OK, we might see:

Burke

Hardaway

Robinson

Horford

Morgan (or McGary)

 

Burke seemed to indicate at media days that Horford was playing the 4 in their "Big" lineup, so I'm interested to see how that shakes out.

macgoblue10

October 31st, 2012 at 11:44 AM ^

1 - Burke

2 - Hardaway

3 - GR3

4 - McGary

5 - Morgan

Vogrich, Horford, Staukas, and Spike will be main contributors off the bench. Early on in the season expect to see Akune, McLimans, Caris, and Bielfeldt get minutes, but those will slowly dwindle away as the season goes on.

 

I expect Spike to play significant minutes during most of the season, which will probably mean Burke's individual numbers fall some but he should be much fresher in March. Last year he was running on fumes.

dinsdale613

October 31st, 2012 at 11:46 AM ^

Ill go with Burke, tim, vogrich, robinson, horford. That's a pretty athletic lineup apart from vogrich. I think he will eventually be replaced by stauskas or levert. And Morgan and McCarthy will get heavy minutes

flysociety3

October 31st, 2012 at 12:05 PM ^

The less I see Vogrich, the happier I am...

Burke, Hardaway, Glenn, McGary, Horford

Could also see Burke, Hardaway, Glenn, Stauskas, Horford if we go for a small lineup

Morgan/Stauskas/McGary off the bench

JHendo

October 31st, 2012 at 12:11 PM ^

Trey, Timmmay!, GRIII, White Thunder and Morgan. 

I think Vogrich and Horford come off the bench first (and Jon may possibly take that starting spot from Morgan with the way Beilein and co have been talking about him), followed by Stauskas, Akunne, Albrecht and McLimans, with everyone else maybe sprinkled in here and there.  I do believe though that once the big games start happening, Trey isn't going to let Eso or Spike get very much meaningful pt.

Frito Bandito

October 31st, 2012 at 12:13 PM ^

Fact. Hardaway will be playing the 3 in jbs offense.

1 trey
2 stauskus
3 thj
4 mm
5 Morgan

GrIII 6th man at the 3 and 4
Vogrich at back up 2
Horford at 5
Burke is going to get monster minutes at point but maybe spike backs him up, no idea.

trueblueintexas

October 31st, 2012 at 12:29 PM ^

To start the season I think you see:

Burke, Hardaway, Vogrich, Beilfeldt, Morgan (More expereince & known offensive skill sets) This also leaves McGary and GRIII to come off the bench together to take advantage of their expereince together. It also brings in very athletic high energy guys as your reserves.

By B1G depending on how people perform it may shift to:

Burke, Hardaway, GRIII, McGary, Morgan.

tbeindit

October 31st, 2012 at 12:50 PM ^

I agree with the experience argument for the first few games.  Beilein and all the players have discussed that there will probalby be a lot of revolving lineups through the first few games.  However, I don't see Bielfeldt starting a single game this year.  I think he will be a name that surprises a lot of people off the bench, but how would he possibly start over Horford?  Horford has more experience than Bielfeldt if you're going with that argument. 

I could see Vogrich sliding into the starting lineup the first few games, but I really think GR3 and even Stauskas are probably better options in the long run.  Vogrich was very inconsistent and if he's not making 3 pt shots, he's not that much of a weapon.  He's plays decent defense, but I wouldn't be surprised a bit if GR3's defense is already better.

trueblueintexas

October 31st, 2012 at 2:24 PM ^

The reasoning behind Bielfeldt vs. Horford is that Morgan and Horford's games are very similar. Beilfeldt offers something different and he has a year in the system. Not saying you could not see Horford and Morgan on the floor at the same time, but I would bet Morgan & Horford play the same 5 position and split time, while the 4 position eveutally get's rotated between McGary, GRIII and Beilfedlt depending on what Beilein wants on the floor.  In this scenario, Bielfeldt makes sense to get the early look.

Bigscotto68

October 31st, 2012 at 12:40 PM ^

I think lavert will enter starting lineup as season goes by, here is my tourney starting 5...

 

Trey, Caris, THJ, GRIII and Morgan/McGary

 

4 stallions and the clydesdale in the middle, how cool would it be to start the last two MR Basketball's from Ohio in Columbus...

goblue16

October 31st, 2012 at 2:44 PM ^

Amazing how hyped everyone is for the season! New arena great recruits and hopefully a few banners too! I have never seen this much excitement for MBB
Starting five= Burke, GR3, THJ, Horford, McGary