Michigan Basketball: Could Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman play PG?
Michigan basketball needs to figure out its point guard position and one solution could be allowing Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman to handle the ball more.
Michigan basketball has to be happy with the way its freshmen class is playing so far this season, especially Jordan Poole. Yet, one cloud that continues to hang over the Wolverines is a glaring lack of clarity at the point guard position.
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While Michigan basketball has effectively made Eli Brooks the starting point guard, Poole is the freshman that needs more playing time. Brooks has done a nice job, but it’s hard to say he’s the long-term answer for this team, this season.
Brooks definitely deserves minutes. But the Wolverines best lineup right now, might just feature Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman playing the point. That could allow Poole to play the other guard spot, with Moe Wagner, Duncan Robinson and Charles Matthews playing in the frontcourt.
Obviously, this can’t be the Wolverines lineup all the time. Brooks still deserves to play, so does Isaiah Livers, Xavier Simpson and others. But when it comes to crunch time, a lineup that features MAAR, Poole, Robinson, Matthews and Wagner has some serious offensive capabilities.
And as far as Abdur-Rahkman is concerned, making plays with the ball is already one of his strong suits. The senior guard is currently fourth on the team in scoring with 9.8 PPG, but is also tied for the lead in assists with 3.6. He shares that spot with Matthews. Simpson is third with 2.3, followed by Robinson at 1.6 and Brooks at 1.5.
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So why not let MAAR handle the ball more? If it could allow Poole, who is getting just 10 minutes a night, more time on the floor, why not?
The freshman wing is the fifth-leading scorer for Michigan basketball at 7.6 PPG. He’s doing that, despite ranking eighth in minutes per game.
Poole would help the late-game scoring issues Michigan had in two of its three losses (Ohio State and LSU). UM lost a nine-point lead late against the Tigers and a four-point lead against the Buckeyes. Of course Michigan also led by as many as 20 against Ohio State in the first half.
But back to the point, Poole needs more run, period. He can get to the hoop, which is something the Wolverines, who rank 283rd in free throw attempts per game, desperately need.
This isn’t to say Brooks shouldn’t start and that Poole should. Just that in some situations, MAAR should take on point guard minutes to open up more time for Poole.
It’s obvious that trimming down the rotation won’t be as easy for head coach John Beilein this season. Not with 11 pretty solid players vying for minutes. But it’s also clear that Poole is fast becoming one of Michigan’s best players and needs more time on the floor.
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The freshman is a dynamic player and right now, the Wolverines can’t afford to let him sit on the bench when the game is decided. That’s what happened against the Buckeyes and Beilein can’t afford to let it happen anymore.