Michigan State Basketball: Cassius Winston crucial to national title run
By Ian Olsen
In order for Michigan State basketball to succeed this season, Cassius Winston needs to shine.
If it doesn’t happen this year, it will happen next year, but the Cassius Winston breakout should happen now.
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He should play more, shoot more, and have the ball in his hands more.
Instead, he is placed in a perfunctory rotation where he promptly leaves the game at the first TV timeout, regardless of the score or offensive rhythm.
Without being granted the reigns, and developing the confidence and accountability that accompany, Winston is too often placed on the bench reverting to a smaller role and lower sense of duty, something he became well-accustomed to last season.
Because of their contrast in defensive ability, Winston and Tum Tum Nairn should continue to alternate possessions when necessary late in games, Winston for offense and Nairn for defense. And there may be times when an opponent’s guard is dominating that the two play together, allowing Nairn to defend the star opponent. But for the most part when Winston and Nairn are on the court together, neither knows who the facilitator is, resulting in a style atypical for a Tom Izzo offense.
Having Winston start the game knowing he’ll be out in four minutes does not show trust or encourage confidence. Unforced errors should always be addressed, but fear of being benched for inevitable turnovers should never hinder the aggressiveness of a gifted creator.
Defense will always be an issue for Winston, but the fact is the team averages its highest point margin with him on the court. Without being the team’s best player, he is undoubtedly its most important.
After proving to be the team’s most reliable player in crunch time, he should be the primary player to trust late offensively and be the first option to shoot free throws.
Before Nairn, all of Izzo’s starting points guards had at some point averaged more than 32 minutes a game, some surpassing 35. As an indispensable starter, Winston’s average should be bumped from 28 past 34.
And if another guy’s playing time was adjusted, “Winston-to-Ward” could become synonymous to “Stockton-to-Malone.”
Because he shoots the highest 2-point, 3-point, and free-throw percentages among the Spartan guards, Winston should look to shoot more.
Winston attempts threes primarily from catch-and-shoot opportunities. But at over 50 percent, he should shoot threes off ball screens and off the dribble. He can make midrange shots and floaters, and as he becomes more of a scoring threat he will draw defenders more and find better shots for teammates.
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The team is 19-3 and playing decently, but has sometimes been fundamentally outperformed and forced to save itself by simply having more talent than its opponent. If Winston can breakout this season rather than next season, the team will be in a better position to win both the conference and national championships.