To the editor:

Why does KU’s basketball team play so deliberately? It held Paul Pierce back when he was here. Look at him now: double digits almost every game for the Celtics.

Today’s Jayhawks pass around and around, stopping and holding the ball, looking for a cutter or a lob pass — way too much time for the defense to adjust. When on offense, the whole team — all five guys — should be moving, moving, moving. Someone’s going to get open.

Personally, I like zone defense. You know who to blame if you’re playing man and your guy shakes loose. Basketball is a team game and with a full court press and dropping back into a zone, you sometimes create some steals and easy baskets. Also, the longer it takes to bring the ball down, the less time the opposition has to do something with it.

Some fans were down on J.R. after the Iowa State game. They certainly have a short memory. The Dec. 15 headline read, “Mr. ‘Get it done’ Giddens.” At that time J.R. had hit 15 of 35 three-pointers for 42.5 percent in six games. He hit 74 of 182 last year for 40.7 percent. I guess it’s “what have you done for me lately,” huh?

Several years ago, one of the best shooters in the nation (it was either Indiana’s Steve Alford or Damon Bailey) was missing shot after shot. He looked over at Bobby Knight and shrugged his shoulders. Knight didn’t tell him to quit shooting.

These guys can shoot, just turn them loose.

Myron Feuerborn,

Lawrence