Louisville basketball: Three positives from loss to Georgia Tech

David Johnson continues to be the best playmaker

We talked about this last week after Louisville’s big victory over Virginia, but David Johnson is continuing to prove that he’s just better than everyone else- especially when it matters most.

Louisville’s offense was once again at a stalemate in this game, and Johnson was the guy who got things going for the Cards and he was almost solely responsible for Louisville even being in the game late.

“David’s our best playmaker,” Mack said in the Virginia postgame. “I mean, he just is. He can see who is helping in on-ball screens. I felt like defensively, although he’s a freshman, he can give us a little more length out there.”

Johnson did exactly that again in Atlanta.

While his teammates struggled to penetrate and were ice-cold from beyond the arc, Johnson remained patient. He got into the lane at will, drew fouls, distributed the ball beautifully, and scored some tough buckets.

He extended the game twice with tough takes to the rim with under a minute to play, and he made his opportunities count.

Johnson is unique in that he has a special skill set, and he also knows exactly how to use it. He is particularly crafty with the ball in his hands going downhill, and he will wait for his opportunities to come. It rarely feels like he forces things.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that in order for Louisville to reach its fullest potential, Johnson has to be a major factor, and Mack eluded in the postgame to potential lineup changes down the road.