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Painter's Biggest Coaching Decision For Next Season

Purdue tried to play small at the 5 last year. They gave up 98 points to Kansas. Having a traditional big offers rim protection. That's why NBA teams use bigs who are virtually useless on offense. Haas is dominant on offense. He'll start and play close to 30 minutes per game unless Haarms or Jacquil exceed expectations.

I think the biggest decision is for Painter to finally use a zone defense.


Not the zone defense topic again...

Guys, we are NOT playing some. This group of seniors have played man their whole career at Purdue, Painter is not changing that in their senior year. We have some of the better man defenders in the conference, on our team, starting with Dakota.

Besides, idk if you watch some of the games with Haas at the 5 last year against a 5 who could somewhat shoot the 3, but he basically played an interior zone against those guys anyway while the rest of our team manned up. Painter won't have Haas on the perimeter, he'd rather lose a game because a below average big man 3pt shooter was going off behind the arc, than get eaten up inside because Haas is on the perimeter.
 
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Go back and watch a game from first half of Painter's Purdue career.....and then tell me a Big Ten coach that has changed their style more than Painter. He has made pretty drastic changes in style of play. Where does this myth come from that he always does things the same way?

You aren't going to see drastic changes next year....but you will in 2018-2019 season. Be dumb to drastically change a formula next year.

No, it wouldn't. A coach should play to the strengths of their personnel (offensively AND defensively) from season-to-season. That's what a guy named Krzyzewski does every season at Duke, as well as many other coaches. Painter doesn't make any drastic changes with how his teams defend. That hinders Purdue.
 
I agree. Not only is haas not a shot blocker, but he's also not an intimidator, as he's not quick enough to get into position. See any game against slashing guards...we got eaten alive.

That's not to say he isn't valuable though.

I don't think people (ex: coaches) should expect a 7'2, 280 lb. guy (with good mobility for his size but average athleticism) to be an effective pick-and-roll (i.e. man-to-man) defender.
 
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No, it wouldn't. A coach should play to the strengths of their personnel (offensively AND defensively) from season-to-season. That's what a guy named Krzyzewski does every season at Duke, as well as many other coaches. Painter doesn't make any drastic changes with how his teams defend. That hinders Purdue.
Vince, Dakota, Carsen, Haas are the 4 best players on the team. Guess what....Painter is going to play to that strength. This isn't rocket science.

Go back and watch a game from Kramer/Baby Boiler era. You think that is the same defense we played last year?
 
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Vince, Dakota, Carsen, Haas are the 4 best players on the team. Guess what....Painter is going to play to that strength. This isn't rocket science.

Go back and watch a game from Kramer/Baby Boiler era. You think that is the same defense we played last year?

I know it isn't (the Purdue offense wasn't as prolific back then either, so this argument can go both ways) but they still got burnt a fair amount of times (Kramer included) in their man-to-man D back then as well. Look for the 2010 tourney game vs. Duke. Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith, Brian Zoubek, and the rest of those Duke guys were making the Boilers pay for the way that they played their man-to-man. They broke it down even more the previous season when the Boilers hosted them in the B1G/ACC Challenge. Painter doesn't have to have his teams play PG-full-court-pickup, followed by halfcourt man-to-man every single defensive possession.
 
I know it isn't (the Purdue offense wasn't as prolific back then either, so this argument can go both ways) but they still got burnt a fair amount of times (Kramer included) in their man-to-man D back then as well. Look for the 2010 tourney game vs. Duke. Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith, Brian Zoubek, and the rest of those Duke guys were making the Boilers pay for the way that they played their man-to-man. They broke it down even more the previous season when the Boilers hosted them in the B1G/ACC Challenge. Painter doesn't have to have his teams play PG-full-court-pickup, followed by halfcourt man-to-man every single defensive possession.
I am convinced more than ever that you have never watched a Purdue game under Painter. Ever. There is just no way that someone could make the comments you do if you have ever seen a CMP team, especially here lately.
 
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I am curious, did you guys skim or actually read my post? I clearly said that in practice Haas needs to dribble some fast breaks and shoot some 3's. When coaching a sport you must also make it fun some of the time.

I hate to call you all racist, but you are. Now that I have your attention that is not a bad thing and you are not alone. 99.99999% of people see a 7 foot, born in the US white guy and they think white stiff. They think he can't dribble, shoot from the outside nor be athletic or quick. I think Haas can surprise you. Is Haas as quick and athletic as AJ? No! However,we need to coach him that way. Is Haas as quick and athletic as Nowitzki? Maybe! I would not consider Nowitzki quick or athletic, however Nowitzki was coached a different way and that is how we need to coach Haas.

Will Haas be leading fast breaks and shooting 3's by the time we play other teams in the Big Ten? The answer is... of course not. However, he will start hitting some mid-range shots with confidence. And when they come charging out at him, he will be able to dribble two steps in and flush with confidence.

My prayer is that Haas reads this and wants to start implementing this. I wrote how he has to emulate Biggie, who did all these things. However, the biggest thing Haas has to emulate is to workout and practice more. He needs to grab Vince or Mathias and have them show him how to bring the ball up court with either hand and then how to dribble left and right to get off a 17 foot jump shot. At the same time, he needs to practice moving his feet defense against them when they are dribbling. When alone, he can practice his free throws and left hand hooks.

I see big things for Haas this year.
 
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fouling out is so over stated. who gives a shit if a guy fouls out? If you put him on the bench because of fouls you are essentially fouling him out anyway. Never understood the aversion to fouling out. Big whoop.
Depends who it is. Purdue was a very different team when Biggie went to the bench with foul trouble/after fouling out.
 
I know it isn't (the Purdue offense wasn't as prolific back then either, so this argument can go both ways) but they still got burnt a fair amount of times (Kramer included) in their man-to-man D back then as well. Look for the 2010 tourney game vs. Duke. Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith, Brian Zoubek, and the rest of those Duke guys were making the Boilers pay for the way that they played their man-to-man. They broke it down even more the previous season when the Boilers hosted them in the B1G/ACC Challenge. Painter doesn't have to have his teams play PG-full-court-pickup, followed by halfcourt man-to-man every single defensive possession.
This is nonsense. Painter's defensive scheme last season was very different than what he used in 2010. Pinter has adapted because of the way hand checks/ride outs another defensive fouls are now called. The NCAA wants more freedom-of-motion. You can't grab and check like you could then. In essence, Painter now plays a hybrid zone against some teams. It's not a Syracuse-style zone, but it is a hybrid-style zone dictated by the way fouls are called.
 
I think Haas can surprise you. Is Haas as quick and athletic as AJ? No! However,we need to coach him that way. Is Haas as quick and athletic as Nowitzki? Maybe! I would not consider Nowitzki quick or athletic, however Nowitzki was coached a different way and that is how we need to coach Haas.
There is a lot more than style of coaching separating the production of Haas vs. Nowitzki. A tractor and a Subaru are different vehicles... I'll just leave it at that.

Also, your "maybe" above only makes sense if you're using it the same way your parents would use it on a Tuesday night when you asked if you could do something on Saturday that they had no intention of letting you do... you know, when it meant "no".
 
This is nonsense. Painter's defensive scheme last season was very different than what he used in 2010. Pinter has adapted because of the way hand checks/ride outs another defensive fouls are now called. The NCAA wants more freedom-of-motion. You can't grab and check like you could then. In essence, Painter now plays a hybrid zone against some teams. It's not a Syracuse-style zone, but it is a hybrid-style zone dictated by the way fouls are called.
Yep, and in addition Painter's personnel last year was vastly different from Baby Boiler era. Other than CE we didn't have much quickness on perimeter.....and Biggie and Haas weren't capable of covering near as much ground as JJ. Painter adapted to his personnel.

Arguably no Big Ten coach has changed his style of play more than Painter.
 
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Is Haas as quick and athletic as Nowitzki? Maybe! I would not consider Nowitzki quick or athletic said:
When I played HS basketball a long time ago, my coach told me how to play under the basket. I went to a basketball camp run by the Head Coach of Army. They had me play like a shooting guard. I came back to HS for my senior year with new skills and my coach went back to playing me under the basket. My strength was rebounding and I got a partial scholarship to a small college, but I had no quickness so I quit.

After college, I moved to NYC and the only readily accessible sport was basketball. The coach showed me some basic dribbling moves to create my own jump shot or layup. I was soon paid as a ringer, because I looked like a stiff, but was strong enough to control the boards and I could now score.

My regret was back then you listened to your coach and I did rather than listen to Bobby Knight. I had the ability, but not the confidence. Dirk is not more athletic than Isaac. However, Isaac will never be the jump shooter Dirk is, because Dirk was taught at a much younger level, BUT I do believe Isaac will improve and improve dramatically.
 
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Arguably no Big Ten coach has changed his style of play more than Painter.
There is a lot of truth to what you posted however there are those on here with an agenda that will never see it.

I forget what thread it was in, but someone else posted that we in fact play a bit of zone already as we do sagging man-to-man. That is direct evidence that things have changed as we used to be much more straight up man.

We've also changed on offense which is evident by the type of players we are going after and have on the team, the amount we are scoring and how we are scoring.

There is a massive amount of evidence showing Painter adapts and changes quite a bit and anyone saying he is stubborn and doesn't change flat out has their head up their bum.
 
I don't think people (ex: coaches) should expect a 7'2, 280 lb. guy (with good mobility but average athleticism) to be an effective pick-and-roll (man-to-man) defender.
Haas is not a good defender in ball screens and perhaps not "effective" in ball screens. Haas is not going to do well in space to cover...wherever that space is
 
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There is a lot of truth to what you posted however there are those on here with an agenda that will never see it.

I forget what thread it was in, but someone else posted that we in fact play a bit of zone already as we do sagging man-to-man. That is direct evidence that things have changed as we used to be much more straight up man.

We've also changed on offense which is evident by the type of players we are going after and have on the team, the amount we are scoring and how we are scoring.

There is a massive amount of evidence showing Painter adapts and changes quite a bit and anyone saying he is stubborn and doesn't change flat out has their head up their bum.
I've went into so much extensive typing in man and Zone and match-up zone that it boggles my mind. Everyone has an opinion...no matter how it is formed. Personally, I see Matt tweak things rather than drastic changes. When I see Matt play extensive zone, trap out of a zone and zone press then I will know he made drastic changes...which few coaches do. When I see him not seek a balance of inside, outside threats I'll know he has changed offensively. When Matt becomes Fran on recruiting and defense...he will have changed defensively. When Matt becomes a Crean on offense he will have changed offensively.
 
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This is nonsense. Painter's defensive scheme last season was very different than what he used in 2010. Pinter has adapted because of the way hand checks/ride outs another defensive fouls are now called. The NCAA wants more freedom-of-motion. You can't grab and check like you could then. In essence, Painter now plays a hybrid zone against some teams. It's not a Syracuse-style zone, but it is a hybrid-style zone dictated by the way fouls are called.

The only "major" differences I've noticed is that Purdue's man D has been saggier the past couple of seasons and there was less help-side double-teams this past season compared to the teams from the '06-'07 through '11-'12 seasons era. In essence, it's still man D all the time as opposed to a true zone formation(s). There are clearly times/possessions when they could benefit from changing it up.
 
Yep, and in addition Painter's personnel last year was vastly different from Baby Boiler era. Other than CE we didn't have much quickness on perimeter.....and Biggie and Haas weren't capable of covering near as much ground as JJ. Painter adapted to his personnel.

Arguably no Big Ten coach has changed his style of play more than Painter.

If that's true, that's not saying much, especially when it comes to defense.
 
The only "major" differences I've noticed is that Purdue's man D has been saggier the past couple of seasons and there was less help-side double-teams this past season compared to the teams from the '06-'07 through '11-'12 seasons era. In essence, it's still man D all the time as opposed to a true zone formation(s). There are clearly times/possessions when they could benefit from changing it up.
Do you see Purdue hedge hard on screen action like during the Baby Boiler days? No. We aren't using the same scheme, whether you want to admit it or not.
 
Do you see Purdue hedge hard on screen action like during the Baby Boiler days? No. We aren't using the same scheme, whether you want to admit it or not.
These are still all schemes within THE MAN-TO-MAN. Any tweaks within the same base defense that's been used for years does not equate as significant changes to me. A significant change would be to practice and incorporate completely different defensive schemes (for half-court or full-court).
 
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These are still all schemes within THE MAN-TO-MAN. Any tweaks within the same base defense that's been used for years do not equate as significant changes to me. A significant change would be to practice and incorporate completely different defensive schemes (for half-court or full-court).
o_O
 
Haas is not a good defender in ball screens and perhaps not "effective" in ball screens. Haas is not going to do well in space to cover...wherever that space is

Did you watch the games last year? Haas did a great job with ball screens in stepping up and slowing down the dribbler, when he was playing aggressive. When he started sitting for fouls, he became passive for a couple of games, but then became aggressive again.

The problem was when we played Michigan. Wagner set ball screens and then floated out to the 3 point line and Biggie wanting to clog the middle and get rebounds did not follow him and he hit a couple. Later Wilson did the same to Haas. Purdue's D was such. Everyone got on Haas' case when Wilson hit two 3's and made two spinning layups. However, everyone forgot how in the 2nd half. Haas went out on him and he missed his 3 and then he made a spin move on Haas and Biggie picked his pocket. This was one of MP's strengths - adjustments. However MP's mindset not to play Haas, Biggie and Vince together was puzzling. I think MP went overboard trying to make sure that 2 of the 3 would not get in foul trouble after Smotherman left.

The year with more big bigs, I think MP will allow Haas to be more aggressive and I think we will see a different Haas that will surprise you.
 
Painter has not drastically reinvented his offense or defense or culture. Thankfully we have not needed to.

Painter went from an overly aggressive defensive approach that led to:
1) Being near the top of the Big Ten in steals
2) fouling a lot
3) lower tier rebounding team
4) often playing "small ball"
5) playing a center like JJ that hedged out to the top of the key....and still protected the basket

To a passive defense approach that led to:
1) less fouling (despite the game being called closer
2) near the bottom in big ten in steals generated
3) at or near the top of big ten in rebounding
4) playing bigger....less mobile centers

I wouldn't call these just tweaks. I know of no big ten coach that has changed his approach to defense more than Painter has.

The interesting thing is Painter has had success defensively with two radically different approaches to defense (and significantly different personnel. Albeit and few bad years in the transition to a different style of defense.
 
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Did you watch the games last year? .

No, never watched many and when I did I probably didn't know what I was seeing. I'm almost 63 and I could probably catch his leg on a drive. Haas has LOT of body to move and although everyone can improve their containment...Haas will always have trouble in a tightly called game on the drive. Haas is huge and has a great touch, but his size causes him to be slower than a guard driving the ball and his hand quickness can be a problem as well. I don't think he loses the ball on dribble or knocked out of his hands inside because he is not strong enough...but not quick enough when those physical plays are made quick.

Can a player play better when aggressive and not worrying about fouling out for those minutes he plays...sure, and like you suggested...Haas may very well play better next year under those conditions...and I hope he does. Still, if I'm a coach and get him moving in ball screens, passing or whatever, I want my player to drive the ball on him looking for a foul rather than backing away...I want the refs to make a call. If they start swallowing the whistle...great for Haas, but if they call it like the have the last couple of years it is tough for the big guy. I'm glad Purdue has Haas, but quickness is not a strength of his
 
Painter went from an overly aggressive defensive approach that led to:
1) Being near the top of the Big Ten in steals
2) fouling a lot
3) lower tier rebounding team
4) often playing "small ball"
5) playing a center like JJ that hedged out to the top of the key....and still protected the basket

To a passive defense approach that led to:
1) less fouling (despite the game being called closer
2) near the bottom in big ten in steals generated
3) at or near the top of big ten in rebounding
4) playing bigger....less mobile centers

I wouldn't call these just tweaks. I know of no big ten coach that has changed his approach to defense more than Painter has.

Yes, those adaptations by Coach Painter were discussed in that article. As stated there, he knew he needed to adapt to rule changes and a new incoming roster - as a third losing season in a row would not bode well.

He did practice a drastic change which was zone defense, but chose not to implement after just a handful of games.

Despite any changes recently, Coach has still retained much of the same vintage Purdue defensive culture. This is evident from Dakota Mathias' award to current recruit comments, such as Carmody stating:

“The things they value like toughness and playing hard on D, which is something that fits me really well with who I am.”
 
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Yes, those adaptations by Coach Painter were discussed in that article. As stated there, he knew he needed to adapt to rule changes and a new incoming roster - as a third losing season in a row would not bode well.

He did practice a drastic change which was zone defense, but chose not to implement after just a handful of games.

Despite any changes recently, Coach has still retained much of the same vintage Purdue defensive culture. This is evident from Dakota Mathias' award to current recruit comments, such as Carmody stating:

“The things they value like toughness and playing hard on D, which is something that fits me really well with who I am.”
The UCONN and Xavier tournament losses is what set Painter's change in philosophy in motion. That was before new rules.

He went "all in" on rebounding, after rebounding played a significant role in both those losses.

In the process he significantly changed the way Purdue plays offense and defense.

Although I do understand that for some the only way you can make a big change...is by implementing zone.

Others like me think there is a big difference in baby boiler/Kramer style defense compared to Bo Ryan style defense. Those aren't just small tweaks.
 
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The UCONN and Xavier tournament losses is what set Painter's change in philosophy in motion. That was before new rules.

He went "all in" on rebounding, after rebounding played a significant role in both those losses.

In the process he significantly changed the way Purdue plays offense and defense.

Although I do understand that for some the only way you can make a big change...is by implementing zone.

Others like me think there is a big difference in baby boiler/Kramer style defense compared to Bo Ryan style defense. Those aren't just small tweaks.
They may not be small tweaks, but they are tweaks...the player is primarily the focus in man, rather than court in pure zone.
 
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By that logic....everything is tweak. Even switching to zone would be a tweak.
A matchup would be a tweak, but a pure zone starts at the opposite end of the spectrum and when in opposite ends I consider that as drastic as possible...even though it too is not drastic in some senses. All that said...there is a hell of a lot of similarity between man, pure zone and match-up and if not considering opposite ends..then yes..all those are tweaks.

I mean all points happen with the ball...points made with the ball usually directly involve a player and those things happen at a higher percent in various areas of the court. So yes...all three attempt to move on D with the ball, with the man and with the position on the court...all tweaks, but with different emphasis
 
The UCONN and Xavier tournament losses is what set Painter's change in philosophy in motion. That was before new rules.

He went "all in" on rebounding, after rebounding played a significant role in both those losses.

In the process he significantly changed the way Purdue plays offense and defense.

Although I do understand that for some the only way you can make a big change...is by implementing zone.

Others like me think there is a big difference in baby boiler/Kramer style defense compared to Bo Ryan style defense. Those aren't just small tweaks.

So to achieve this change in philosophy, Coach Painter adds the following Power Forwards & Centers?
After Xavier:
None (noting Hart commits post tournament)

After Connecticut:
Bade, Marcius (commits post tournament)
Carroll
Lawson, Hale


For my stance, another example could be his early teams, and how he adapted the game plan based on the roster. Offensively, Carl Landry was fed and featured continually (his PPG and RPG not matched until Johnson's All American senior year). He then adapted and changed with that next roster of the Baby Boilers, and then developed them accordingly as well.
 
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So to achieve this change in philosophy, Coach Painter adds the following Power Forwards & Centers?
After Xavier:
None (noting Hart commits post tournament)

After Connecticut:
Bade, Marcius (commits post tournament)
Carroll
Lawson, Hale


For my stance, another example could be his early teams, and how he adapted the game plan based on the roster. Offensively, Carl Landry was fed and featured continually (his PPG and RPG not matched until Johnson's All American senior year). He then adapted and changed with that next roster of the Baby Boilers, and then developed them accordingly as well.
Conveniently leave out Hammons, Haas, and Biggie and Haarms. Yeah, no change there. You also leave out the guys he recruited but didn't land, and had to take Bade, Marcius, Carroll, Lawson, and Hale instead.
 
Conveniently leave out Hammons, Haas, and Biggie and Haarms. Yeah, no change there. You also leave out the guys he recruited but didn't land, and had to take Bade, Marcius, Carroll, Lawson, and Hale instead.

What? I don't believe I missed anyone, and only listed those who played for Purdue.

This is the sequential list of commits for the three classes after the losses mentioned. Hammons committed two and a half years after the Connecticut loss. Others you mention are closer to a decade - that would be quite a long term change in philosophy stemming from those two games, let alone after later rule changes and such.

All of the above viewpoints seem to paint Coach in a positive light. I just think he does quite well adapting to the recruits he does land, and can make his desired changes in a short time frame, rather than enduring many seasons of recruiting to achieve a drastic change.

Stay positive Boilermaker fans!
 
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No, it wouldn't. A coach should play to the strengths of their personnel (offensively AND defensively) from season-to-season. That's what a guy named Krzyzewski does every season at Duke, as well as many other coaches. Painter doesn't make any drastic changes with how his teams defend. That hinders Purdue.
You are wrong. He makes all kinds of changes. You just don't know enough to recognize it.
 
So to achieve this change in philosophy, Coach Painter adds the following Power Forwards & Centers?
After Xavier:
None (noting Hart commits post tournament)

After Connecticut:
Bade, Marcius (commits post tournament)
Carroll
Lawson, Hale


For my stance, another example could be his early teams, and how he adapted the game plan based on the roster. Offensively, Carl Landry was fed and featured continually (his PPG and RPG not matched until Johnson's All American senior year). He then adapted and changed with that next roster of the Baby Boilers, and then developed them accordingly as well.
I think your recruiting examples are tainted by the recruiting restrictions that hit about the same time. I might suggest that ANY recruits brought in this low period were all we could get with the lack of funding, and do not reflect the desires or direction of Painter.

You are better served by looking at the baby boilers, then bridging to the AJ Hammonds class. The garbage in between just shows how an administration can trash a good program by under funding it.
 
What? I don't believe I missed anyone, and only listed those who played for Purdue.

This is the sequential list of commits for the three classes after the losses mentioned. Hammons committed two and a half years after the Connecticut loss. Others you mention are closer to a decade - that would be quite a long term change in philosophy stemming from those two games, let alone after later rule changes and such.

All of the above viewpoints seem to paint Coach in a positive light. I just think he does quite well adapting to the recruits he does land, and can make his desired changes in a short time frame, rather than enduring many seasons of recruiting to achieve a drastic change.

Stay positive Boilermaker fans!
You don't just wave a magic wand and change the complexion of your roster.

Purdue was outrebounded by 11 in UCONN game. In that game you had JJ, Hummel, Calasan....and essentially a practice player in Reid.

Fast forward approximately 4 years later and there were 6 scholarship players on the roster that could only play the 4 &5 position. Bulk and size....won out over mobility in most of our centers after JJ.

You don't just randomly go from one of the best perimeter defense teams in country with rebounding issues at time.....to strong rebounding team that is a league cellar dweller in steals generated. There had to be a shift in philosophy.

Interesting enough it now appears Painter is going back to assembling a more athletic program for future. He will likely be successful with that transformation....just like he has with two vastly different styles already in his Purdue career.

Those that think Painter is afraid of change... haven't been paying attention. He changes more than most coaches.
 
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