Those analytics are accurate as far as they go; but they are also a self-fulfilling prophesy. Your better shooters in the NBA rarely take any shots that are not 3s or layups. Lots of those low potency shots are being taken by guys whose best shot is in that hot zone under the goal. If the guys shooting 3s were shooting in the 12'-16' arc, those areas would be red as well. http://www.mavs.com/grantland-ranks-.er-in-the-nba/
Inability to make 3s is a liability to be sure. But the REAL liability is to continue shooting them when you KNOW you can't make them. If you only shoot 20% from 3s, you will always be better off not shooting any.
And you would be correct when, in fact, you don't have players who have proven they can make shots. But that's not what this team was. This team was the same team that led the league in three point percentage the year before. Players and fans alike, knew (and hoped) they would break out of it at any time.
We didn't know we couldn't make them. We had already proven we could.
When you are 1-11 in the first half, you know you aren't making them that day. Then you need a plan B.
Are you talking about as the season started or as the season wound down?
You know how some say a freshman is no longer a freshman when he has a whole season under his belt?
This team was an entire season removed from their 3-point pinnacle. They needed to recognize their new limitations and play to their current strengths.
If you are talking about as the season started, I agree with you.
Season stats. Looked at the 3 point shots made. Very eye opening.
http://ragincajuns.com/documents/201.ite.pdf?id=880
Its not that straightforward. The 3pt shot is valuable to stretch the defense. Even the threat of the shot is enough to open passing and driving lanes. To try to convert 3pt % or attempts into 2pt % or attempts is impossible. While a closer shot ie 2pt fg is usually a better percentage shot, the defense is also more compressed. Its just not that simple
The defense is not necessarily more compressed. There are a number of things you can do to create space that do not involve jacking up indiscriminate 3s. The spacing of your players will heavily influence the location of defenders, as will the movement of both players and the ball.
There are currently 3 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 3 guests)