See this is the problem with the current fan/front office mentality of this team. They think we can't win without "Superstar 2" so don't bother coaching aspects of the game that don't fit what the stats say. Why not try coaching post scoring or mid range shooting for games? Oh the stats say the league is moving away from that, sure a few of our guys actually have it in their play styles from before, we just want them to shoot 3s or layups/dunks unless there is no time on the clock. Why is our defense so bad? The stats say if we play run and gun, we will get the ball back faster and can potentially score or our personnel doesn't play defense other then Asik or Parsons, so it isn't our coaches faults for not enforcing/teaching it. You can't win based on just stats and this jump shooting style of play, we need coaches that are willing to coach our team into being more well rounded and not treat this team as a experiment or fantasy sports team.
Great thread on questioning coaches' system. I had said similar thing before they allowed 2Pat to take midrange jumpers. And I think the coaches are regressing back after 2Pat left. It's not a good thing to take away midrang games. It's better to give players freedom to make their own choice according to the defense and their confidence.
This thread is stupid because we won our 2 championships without a mid-range game. First championship was basically Hakeem in the post with Otis(no mid range game) cleaning up inside and 3 shooters. The Rockets were #1 in the NBA in 3 pointers atempted. Second championship was basically Hakeem in the post and Clyde as the T-Mac role for iso/penetration/PnR. Again with shooters. Again, the Rockets were #1 in the NBA in 3 pointers attempted Neither Rockets championship team featured a floor spreader with a mid-range game. We kicked Orlando's ass when they had Horace Grant shooting the mid-range shot. We beat the Knicks when they had Oakley shooting the mid-range shot. Of all the fans to complain about needing mid-range game, we should be the last. Because we saw the best successes in our franchise history with an offensive mindset of 3s and inside shots.
this team doesn't have a low post monster named hakeem olajuwon. our inside game is based on dribble penetration which is easily negated during slowed down pace games. and no, dwight isnt the answer either
Against the Bucks, I think Worrell or Bull asked Drexler if Lin had the green light to pull up and take those midrange shots. It made me wonder if the coaches are just that stubborn about shots at the rim and three-point shots that Lin doesn't take them considering Drexler had to be questioned about it. He took those shots all the time last season. Hubie Brown used to rave over Lin's mid-range game last season. But, he rarely takes them anymore.
And that is why we're not a championship team, not because of this dumb "no mid-range game" crap people spew like gospel. Plenty of teams shoot gazillion 15ft jumpers. Only championship caliber teams feature the likes of Hakeem, Shaq, Duncant, etc. in the middle for consistent, easy points.
This year's favorites to win it all this year (Thunder and Heat) do not have that caliber of player in the middle. The league has changed from the dominant big man days.
I agree that a couple of decent mid-range shooters that can stop and pop or catch and shoot off the screen would help take some of the pressure off of the offense when 3's aren't falling. I also think D-Mo can develop a mid-range game - he seems to be able to adapt his offense pretty well.
So your answer is basically, "Yes, you can win a championship without a midrange game IF YOU HAVE HAKEEM." Can't argue with that.
The mid-ranged game is important if you're a P&R ball handler. While you can theoretically start it at the 3 point line, it just take a longer distance to get in the hoop for both the handler and the roller. It gives the defense more time to prepare for it while limiting the ball-handler's option if he's not allow to shoot the mid-ranged J. Great P&R PGs like CP3 and Nash all have a great mid-ranged game. As a side note, that's why Harden's special. The Beard, most of the time, can just bulldoze his way to the rim with his euro step at will, even if he's start his pick far away. For spotting up and off screen, however, it's better to just try for an extra point... unless you're happen to be at the spot and you're wide open.
The "no mid-range game" people are also probably the people who argue against going for it on 4th and 1 from 40 yards out, but only when it doesn't work, even though every single piece of statistics say it's +ev to do so. We have players that can shoot midrange shots, they're just not shooting them because they're bad shots. When you have a stretch 4 that can shoot 3s, they're going to shoot the 3. Scola and Bosh shoot midrange shots when they're open because they can't shoot the 3.
What do the stats say about shots in the low post?.... IIRC a hook shot from 3 feet is a very high percentage shot, and can even get an and-1 FT.
So what do you think is stopping us from winning the championship? 1. Another star/superstar? 2. More mid-range jumpers?
So what's the difference between the Heat and the Thunder and the Rockets? 1. We don't shoot enough mid-range jumpshots? 2. We don't have multiple superstars that get to the rim ala Lebron, Wade, Durant, and Westbrook?
