There's multiple ways to go to work/school: u can take public transpo, you can bring a car, you can walk, you can skateboard. Do you alternate the way you go to work? You walk 3 hours to get to work one, then bring a unicycle the next? Cuz if you don't then you are eliminating your options. Most people who say take the mid range have no idea what they're taking about. Mid range is what the opponent gives you, they love it when you take the mid range because not only is it harder than a 3pt shot, you need to score over 50% on mid range to equal an NBA average 33% 3pt shot. That means an elite/superstar level mid range shooter will only be equal to an average/bench level 3 pt shooter. When Ryan Anderson is bricking all the open 3 pt shots that he (supposedly) practices all the time, why will he make an even harder contested mid range shot? That's like saying you suck at hitting stationary targets, lets go try live hunting cuz you will do better there. It makes no sense when you run the numbers. Sure guys like LMA take mid range all the time, but those guys are ELITE, and in the case of LMA he uses it as a supplement to his post game. When we had Patterson he also took a lot of mid range shots. But right now we dont have good mid range shooters except for harden and pbev's floater. Its dumb to keep asking olayers to do something they suck at.
Have you ever played basketball? Making mid range shots is as easy as making fts? Mid range shots are easier because the distance is shorter? None of your assumptions are correct at all. Just use logic here, if making mid range shots are so easy why will opponents give them to you over every other shot? They want to win and they want you to lose. So they give you the mid range shot and you cooperate by taking the mid range shot. You are following their game plan, who will win, them or you?
Rockets took midrange jumpers last game in the 1st and 2nd quarter when other things weren't working. What happened? They missed all of them. So much for this theory
Is he really being dogmatic if he irrovocably believes in what he says, even if it's easily proven wrong?
Yes he did. And they've got other table setters. Now I don't think they've got enough to win a championship but they've got a chance. We DO NOT have multiple table setters. Everything runs through James. We have nothing else to go to. And that is by design. Poor design. But nonetheless it's intentional. James wants everything to run through him. He is not flexible enough to work off the ball with an additional table setter. Great player. MVP. Perhaps the greatest offensive player ever. It's not enough in the playoffs. You have to have at least two guys at the front of the rotation who can set the table and dish in order to win a championship in today's NBA.
If your car breaks down and it's raining do you say "oh well, I guess I cant go to work..." No, you suck it up and get on the bus... It may not be your preferred mode of transportation, you may downright hate it... but you take whatever option you have... Is a contested 3 a better shot than an uncontested midrange? It's all about taking what the defense gives you, exploit it and make them adjust... We got professional shooters making 8, 10, 18M a year... if they cant make an uncontested mid range (cause thats what the defense is giving them).... shame on 'em...
That 50% vs 33% comparison is based on other teams playing in a regular system where they take fair amount of mid-range shots, so the defense isn't always ready to guard the three-point line. That means the threes they are taking is easier by comparison and mid-range shots are probably more covered. But that's not the situation we're in; Spurs are giving us a lot of space to take wide open mid Js and heavily concentrating on defending the three-point line, and I can guarantee you that when you break down the numbers contested threes are not more efficient than wide open mid-range shots. They suck at it because throughout the entire season they have completely abandoned one important aspect of the game. That's why this whole Moreyball thing is a gimmick at best and will never work against legit, elite defensive teams that can lock down both scoring in the paint and from beyond the arc. I have no problem with focusing on three-pointers, layups, and the free throws, but what I can't support is this complete dismissal of the mid-range game. At the very least, it could be utilized as a decoy to lure the defenders that are just camping out on the perimeter or inside the restricted area. It's just common sense that the more diverse options you present to the defense, it makes it more difficult for the opposing teams to guard you. We are very simplistic and predictable in our approach, and our struggles against teams such as the Warriors, Spurs, Jazz, and the Thunder shouldn't come as a surprise.
Finally someone understands that the most efficient shot in general does not equate to the most efficient shot at every single moment. It could actually be the least efficient depending on the circumstances. Spot on.
You can't guard the paint and 3 pt line at the same time, if everybody is at the 3 pt line Harden can get by his man or do a PnR play with Capela, thats why in a "theoretical" world where Anderson and co. are always hitting their shots the offense is unstoppable. Lure the defense as a decoy at the mid range area? How does that even work? The fact is it is easier to guard the mid range area than it is the 3 pt line, mid range area is close to both the paint and 3 pt line defenders on either area can easily switch to your position. If you want to free up other people then going to the other side of the 3 pt line is more effective way of "luring" players because once they go to you they can't go to anybody else whereas if you lure people from mid range they can easily go to where you pass the ball wtf. Simplistic and predictable? Newsflash every offense is simple and predictable these coaches have 1 year worth of tape you think they can't decipher each other's offense and gameplan? The only wrinkle you can put here are in regards to subs and execution of plays, the plays themselves are already known by both coaches. Its not just the Spurs who leave the mid range open, it is every good defensive team in the league dating back to Garnett Celtics era. It is open because they want you to take mid range shots, and it won't be uncontested because the mid range is accessible by everyone, they can easily flash there once the opponent does commit to taking a shot in the mid range. Why do you think guys like Melo, Westbrick and Rudy Gay end up taking so many contested mid range shots? It wasn't contested when they started taking their shot, but then somebody defended them at the last minute. You dont have to take a contested 3, you can pass the ball around like I said or break the offense down and drive to the paint. That would be harder if you had some other player clogging the mid range area than if everybody else is at the 3 pt line or in the paint. Gimmick offense? 3rd seed and its a gimmick offense? GSW won a ring with the same system and its a gimmick offense? Get outta here.
