Volume shooters - who can't shoot

I would temper this by saying (and I think you'd agree):
Only Tracy, Ron, and Rafer qualify as volume shooters, given that they are 3 of our top 4 shot takers. In their favor though, 14 attempts a game (11 for Alston) wouldn't merit "volume shooter" status.

Brooks IS shooting 40%, unless you want to amend that to say 40.0%.

Battier is 9th on the team in attempts per game despite being 5th in minutes (32 mpg) and being our only consistent 3-pt threat (3.6 attempts per game at 38%), unless you want to include Ron which I wouldn't*. I wouldn't knock Battier for 39% shooting from the field when over half of his shots are from deep and he hits them at the same clip. That's a good percentage from that range.

I don't agree that is the heart of our problem. Let's assume that we're replacing Rafer with a PG that is an upgrade in FG% and setting others up (but is not a significant downgrade in other areas). That takes care of one of the three inefficient scorers.

Yao's hitting about 55%, Landry 56%, and Scola almost 53% - it would be a tall order to improve on those numbers. Shane's been a rock throughout his career with his 39% behind the arc, but maybe along with an improving foot his 2-pt percentages float back up. Wafer could benefit, but he largely creates his own shot.

That leaves us with the two problem children. And I don't think a distributing point helps them out at all. Artest and McGrady have been their own worst enemies. Neither one are catch and shoot players that need someone to create for them. Both have killed themselves by rifling a ridiculous amount of shots from deep (with space) and haven't been able to hit. Both have taken the ball and proceeded to challenge two defenders and take contested jumpers from distance. They have been reluctant to pass once initiating a move. Both want the ball in their hands. A better point guard does not improve this. Particularly when McGrady insists on taking the ball out of his hands.

If you look at our top 7 in terms of attempts, 4 of the 7 shoot 40% or higher. Combined, they are shooting 43.5% - which does help your argument; only the Clippers shoot below that as a team. Phoenix tops the league at 49.6%, and the average is around 45.5%. Subtract Ron and McGrady for Shane and Landry, and our "top 7" shooting percentage leaps to 46.4% (#7 in the league).

Again, I think our problem is more specific. We don't have a team in need of a PG to create shots for them. We have good, efficient weapons that are being over shadowed by two guys that are killing our efficiency.

This isn't 05/06. We have offense. We have firepower. It's being employed poorly. We averaged 101 ppg in games without McGrady in January. We averaged 94 ppg that month with him.
Don't take that as a McGrady jab (altogether). Adelman has done a pathetic job tailoring this offense.

It should be plain as day at this point that we need to have a Yao-centric offense, with Ron and McGrady complimenting that approach, not hijacking it. Let them be main options when Yao is out. Otherwise, ESPECIALLY if they aren't 100% - back down their attempts. It will make the game easier on them.

I almost want them to be treated like kids at this point: if you want to throw up a three, you have to drive to the basket and score at least once first. Eat your veggies if you want ice cream.

Evan

*Yes, his averages look better, but he's wildly inconsistent from game to game as we all know.

 

DD i think we already have a good shooter who never gets minutes.. that guy is a pure shooter and is capable of making a lot of shots in clutch..

his name is barry.. and yeah.. he can run the point along with McGrady whenever required.. he also plays the motion well...

and if someone wants to point the shot that he missed tonight.. that rimmed out.. it was .. well.. almost money...

and Adelman refuses to use him.. that maybe because of his D.. but thats not a good excuse unless we have some really quick point guard on the floor playing for the opposition.. what do you guys think?

 

Great Post.

 

come on, dd, this is ridiculous nonsense (even by your standards). they ran the offense fine, executed fine, got the open looks, but didn't have the talent to make the shots? is that really what you're trying to explain here?

battier had a great look from the corner. thats a shot every coach would like to have and the player every coach would want to shoot it. he didn't make the shot, right. but guess what? it happens sometimes.

the same thing with barry. he's the best shooter on the team and had an open look. every coach would be happy with that. unfortunately, he also missed it but it was just one game. he'll make that shot most of the time over many games.

and that's the point here. the rockets got great shots and had the right players taking them. this time it just didn't work out for us (just like the new york game).

on the other hand, with a better defensive effort over the course of the game, those missed shots should'nt have mattered.



....they lacked the talent to make those shots.... sheesh, that's probably one of the dumbest statements i've ever read here...

 

That is more a function of the way he is being used then it is a sign of his ability. If you put him on the court with the bench and allow him to be the focal point of the offense, then he is looking to create offense for himself. That has not been effective. Having Ron trying to create his own offense from the perimeter and face double teams is not the Ron you want at this point. I don't know what he would look like if healthy, but right now it is not effective.

But think about the Bulls game or the game last night. Had Ron been in the game along with Tracy and Yao then that would have left Mayo to have to defend Tracy or Ron and give up a considerable amount of size. That is a match up that either of them could exploit, and it forces the Grizz to adjust to the Rockets size. On the flip side, you put Battier on the court and the scouting report is that he isn't going to take smaller defenders in the post, so you can stick a guy on him giving up 30 pounds and 5 inches and it doesn't make a difference.

The problem is the current rotation doesn't put the players in the best position to be successful.

 

I actually meant perimeter def, my bad.

Oh I do not argue for a second that he is not part of the problem. Do not get me wrong on my argument. I simply say there are 3 starters who DO NOT deserve to be starters over other players. It just so happens one of these players is being constantly attacked. There are 4 others I would trade before Artest to TRY to resolve this problem and 3 of them are starters. Thats a d@mn shame (or Shane...a damn shane?)

Look I am not trying to say your wrong and Artest is the best thing that has happened to the Rockets but what I am trying to say is that there are other bigger and better moves. Period.

 

Look at that, another coaching job done bad. At least someone agrees with me or acknowledges it.

Bluntly put this coach has done a bad bad bad job of playing the right players. Whether it be match up like Marcus mention or 'hot players' like I mentioned its all in all coaching.

 

but I guess when he is successful you was cheering? while you may be right about him going for the steal a lot of the times NO ONE has taken advantage. Most of the time Artest does this is mid court. Yao hasnt been in foul trouble because of Artest, that ridiculous. Yao is in foul trouble because he tends to jump forward and when he does do a play right he doesnt get the benefit of the doubt.

last night rudy gay wouldnt call artest standing in cement, he actually got locked down quite a few times.

 

This was a post about Artest....

I would argue (maybe too strong a word for this forum), that Artest has a good shooting touch and form. If we had a contest from say the corner three spot (any reasonable spot say 18 to 23 feet away), Artest, Battier or maybe Brooks would win, TMac fourth, Airballston last.

Mentally, Artest just makes horrible decisions and his shooting percentage suffers.

 

8 out of ten magic players are shooting over .40% 2 of their starters shoot over .50% we also have 2 starters shooting over .50% but the rest of the starting line has a dramatic drop down to the .30%'s to win we need to score consistently not 3q and give it away in the 4th if they dont change some things i fear that our rox might not make the playoff's and if they do make it playing likr this what's the point we cant and wont win like this. lets hope for a sec half makeover

 

DD check the celtics last yr. check their offensive stats.

and then check their defensive stats.

offense comes and goes. some nights you just cna't score (like how we missed an open jumper -- 2 ins and outs).

but defense should be there every night if you intend to be a great team. defense has and should be our identity, not offense. offense will eventually get better b/c we have the players.

if you know you can make stops, THERE'S NO PRESSURE TO SCORE AS MUCH so you play more freely. if you keep giving up scores, there's more pressure to score.

defense wins. offense helps.

 

good stuff mac1

 

to be more specific, their their offensive and defensive stats IN THE PLAYOFFS by the celtics

 

At least Artest has some personal reason. His game without Tmac since Dec

W Clippers 5-15 3-6
W Warriors 9-21 4-9
W Hawks 5-10 2-4
W Jazz 7-18 3-6
W Celtics 7-13 2-4
W Warriors 10-17 4-6

43-94 18-35

45.7% FG 51.4% 3pts.

 

again, they played very well offensively for 3 quarters v. the grizz. they shot 55% in the first quarter scoring 31 pts. they ended 3 quarters shooting 47% from the floor. what else do you want after 3 quarters?

but say what? we gave up 56% shooting after 3 quarters.

we're simply not that good yet to turn up the switch on defense. we would have won that game handily had we just played some JVG defense. offense only became a problem in the last few mins of the 4th. we played good enough on offense throughout the game to win.

defense was just beyond atrocious.

 

I've noticed he plays much better without Tmac as well. His FG percentage is still kinda low but we all said his 3 point is better anyway and there it is.

When you bring salaries into the table, he is way better off then Tmac.

 

<I have never seen a team that shoots the ball so poorly.....when 5 of your top 7 players can not shoot better than 40%.....and 3 of them take a LOT of shots....you are just not going to win many games.>

I agree with you, The reason JVG was fired is Offence,
The reason RA was hired is Offence.
However, the offence of Rockects still remains problem.
With 20-30% shooting rate you will never win playoff.