In hindsight, it was probably a good game to play Jeffries. He's got the size and length to match up against Charlotte, and could probably have done a good job defending Wallace. But who knew Battier would shoot 1 for 9? Don't answer that.
44.6% 42.8% 41% 39.8% 35.5% Battier's Shooting % the last 5 years 42.1% 37.7% 38.4% 36.2% 27.9% Battier's three point shooting % the last 5 years Crash and burn. His FT shooting has even come down every year, the sign of a player that has crested and going downhill and is physically running out of gas.
That is 100% it...he has lost a lot of footspeed too....at the most he should be a bench player now. DD
Being the omniscient that I am, I watched the Bobs surge ahead in the early third quarter, turned off the TV and went to court Mrs. G. Now that's the way to turn a loss into a WIN!
His FT shooting only started coming down last season. He shot a career high the season before. Take into consideration that his slowing down has also coincided with the team losing more and more defenders, especially shot blockers. His shot blocking has not dipped, if anything it's improved some. If a player who's already aging, is being asked to do more on defense, it's going to wear him down or fatigue him more quickly. Especially having to do something like blocking shots, which can be more tiresome for a wing player. Imagine if bigs had to defend perimeter players and then still go inside to try and protect the rim? They'd run out of gas much faster. There's a possibility all this will improve with yao back or if we can get some more defense behind him.
The only funny thing about this whole deal is that I did just exactly the same thing as you. Except that I turned the tv back on again and was totally surprised by the turn of events. Well, I shouldn't be surprised anymore with the way they are playing but it was still a shock to see the turnaround so quick and by so much.
Yes, but the most significant drops come when he isnt't playing along side Yao, ie the last two years. If the Yao era is over, so then should the Battier one, but if we are still pushing the Yao thing, he should stay.
With a team consisting of Artest, Landry, Ariza, and Wafer, teams would hate to play us. Not because we would be good but because these guys didn't take **** from nobody. They all had weaknesses on the court, but they had the ego that this team desperately needs. I agree that Morey's way of picking players based on cold calculations leaves out one very important ingredient that every team need, and that is heart. Give me a tough-guy like Artest over an player full of "intangibles" any day. There is a reason these "intangibles" are not included in any stat sheets. It's because they don't win games.
You're saying that intangibles don't win games and that's why they're not on a stat sheet? While heart, which is also not a stat, does? You also said we wouldnt be good with those guys who had heart. Although i agree we need it, i'm not understanding your reasoning as to why one wins games and the other doesn't.
You have to lose the defense that Battier brings that Budinger does not bring. Doesnt really matter, Adelman has been playing around with a small lineup with Lee Bud and Battier on the floor at the same time.
I totally understand what you lose, and what you gain...at this point without AB and Yao, you might as well mix and match some...and Lowry needs some help in the starting lineup... There is nothing to lose when you are 4-11, experiment until Yao and AB get back, and there is nothing wrong with telling Shane he is sitting because he looks worn out and his shot is just not falling, hold everyone accountable. DD
