Rockets as a team are in fact dead last in 2-pt jump shooting %. They are also nearly dead last in the amount of 2 point jumpers attempted (relative to total shot attempts). They are above average in the attempts of 3 pointers, "inside shots" (dunks, layups, etc) and FTs on a per possession basis. The Rockets actually shoots about 5% higher on 3 pointers than they do on 2 point jumpers. http://www.82games.com/0809/FGTEAM15.HTM The reason why they are bad at 2point jumpers is likely a matter of philosophy: they try to get either deep paint shots or 3 pointers in most possessions, and a lot of their 2 point jumpers were taken either as a last resort. When they set up a 2 point jumper for someone, much of it goes to Scola or Landry when their man goes to double Yao. They are OK shooters, particularly for PFs, but not exactly deadly. McGrady takes a few somewhat open shots off curls, but a lot of it is off dribbles. Yao 2point jumper attems are probably a mix of a few open 20 footers, and more turnaround Js. In any case, it's a decent philosophy given that 2point jumpers are not an efficient shot overall. You don't get fouled much on those, and even the best 2 point jump shooting team only makes 44% of these shots this season. In other words, not a very good return on your investment. Your expected value on the inside shots and 3s are much higher. You take the 2 point jumper, however, to set up drives and other stuff... and you do often need to take them when there isn't time to get a better shot. So ideally you'd like to make more of those you take.
I might seem really old school, but just like high school and college, the 3pt shots really hurts basketball. What happens is players who have no business shooting it, is shooting 3's. Players are attracted to the 3pt line like a magnet and never develop the mid range shot. Coaches will preach to kids to shoot a 20ft shot vs a 15ft shot. Now I got a degree in bio chemistry and not math, but 5ft seems a high % shot. The inside out game that cause coaches to pound it in, wait for a double and wait for a rafer kind of shooter to shoot from 23'9, instead of running some motion and get 17 ft ers hurt the game. There is a reason why a team like Utah is always among the highest fg% team. There offense is centered under the 3pt line. Even though they have some pretty good shooters, they don't have non shooters shooting 3's. Even is the stockton-malone era when they had a deadeye shooter like stockton, jeff malone, hornecek, to name a few, they never launched a lot of 3's. A lot of the lack of the mid game goes back to just fundamental basketball. In the 80's the had inside out hoops, but after kick out, guys would put their head down and get to 17 ft and pull up. Guys like KJ, jeff malone, and even the lesser guys like brian gamble and ron anderson killed inside 18 ft. Guys like Battier should be a good mid range shooter since teams close out on him out of control. Unfortunately, guys either launch 3's or drive to the hoop.
You don't need to tell Tmac that he's already driving more this season. He had 8 ft attempts last game, and that's despite the fact that he hasn't been getting calls from the refs.
