Re: Mercer's threes

[Kim Malo <kmalo19@idt.net>]

At 03:39 PM 5/5/98 -0800, Paul M wrote:
>Greg wrote:
>
>>>Yes Mercer made only 3 of 28 3pt's
>
>Kim wrote concerning Mercer's three-point shooting:
>
>>Don't get me wrong, it would be nice if he could hit them occassionally,
>>which he *has* done,
>
>Three per season is "occassionally?"

Seems within the meaning of the term, yes.
I actually thought he'd hit a few more -some memory of mention during a
broadcast that he'd hit his 5th or 6th. But a few either way doesn't really
change the position, and I'll be happy to accept your number.

>>and it would be nice to have him able to do a bit more
>>often.
>
>A "bit" more than three might still be pathetic.

Only if you feel he MUST be a 3 point shooter, which is what I'm asking -why
do you feel that way. Not why would it be nice if he could, but why is it a
necessity.

>>But me, I don't WANT Mercer out there much, so I don't understand why
>>I see a lot of people insistant he has to become a 3 point shooter. Lots of
>>things I'd much rather have him put more time into this summer.

>Look...When I said:
>
>> I hope Mercer
>>>spends as much of his summer at the 3-pt.-line as Walker does the
>>>free-throw-line.
>
>I knew this innocent comment would get...a rise. Here's what I was
>thinking. It just seems that it's not outrageous to expect that Mercer
>might want to think about working on hitting threes along with one other
>thing this summer. Please...I don't want to offend any of the Mercer lovers
>out there because, yes, he is going to be a major talent, he does have
>close to the perfect game and soon he'll be walking on water. I agree with
>all that. 

A rise?
Sigh. I didn't say I thought Mercer already had the perfect game or walks on
water. Nor do I have a problem with his taking a few more threes. I just
don't see it as a big priority, asd was asking why you (and others) seem to.

> I just think he's perfectly capable of taking more than 28 three
>point shots and hitting three per season. Might help the team. You say you
>don't want Mercer out there so much. Why? If he could hit one, every,
>oh...what the hell, 20 games instead of his current 27 games...if he could
>gain some confidence at the three point line why shouldn't he be taking
>them? This is a sin? He's going to go to hell? The team is destined for the
>lottery every time Mercer attempts 29 threes per year?

Getting a bit carried away with your own hyperbole? Again, I wondered why it
seems so important. I did not say it was the root of all evil, I did not
object to his shooting a bit more. I did not even say 'so much', I said I
didn't want him out there much. Why? Because it's still a low percentage
shot, even for good three point shooters, while Mercer showed excellent
potential in other things that do lead to higher percentage shots that might
even *gasp* draw fouls or lead to a better shot for someone else. Again, I'm
not objecting to his shooting the odd 3, just trying to understand why it
seems such a priority that he make it a major part of his game.

The best parts of his game as I see it are his midrange jumper, intelligent
use of picks, ability to slash and drive -including some thunderous dunks-
and unlike practically everyone else on the team, an ability to finish. We
have plenty of other guys more than willing to take as many 3s as you could
want. I'd rather he concentrated more on things like his passing and running
pick and rolls (or give and goes) to make his specialties even more
effective. And I'd really like him to work on his defense.

> Everyone wants
>Walker to work on seemingly everything and I absolutely agree...he needs
>to. He's a mess. No fooling....he sucks. But Mercer hasn't got enough time
>to work on hitting threes?

Again, did I say any of that? Nope. Working on extending his range is fine.
I'm neither objecting to that nor asking you why he needs to. Just why you,
and others, seem to think it is SO important. I don't see the same urgency
to turning him into a 3 point shooter this summer.

> So he hits three before the All-Star game next
>year? That's so bad? He hasn't got time for this? He can only work on one
>thing each summer?

Oh puh-lease. Again, did I say that? Nope. What I did say was that there
were plenty of other things (that's a plural word, BTW) that I'd *prefer* he
work on. Not one thing and not to the total exclusion of 3s.

> He obviously has zero confidence out there. There's only
>one way he's going to get it. I'm not asking that he become Reggie Miller.
>Just that he get enough confidence to hit more than that pathetic...what
>.10?% that he's shooting now.It couldn't hurt him or the team. A few hours
>here, a few hours there and...boom...he actually takes two in one game next
>year. It could help. An NBA shooting guard who hits more than one three
>point shot every 27 games...unheard of.

Well, I'm sure you really enjoyed all the hyperbole and sarcasm, which is
fine if it floats your boat.

You've made it clear that you want him to become a 3 point shooter because
you feel it would add to the team. And that the only reason he isn't one now
is a confidence issue. That's fine, doesn't really contradict anything I
actually said -as opposed to your reductio ad absurdem riffs on what I'm
saying- and I'd already agreed that it would be nice if he could. Still
doesn't answer my question as to why you think it is so important. He could
add lots of other things to his game that would help the team too, so that's
not really the answer. And I'm not so sure it IS necessaarily just a matter
of confidence and practice -it may be out of his realistic range, especially
now that the line has been extended. I'm not saying it surely is -I do agree
with you that there's insufficient basis to tell.  And I should probably
emphasize again that the reason I asked was because I've heard many others
say something similar about how important it is that he become a real 3
point shooter, not just you. To me, sure it would be a nice addition to his
game, but not that critical either way, especially the summer after his
rookie year, one way or another.

Maybe the difference is as simple as different attitudes towards the 3
itself. The Birdman himself said  that he hates it, while appreciating its
use as a weapon. I feel pretty much the same. Aside from the above point
about its beeing low % even for the best, it disrupts offensive flow,
encourages taking the first shot that shows, and turns hoops into a game of
horse.

Great to have another player who can take it when you NEED a 3, and a nice
periodic dagger to the heart of the opposition at other times. But the last
thing I want is for Mercer to join in the parade of people we had this year
throwing up (and usually missing) endless 3s at some of the worst times all
last year, just because they knew they could make some of them. It's
detrimental in other ways, too. For all the talk about ref conspiracies
against us, the main reason we got so few fouls this year is how much we
relied on endless outside jumpers. That mkes a difference not only in points
but in who the opponent can keep on the court. Mercer is one of our best at
the sort of things that WILL draw fouls, so I don;t want him getting in the
habit of lingering out on the fringes. 

I could probably babble on a lot longer on the subject. And again, I've
nothing against his working on them over the summer, because you're right
about how badly he shot them and they are useful. Just wondered if you could
tell me why it seems SO important to some people. Seems to me analogous to
someone insisting that the biggest thing for Walker to work on this summer
is alley oops. 

-Kim
Kim Malo
kmalo19@idt.net