Compulsive Shooting Disorder

[Bob McChesney <rwmcches@uiuc.edu>]

Antoine Walker's propensity to continue shooting even when his shots are 
clearly not falling is a major concern. The Cs record when he passes for 6 
or more assists in a game is something like 18-3. The Celtics' record when 
he shoots a great deal and misses most of them is below .500.

Consider the following: The top 15 scorers in the NBA, the number of games 
they have taken at least 20 shots, and the number of those games when they 
made a third or less of those shots. In other words, how many stink bomb 
games where they shot a lot, but shot under 34 percent.

Here is the list:

NAME......over 20 shots ....under 1/3 made

1. Iverson........40.................13
2. Pierce.........28................. 2
3. Shaq..........17.................. 0
4. Kobe..........27.................. 2
5. Carter.........40.................. 7
6. Duncan.......20.................. 2
7. McGrady.....26................. 4
8. Jordan........38.................. 8
9. Nowtitzki....14.................. 1
10. Malone.....19.................. 2
11. Stackhouse.24............... 3
12. Allen........12.................. 2
13. Walker.....33..................13
14. Stojakovic..24................. 3
15. Payton.....24.................. 3

What jumps out?

1. Walker has a ton of 20 shot games, but his scoring average is way done 
among guys who have taken a lot less shots per game. He has a terrible 
shooting percentage.

2. Not a single one of these players' teams has a winning record when that 
player has stink bomb games; (i.e. 20 or more shots, but making 1/3 of them 
or less.) Stink bomb games tend to produce losses, even for good teams.

3. The Cs are 6-7 when Antoine stinks up the gym, and that is a little 
flukish from the first half of the schedule, when the schedule was soft. 
Paul was absolutely torrid on a couple of Antoine's stink bombers early in 
the season. Five of Antoine's past 6 stink bombers have been losses. This 
team is not good enough to win when Antoine puts up a 7-23 night.

3. Antoine's shooting is really out of line with other big scorers in the 
NBA. Rick Pitino, who I have often defamed, had it right: If Antoine wants 
to put up all these shots he should practice three hours per day until he 
starts making them.

Better yet, Antoine should just shoot less, and pass more. 18-3 when he has 
6 assists or more says it all. O'Brien should tattoo that on his forehead.



Robert W. McChesney
Your Man in Urbana
Institute of Communications Research
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
www.robertmcchesney.com