Re: Compulsive Shooting Disorder

[JB <JBMetzEA@yahoo.com>]

   Great post Bob (see below).
   Back in the old days, the Celtics had another "gunner," who would shoot
the ball, whenever he had the chance. His name was Tommy Heinsohn. The
difference was, that Red did not run the offense through him. Red put the
ball in the hands of his point guard (Cousy, then K.C. Jones), who gave
Tommy his shots, when the team needed them and/or when he was hot.
   I've been relentless in my call for another real point guard on this team
since Tyus Edney was released, just for that reason. You shouldn't let your
ball hog determine who gets the  shots, even if he is a creative passer
(when he wants to be).
   As far as Billups playing the point, for Boston, it was his feuding with
Antoine, over where the first pass should go, that got him traded, as Rick
felt he needed a veteran point guard to assert his offense. Unfortunately,
Anderson got hurt, within the first month of his arrival and our offense has
primarily gone through Antoine ever since.

        JB



                  Unchain My Heart !





on 2/18/02 5:14 PM, Bob McChesney at rwmcches@uiuc.edu wrote:

> 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