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a toast to the mid-range game and floaters in the lane

NAOS

NAOS

Well-Known Member
It's important to remember that the current efficiency numbers are captured at a time when the NBA game is changing. It's always changing. While people are reading the statistics and saying, "mid-range jumpers suck," one could easily say, "there is a new space of opportunity for a deadly mid-range shooter since defenses will obviously adjust to rim and 3-pnt protection." Impact on the playing field -- whatever the sport -- is always in a process of being (re)distributed.

I'll be too brief here, but look at the NFL. In just a handful of years the NE Patriots (in particular) recognized an opportunity in the middle of the field. Now, Welker and two second-year TEs are the toast of the league. That was unimaginable in Randy Moss's game.

I'm not advocating for that jumper off the curl. But 18 foot jumpers can still be nice, and I ****ing love floaters in the lane. Miss u dwilly.
 
NAOS said:
It's important to remember that the current efficiency numbers are captured at a time when the NBA game is changing. It's always changing. While people are reading the statistics and saying, "mid-range jumpers suck," one could easily say, "there is a new space of opportunity for a deadly mid-range shooter since defenses will obviously adjust to rim and 3-pnt protection." Impact on the playing field -- whatever the sport -- is always in a process of being (re)distributed.

I'll be too brief here, but look at the NFL. In just a handful of years the NE Patriots (in particular) recognized an opportunity in the middle of the field. Now, Welker and two second-year TEs are the toast of the league. That was unimaginable in Randy Moss's game.

I'm not advocating for that jumper off the curl. But 18 foot jumpers can still be nice, and I ****ing love floaters in the lane. Miss u dwilly.
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Good post. Stockton and Hornacek epitomized the value of the mid-range jumper, and Hornacek was particularly good - when a defender would chase him off the 3pt-line - at taking 1 dribble and pulling up from 18'. In Jazzbasketball that jumper off the curl often set the table for those floaters in the lane - when defenders would trail you'd see Horny and Stock take 1 dribble and shoot that little runner in the lane (Stock was able to shoot it off the wrong foot/Horny would just flip it up at the rim).

To go back to your football analogy, the late-George Young (GM of the NY Giants) used to say "why does everyone run short and throw long. Why can't you throw short and run long?" This was before the westcoast offense became a league-wide staple, but it speaks to that all-or-nothing, 3pt or layup, either-or approach.

Also, behind the madness and out-of-control drives to the rim, I do think Burks has a little runner in his game. I like how he tries to get to the FT line but eventually he'll need to learn when to use it and when to take it strong.
 
I think this is all coming out of that post someone made of David Locke's stuff on where on the floor the highest % of shots are made. The mid-range was the weakest (after adjusting for points earned). My thoughts were exactly yours. A hole has been created and some players will rise to the opportunity. Then defenses will adjust and a new hole will open up.
 
I've had some of these thoughts myself. I think for some players it is going to be a god-send, but I think it will be very hard for most players to regularly beat expected FG%. 3-pointers are just more points, layups are just more effective for 90% of players.
 
The Jazz have 10 players with low fg% even though they attempt a ton of layups.
I'm not sure, these %s might not even include the many offensive fouls they commit.
They often drive right into guys standing under the hoop, instead of taking an open short jump shot, a shot they should be able to make 80% of the time.
 
northeast said:
The Jazz have 11 players with low fg% even though they attempt a ton of layups.
I'm not sure, these %s might not even include the many offensive fouls they commit.
They often drive right into guys standing under the hoop, instead of taking an open short jump shot, a shot they should be able to make 80% of the time.
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But don't.
 
hard to say, they take so few of them...
The sort of shot I am talking about, I see less than one a game...
and i would say they do hit them about 50% of the time, with no offensive fouls, so the points per possession is good, and it opens up the other shots too.
You can't do the same thing all the time, you want to keep the defenders from keying in one thing.
 
northeast said:
hard to say, they take so few of them...
The sort of shot I am talking about, I see less than one a game...
and i would say they do hit them about 50% of the time, with no offensive fouls, so the points per possession is good, and it opens up the other shots too.
You can't do the same thing all the time, you want to keep the defenders from keying in one thing.
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Also no defensive fouls.

It's all situational, but the other thing to consider is that I see players pull-up and barely make contact with a planted player that suddenly act like they got run over by a truck.
 
Well, they weren't open then.
I've got to believe that there are guys on the team capable of hitting an open shot from the foul line at a high enough percentage that they should take that shot every time they can. The trick is getting open from that range, but it seems sometimes it's there and they aren't looking for it.
 
northeast said:
Well, they weren't open then.
I've got to believe that there are guys on the team capable of hitting an open shot from the foul line at a high enough percentage that they should take that shot every time they can. The trick is getting open from that range, but it seems sometimes it's there and they aren't looking for it.
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Foul shots are at practice speed.

The Jazz have a knack for signing players who can't shoot in practice, let alone in game. CJ can't hit wide open 3 point shots in CJ rhythm, with all the time in the world to set his feet and square to the basket in all the glory that is Chucker J Miles. He doesn't make the practice speed shots at a decent clip which means he's going to be horrible at game speed shots.

The point I'm trying to portray is you have to start with players who are capable of making practice shots and then transitioning that into game speed shots.
 
No, I think they should practice it at the same speed they shoot it in the game.
That could be part of the problem.
 
I am amazed that more kids cannot do this at all. It is either a 3 or a drive to the rim. Didn't they watch Kobe or MJ growing up?

I guess is that it is because when they were young they were so much better than everyone else they could get to the rim about any time they wanted and get a sexy dunk. Or take a sexy 3. They did not have to worry about being contested in the lane. But why cannot they develop these shots as pros?

I sure hope that Hayward can develop runners and pull-ups. He is not quite athletic enough to finish great around the rim and could really use the floaters.
 
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