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According to Brandon Jennings, the team simply isn't shooting during practices. He says the team has to start working on their games more because they haven't really had a chance to put up shots in shootarounds. From MLive.com:

"If you ask the question about why we're not making shots, we don't shoot," Jennings said after Friday's 99-89 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. "We don't shoot in practice. We haven't really had a chance to work on our games or anything. When we do have shootarounds, we're not able to get up shots like we should."

"I just think if you're going to have shootaround in the morning, I think it's good that you get loose and you should work on shots that you're going to take in the game," he said. "Even before, after practice, we've got to start getting in the gym, just working on our game more."

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-bas ... n-practice


Jennings is being passive aggressive. He tries to save himself by including players, however he's b* about his shot not falling which to me is a B*A* move. If SVG really doesn't go through shooting drills, then i'd be frustrated, but not to the media. I wonder if this is a start of movement of players for our team. Its SVG way or the highway

Guys can get shots up before or after practice, or both. Practice isn't going to significantly develop guys that have been in this league for some time now like Jennings & Smith. Best time to improve as a player that's no longer young enough to have the "he's only x years old" excuse, is over the course of a season through the games or especially during the off season.

Look at Jimmy Butler...Klay Thompson, Gordon Hayward, Tobias Harris. Why are those guys so improved this season? They put in work during the off season.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI[/youtube]

It does bother me somewhat that Stan is basically ignoring what seems to be this team's biggest problem during the time designated for improving upon those problems.

However, if these players were desperate to win, they would be in the gym before and/or after practice shooting.

So there's two sides to this coin. It's not just on the players, but it's also not just on SVG. Everyone is at fault on this, and that is somewhat disappointing.


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I want to see some free throw shooting practice because boy do we really suck in that department.

epheisey wrote:It does bother me somewhat that Stan is basically ignoring what seems to be this team's biggest problem during the time designated for improving upon those problems.

However, if these players were desperate to win, they would be in the gym before and/or after practice shooting.

So there's two sides to this coin. It's not just on the players, but it's also not just on SVG. Everyone is at fault on this, and that is somewhat disappointing.


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I completely agree, and actually apprently i agree with Jennings. It is on both parties, i guess i am more so gear'd towards keeping things in house

Players' fault. Not SVG. SVG should be there develop the team not individuals. That's where the assistant coaches should come in. For example, have someone come and develop Drummond and he'll get better. As far as SVG, he's more worried about how to defend the pick and roll and what rotations to use. Making shots? If you're a SG and you can't make shots, just get out of the league. If you need a coach to set in a specific time for you to practice shooting then you need to leave the league again. Players are selfish for not working on it by themselves. I find it pathetic and the main reason of why we're losing.

Spider156 wrote:Players' fault. Not SVG. SVG should be there develop the team not individuals. That's where the assistant coaches should come in. For example, have someone come and develop Drummond and he'll get better. As far as SVG, he's more worried about how to defend the pick and roll and what rotations to use. Making shots? If you're a SG and you can't make shots, just get out of the league. If you need a coach to set in a specific time for you to practice shooting then you need to leave the league again. Players are selfish for not working on it by themselves. I find it pathetic and the main reason of why we're losing.

Yea but SVG is in charge of delegating those tasks and determining what practice time is spent on.

I'm not giving the players a pass here. But it's not only on the players. Unfortunately, SVG is also at fault.


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He should have been shooting in the offseason instead of in the strip clubs. Its the offseason when you work on your game. He wants to get in shape during the season instead of being ready to play before it starts.


SVG has limited time to work with the players and I from what I see it looks like he has spent most of the time teaching defense and installing his offense.

Reading this my mind flashed to Larry Bird who would come to the arena hrs before the game and practice his shooting. When his teammates would show up he would be in the upper deck running laps around it.

This is all about time management. Get out of the club before 3am and get to bed so you can work out instead of sleeping in the afternoon.

A head coach isn't responsible for players getting shots up - that's on them IMO

IF they were driven and dedicated they'd be in the gym early/stay late and put the work in.

Instead they're content with being in the league and making millions so they don't push themselves...but the great ones did/do

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This is stupid.. it's embarassing. I guess Jennings is our leader and is willing to call everyone out. It's obvious we may be "talented" but insert cliche: HARD WORK BEATS TALENT WHEN TALENT DOESN'T WORD HARD. Show up early or stay late, and work on getting better during the season. Leaps and bounds are made in the offseason, but that doesn't mean you can't also work in-season. I think about Ray Allen in the gym hours before putting up 3s. The way I look at this is that some players are fine just being losers, as long as they get their money. We're a young team and Smith/Butler are not very vocal.. Jennings has been around long enough now to probably understand it a little bit better. Maybe the light bulb finally lit up. "Ooooohh... you're telling me the great players, the winners, show up early or stay late..... oooooooh"


SVG is doing his job, he's focused on getting the team to play the way that he wants, on both ends of the floor together. He's not the one that should be begging professional athletes to show up and work on themselves. You see **** high school players that understand that practice time is a group event... they show up early or stay after to work on their game. MY SISTER EVEN DID THIS. IF players feel like they need special help, ask for it. It's an NBA franchise. If Drummond is so important and he can't work before practice unless he has Rasheed. GET RASHEED BACK. Use the money.

However, I have no idea who you guys are talking about if it's about improving in the summer. Jennings, Monroe, Jerebko, Drummond all look like they have improved their individual game in the offseason. Butler is 34. Singler and Augustin may not be able to get any better... just saying. Plus we haven't seen Meeks or Martin.. Dinwiddie was hurt. That's 10 of our players... you want to call out KCP? Yeah, he hasn't looked much different in my opinion. Want to call out Smith? Alright, at least he bulked up to play more PF... even if it wasn't a good idea.

Pharaoh wrote:A head coach isn't responsible for players getting shots up - that's on them IMO

IF they were driven and dedicated they'd be in the gym early/stay late and put the work in.

Instead they're content with being in the league and making millions so they don't push themselves...but the great ones did/do

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Boom. +1000

I'm sure people will rush to condemn jennings because he's jennings, but this clearly isn't about him. He's currently posting career highs in shooting percentage from the floor and 3. He's not complaining that he isn't getting enough shots in, he's complaining about the team collectively not getting the shots in. I'd prefer that he would have done this behind closed doors, but I'm glad he's not sitting by and letting guys coast. He's a relative vet on a young team, so he should be getting on guys if they aren't putting in the extra time they need.

I'm not going to condemn Jennings for this comment, but I will say it certainly is not the most well thoughtout comment of all time.

Truly elite players practice and work on their craft offline (before practice, after practice, and on off days). If guys are struggling because they need reps, take responsibility.

Last year Jennings said they were struggling with their shooting because they were shooting on the practice court during practice instead of the actual court where they would play.

Please let's do away with the excuses.

Many teams around the league actually don't practice all that much, especially since ours is filled with "veterans" and people who have been around the league for a while. Some teams even forgo the usual shoot around before the games anyways, but it's funny seeing as how our team needs it the most.

This is funny.....Jennings doesn't have to work on his shooting nearly as much as he needs to work on shot selection....

This team is pathetic

Given how poor we were defensively last year, and how we lacked any semblance of an offensive system, this doesn't surprise me in the least if true.

Stan needs them to buy into and execute his system properly, build the foundation, then worry about getting buckets (thats my $.02 at least).

Reminds me of the scene from Semi-Pro, where they run the same play over and over and over to beat it into their heads. Only difference being Will Ferrell wouldn't be the biggest bonehead on the floor if he played for the Pistons,

Guys are exposing themselves if they're complaining about not having the opportunity to have a shoot-around. Show up early, hang around late...

This kind of stuff shows who's built for winning basketball or not. Seems like no-one on the roster is.

Lionlifer wrote:Given how poor we were defensively last year, and how we lacked any semblance of an offensive system, this doesn't surprise me in the least if true.

Stan needs them to buy into and execute his system properly, build the foundation, then worry about getting buckets (thats my $.02 at least).

Ya, wrench training first.

If I had taken over this team, it would be horse stance for three months straight, then on to other things.