RealGM

I love this year's team and think we could be bound and built for the playoffs. One thing I've noticed and hopefully our coaching staff too, we need to have Elfryd hold the trigger a bit and have him look for teammates a lil longer as the shot clock winds down.

So far Elfrid is shooting under 35%, and with that percentage he should only be shooting on drives/layups and the occasional jumper as the shot clock forces him to take it. In the first five games (two OT games - OKC and Hou) Payton has taken multiple mid-range and 3pt jumpers when open but with plenty of time on the shot clock. Made or missed it doesn't matter. What we should look at is the probability of a made basket if the shot is taken by others (i.e. Tobias/Fournier/Vuc) vs Elf. On such close games a couple of FG being attempted by one of our players with the highest FG% vs Elf's could be the difference between a W and a L.

I don't want to discourage Payton to take his shots nor have the defense relax on Elf b/c he won't take a shot, but we certainly need to be wiser with our shot selection and distribution.

I know it's only five games but...

...nevertheless I'm still loving this team filled with Pure Magic!!!

"ElfrYd" really mixes well with the "Elf" moniker a lot of people use here.

38% of Oladipo's shots are coming from 3-point land. Guess what his % is from there. An abysmal 25%
23% of Payton's shots are coming from 3. Shooting 33% from there.

From 16 < 3P
Oladipo: 11% of FGA. 33% FG
Elfrid: 26% of FGA. 29% FG

In summary, Elfrid shooting more from further out in only his second season is required for him to grow. Oladipo, on the other hand, is now 23, and in his 3rd season - we know what his shooting percentages are going to be around. Elfrid is not the problem...

Auch, Elfryd, hold ye trigger, lad.

I think Skiles is encouraging him to shoot when open... he's also telling him to move the ball. I don't like it. I'd rather do that after his shot gets better. Right now it's hurting our team. I want him taking shots, just earlier in the game and not as option A. Late in the game I want him setting guys up or sneaking in floaters or reverse layups. I hope he figures out how to play in Skiles' system soon because he might get benched permanently if he keeps struggling. Skiles is already talking about wanting to play Napier more...

I dont mind him shooting when hes open, even if he makes about 30% of his jumpers it will force his defender to close out on him and allow him to attack close outs and create shots to himself and his teammates.

It will also force his man not to overhelp off Payton and allow more spacing for the rest of the team so overall I dont mind if he takes a few jumpers and cost us about 2-3 points because overall I think we can benefit a lot more from better spacing and Payton getting an extra step on the defense, not too mention that in the long run it will make him a better player.

He is taking shots late in the game that we should hold for others. He took a horrible one with about two mins remaining on the 4th against Hou that really hurt us. He couldn't find an open man so he chucked it up with plenty of time in the shot clock and missed badly off the front of the rim. Next possession we do a good defensive job on Harden but Lawson is patient enough to find him, and seconds later he draws a foul and heads to the FT line.

We need to do the same w our prime scorers (Evan/Harris/Vuc). Note I am not including Dipo b/c although he can score the ball, he doesn't do it as efficiently as the players mentioned before. Also we need to ride the hot hand. I.e. If Fournier is on fire we need to find him. If he cannot take the shot I'd trust his ball handling/playmaking skills to find us a high % shot. Nothing against Elf or Dipo but we just need to be smarter down the stretch. Dipo/Evan/Tobias/Aaron/Vuc would be my 5 to finish a close game with.

If Frye and Elfrid had a baby.... Elfryd

mrtcsm wrote:He is taking shots late in the game that we should hold for others. He took a horrible one with about two mins remaining on the 4th against Hou that really hurt us. He couldn't find an open man so he chucked it up with plenty of time in the shot clock and missed badly off the front of the rim. Next possession we do a good defensive job on Harden but Lawson is patient enough to find him, and seconds later he draws a foul and heads to the FT line.

We need to do the same w our prime scorers (Evan/Harris/Vuc). Note I am not including Dipo b/c although he can score the ball, he doesn't do it as efficiently as the players mentioned before. Also we need to ride the hot hand. I.e. If Fournier is on fire we need to find him. If he cannot take the shot I'd trust his ball handling/playmaking skills to find us a high % shot. Nothing against Elf or Dipo but we just need to be smarter down the stretch. Dipo/Evan/Tobias/Aaron/Vuc would be my 5 to finish a close game with.

Payton doesn't really take bad shots he just doesn't make many if the shots he takes but that comes with time. As a matter of fact he doesn't take many shots at all. As for the shot clock shots that wouldn't happen if the rest of the team didn't stand around waiting for him to create for them instead of making cuts to get easier shots.

Blue_and_Whte wrote:If Frye and Elfrid had a baby.... Elfryd

But you get no "D" with Frye, so I would make it Elfry.

Another horrible performance by Elfrid tonight shooting the ball . He has to thank Bazz and Vuc for coming up big and getting us that win. Payton just can't make a shot and even seems to be forcing some of them. Today he took an ill advised shot with 13 seconds in the shot clock and under two minutes to go in the 4th quarter, with the Magic holding on to a two point lead. It was jumper/runner hybrid almost from the free throw line and he badly missed it.

Again, I don't have a problem with him taking some open shots and forcing the issue some driving to the paint, but he is shooting well too much and costing us wins. Tonight he went 1/13 and still took that horrible shot down the stretch. He needs to be smarter, and hold he trigger just a bit longer. Thanks VUC!!! Man was he excited after he made the shot. Couldn't even control his emotions during the interview. It was great to watch!

Supreme wrote:

Blue_and_Whte wrote:If Frye and Elfrid had a baby.... Elfryd

But you get no "D" with Frye, so I would make it Elfry.

Elfrye.

p0peye wrote:

Supreme wrote:

Blue_and_Whte wrote:If Frye and Elfrid had a baby.... Elfryd

But you get no "D" with Frye, so I would make it Elfry.

Elfrye.

True. Plus "I" or "y" its still pronounced Elfrid which isn't really fair to channing.