Shot selection

[eagleye]

the shot selection of the players on this thunder team looks bad and also the amount of field goals attempted seems to be wrong

firstly I think Westbrook should be the primary playmaker, cut down on scoring and start passing the ball more, I would always go for the 18ppg 10apg point guard over the 23 and 8 apg pg especially on this thunder team

Durants field goal attempts are fine but the greatest problems are James Harden and Jeff Green

Harden in this pacers game is only getting 4 fga, while Green gets 16 fga, and makes only 4-16

even Sefolosha is normally getting more field goal attempts

I think its time for Harden to be part of the starting lineup with Thabo on the bench, move Ibaka into starting lineup instead of Jeff Green

and make Harden the no 2 option in terms of field goal attempts

[fallacy]

We give harden the shots, he just WON'T SHOOT THE DAMN BALL!!!

It's so **** frustrating!

Instead of shooting an open three he pump fakes and double dribbles.

[slick_watts]

Shot selection is bad for everyone. We don't know how to get good shots consistently. It's a big problem.

Even though Russ had a great game, he did force things also. He made them but he won't always. We made a lot of tough shots out of isolations.

In this game, I thought Jeff Green was the biggest culprit. I don't really mind KD taking at least a few tough shots (he took too many) but not Green.

[Sinant]

Considering how Durant is shooting 48% if you remove his 3s, and he's somehow taking 5.5 of them a game, I'd say he definitely needs to work on his shot selection.

[BIG EDDIE]

slick, is it possible to check a stat somewhere where you can see Durant's field goal percentages comaring his shots created by himself and shots wherehe doesnt dribble (catch and shoot)?

I just think that KD should be much more of a Ray Allen / Reggie Miller type of SHOOTER, where he comes off screens, catches and shoots AND them combine that with his driving skills, where he can take is to the basket.

What I hate and im sure he has very poor stats on dribbling and then shooting a long 2 or a 3, which is basically contested.

He should be a 40% three-point shooter, but he needs better looks, and not the type of "yeah Im big enough to shoot over anyone" shots.

[slick_watts]

Yes, Synergy has stats like this. Basically what you're asking is how KD does on isolations vs. set plays.

The answer is what you'd expect. KD is shooting 31.1% from the field on isolation plays, and only getting .71 points per play. This is a very bad number.

Off-Screen (i.e. curls or pin downs, etc.) KD is shooting 53.7% from the floor and is getting 1.12 points per play. That is a terrific number, second best in the NBA.

KD was never really a great isolation player, but after the FIBA worlds and the comparisons to LeBron and company, he's trying to be. A few isos here and there don't hurt, but we have to get back to running more set plays for him or at least getting the ball to him where he's more comfortable.

[BIG EDDIE]

Yeah, those number are telling the whole story about Kevin Durant.
I wish someone would point that out to him and Scott Brooks.

Btw, where do you get those stats from exctly? I tried to google synergy but I couldn't find an application where I can create such stats...

[Sinant]

The thing about Durant isn't really that he's a bad iso player, when he really tries, he can usually create himself a good shot. I've seen a lot of these "I got a defender tight on me, time to fade away and take a bad jumper" or "run the ball up the court and pull up for a random 3".

I scream "oh god don't do it" every time he brings the ball up the court, because most of the time he just pulls up for a terrible 3.

He's a lazy iso player imo, much rather not work for a good look and try to out-length his defender. When he takes the time to push his defender enough to create the tiny space he needs for his shot, they usually go in just like his off-a-screen shots.

[dream_catcher_9]

The thing about Durant isn't really that he's a bad iso player, when he really tries, he can usually create himself a good shot. I've seen a lot of these "I got a defender tight on me, time to fade away and take a bad jumper" or "run the ball up the court and pull up for a random 3".

I scream "oh god don't do it" every time he brings the ball up the court, because most of the time he just pulls up for a terrible 3.

He's a lazy iso player imo, much rather not work for a good look and try to out-length his defender. When he takes the time to push his defender enough to create the tiny space he needs for his shot, they usually go in just like his off-a-screen shots.

yep, he is a lazy player in general.

[slick_watts]

He's a lazy iso player imo, much rather not work for a good look and try to out-length his defender. When he takes the time to push his defender enough to create the tiny space he needs for his shot, they usually go in just like his off-a-screen shots.

Most isolation scorers fall into this habit. I don't think KD is particularly lazy on offense, he just isn't comfortable putting the ball on the floor in many situations (and rightfully so). I'd rather KD put up a long jump shot than dribble the ball into traffic, where he is exceptionally turnover prone.

KD does good work when he makes the catch inside of ~20 feet. When that happens he'll usually get off a quality look. When he sets up on his dribble beyond the three point line, he probably won't. It's not a question of laziness, IMO.

I think people are freaking out a little too much over KD's 'struggles'. Here are Kevin Durant's scoring #'s through last November (17 games):

27.7 ppg on 45.7% FG, 86% FT, 24.3% 3PT, 55.2% TS

Compared to this season so far (16 games):

28.0 ppg on 42.8% FG, 93% FT, 27.3% 3PT, 55.5% TS

He's scoring roughly the same points per game on almost identical efficiency. Yes, his shot selection needs to get better, and judging by how he progressed last season, it will. This is a problem with our entire team, not just Kevin Durant. Of all our players, I'm least concerned about how his offensive game will progress the rest of the season. Our team has to move the ball on offense in a productive manner and rely less upon isolations. It's the coach's job to ensure that happens.

Calling Kevin Durant a lazy basketball player is nuts.

[slick_watts]

Kevin Durant's last 8 games (Thunder 6-2):

28.4 ppg on 45.6% FG / 95.8% FT / 23.9% 3PT / 58.7% TS

Exceptional efficiency considering how low his 3PT% is. Once he starts making his threes he'll be right where he was last year. He's shooting himself out of a slump, and again, it's how he started last year.

Brooks has to get the team playing as a team more consistently. It's a problem on offense and defense, and definitely not confined to Kevin Durant.

[Sinant]

Calling Kevin Durant a lazy basketball player is nuts.

Yeah, I just want to clarify that I didn't mean he was a lazy player. I guess a better way to put it would be that he "settles" on offense too much.

I'm not saying he should become LeBron and take people off the dribble and drive into the lane (because like you said, he's turnover prone when he does that), I just hate when a defender is on him, and instead of trying to create a little space before pulling up, he fades into really bad shots.

And I never want to see that weird pull-up-for-a-long-3-with-no-ball-movement.

[BIG EDDIE]

Once he starts making his threes he'll be right where he was last year. He's shooting himself out of a slump, and again, it's how he started last year.

As I see it, his low 3pt % has not much to do with KD having a shooting slump, but much more with him taking low percentage 3pt shots.
He is a great 3 point shooter, but he will never reach the 40% mark until he improves his shot selection from beyond the arc.
You need to create good 3 point shots, either though setting screens ala Ray Allen, Reggie Miller or Peja Stojakovic. Or by kicking the ball out to the shooter for an uncontested shot ala Steve Kerr, Dennis Scott or Dale Ellis.