Spotlight on: Okafor's Offense

[BigSlam]

Just like the DJ thread (that was some good discussion) this isn't to be used for bashing how much he is getting paid, who we should trade him for or the length of his contract or how many touches he does or doesn’t get. Use it to examine what he does or does not do on the OFFENSIVE end and constructively suggest what he needs to do to change it.

What I think he can do to be better on offense:
He's actually very quick in the post and spins really well - the problem that I see is that he is always spinning away from the hoop and not towards it leaving him off balance when he executes his move. That leaves him pretty much throwing the ball at the hoop in a very inconsistent manner. I’d like to see him spin more towards the hoop – or at the very least, laterally and not away from his finishing point.

He has no problem going left and using his off hand for his baby hooks, but maybe he should concentrate on getting the right hand working properly before he puts the left on show?
I think he posts wayyyyyyyyyyy too far out. I feel that he usually posts up well outside of the key and doesn't have the handles to back his man down leaving him stuck in no mans land – or spinning and fading away. When he posts up, I'd like to see him get right deep down on the block and seal off his defender. Stick that rump out, catch and then spin. That way, he's only going to be 5-7ft out from the hoop and in a much better position to score plus not have to worry about putting the ball on the floor.

If he could just learn some simple head fakes to get his defender up in the air so he could go up and under I think that would get him open looks. He spends all that time at the Dream School - why not take some of Hakeem's moves and make them his own?

He has nice, consistent form on his free throw, but I think he starts his motion wayyyyyyyy too low. I'd like him to be more upright and not start from a squatting position. He shoots his free throws from his shoulder any way so starting in a squat and bringing the ball up to there just creates inconsistencies.

That's all I have, apart from the finishing weakly part - which we all know about, what would you like to see him do differently?

[Felton for Pres]

I'd like to see him run the break every once in awhile. If nothing else he needs to be there to put back a miss.

You've touched on all my concerns. I wouldn't mind a little fluidity either. My view on that is in the Hall of Fame and I still believe it to be accurate.

[Rich4114]

Tell you what, if we actually spread the floor and moved the ball around Okafor would be a better offensive player for us. He's never going to be a 25/15 guy, but he could definitely be an 18/11 guy if we learned how to play offense. He does actually have some post up moves, but if you give him the ball in the middle of the paint and put 2 other bobcats next to him (bringing their defenders over as well) he will shoot an off balance contested hook, get blocked, or turn the ball over. He needs room to operate and he hasn't got that yet this year.

He's certainly lacking offensively, don't get me wrong. But this team so far does a poor job at playing to our talents strengths.

[fatlever]

i dont think i am allowed to post in this thread.

[Paydro70]

Okafor shoots a pretty good percentage from the field... even if he does get blocked a lot, that doesn't really hold him down too badly. I think it's fair to say that he does a fine job on the shots he actually takes (well, except that he can't hit FTs). I think Okafor's problems are twofold:

1) He lacks any ability to score outside of 5'. A terrible jump shot and an inability to put the ball on the floor (ala Dirk or Bosh or something) severely limit the places you can get the ball, and what you can do once you have it. Very few players in this league take a lot of shots without one of those two things... guys like Shaq or Dwight Howard, who are so overpowering inside that it doesn't matter, their man is helpless. If Okafor had a jumper, and could range out some, he would obviously not only be harder to guard, but much easier to get the ball to. As it stands he has to fight in the low block to get position, and then has to hold it until someone gets him the ball.

2) He can't handle the ball, and he can't pass. As a result, he gets more turnovers than a guy who never dribbles or passes should, and he sometimes forces shots or makes bad passes that hurt his ability to score. This also can lead him to miss passes that might get him the ball in good position, and he needs every one of those he can get.

I think Hamilton's hypothesis still hasn't quite been proven either way. I haven't exactly been thrilled with what Okafor does with the ball, but he does put it in with some regularity, and if Biedrins has taught us anything, it's that sometimes that can still work on a lot more touches.

[fatlever]

i'll say this... while i think okafor's offensive skills are pathetic, i absolutely think he needs a lot more shots. just give him the ball and tell him to bowl over players and try to dunk. maybe he gets fouled or maybe he gets blocked, but its aggressive. thats all i ask of him, just be aggressive on the block.

[fatlever]

-- For the Bobcats to get better, they have to get center Emeka Okafor cooking more in the post. Okafor has made eight of his last 22 shots. He’s generally taking no more than six shots a game, and he goes some games without a single true post-up basket (getting what he does off put-backs, transition or a slip when a teammate’s drive opens up the lane).

It’s not like his teammates are depriving Okafor of the ball. He needs to be more assertive offensively. Opponents almost never feel the need to double-team the post, which helps explain why the Bobcats are last in the NBA in scoring.

http://blogs.charlotte.com/inside_the_n ... ustin.html