We probably have one of the better 3 point shooting teams. Chauncey is one of the best especially in tight games, Sheed is one of the best 3 point shooting big men, Tay can step out and hit that 3, Rip is getting a lot better. Ben not so much, but he can hit them in practice (saw a pistons practice on nba tv).

If I remember right, it was Mercury in the "Training Camp Sneaking up on us" thread on 09-02-2005, 04:03 PM.

Absolutely. That little Chauncey sequence in the third quarter shows the differences in philosophy between Flip and Larry. No way Larry would have let chauncey do that--maybe one three and then we would set it up. And we wouldn't have scored 9 points last year--no way. There will be times where Chauncey and others miss, but we have that open look in our repertoire. Teams are really going to have to guard us this year and not just pack it down like Indiana did. They have to fear Chauncey every q uarter or the game. We can deliver knock out blows at times with our offense. I also like Ben on those slants to the basket as they throw the ball in to him. That is where Ben is tough offensively.

The downside of Chauncey's 3-point barrage came after the 12-0 run. The Pistons began jacking up long shots without much in the post and the Bucks came back a little. That'll be a temptation throughout the season, I think.

One note of caution: We'll start missing Lindsey soon. Watching Mo Williams and Charlie Bell go off big-time after that pretty run brought home the fact that we don't have other guys who can shut down dribble penetration. That'll hurt us in a wide-open game of trading Js.

I doubt we miss Hunter. Once Flip gets a few of his ZONES installed we should be able to cut down on penetration. I know that I won't miss Hunter's ugly Jumper and inability to run the offense.

You guys will never be happy with CarArr.
Concentrate on his effectiveness. What does the game call for?
LB brought him in here to dish. So you thought he was a scoring weakness. When he went for the kill, a pass to Rip or Dyess early in the clock, you say he isn't moving the ball around enough. When he makes the extra pass you say he's T.O. prone or missed the open man. If he takes it to the hole he's selfish. As a backup One, he should hold a lead until the starters are ready. If we have a lead burn some clock- dribble.
... The Tre is an intregal part of the game. When it works for either team it will beat you, simple math. With hot shooters you must milk it. 45% or better... Lights Out!

More simple math.

How many 45% 3 point shooters are on this squad? In fact, how many 40%+ 3 point shooters do we have?

The answer to question # 1 is ZERO.

The answer to question # 2 is ONE.

And that one 40% shooter only hit that % one time. Chauncey Billups last year (42.6%). For his career he is a 38% 3 point shooter.

The problem is not taking more threes. The problem is team field goal shooting % as a whole. We don't have great gunners, and we don't have a 20PPG post man. Incidentally, you will find most teams that have one also have the other. Phoenix, Miami, San Antonio.

Teams that live and die by the 3 without a post game to create spacing generally end up spending a lot of time on the greens during the month of June.

The trey is sexy, but it is not indicative of a high powered offense. Since the NBA added the three pointer, scoring has gone down as attempts went up. And they know it.

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Barely anyone shoots 45% from 3 consistently, and why would you want a hard 3 when you can get easier 2 point baskets where people actually do consistently shoot 45% or better.

Micro and Himat, a hard three or semi-contested three is not better than a two. But an open--look three is one of the best shots in basketball. What Chauncey had was open-look threes. Those are good percentage shots for him. More important, I bet our percentages are better with him taking those looks than when we set up and get whatever we get. Our half-court offense is not high powered and we don't have a good post game as Micro and others have pointed out. It makes no sense to pass up a free look three only to set it up for a tough- to medium two. What you don't want to do is consistently put up shots early in the clock as that throws an offense off-kilter. But the league needs to know that you have to guard the Pistons for all 24 seconds.

I agree about that. Chauncey is deadly on open spot up threes.

I dunno. You would have to factor in whether the missed 3s were turned into fast break opportunities via the long rebound. Perhaps.

Agree and agree. But you need that "paint" game to get those open 3s.

True, but the occasional dividend of a tough to medium two is drawing a foul. You aren't going to get many fouls on wide open 3s. If you miss the 40% shot, you have to pray for an offensive board or it's a wasted possession.

I'll disagree with that. Let them sleep on us late in the clock. In all seriousness, I get your point. I just watched CB and later Troy Hudson/Sczerbiak in Minny and it looked like chucking without conscience at times. That is something I do not want to see.

Western Conference up/down ball doesn't play well in the East. This has always been the lower scoring, tough guy, slug it out conference. Draw the foul, pound the rock. Then pass out for the open 3. Chicago, Indy, even Miami (except Udonis Haslem will leave Sheed) won't play soft perimeter "D" like Phoenix, Denver, etc. There will be no "boys" between us and the Finals. Just men.

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To all of my friends, comrades and companions at PF.com

Thank you for another great season!