The Carlos Delfino project

Re: The Delfino project

For comparison...

"Inside Field Goal Percentage" (Not a jumper, not a dunk) As of December 25th (before Delfino's hotstreak)....

Billups: 67.3% (Up a TON from last year)
Flip Murray: 57.6%
Carlos Delfino: 57.1%
Rip Hamilton: 54.3%
Tayshaun Prince: 49.1%
Rasheed Wallace: 47.2% (sad...)
Antonio McDyess: 40.9% (eww...)

Personally, I think a lot of us (me included) over analyze the performance of some of the bench guys. Every missed layup seems huge because they don't get many opportunities at them. It just seems easier to quickly forgive a starter for missing shot than it is for a reserve.

BTW, Chauncey went from the worst 15ppg+ scorer in inside FG% to one of the best. Which is why his FG% is his 2nd best ever, but his 3 point shooting percentage is way down nearly 10% from last year. Hopefully this isn't just the "new" ball effect.

(Source: Detroit Pistons NBA stats and data from 82games.com)

Re: The Delfino project

FP22 it probably isn't the ball. After watching games jump shooters do better. Many times a ball that should go hard off the rim stays on the rim and rolls in. As for inside shooters, they have struggled because shots and lay ups off glass go off differently than the leather balls supposedly. Hopefully Chauncey is having a good inside year. He can own any PG inside.

Re: The Delfino project

I do agree that the ball is potentially having an impact on Delfino's layups. When he can't get the ball onto the glass cleanly, he just kind of tosses it onto the iron and lets it bounce around for a second and a half. This year, it's tended to drop, but one has to wonder whether they'll still drop with the leather ball.

Or why, with hands his size, he can't develop a more fluid finger roll that falls cleanly into the net with only 1 or 2 bounces at most.

Re: The Delfino project

Just to follow up my last post.... Here are NBA.com's official, up-to-date, numbers from their new "hotzones" stats section.

"Inside Zone" (Includes Dunks, Layups, etc)

Delfino - 62.5%
Billups - 61.9%
Mohammad - 60.2%
McDyess - 55.4% (The dunks save him)
Wallace - 54.9%
Maxiell - 54.0%
Prince - 53.9%
Hamilton - 52.1%
Murray - 51.9%
Hunter - 42.3%

For Further reference...
Ginobili - 58.0%
Josh Howard - 60.6%
Wade - 66%
Kobe - 60.6%

.. Not to say Delfino's in their league, but he is not missing shots inside at an alarming rate. He's actually the best on the team. Maybe he needs a few more opportunities to see what he can really do? Can we get the ball in his hands, eh Flip?

Re: The Delfino project

Probably because he rarely gets the opportunity in actual games. It's one thing to practice on your own, or one-on-one. It's a totally different thing in a 5-on-5, all out situation. If he got a few of those shots per game he'll probably adjust some naturally. As it is, it seems like when he misses, it's because he can't decide between going off the glass or laying it straight in, so he hits the back rim and it bounces out.

Re: The Delfino project

I love posts like these with actual data and such.

The only argument that I can think of against it, is that most of Delfino's shots inside are relatively uncontested on fast breaks. But the fact that he is getting those is great in a different way.

Also, look at Nazr! All those slow pump fakes are working.

Re: The Delfino project

I believe Tashawn eluded to the improvement of Delfino's shooting recently... he is now shooting a respectable 43% and 37% from 3pt... I'm sure if you took the last 10 game trend the percentages would be even better...
No reason to be pig headed about a player... if he's showing improvement we all win... so I'll have to retract some of the bad stuff I said about him... here goes...
solraC skcus eh t’nac toohs (have to read it backwards).

Re: The Delfino project

You always look for a young player to improve every year and Carlos is showing that given playing time he will get better. His FT % is very good at 87.5%, though not as eye popping as Rip's at 89.8%. I think that Carlos and JMax are the modern reincarnation of our Bad Boys X Factor (Salley and Rodman) and if Lindsey ever gets healthy I would love to see those 3 in the rotation as the "Unleash the Hounds" unit. Throw in Dale Davis and Tay in that mix and watch the bodies flying and it wouldn't be pretty but I bet it would be game changing.

Re: The Delfino project

Join the club, I'm still trying to live down all the bad stuff I said about Jmax.

Re: The Delfino project

This statement is a joke.........Right??

Re: The Delfino project

Spoken like a true MAN! One should never "dis" a player just cause their guy ain't performing. Or because he don't have the type of "game" you prefer.

As for Delfino, I like the way he's startin to use the glass on his drives. If he could score consistently we could get rid of FlipM.

Re: The Delfino project

And where would we stop?

Re: The Delfino project

Delfino is still being effective with the minutes he is getting. I still can't understand why Flip doesn't play him more. It seems like the better he plays the fewer minutes he gets. Whenever he seems to start to get in the flow of the game; Flip takes him out. I just don't get it.

Murray's one on one play is killing us. 3 times the other night I saw Flip dribble right up to Delfino; look him off and take it on his own. Delfino was on the wing with a post player on the block waiting for the pass from Delfino but Delfino was never given the ball. Instead, Murray drives to the free throw line and pulls up for that ugly, spread-eagle J of his. Oh, and by the way; he was 1 for 9.

Pathetic. Saunders has got to get him off the floor. He is killing spacing, ball movement and team shooting %.

Re: The Delfino project

I think I've finally figured it out. Fip does not like Delfino's game, he doesn't think Delfino's style of play fits his offense, so no matter how well Delfino plays, Flip doesn't want him.

However Flip loves Murray's game, he just wants Murray to play better.

So Flip pulls Delfino when he plays well, because he doesn't want pressure to play him more. And Flip let's Murray keep playing, because he thinks Murray just needs more pt to improve.

Re: The Delfino project

Murray was on the verge of watching the rest of the season in warmups after playing (badly) 10 minutes or less in New York and Indiana. I don't believe that the coach is all that fond of Murray or his game*, but he's less fond of pass-first point guards, and he wasn't willing to start a rookie in Chauncey's absence. This isn't a Mo Evans-type situation.

Now, whether the coach likes or dislikes or misjudges or holds grudges against Delfino is anyone's guess, but that's a separate issue.

* Flip Saunders likes ball-dominating, shot-chucking point guards, but only if they're able to shoot. His offense more than anything else relies on the ability of players to hit standing jumpshots as soon as they catch the ball, which Murray has consistently shown a complete inability to do.

Re: The Delfino project

This was the opportunity to build Murray's trade value... it backfired... when Chaucey & Lindsey come back this week Flippit could land in Siberia.

Re: The Delfino project

LOL, another one a 357's many HOFers out of the league.... always good for some player evals.