Game #7: Toronto Raptors 111 - Denver Nuggets 129

[tDotted]

We need shooting so Ibaka > Millsap for this team

[3inthekeon]

After years of complaining about the lack of ball movement in our offence, now we'd rather have a ball stopping big who's never shown passing skills over one of the best passing big men in the league because one makes more shats?

[KeonClark]

After years of complaining about the lack of ball movement in our offence, now we'd rather have a ball stopping big who's never shown passing skills over one of the best passing big men in the league because one makes more shats?

That's so last year. Now we complain about the lack of long range shooting.

[Nilanka]

After years of complaining about the lack of ball movement in our offence, now we'd rather have a ball stopping big who's never shown passing skills over one of the best passing big men in the league because one makes more shats?

I miss Sam Mitchell*









*Disclaimer - No I don't

[The Great One]

Still my all time fav Raptors game. I remember jumping up and down when Vince got fouled shooting 3 late in the 4th LOL. Then he hit that game winning shot in the OT. Unbelivable.

[KeonClark]

An unhealthy 36.4 percent of Player X field goal attempts have been dreaded midrange jumpers and long 2s.

“I know the numbers,” Player X said. “At the same time, I don’t want to be thinking about that. I’m a basketball player when I’m out there. A lot of teams are going with just layups and 3s, but for me, my game has always been based off the midrange game. I’m comfortable with that shot and I feel like it’s a high percentage shot for me.”

Who said it?

Hint: he's one of the best scorers in the NBA

[Maury]

Who said it?

Hint: he's one of the best scorers in the NBA

Boban Marjonovic

[hotfuzz]

Who said it?

Hint: he's one of the best scorers in the NBA

Kobe?

[3inthekeon]

Kobe?

I'd guess LMA?

[KeonClark]

Devin Booker..and yet you rarely see his game criticized for being "archaic". Less assists than demar derozan too. Just interesting how different guys get a pass and different guys don't.

[KHD]

Devin Booker..and yet you rarely see his game criticized for being "archaic". Less assists than demar derozan too. Just interesting how different guys get a pass and different guys don't.

does anyone even watch his game?

[DogeLover1234]

Devin Booker..and yet you rarely see his game criticized for being "archaic". Less assists than demar derozan too. Just interesting how different guys get a pass and different guys don't.

Obviously we disagree with who the best scorers in the league are.

[KeonClark]

Obviously we disagree with who the best scorers in the league are.

"One of" leaves a lot of room for interpretation

[Jclaw]

It's about halfway between Canadian Thanksgiving and American Thanksgiving so here's something to be thankful for. In any other year, tonight would have been opening night for the Raptors. Instead, we've had 6 games...all of them entertaining (and a few less preseason games). Its FANtastic!

[white men can't jump]

Devin Booker..and yet you rarely see his game criticized for being "archaic". Less assists than demar derozan too. Just interesting how different guys get a pass and different guys don't.

What the heck is considered a long 2 then?

By Bballref, they go by 16ft-3pt line and that makes sense to me. A 15ft jumper is not a "long two" to me. That's the closer midrange that is actually ok to settle for if you have to since most scorers are passably efficient at a FT-length jumper. So going by that bballref standard Booker's never gone over .229% of his FGAs, and that was last year. This year he's at .108% of his FGAs. To put in perspective, on that same stat DeMar has only twice in his 9 year career gone below .310% of his FGAs from that distance, and one of those two times is this season at .190%. His previous best? 2 seasons ago at .247, still higher than Booker's highest mark so far in his short career.

To me it seems this quote was counting the closer mid range as a long two as well. By that standard DeMar has never been close to that low a proportion of his FGAs from long two. Even as he's adjusted his game to get to the closer mid-range more, DeMar still shoots an abundance of his shots from that range. This year DeMar is at .450 from 10-16 and .190 from 16-3pt for a total of of 64% of his shots coming from that area. Booker's combined number this year is about 41% of his shots, his highest combined amount in the same year he's at his lowest long two amount.

And assists? Booker is averaging 4.3 assists per game so far this season. He's gone up from 2.6, to 3.4 to where he's at now. It took DeMar until his 5th season to average 4 apg, and before that time had never even gone over 3 per game in a season. Now, that doesn't mean Booker's #s will keep going up. About 4-5 assists is ok for a SG who can score, especially when they're effective playing off the ball. The reason more has been desired from DeMar is because he not only hasn't been a great off-ball player, but also because the offence we've run most of Casey's tenure here has meant the ball is often in his hands and if he's not moving it, it ain't moving. And I'm sure if Booker has to dominate the ball a lot and struggles to crack 4apg many years, you'll hear criticism about that too.

Booker also has shot about 30% of his shots from 3pt range. DeMar about 8% of his shots over his career.

I don't particularly have a strong opinion on a comparison of them as players. Booker is young and on a trash team. He'll put up numbers because he is a talented kid. However I'm not sure that trying to liken their games makes much sense at all.