Monday Bolts – 12.16.13
Serge Ibaka ranked 12th in top 25 players under 25 by ESPN.com. Here’s David Thorpe: “Ibaka is likely the single most productive and efficient role player in the league. But he could wring more scoring out of his game by earning more free throw attempts. His shot allows him to be an effective shot-fake attack guy, and his quickness and ambidexterity give him chances to create contact on drives and post-up plays. Those weapons, when used right, draw lots of fouls.”
Anthony Slater: “With a majority of the sports world focused on the NFL and fixated on another Tony Romo fourth-quarter meltdown, it was a relatively uneventful and sleepy Sunday in The Peake. The Thunder played a generally unenergized game, hitting the inferior Magic with enough spurts to build and maintain a double-digit lead until the final minutes. Then Orlando hit some shots and OKC almost blew the game and its perfect home record. But it didn’t. So rack it up in the win column and move on.”
Wrote the Dime last night for ESPN.com.
Amin Elhassan of ESPN Insider on midrange shots: “The main scoring areas in the half court are commonly broken down into three categories: rim field goal attempts, midrange and 3-point attempts (which can be further broken down into corner versus above the break 3-pointers). The most efficient shots are layups and dunks at the rim, followed by 3-pointers, so it stands to reason that the most efficient style of offense would emphasize shots in these spaces and try to minimize the number of shots in the midrange. The idea is that the rate of success for making rim field goal attempts is much higher than making jump shots, and if you are going to take a jump shot, you might as well take a few steps back and be awarded an extra point for the added risk. The “long 2-point attempt (from farther than 16 feet) is the worst shot in basketball” nomenclature is derived from this concept, that the shooter is assuming more risk for less reward.”
Reggie Jackson is in the group of players that could be starting around the league.
Jenni Carlson on the halfcourt shots: “What has happened to the folks after they’ve hit those half-court shots is pretty remarkable. They have appeared on SportsCenter and Fox and Friends and The Today Show. They have used the money to put a down payment on a house and start a nonprofit and pay for school and offset doctor bills. Their after-the-shot stories are heartwarming and funny and down right amazing. They are every bit as good as their shots. By the way, here’s hoping that the folks at NBA headquarters are planning another compilation of half-court shots. At the rate we’re going, Oklahoma City fans will make about six more half-court shots this season. There are a few NBA teams who wished they shot as well as Thunder fans.”
