| By The Numbers: Week 3 Review Authored by Marten Liebster - November 19, 2005 - 1:30 am
The Magic need help.
Perhaps our expectations were too high coming into the season. Our defense is so much improved, it seems. We have a coach that tried to implement an offensive scheme that emphasizes efficiency. I'm sure in time it will start
to click, but that hasn't been the case looking back over the past 3 weeks.
As a team we're shooting a meager 41.0% from the field with 69.3 attempts per game. Our opponents 44.6% on an average of 71.8 shots per game. So while we're slowing down the game, we're still allowing more shots with a better percentage.
What makes the fact that we're getting less shots off more interesting is the fact that we've been getting 3 more offensive rebounds per game (19 vs. 16).
One reason we're not getting as many shots is that we turn the ball over 14 times a game as opposed to our foes' 11 turnovers.
Another area where we need to improve is in 3 point shots. We are getting off 6.7 less attempts per game as opposed to our opponents. It's not so much a matter of shooting the long ball less as it is that we're only hitting them
at a 35.2% clip (25 of 71). Perhaps we can take some consolation from the fact that our opponents are shooting them at the same percentage (44 of 125).
Dwight has really started to get going in the past several games and is shooting 51.4%. But his front court partner Tony Battie needs to step up his play - he's only connecting on 33.3% of his attempts. He's not a key part of the offense by any means, but when we're struggling we need as much help as possible.
Our 2 starting guards are playing effectively. Stevenson and Francis are shooting a combined 46.7% overall from the field and an even 50% from within the arc. Together they are averaging 7.6 assists per game, but unfortunately,
they also are turning the ball over 4.8 times a game.
Both Dwight Howard and Steve Francis are leading the team with 7.25 and 7.0 respective free throws per game. The rest of the team drops off rather quickly:
DeShawn....4.3
Hedo.......2.5
Tony.......1.8
Kelvin.....1.7
Jameer.....1.3
Pat........1.0
The Magic need help. Having Hill back will help us greatly, but he won't help our lack of scoring from the Center position, and he won't help us to take
more 3 point attempts.
Still, he will get us more production from the SF spot. He will help will ball movement. Having a player on the court with the basketball IQ like Hill has will allow Coach Hill to stick closer to the Princeton offense. But it will take time for that to happen.
If things don't start to change, making the playoffs is becoming less and less likely. |
