The videos from last night's game aren't uploaded to NBA.com yet, but I just went through Dame's threes from earlier in the series. Game 1 (3-8 from 3): 6 shots off the dribble (2-6), 2 off the pass (1-2) Game 2 (0-6 from 3): 4 shots off the dribble, 1 off a pass where he had to double-clutch because he was challenged, and 1 clean 3 off the pass. Game 3 (3-8 from 3): 5 shots off the dribble (2-5), 1 off the pass (0-1), and 2 that the video didn't show. Game 4 (2-8 from 3): 4 shots off the dribble (0-4), 3 off the pass (2-3), and 1 that the video didn't show. So, 4-19 off the dribble, 3-8 off the pass, and 1-3 unknown. Almost without exception, when he shoots on balance off a good feed, it drops. Almost without exception, if he's moving sideways at all, either 1-on-1 or around a screen, his 3's off the dribble were off. The ones he made off the bounce were mostly uncontested and after a step toward the hoop.
Stren's point is there is no point left because the horse has been kicked for a while now... Round and round we go... Where we stop, only I know.... The discussion has faded because its the same complaint from the same people after every missed shot from Dame. As if they expect him to go 100% every time or something, or ONLY shoot in a stable, non moving, non off the dribble game. You guys keep wanting to corral someone who CLEARLY cant be corralled. You start trying to limit shot selection and he no longer feels the freedom to knock down the ones he does. Does he take more bad shots than good shots? Not in my opinion.... so Take the bad with the good people. Its they only way you are going to be completely happy. He is helping us win playing the way he is playing and yet he gets gunned down for it. I don't know what the definition of a Blazer fan is, but I know I don't fit the same description as some of you here who expect perfection or something.
So herein lies the problem, because the Clips have taken away the drive for him, and by your count he's getting around 2.75 shots per game that are off a pass. So are we condoning him only taking shots that are off a pass? Are we saying he shouldn't shoot unless he's open? The guy would take 5 shots per game with how LAC is defending him.
@PtldPlatypus noted "threes," not total shots. 5 3pt attempts is not that low. Especially given his %'s.
To answer the question--if an opponents' defensive strategy is such that the majority of the shots he can take would result in a TS% of 31.5% (4-19 from 3 off the dribble), then yes, I would prefer he not take those shots, and instead work the offense for shots that the defense is permitting that will result in more points per possession. I fully believe that if Dame had not taken those 19 3's off the dribble in those first 4 games, the Blazers would have ended up with more than 12 points out of those 19 possessions. However, I also think that if he had passed out of those 19 shots, we'd still be up 3-2 right now, so it probably doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Still, the point still stands that he could be more efficient with his choices, which is all anyone really wants.
What is wrong with taking fewer shots if they are highly defended? The Clippers are face guarding him and doubling him, so why force bad shots instead of taking fewer?
Heh, yeah.... because there's so much to do. Did he edit your post? Delete anything? Ban anyone? I think I've deleted one thread in the last six months, and I'm not even sure Stren has done much more than that. Why don't you keep it about basketball?
