Raymond Felton's poor FG%

[Slam]

This is a WAY overlooked portion of it. He by no means is lighting it up, but it SUCKS that he is often put back in for thest last second heaves at the end of quarters. Everytime he throws up one of those halfcourt shots, it irks me b/c I know the fg% analysts won't bring this up when throwing up shooting numbers. The thing is to his credit, he could care less and isn't obsessed with these things and is willing to take that chance even though it tends to cause more statistical harm than good.

I actually don't agree with this. In fact, I think it's a bit of a cop out.

The amount of half court shots Vs the amount of regular shots he misses wouldn't be enough to seriously effect his fg%.

I mean, he shot 7/20 last night. How many of them were from half court? Were 6 or more of them from half court, because that's how many there would have had to have been for him to have a 50% night from the floor.

Know what I mean?

[spectre]

It's not just half court shots, but also shots at the end of the shot clock...he usually takes 2 or 3 of those a game as well. I've noticed in the last few games (the Indiana game in particular) where we overpass and most times Felton is the guy who has to rush up a shot.

Take 3 away from the total and that would give him 7 of 17...which is slightly better than 40%.

He also logged almost 49 minutes last night; with 20 shots he averaged about one shot every 2 1/2 minutes (Crash averaged 1 ever 2 minutes).

Regardless, he's not a good shooter. We know that. To get around it you have to limit the harder % of shots...and to do THAT the guys around him have to be scoring. We weren't doing that consistently last night.

Raja means a lot to this group, but not only for his defense. When he's on we're VERY tough to beat...and I'd wager the stats would back that up.


I do find it highly ironic that Felton has pretty much been thrown under the bus for the loss last night...yet I don't remember him being on Ray Allen in OT one time.

[Felton for Prez]

Clearly Ray gets stuck with either the shot or game clock winding down more than others. As Slam points out, that's a factor but that that doesn't change the fact that he's not a good shooter.

I think the most relevant argument so far is fatigue. He plays a lot of minutes and that's going to take its toll. The other comment I agree with is decision making. His shot selection is questionable to say the least.

Why no comments about his form? While everyone has their own form (hello Reggie Miller), Ray could benefit from some LB coaching. It appears to me that he often shoots on the way down, thus not getting his legs into his shot. That's why he has what looks more like a heave than a shot. Combine that with fatigue and you get a lot of short (even air balled) shots. Also, does he have small hands or something? I can't describe what about his follow thru that bothers me but it almost seems to come of the side of his hand. If he were always short or long, I wouldn't worry much, but shot trajectory looks like my golf ball's trajectory, slice/hook. I want Ray taking 1,000 15-18fts each day during the off season. I really don't care if he never become a good 3pt shooter, he needs to be deadly from 15-18. We have no one (Raja is closest) who seems comfortable there.

Form side note, Ray Allen has a pretty looking jump shot, but one of the flattest ball flights I've seen. I didn't think some of them were even going to make it to the rim (one didn't)

[ohara831]

Spectre is right. Ray did take too many shots and miss, and he did take that final shot which was a horrid decision. But the shot by Ray Allen to force the 2nd OT and the one to win the game, those were not Ray's defensive blunders. At least not that I've heard. I know on the last shot, Crash left Ray Allen and couldn't recover in time. That was Crash's error, and it was the game winner for Boston. LB should have chewed him out in the locker room. Ray Allen is lethal from the outside if left open. He should have been glued to Allen and let the other Cats do their own jobs.

[Slam]

Why no comments about his form? While everyone has their own form (hello Reggie Miller), Ray could benefit from some LB coaching. It appears to me that he often shoots on the way down, thus not getting his legs into his shot. That's why he has what looks more like a heave than a shot. Combine that with fatigue and you get a lot of short (even air balled) shots. Also, does he have small hands or something? I can't describe what about his follow thru that bothers me but it almost seems to come of the side of his hand. If he were always short or long, I wouldn't worry much, but shot trajectory looks like my golf ball's trajectory, slice/hook. I want Ray taking 1,000 15-18fts each day during the off season. I really don't care if he never become a good 3pt shooter, he needs to be deadly from 15-18. We have no one (Raja is closest) who seems comfortable there.

It is very compact and there isn't a lot of flow to it at all. He also tends to stick his wing out a little.

Thing about Felts is, and it's so admirable, he's a gym junkie. You just know he puts in hours and hours and hours to improve his game. Maybe his J is as good as it's ever going to get?

With his explosion and his ability to get to the rim shooting a J should always be an after thought any way.

Thought 1 = Pass
Thought 2 = Pass
Thought 3 = Drive
Thought 4 = Dish
Thought 5 = Layup
Thought 6 = Kick out
Thought 7 = Dribble through the key
Thought 8 = Shoot a J

[spectre]

^ That's a great idea...if anyone else can score.

I just looked thru the play by play for the last 4 minutes of the 4th and both OTs...which is when he checked back into the game and played til the end:

*During the end of the 4th he took 2 shots and made one of them; the one he missed there were 3 seconds left on the shot clock.

*In the 1st OT Felton took 3 shots and made one of them. His last shot came with 5 seconds left on the shot clock.

*In the 2nd OT Felton took 3 shots...missed 2 and made one. The last shot he took had 3 seconds left on the shot clock.

In that 14 minutes he took 8 shots and 3 of them were when the shot clock was within 5 seconds.

His TOs are bothering me WAY more than his shooting.

[Slam]

In that 14 minutes he took 8 shots and 3 of them were when the shot clock was within 5 seconds.

Does it show how long the ball was in his hands before there was down to 5 seconds? Eg: Was there still 8, 9 or 10 secs on the clock when he got it? Maybe longer?

Also, how many times with the 20 shots he took did he take them with more than 10 seconds left on the clock?

And really, 5 seconds is a heck of a long time in a basketball game. Hell, Raja got a VERY good look at that final 3 with less that two seconds left on the shot clock.

His TOs are bothering me WAY more than his shooting

He had been pretty good at the start of the calendar year, but the brain farts are creeping back in.

You might be right though - he might just be very, very tired. That would explain some of them.

[110oldeast]

It would be a copout if we were talking about 4 shots all year. But we aren't. He takes a ridiculous sum of these shots as well as the 2 for 1 shots near the end of the quarter. They aren't high percentage shots, but they aren't "bad decision" shots. I've seen mulltiple games where he shot 4 for 11 with 2 of those being end of quarter buzzer beater shots. That's the difference b/w 45% shooting and 37% shooting. I don't think that saying the amount of shots like this he has taken is the difference b/w 43 and 40 and 33 and 29 from 3 is a stretch at all.

I think Felton has individual things he can work on. He has worked on one with the floater. He can afford to work to continue diversifying his finishes inside, including continuing to work off one foot finishing. Beyond that he needs to work on getting a consistent base and mechanics on his jumpshot.

That said, I think it's important to distinguish Felton shots that folks view as commando like audibles from him doing what is by design. Taking a quick jumper in a 2 for 1 situation is by designed and encouraged. Running the clock down to make sure that you get the last shot is by design and not just poor management of the clock.

The problem with our end of game shots is the personnel the coach has on the floor. In those situations, you have to go unconventional to ensure that you SPREAD THE FLOOR. New Orleans always makes sure they have 3 legitimate shooters beside their offense intiator to ELIMINATE HELP DEFENSE. Boston yesterday had Rondo, House, Allen, Pierce, and Perkins on the floor so that if we made the mistake of helping off, they had guys who could make us pay the price if we helped off them (Ray Allen did multiple times--can we get an effing scouting report on this guy?!).

The Bobcats mistakenly put out their conventional lineup which makes it too easy for a team to help. Gerald and Mek's guys can sit in the lane without any concern of their players being kicked out to for jumpers. This leads to Felton midrange jumpers which are not what most of us desire, but are the most viable option in these 1-4 sets.

If LB puts DJ or Vlad out there and leaves ONE of Gerald/Mek out there as the near the basket dish option/offensive rebounder, it would be SOOOOO much more effective. In these situations, Felton can get all the way to the rim which mean that either the near the basket guy must collapse freeing up a dish or offensive board option, the guys on the perimeter help help and free up a shooter, or Felton gets all the way to the rim for a higher percentage shot/free throw oppotunity.

I actually don't agree with this. In fact, I think it's a bit of a cop out.

The amount of half court shots Vs the amount of regular shots he misses wouldn't be enough to seriously effect his fg%.

I mean, he shot 7/20 last night. How many of them were from half court? Were 6 or more of them from half court, because that's how many there would have had to have been for him to have a 50% night from the floor.

Know what I mean?

[Ghost Kat]

As the resident Felton hater, I'll try to keep my bashing to a minimum.....

Felton has never shot the ball at a high %. He has a horrible form, takes bad shots, and goes hero way to often. I read a couple posts stating that his last second shots are what brings down his %. Very untrue, He shoots those out maybe 3 -4 times a game, But that doesn't account for all the missed three's or pull up jumpers that clang off the back rim. It's easy to say we give him the ball in the last seconds because he can get create himself a shot. But thats the same as sayin give Shaq the ball in the last seconds since they know he'll get fouled...He's still not the one you want shooting the freethrow. Felton brings alot of good things to this team and I've almost changed my opinion about him. But He's this teams Rajon Rondo, Atleast Rondo keeps his shot attempts to a minimum.

[TheBeagle]

[quote=WAM9;123416]I also have seen many times where the shot clock is running down to a second or two when he gets the ball passed back to him. I'm certainly not saying there aren't other issues but, a lot of his poor shot selection (and therefore poor FG%) are due to getting the ball passed from a teammate and him forcing it up at the end of the clock. Against the Lakers, we had at least 2 24 second violations and many possesions where we threw up a bad shot at the end. I do love seeing the passing though and that also leads to open looks. Sometimes, we tend to make 1 too many passes...

quote] I agree wholeheartedly. Everyone on the team defers to Raymond when the clock is winding down. I'd almost say 4 shots a game on average are him throwing it up at the rim as the shot clock is at 2 or less.

There's no doubt though that he does force too many shots, and difficult shots at that. Big Slam is right about his tear-drop, but he doesn't use it enough; he still takes the ball in too deep and either has it swatted or throws it up in the vicinity of the rim hoping for the foul call that never ever comes.

I think fatigue also enters into the equation, plus the fact he's in a slump, but I have to think if Larry was terribly pissed about Raymond's play we'd have heard about it since Larry isn't known to hold his opinions back from the media.

I'm with spectre though; the TOs are so much more irritating and infuriating to me than FG%.