Wilcox Energy Leading to Easy Buckets

Celtics forward/center Chris Wilcox landed in the headlines on Sunday for less-than-flattering reasons
as the league fined him $25,000 for an obscene gesture that appeared on
the JumboTron in Philadelphia on Friday. It's unfortunate because
Wilcox deserves a more flattering spotlight for the impact he's had in
Boston's rotation this season.


Less than nine months removed from surgery to repair an enlarged
aorta that cut his 2011-12 season short, the 30-year-old Wilcox is
quietly averaging 4.5 points and 2.3 rebounds over 13.1 minutes per
game. Maybe most noteworthy, Wilcox is shooting a staggering 70.8
percent from the floor, which would easily be a Celtics' franchise
record if he could reach the minimum-attempt threshold.





NBA.com Shooting ChartChris Wilcox's shot distribution this season.

His shooting percentage really hammers home Wilcox's impact: He's running
the floor or finding space as a cutter and finishing easy opportunities
around the hoop -- often of the alley-oop variety with help from Rajon
Rondo. Wilcox doesn't step outside his comfort area very often (see his
shooting chart at right).


Eased into the new campaign after battling some health woes that
forced him to miss much of training camp and the exhibition season,
Wilcox has emerged as a key frontcourt reserve, providing a much-needed
length when Kevin Garnett goes to the bench.


"He’s good; A lot of energy," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "Still,
defensively, we need him to be better. But the one thing he really does
is run the floor. He sets picks, and he can roll; he’s a great
pick-and-roller. And Rondo takes advantage of that.”


Offensively, Wilcox has been rather spectacular.
He actually ranks in the 99th percentile among all NBA players,
averaging a whopping 1.232 points per play overall, according to Synergy
Sports data. The majority of Wilcox's points come off cuts in the
offensive end, sneaking into the paint when the defense collapse on
Boston's shooters. Yes, he can run with Rondo, but his transition
numbers don't leap off the page.


It's actually Wilcox's numbers in the pick-and-roll that shine
brightest as Wilcox is shooting 77.8 percent in plays he finishes as the
roll man. If he doesn't turn the ball over, he's likely putting points
on the scoreboard, having made seven of nine shots in 12 roll situations
this season.


Defensively, his numbers are nothing to sneeze at either, allowing a
mere 0.747 points per play (82nd percentile). Teams have gone at him in
the post, but Wilcox's athleticism allows him to contest bigs in the
pick-and-roll. Like the rest of Boston's bigs not named Kevin Garnett,
the key for Wilcox is making sure he's in the right spots with his
rotations.


Wilcox is still reestablishing himself on the glass, maybe the
strongest aspect of his game when health woes cropped up last season.
His total rebound percentage is a mere 10.4, down four percent from his
career average.


But Wilcox is sort of the posterchild for what the Celtics want from
a role player. He doesn't get big minutes, but he finds a way to impact
the game when he's on the floor. The Celtics are +9 with Wilcox on the
floor this season, suggesting he's not a liability out there and his
ridiculous offensive rating of 126 points per 100 possessions shows just
how much of a spark he's given the offense.




bob


.

Another guy who is only now starting to get his wind and confidence back.

The best is yet to come with Chris and Jeff Green. Patience my friends, patience.

Chris $25K lighter in his wallet after Celtics game in Philly last week:

http://nba.si.com/2012/12/09/chris-wilcox-fine-nba-celtics-sixers/