Lay-up vs. 3-pointer? Stevens: 'You want lay-ups'

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/lay-vs-3-pointer-stevens-you-want-lay-ups



Lay-up vs. 3-pointer? Stevens: 'You want lay-ups'

October 2, 2015, 1:00 pm







WALTHAM, Mass. – When it comes to scoring in the NBA, more and more teams are looking to better utilize the 3-point shot.

For Celtics coach Brad Stevens, of greater concern is getting the best shot possible.

And the best shot for Stevens?

“A lay-up or a dunk,” he told CSNNE.com. “You have to try and get those. We’re not getting enough of those right now.”

Last season, the Celtics had 267 dunks, which ranked 20th in the NBA, according to basketball-reference.com. When it came to scoring around the rim, the Celtics weren’t much better. They averaged 41.8 points in the paint, which ranked 16th in the league.

Still, we’ve seen teams, such as the Memphis Grizzlies, rely heavily on their ability to score around the basket.

While the Grizzlies rank among the league’s top teams, they fall short of being in the conversation to win it all because of their inability to make 3-pointers.

Last season the Grizzlies ranked 29th in 3-pointers made (5.2), 3-pointers attempted (15.2) and percentage of points from 3-point range (15.7).

“The next-best shot outside of that [around the basket] area where you score at a high, high rate is probably an open uncontested 3-pointer,” Stevens said. “That’s just the math of it. You never want to strike a balance between lay-ups and 3s. You want lay-ups.”

That said, Stevens knows that the 3-point shot has to be part of what the Celtics look to do on a nightly basis.

Multiple veterans on the Celtics roster have talked about getting back to the playoffs as one of their primary goals this season.

Over the past five seasons, one of the best ways teams have been able to ensure a postseason berth was to shoot the ball well from 3-point range. In fact, teams that have ranked among the top-10 in 3-pointers made per game the past five seasons have advanced to the postseason 74 percent of the time.

Last season, the top eight teams in 3-pointers made were playoff teams. The Celtics were tied for 13th.

In the same period of time, teams which ranked among the top-10 in points in the paint were able to qualify for the playoffs just 54 percent of the time.

As far as the 3-point shot, Stevens wants to see the Celtics improve upon last season when they shot 32.7 percent on 3s which ranked 27th in the NBA.

“But the biggest thing for me is, are we being smart in our attack?” Stevens said. “Are we taking, not forcing the other shots early in the clock?”

One offensive category that the Celtics stood out in last season was shots taken per game, where they averaged a league-high 89.3 per game.

But lots of shot attempts don’t necessarily factor into a team having great success, evident by the Celtics being just one of four teams that ranked in the top-10 in field goals taken per game last season making it to the postseason.

“There’s a difference between shooting them and making them,” Stevens said. “There is. Fair or unfair, right or wrong. You gotta make them when you’re open.”

Especially when you’re talking about 3-pointers.

“We want to create as many open 3s as possible,” Stevens said. “Hopefully with the work these guys put in, they’ll step up and make them.”



bob
MY NOTE:  Good answer, Brad, good answer.  


.

The issue is not about 3's vs dunks and layups but rather the replacement of long 2's by 3 pointers. In 2000-01, the 1st year that team shooting stats were kept, the following figures were recorded.
Percentage of fga by distance. 0-3 -- .273%, 16<3 - - .232%, 3p -- .170%. In 2014-15 the numbers were. 0-3 -- .288%, 16<3 -- .175%, 3p -- .268. Dunks and layups are up, 3 pointers are up and 16<3 are down. The popularity of the 3 pointer is because of its greater efficiency vs the long 2 pointer.

swish

swish wrote:The popularity of the 3 pointer is because of its greater efficiency vs the long 2 pointer.

And its ability to space the floor.

Outside
No doubt about that.

swish

This past year the fg% by distance was as follows. 16<3 -- .394% and 3p -- .350%. Resulting in the long 2 pointers scoring 78.8 points per 100 shots while the 3 pointers resulted in 105 points per 100 shots.

swish

inside out works well for me.  We need  more dribble penetration and kick outs.  We need to see more 3 pt shots off the fast break.  We need to take 3 point shots but not settle for the 3 point shot.

There is another stat that should not be overlooked.  While we see a few dummies foul three point shooters it is the worse foul to commit and represent a very small percentage of total fouls committed.  However when a player is inside the paint there is a better opportunity to draw contact.  The other team picks up more fouls, the penalty comes into play, guys have to go to the bench and that is where we see more and 1's. If you cannot score in the post it will limit opportunities to score on the perimeter.

With that in mind looking at the number of points scored on 2 pointers vs 3 pointers per 100 possessions does not contemplate other variables.  I would also point out that missed 3 point shots tend to bounce out resulting in easier transition opportunities for the opponent.  

Give me a balanced and I'm happy.

The Celtics need to improve on their 3 pt FG % otherwise they would be better off scoring in the post more.

dboss

dboss

"With that in mind looking at the number of points scored on 2 pointers vs 3 pointers per 100 possessions does not contemplate other variables. I would also point out that missed 3 point shots tend to bounce out resulting in easier transition opportunities for the opponent."

My reference was to "long" 3 pointers (16<3 feet ).

swish

Shooting the 3 ball is a big part of the modern game --  that is IF you can make them. This past year 13 teams shot above the league average of .350 on 3 point fga and 12 of them were in the playoffs.  Here's how the Celts compared with the Warriors in regards to 3 point shooting.   3 point attempts -   Celts ranked 13th, the Warriors 7th.  3 point shooting percent -   Celts ranked 27th and the Warriors 1st.  And how about this stat. This past year the Warriors shot .397 on 2 point fga's at the 16<3 distance for 79.4 points per 100 shots. From 3 point range they shot .398 for 119 points per 100 shots. No wonder that the 3 ball has become the long ball of preference out in the Bay area.

swish

swish wrote:dboss

"With that in mind looking at the number of points scored on 2 pointers vs 3 pointers per 100 possessions does not contemplate other variables. I would also point out that missed 3 point shots tend to bounce out resulting in easier transition opportunities for the opponent."

My reference was to "long" 3 pointers (16<3 feet ).

swish

Whether they are long or short would impact percentages.

The main point that I was trying to make is that percentages alone do not tell the whole story.

Dboss

dboss

Your right dboss. There always seems to be additional pieces to the puzzle to be considered.

swish