Summer Quandaries: Big Off-Season For Sullinger

http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2014/08/sq14-32-big-off-season-for-sullinger.html









It has not been a smooth two years for Jared Sullinger.  Back injury drops him in the draft, and more to the point cuts into his ability to prepare for his jump to the pros.  Makes some waves starting his rookie year, only to be laid low in his third month by a back injury and subsequent surgery--another off-season spent in rehab rather than honing his game.  Last season he plays out of position at center for most of his playing time and suffers a series of nagging injuries often to his shooting hand.  Through all this he has looked, and often played, pudgy.  He never looked cut, nor seemed to feel the need to do so.

I fear that as his second season rolled on, playing center became a crutch to avoid getting into better shape because he “needed” the extra pounds to compete against the big guys inside.  I only hope that he comes around to the belief that the bulk of muscle, rather than the junk in the trunk and his jelly rolls, would provide much better leverage as well as better mobility and stamina.  The first day of training camp should go a long way toward informing us as to whether he “wants it” bad enough.  I suspect that his career path will be heavily (pun intended) influenced by either his nutritionist and trainer, or by KFC and the corner pizzeria.

It remains to be seen whether his career tails off into a plump waste like Big Baby Davis or he moulds himself into more of a bruiser like Elton Brand or Charles Oakley.  I would love for Sully to grow into an assertive role like Maurice Lucas.  I do think that such lofty goals are within his capabilities, and he would have better range than any of the three.

For those of you that have been following along on these Summer Quandaries, my apologies for this day-late episode.  I have no excuse other than fatigue.  A month down and another to go.

Only 33 more days until training camp.



bob
MY NOTE:  I'm not surprised he's fatigued.  He has been the best blogger this summer with far more wins, defined as interesting topics and reasonably supported conclusions, than losers and FAR more than the rest of the blogosphere.  


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better range than Maurice Lucas?

the writer must be a youngun'

depsite Coach having Sully throw up those 3's, he aint much of an outside shot and certainly can;t be compared to Lucas (yet?).

Lucas was a good mid range shooter (like our own bass).

just had a rep as being a mean SOB to go with it.

if Sully turns into Maurice Lucas...I would be very happy.

Like the offseason, these articles are getting shorter and less pithy. (And, no, I don't lisp.)

Yes, we all hope Sully will grow into a fine power forward. In fact, having two "fine and counting" power forwards would be like having two great third basemen. Three if one counts Bass. That's not a problem. It's an opportunity.

Sam

kdp59 wrote:better range than Maurice Lucas?

the writer must be a youngun'

depsite Coach having Sully throw up those 3's, he aint much of an outside shot and certainly can;t be compared to Lucas (yet?).

Lucas was a good mid range shooter (like our own bass).

just had a rep as being a mean SOB to go with it.

if Sully turns into Maurice Lucas...I would be very happy.

Kdp.... where are you getting this information on Lucas?

Lucas shot .473 on 2pt FG% in the NBA in his career....Sully is currently shooting .481 on 2 pointers. Lucas with a very limited number, shot .111 from three, Sully is at .268 for his brief career.

From the stripe Sully is in front .771 to .761

Would appear Lucas was not even as GOOD an outside shooter as Sully currently is. But the stats are close.

beat

Lucas in his short ABA career did not take many threes. In the NBA his best years were before the three and even when the three was instituted he simply did not shoot from there.

I remember him as a good 15 to 18 foot shooter, the mid range shot that is becoming an endangered species.

Maurice Lucas took an average of one three point attempt every 15.86 games of his NBA years after the three-pointer was allowed. Hardly an outside gunner.

Sam

Sloopjohnb wrote:Lucas in his short ABA career did not take many threes.  In the NBA his best years were before the three and even when the three was instituted he simply did not shoot from there.

I remember him as a good 15 to 18 foot shooter,  the mid range shot that  is becoming an endangered species.

Sloop

He made 9 threes in his career, 5 in the ABA and 4 in the NBA. Probably many of his few attempts were shot clock induced as it is doubtful they were part of the offense.

One thing I did find surprising when I looked up Lucas's stats were he was listed at 215 LBS......ad 6'9"....Geesh I would have thought he weighed a lot more than that. And yes I know listed weights are "questionable".

beat

I'll give him credit for trying to at least come up with thought-provoking, substantial material during this lull in the action.


KJ

I SAW Lucas play. maybe some need to rewind that Portland title year with Walton.

I never said he was 3 pt shooting PF, there really was no such thing back then. I specifically said he was good mi -range shooter like Bass.

do you guys think Sully has better range than bass?

Per Sloop.
  " I remember him as a good 15 to 18 foot shooter, the mid range shot that is becoming an endangered species."
   The 3 point shot has become  very popular for good reason. Note the fg% for below distances.

2001- 02---10'-16', .385%, 16'-<3p, .400%, 3p,  .354% (league averages)
2013-14--- 10'-16', .401%, !6'-<3p, .395%, 3p,  .360% (league averages)
  For every 100 shots, in 2013-14, 2 point attempts will you get about 80 points.
  For every 100 shots, in 2013-14, 3 point attempts will get you about 108 points

swish

Comparing the productivity of 100 three point-shots with the productivity of 100 two point shots is a hypothetical fallacy because, in actuality, three-pointers comprise only a minority (26%) of all field goal attempts.  Therefore, in general, three-pointers are not guarded as closely as two-point attempts.  if three-point attempts were increased substantially, at the expense of two-pointers, three-point shooting percentages would almost certainly plummet because defenses would start guarding the perimeter much more closely. Moreover, two-pointers (both made and missed) produce many more free throws than three-pointers.

Sam