Based on the below the fact that we’re 2-2 and not 0-4 is frankly bonkers.
2023/24 shooting percentages through the first 4 games;
Paolo: 38/22/54
Franz: 38/33/95
Wendell: 36/20/58
Markelle: 50/0/0
Jalen: 41/30/100
The same players shooting percentages through the 2022/23 season;
Paolo: 43/30/74
Franz: 49/36/84
Wendell: 53/36/74
Markelle: 51/31/78
Jalen: 42/33/72
Based off their field goal attempts this season, if instead of shooting below their average they shot at their average, here’s what their scoring would have looked like;
Paolo: 15.2 ppg
Franz: 27.3 ppg
Wendell: 13.6 ppg
Markelle: 12.9 ppg
Jalen: 15 ppg
That is a difference of 22.9 points per game across all starters when compared to their actual averages through 4 games.
This number is huge, but also unrealistic, but even if you only take 50% of it the team would rank rank in the top 10 for ppg.
To go along with number 1 in the league for fewest ppg allowed, it’s actually a great sign for the rest of the year.
The short and simple is that the team is currently in a slump. Jalen being in the starting 5 instead of Gary could have something to do with this, as you don’t need to respect his jumper as much, which means less spacing.
But another big key is Wendell who hasn’t been able to hit the broad side of a barn in the first 4 games and he’s crucial to our spacing efforts.
Regardless of what’s changed this year, my overarching point is that a fg% drop off as significant as this is unsustainable, same as Gary shooting 400% from 3.
Some players may not match or improve their percentages from last season but they sure as hell can only go up from where they are.
If my grandma had wheels she could be a bicycle. If these guys shot like last year, we’d be better. We don’t have a human torch. We have to hope they get out of the funk to last year numbers, and that Cole becomes a legit option.
Yeah pretty much, the hope is that the numbers won’t stay so drastically low.
It reasonable to be down right now imo. Our two wins are against the worst teams in the league and our two losses are against playoff teams. We’re playing like a fringe play-in team rn, I think we all anticipated being better than that.
I know everyone loves Suggs but it’s not a coincidence that swapping our worst shooter for our best (Harris) in the starting line up is tanking what little spacing we already had bringing our shooting down across the board. It’s not just an early slump. 3/5 starters shoot the 3 poorly (to put it lightly), WCJ is streaky at best. Franz is the only threat from range in the starting line up. Our offensive struggles shouldn’t be too surprising.
I find it very concerning that we have gotten worse at shooting instead of getting better. We already couldn’t shoot last year, now we REALLY can’t shoot.
It shouldn’t be that surprising, we swapped our best shooter (Harris) with our worst (Suggs) in the starting line up.
It’s not even the poor efficiency total. It’s the ft efficiency and the horrible misses that are killing me. Like hit the rim… get close. We are assaulting the basket