Hey, it’s Christmas Eve so as a present to you all, NAS is taking a shortcut and linking to other people’s hard work!!
Anyway, this is a good bit of analysis regarding Brook Lopez from Anthony Macri at HoopsWorld that’s been circulating the Interwebs the past day or so. Simply put, Brook Lopez is just not taking enough shots from the post. But Macri shows how just a few feet makes a huge difference with Lopez’s efficiency:
Lopez has always gone to right hand hooks when they are available. Now, however, he is taking the shot from seven or eight feet instead of five or six feet. That may not seem like a big difference to the naked eye, but in a game where slim margins make a big difference, it might as well be an ocean. In addition, he is less likely to get to the front of the rim because of how far he must travel to get there. That means less dunks and lay-ups and more short jumpers and runners – generally lower percentage plays. This may also explain his lower rebounding numbers; being further from the basket lessens opportunities for putbacks, which can be a huge part of his game if he made them a point of focus.
Totally recommended reading. One point I haven’t heard many people talking about is how Lopez’s game may be affected by the loss of assistant coach Roy Rogers, who had a great rapport with the young Center in his first two seasons. Popeye Jones is seemingly filling the Rogers role on Avery Johnson’s staff this season, and has a track record of success, so this is no indictment of Jones. But Lopez and Jones could still be experiencing a feeling out process.
