ESPN's European Grades

[George O'Brien]

He missed is only two free throws in the French win over Serbia. I've got the update on another thread France Beats Serbia To Stay Alive

 

[sly fly]

4-24 is a huge concern.

A coach can not keep a PG on the floor with that kind of FT shooting. It's career suicide.

Driving to the hoop is obviously part of Diaw's game. He's going to get to the line. If it continues to be a problem, it could ruin his career. Not only will defenders just foul him (harder), he'll probably lose any kind of confidence he once had.

 

[George O'Brien]

He did shoot 74% from the line last season, so there is hope he will will turn it around.

 

[devilalum]

I've been enjoying all the Diaw hype but if he shoots this bad he won't be getting very many minutes for the Suns.

He could be worst shooting guard in the whole league if he doesn't find a shot.

 

[CaptainInsano]

Looks like what I originally felt is gonna happen, House is going to be our replacement mini-JJ and will come in when nash rests to make his own shots and somewhat run the offense.

 

[Drop D]

This article is HORRIBLE! I give it a B+.

Maybe we could get Mark Price to give Diaw some lessons. I bet the Trapaziodal lane is throwing him off.

 

[mathbzh]

0/11 on FT may justify a C-. It is unacceptable for any professional BB player.
Moreover Slovenia beat France from only 10 points. So it is (too) easy to think that if Diaw has scored his FT France would have a win. Diaw will have to work a lot on this problem.

But France is in 1/4 finals now. And France can thanks Diaw, its main player in this Euro. He doesn't deserve a C-.

Look at Shaquille O'neal performance on FT. Take a deep breath. Look at his rings now. Then answer this question :
Is FT stats enough to judge a player?

 

[Ollie]

http://www.nba.com/draft2003/profiles/DiawRiffiodBoris.html
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/boris_diaw/index.html

Boris's never been a great free throw shooter, not even a good one, but you can see that he's pretty regular around 66%, way better than that infamous 4/24 he's "performing" at the European Championship.

Funny thing is that he's writing a small daily article for "L'équipe" about his life during the championship. Monday, the day after the game versus Slovenia (he shot 0/11), he talked about small routines and pre-game rituals (so I learned that Jason Terry wears 5 superposed pair of socks).

He confess an only thing : the free-throw mechanic he'd been taught in Atlanta, waiting 6 seconds before bouncing the ball on the ground two times... looks very efficient.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I agree freethrows are a totally overatted aspect of basketball, unlike how you handle the ball, now that's critical A++++++++ Ralphie.

Overrated?

You are kidding right? There is a reason why Phil Jackson and Mike Dunleavy created Hack-A-Shaq. He could not hit his free throws, and it even forced him out of the game because of it. The most dominant player of our generation, was at times forced to sit on the bench, because he could not hit his free throws. If anything free throw shooting has become underrated.

 

[elindholm]

the free-throw mechanic he'd been taught in Atlanta, waiting 6 seconds before bouncing the ball on the ground two times...

LOL, I'll bet the Hawks taught it to him after they'd decided to trade him.

 

[mathbzh]

You are kidding right? There is a reason why Phil Jackson and Mike Dunleavy created Hack-A-Shaq. He could not hit his free throws, and it even forced him out of the game because of it. The most dominant player of our generation, was at times forced to sit on the bench, because he could not hit his free throws. If anything free throw shooting has become underrated.

I feel concerned by your remark because I mentioned the Shaq.
Just to be clear :
4/24 on FT is UNACCEPTABLE even if it is an accident.
I don't understand how professional player can score bellow 75%.
Diaw must progress on this.

But you can't evaluate a player with this number alone (just check out the FT% of Tim Duncan or Shaq).

 

[George O'Brien]

I feel concerned by your remark because I mentioned the Shaq.
Just to be clear :
4/24 on FT is UNACCEPTABLE even if it is an accident.
I don't understand how professional player can score bellow 75%.
Diaw must progress on this.

But you can't evaluate a player with this number alone (just check out the FT% of Tim Duncan or Shaq).

Tim's bad free throw shooting almost cost them the championship.

In another thread I pointed out that overall the Suns free throw shooting should improve this year because their big men are good free throw shooters. Obviously Boris won't play if he doesn't get it straightened out.

 

[Chaplin]

If Boris plays on the wing, he probably won't see the free throw line much at all anyway. He's a Shawn Marion-type of player, and even playing Power Forward, Shawn didn't get to the line all that much last year, so while the percentage is a worry, it certainly isn't enough to raise any major red flags. Yet.

 

[elindholm]

Well.... Defenders keep in mind whether the man they're guarding can shoot free throws. Marion doesn't take it strong to the basket very often, but even so, he'd get fouled more if he didn't shoot so well from the line. As it is, defenders are more likely to let him go once he's beat them. Substitute Diaw for Marion, and you can bet that defenders will be more prone to give the foul

 

[George O'Brien]

Well.... Defenders keep in mind whether the man they're guarding can shoot free throws. Marion doesn't take it strong to the basket very often, but even so, he'd get fouled more if he didn't shoot so well from the line. As it is, defenders are more likely to let him go once he's beat them. Substitute Diaw for Marion, and you can bet that defenders will be more prone to give the foul

My biggest concern is that his unselfishness may be a way to disguise his unwillingness to have the ball in hands so he could be fouled.

On the plus side, if he does play PG he may not go to the line that much because most teams are unwilling to deliberately get their point guards into foul trouble. However, it would seriously limit his effectivenss if Boris cannot drive the basket.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Obviously Boris won't play if he doesn't get it straightened out.

Exactly. This is why I feel that Hunter did not get as much PT last year.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

If Boris plays on the wing, he probably won't see the free throw line much at all anyway. He's a Shawn Marion-type of player, and even playing Power Forward, Shawn didn't get to the line all that much last year, so while the percentage is a worry, it certainly isn't enough to raise any major red flags. Yet.

Actually Boris isn't really like Marion at all.

A very very big part of his offensive game is taking the ball to the basket. When we broke down the stats in another thread we came up with half of his field goal attempts were layups.

A good amount of those came pick and rolls where Diaw would just head straight to the basket (he had Harrington as the pick setter).

 

[George O'Brien]

Actually Boris isn't really like Marion at all.

A very very big part of his offensive game is taking the ball to the basket. When we broke down the stats in another thread we came up with half of his field goal attempts were layups.

A good amount of those came pick and rolls where Diaw would just head straight to the basket (he had Harrington as the pick setter).

I was thinking more of "early Marion" than later Marion, but thank you for the info on Boris running the pick and roll.

 

[Chaplin]

Actually Boris isn't really like Marion at all.

A very very big part of his offensive game is taking the ball to the basket. When we broke down the stats in another thread we came up with half of his field goal attempts were layups.

A good amount of those came pick and rolls where Diaw would just head straight to the basket (he had Harrington as the pick setter).

On Atlanta. He's not going to be able to play like he did as a Hawk.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

On Atlanta. He's not going to be able to play like he did as a Hawk.

I dont really know what you mean by this. From what I am reading, do you think the Suns system will force Diaw into playing like Marion? I really just don't see it, their games are vastly different.

Anyways, it is pretty well noted that the Suns hope he will see time backing up Nash. If he isn't doing that he will be on the wing (where he will be useless on offense except for an occasional cut). That is almost exactly what his role was in Atlanta.

If you are suggesting that Diaw will play in the corner and wait for the offense to develop and hope to get a 20-22 foot jumper I think you are going to be dissapointed. That or happy since Diaw would make maybe 20% of those shots.

Our system will certainly influence Diaw's game, but I don't expect it to change that much since it already fits in.

 

[Chaplin]

I dont really know what you mean by this. From what I am reading, do you think the Suns system will force Diaw into playing like Marion? I really just don't see it, their games are vastly different.

Anyways, it is pretty well noted that the Suns hope he will see time backing up Nash. If he isn't doing that he will be on the wing (where he will be useless on offense except for an occasional cut). That is almost exactly what his role was in Atlanta.

If you are suggesting that Diaw will play in the corner and wait for the offense to develop and hope to get a 20-22 foot jumper I think you are going to be dissapointed. That or happy since Diaw would make maybe 20% of those shots.

Our system will certainly influence Diaw's game, but I don't expect it to change that much since it already fits in.

Perimeter defense and wing. He doesn't have the intangibles that Shawn has, but it seems to me the coaches will coach him the same way.

 

[Chaplin]

If you are suggesting that Diaw will play in the corner and wait for the offense to develop and hope to get a 20-22 foot jumper I think you are going to be dissapointed. That or happy since Diaw would make maybe 20% of those shots.

Disappointed in what? Did I say anything to infer any of this paragraph? I don't think he'll be like Andre Igoudala, if that's what you are thinking--he will most likely want to be developed into a Joe Johnson-type of player, but he'll be most used (on a theoretical coaching aspect) like Shawn Marion. I have no false illusions about Boris Diaw.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Disappointed in what? Did I say anything to infer any of this paragraph? I don't think he'll be like Andre Igoudala, if that's what you are thinking--he will most likely want to be developed into a Joe Johnson-type of player, but he'll be most used (on a theoretical coaching aspect) like Shawn Marion. I have no false illusions about Boris Diaw.

I meant dissapointed that he will not be spotting up in the corner like Shawn Marion. Not about Diaw's performance, just how he is used.

If the coaching staff puts him a role like that we would be much better off with House taking his minutes.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Perimeter defense and wing. He doesn't have the intangibles that Shawn has, but it seems to me the coaches will coach him the same way.

Well perimeter defense I will agree with.

I was talking about Diaw on offense though, I thought I made that pretty clear earlier. We were probably talking about two different things.

 

[Chaplin]

Well perimeter defense I will agree with.

I was talking about Diaw on offense though, I thought I made that pretty clear earlier. We were probably talking about two different things.

That's a first!