I know some don't agree with me but he's been reluctant to use that right hand whether it's to shoot, dribble or defend since he dislocated his right pinky on December 3rd. Actually he tried using it for awhile and on more than one occasion I saw him grimace or clutch his hand when he tried to knock the ball away. Since then he's seemed even more reluctant to risk hitting it again.
You keep making this argument that he’s gotten more hesitant since Dec 3rd, but That was clearly already happening for a month before that. After a good start in October where he was a little more aggressive, he was averaging 15/4.4 on 12 shots per game and shooting 42% from 3. But the seeds of this tentative play were planted firmly in 16 games in November where he retreated to 11 ppg/3.7 rebounds on 8.8 shots and shooting 38% from 3.
I.T just bugs the hell out of me to see him get the ball, take a couple meaningless dribbles and pick up the ball accomplishing nothing but taking himself out of the play on offense. We can get away with that stuff against the dregs of the league but if he’s going to be a Shawn Marion-esque non-factor in big playoff matchups against good D that sits on his corner three (like the Bucks did), it’s going to hurt the team in the long run.
