Some insight into Kirk's poor season so far

by joemoses on Jan 30, 2008 11:23 AM CST

Assuming you agree that Kirk is having a much better January than November or December, I looked at his percentage of free throw attempts. In December, he had one free throw attempt every 18.5 minutes. In January he had a free throw attempt every 10.25 mintues. In his best season, 06-07 he shot a free throw every 9.9 minutes he was on the court. In december he also had more three point attempts per minute compared to January.

Looking at Kirk's line last night, he had 27 points on a poor shooting night. He got to the line 11 times in just short of 44 min. That means he was shooting one free throw every 4 min. on the court.

To bring this to where every diary needs to go, why is this the Corpse' and Boylan's fault. It is because if Noah started instead of the Corp's and got all of his minutes and TT played more, Kirk would get better picks, have more options for penetration and layups or alley oops.

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Intresting

I never really looked at it that way at all, free throws and what bigs you have with you and such...I mean i have often wondered how hinrich would do if he played for a team like utah instead of deron williams (me and a friend argued over who was the better guard before the season began, williams has been good all season, and up until now, hinrich has been horrid) and often though that given the right coach and surrounded by good players hinrich would be a much better player.

I dont know if the blame should then be put on the bulls orginization, or skiles for creating the system or on hinrich himself. Ive also argued that ben gordon in a way hindered hinrichs development, not that ben gordon isnt the better scorer or anything (he is) its just that having a guy like ben who wants to score and does so well, caused a guy like hinrich to take a step back from the offensive side of things. I think hinrich spent alot of this year and even last year trying to become a better point guard, and critics have often knocked on him for scoring too much and not getting enough assists.

Add the emergence of deng, and suddenly hinrichs often pales in comparison, or i suppose that became his mentality. Its often said that to make shots, you have to take shots. Its always a shame watching hinrich take a three or two, miss them, and lose confidence and try to pass the ball to the scorers instead.

However with the main scorers out, hinrich hasnt had that same problem, he takes shots, misses, and knows that he has to take another cuz deng nor gordon will step up to help him out. Team wise thats not a great idea, but for hinrich, its exactly the mentality he needs.

Hinrich really has to retain this sort of thinking when the scorers come back, especially ben gordon. If he doesnt then one of the two must be traded.

im trying hard to become the next kirk hinrich, therefore im doing nothing more than being the next chris duhon.

by piccolomair on Jan 30, 2008 12:10 PM CST reply actions

The way it should be is that Gordon and Deng make

him better. To have 4 (not 3) other threat's occupies the defenders. What scoring or point guard woudn't want a great scorer like Gordon to dump the ball to. Or a great midrange shooter like Deng to find slicing to the open spot. Or a major finisher like TT slamming in the missed layups or Noah picking and rolling to the basket for a drop off or offensive rebound.

I believe Hinrich's problem in addition to the Corpse is that his personality is to dissapear for stretches. Gordon has a scorer's personality. Noc has the same. Kirk needs to be more assertive on the court throughout the game.

by joemoses on Jan 30, 2008 12:28 PM CST reply actions

The Bulls are perfectly constructed

to play exactly the game you outline. Forget all this stuff about the team being mismatched or poorly constructed. Your outline makes it obvious that the problem is coaching, not personnel.

It also, intentionally, I believe, lays the bulk of the blame for the team's underperformance squarely on Kirk's shoulders. It all begins with him. If he aggressively looks for his game, everything else falls into place. If he wimps out, the whole structure collapses.

by alec on Jan 30, 2008 12:57 PM CST up reply actions

Is it Coaching or on Kirk's shoulders?

by joemoses on Jan 30, 2008 2:03 PM CST up reply actions

I think it's coaching.

We've been told often enough that Kirk's innate tendency is to defer, so it's the coach's job to spot it and put the spurs to him.

But, by the same token, I also believe the team's overall level play on the court is more on Kirk than on any other player.

by alec on Jan 30, 2008 2:14 PM CST up reply actions

I agree, it is coaching

Not even personell because Griffin and the Corpse are not bad 10 and 11th men on a team (exept for the fact that the Corpse is a coach killer)

All we need is the obvious: Play Noah, TT and Thabo a lot.

This makes sense from the standpoint of winning, future development, trade value and fans interest. It is a win-win proposition at this point in the Corpse's career that he sits.

by joemoses on Jan 30, 2008 2:29 PM CST up reply actions

The Way it Should be Doesnt mean it it.

I do agree with all your points...this is how i look at it though. The biggest reason i like kirk hinrich is because both his game, mentality, and strenghts and weaknesses are similar to mine (except for the fact that i am near the lowest of low amateur level of play, while he is in the nba. When i play basketball with people who are near the same level as me or lower (only regarding the people who are on the same team as me, not the opposition) then i tend to play with more confidence, i tend to play better and with less pressure because i have the mentality that i can do just as good if not better than anyone else on the team. However, if someone else joins my team who i know is better than me, then i tend to be more hesitant to take my own shots. I tend to look for that better player more, and depending on who that player is or how much pressure is on me, i even hesitate to take a wide open, point blank shot.

That same problem seems to be Hinrichs, when ben gordon and deng are out, hinrich doesnt second guess himself. He plays his game, and when those two are in. Then hinrich second guesses and hesitates on his shots, he tries to make the right decision, but doesnt realize that maybe the right decision was for him to do his thing.

I fear that when Gordon and deng return, hinrich will once again begin second guessing himself, especially after missing his first ten shots. Hinrich has great ability as a player, but his mentality isnt one of a natural scorer. Hopefully the team and coaching staff realize this and help him overcome that mental obstacle.

Your big man argument is good, but i think it is also on the same page. I mean if you have a big man who you know is gonna grab every board, or take care of your misses, then you have more confidence to take a shot. But i still believe its about hinrichs confidence rather than simply the players around him. I think its that mentality that truly keeps him from being as great as steve nash, stockton, etc....

im trying hard to become the next kirk hinrich, therefore im doing nothing more than being the next chris duhon.

by piccolomair on Jan 30, 2008 12:57 PM CST up reply actions

what makes basketball great is it is a 5 on 5 game

In other words, each player, be it a role player, a rebounder or whatever, has an effect on the other nine players on the floor. So the fact that a better player has joined your team shoudn't really change the fact that you have an open shot in the proper flow, with the right amount gone on the shot clock...ect. It's when Kirk, or the Corpse (like last nights offensive and potentional layup was sent out to the perimeter for a 3 point miss) don't take the appropriate shots at the appropriate times. So if Kirk is "differing" to BG, he is not only hurting his own performance, he is hurting BG's and the rest of the team. Look at the following great teams and note they had at least 5 very strong personalities with backbone and leadership

Championship Pistons (80's and 2000's)
Championship Bulls
Championship Spurs
Championship Lakers (80's and 2000's)

I could go on but I won't

by joemoses on Jan 30, 2008 2:02 PM CST up reply actions

Kirk

I agree he needs to continue to assert himself on the court. I truly believe that the reason Kirk is playing better is the pressure relief that Sefelosha is providing. Kirk doesn't have to chase the other teams best scorer, and it is allowing him to excel in other areas of his game.

Anyone can cover for others at work every once in a while, but if you do it for a long period of time every day (two 1/2 years) - it will wear on your performance.

by Jesse07 on Jan 30, 2008 1:25 PM CST up reply actions

Exactly, precisely, right on

Sefolosha's play has been a god send. In fact,he's played quite a bit of point guard also, which has further eased the stress on Kirk

by hlac on Jan 30, 2008 2:35 PM CST up reply actions

I ran some numbers yesterday

"He got to the line 11 times in just short of 44 min. That means he was shooting one free throw every 4 min. on the court."

This is better than Allen Iverson's career free throw attempts per minute played ratio. AI is 4.5 minutes played per FTA.

27ppg from Kirk is wishful thinking, but what about 22ppg? More please.

by NBA Observer on Jan 30, 2008 2:42 PM CST reply actions

better than Wade too

At least Wade's career. Wade gets to the line once every 4.08 minutes.

by NBA Observer on Jan 30, 2008 2:46 PM CST up reply actions

Kirk also tried to defer to the other guys

and lost a lot of aggressiveness early by trying to facilitate the offense. If you watch the games you'll notice that Kirk a lot of time was 3-5, 4-7 in the first quarter and then 2-8 for the rest of the game because he was only shooting late in the shot clock and taking jumpers.

Nocioni-Khryapa in '08

by bullshooter on Jan 30, 2008 3:23 PM CST reply actions