Cool Website that Tracks Shot Locations, Among Other Things

The Bulls are the worst shooting 3 point team in the league by percentage and only 4 teams take fewer 3s per game than the Bulls. No team takes as many 16-23 foot jumps as the Bulls. In fact, the next closest team, Minnesota, shoots 3 (!) less per game than the Bulls. This is even more outrageous when you consider that the Bulls are in the bottom 8 in the league in pace (averaging 2.5 fewer possessions per game than league average), so that a huge percentage of their shots per game are 16-23 foot jump shots. Even more discouraging is that the Bulls don't even shoot that shot better than average. The average rate of makes in that range is 38.5% leaguewide, but the Bulls make them at a rate of just 37.1%.

The Bulls also take the 5th fewest shots at the rim and are the 3rd worst team at finishing at the rim. They are 13th in shots taken in the under 10 foot range, but they are making 50% of these shots, good for the 4th highest percentage. They are also 13th in attempts in the 10-15 foot range, but they are 9th in FG% on shots in that range.

From this it's pretty clear why the Bulls are 26th in offensive efficiency. They don't get to the rim very often and are pretty bad at finishing at the rim. They don't take many threes and they are also the worst team in the league at making the threes they do take. They take more long 2pt jump shots (the game's least efficient shot) than any other team and make that shot at a below average percentage. The Bulls are actually pretty good at scoring inside when it's not at the rim (i.e. from 1 to 15 feet out). So it's pretty clear that they need to be attacking more and trying to get more shots in that area, and they also need to get to attack so that they can get to the line more, as they are 23rd in FT-r.

The good news is that there's a LOT of room for improvement from the offense. The bad news is that Vinny is our coach.

over 2 years ago fundamentallysound 14 comments 4 recs |

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I looked up VDN's playing stats last week

And I wrote in a fanpost (which I deleted a couple minutes after posting) that I initially thought VDN was “that guy on the Spurs that shot 3s.” But after checking the numbers, VDN was actually an elite midrange shooter when he played in the league. Despite his shooting ability, he rarely took 3’s and rarely got to the free throw line.

Matt commented a couple days ago that John Paxson GMed as if John Paxson was the reason the Bulls won all those championships. Forget talent, scrappy hustle guys win games!

And it seems that VDN is doing the same. “This is how I earned paychecks in the league, and my Spurs teams were pretty good. This is what the NBA is missing.”

by YaoPau on Nov 9, 2009 1:56 PM CST reply actions 4 recs

So how did VDN end up in the Suns org?

They’re the yin to the Spurs yang. It’s two completely different styles of basketball.

Paxson’s experience outside the Bulls org is Notre Dame and the places Jim has traveled.

12/31: Fire Vinny Del Negro.

by NBA Observer on Nov 9, 2009 2:26 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

Vinny played for the Suns in 2002

he was essentially traded straight up for Amare right before his career ended. I’ll guess the Suns were so happy about it that they rehired him hoping for more good luck.

Vinny’s offense is a combination of the Suns and Spurs though: fast paced basketball with tons of midrange shooting. Except that combination makes no sense.

by YaoPau on Nov 9, 2009 2:43 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs

man

im reccing this entire string of comments, good stuff, lots of insight….

On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!

by piccolomair on Nov 9, 2009 6:53 PM CST up reply actions

I'm just glad I didn't imagine that VDN fanpost

I saw it was up and then couldn’t find it. It’s strange that even the mods can’t see user-removed fanposts.

USE THE SOFTWARE. Actions-> Rec/Flag. Reply to comments with the reply button. Rec good fanposts/fanshots so the crud gets pushed down.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Nov 10, 2009 11:30 AM CST up reply actions

On the other hand, the Bulls schedule re: the defenses they've faced has been brutal.

Right now, Milwaukee leads the league in Def. Eff. (Skiles is a defensive miracle worker, I swear), Boston is second, Charlotte is third, Miami is fourth, Cleveland is 6th, and San Antonio is 21st (perhaps why the Bulls beat up on them?).

Now, it could be that because most of these teams have only played between 6 and 7 games that the crummy Bulls offense being one of those games has inflated their defensive averages, but I suspect that’s not the case for a couple of reasons. The Celtics have been a dominant defensive team ever since KG arrived. Charlotte and Milwaukee are both run by coaches who preach defense and demand effort at that (sometimes to the extent that they throw out garbage offenses just to achieve their defensive goals), and Cleveland has been consistently a very good to great defensive team in the Mike Brown era.

1. Cut a hole in a box
2. Put your Kirk in that box
3. Make some team open that box

by fundamentallysound on Nov 9, 2009 2:06 PM CST reply actions

Forgiving the Spurs and Cavs

New personnel will take some time to work into their defensive schemes. Cavs are still statistically really good though even with Shaq.

Overall though I like what you write. We’re playing the cream of the crop among NBA defenses right now with an injured PG that missed just about all of the preseason to build momentum.

12/31: Fire Vinny Del Negro.

by NBA Observer on Nov 9, 2009 2:29 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not too worried. Gotta figure it's a sample size / sample time issue.

Salmons is bound to (and beginning to) bounce back in terms of FG%. That should help both 3PM and the mid range game.

Also, Rose still isn’t firing on all cylinders. When he gets back into form, they will start getting more points in the paint as a result of his layups/dunks and his penetration. This should also starting opening things up more on the outside and mid range.

Also, Tyrus out is not going to help our points in the paint or FT situation.

by Diz on Nov 9, 2009 2:07 PM CST reply actions

I don't think this corrects itself anytime soon

Here’s the breakdown of scoring attempts: spreadsheet

The Bulls are the NBA’s worst at FTA% (just 9.4% of all scoring attempts come at the line), worst at 2ptJumperA%, 5th worst in 3ptJumperA%, 5th worst at insideA%. Maybe a healthy Rose improves our insideA% slightly, but this is a “VDN is bad at math” problem. Hard to solve.

by YaoPau on Nov 9, 2009 2:25 PM CST up reply actions

Heh, looking at Detroit's data, looks like their vaunted offensive coach is just letting BG go 1-on-1 a whole lot.

I’m a bit worried more of their inside baskets aren’t assisted, but that could just be due to the high amount of offensive rebound/tip-ins the team has piled up early on.

The 3-point shooting looks to be a victim of early struggles and playing against 6 straight teams that love to slow the pace. Bulls are a team that when their offense was clicking, they were hitting 3s in transition with Rose penetrating and dishing.

And, I know it’s 6 games in, but the % of shots assisted is higher in every category compared to last season, where they were below league average. Amazing what happens when you don’t have black holes like Gooden, Hughes, and Nocioni taking up minutes.

The 2009 White Sox....like a 40 degree day.

by Ozzie Montana on Nov 9, 2009 2:09 PM CST reply actions