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Message: [QUOTE="oldhusky, post: 4773854, member: 9844"] Efficiency in a variety of areas should improve for quite a few reasons. First is health. everyone comments on how many games our various players have missed, but equally important is they are not all the way back when they first return. Paige was a good but not great player after she came back late in the season two years ago. Azzi was an All American the first 6 games last year, but a shadow of herself after her injuries. Similarly Caroline last year didn't even resemble what we saw during a period when she was healthy the year before. My point is they were adversely affected by injury in most of the games they did play for much of the last two seasons, and the impact was far more than just how many games they missed. Another major factor is the number of shooters and passers we should have this season. With Azzi and Caroline out or less effective for much of the season, we had major stretches when we had only one serious perimeter threat on the floor in Lou. Nika and Aubrey were often the other two, one of which is an ok wide open 3pt shooter, and the other who isn't a long range threat at all, but a good slasher, runner on the break, and offensive rebounder. In essence we couldn't spread the floor well with that lineup, also hampering out ability to get the ball inside, and Lou got all the defensive attention. This year Nika will have two great shooters on the floor to pass to in Paige and Azzi. You can't afford to sag off either, and both are not just shooters but three level scorers, as is Caroline off the bench so two should be on the floor most of the time. Azzi and Caroline in particular should also benefit from having multiple great passers not just Nika. In the likely starting lineup, Azzi will have Nika and Paige to get her the ball and Paige will probably draw the opposition's best defender and spread the floor. Another passer in KK may get time, and if Paige is running the point, you could have Caroline join Azzi and have one great passer, but now three great shooters on the floor. Either way, whether it is more shooting or passing we have the components to be very hard to guard on the perimeter. There will be multiple players opposing coaches would like to put their best defender on but can't, the floor will be spread and the inside opened up, resulting in our bigs being more efficient as a result. Our scorers won't have to carry as big a role with more of them. When they have a good shot take it, but you don't have to be looking to create a shot as much as say Lou had to last year, unless you have a very favorable match-up. Finally because of injury, we also had some playing more than their ideal number of minutes. Obviously efficiency drops off in all areas when you are tired. Better health, more rested, the floor more spread, far more offensive options, more shooters and more passers adds up to expected significant efficiency improvements in FG %, but also turnover ratios, and some other things as well. [/QUOTE]

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