Mullins' middies...

[HailUConn]

are pure, Jordan-esque, unstoppable!!!
He had one in FL game, and two last night. Two of them hit the back of cylinder, and plumped down the pipe!
We all want to see that unleashed, and more of them because he is too good for Hurley not to take advantage of it.

I'm so pumped for this team to have come together and put out a master performance...like a well oiled tank!

Let's go, Huskies!

 

[Umami Zen]

are pure, Jordan-esque, unstoppable!!!
He had one in FL game, and two last night. Two of them hit the back of cylinder, and plumped down the pipe!
We all want to see that unleashed, and more of them because he is too good for Hurley not to take advantage of it.

I'm so pumped for this team to have come together and put out a master performance...like a well oiled tank!

Let's go, Huskies!

Great points. Also have noticed as Solo has expanded on his offensive diversity when pushed off the three point line by defenders. His mid-range foul-line jumpers are money. Even Alex is expanding his game in the paint and cutting to the hoop. All good. Keeps the D honest.

 

[slepers]

Keeping it more in house rip hamiltonesque.

 

[NewBlood]

Hit that mid range. Learn to dish down to the big man when they step up and defend

Cam was a killer at the mid range, it opened up 3s and getting it down by the rim.

I would love to Solo start the game with this on his mind, see that ball go in a couple times before just jacking 3s

 

[Lafayette]

Mullins is a crowd fave. When he hit his 3s and that turnaround, the crowd went off! He will only continue to get better.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Keeping it more in house rip hamiltonesque.

Add in the fact that the analytics guys trash the mid-range makes me love Mullins even more.

I'm a few weeks into my coaching season, and I've noticed that every year, I try to teach kids things that I like to buck trends with: I love a crap-ton of motion, mid-range, no automatic sitting for players with two fouls in the first half or three early in the second.

 

[HailUConn]

plus this heady play. This is just very high IQ plays:

 

[Get a Job]

I've noticed more mid-range shots this year (from many UConn players and opponents, not just Mullins) than I've seen in recent memory. And it seems like they are successful about 80 percent of the time! Whatever happened to "the worst shot in basketball?"

@auror, do you have any thoughts on this?

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I've noticed more mid-range shots this year (from many UConn players and opponents, not just Mullins) than I've seen in recent memory. And it seems like they are successful about 80 percent of the time! Whatever happened to "the worst shot in basketball?"

@auror, do you have any thoughts on this?

Since Luke Murray has been brought in, I notice UConn's offense tends to "set the trends" before the rest of the nation catches up a season or two after. Hurley and his staff are constantly looking for ways to reshape the offense to best fit each roster they have, so my guess that's the reason for the direction.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

I've noticed more mid-range shots this year (from many UConn players and opponents, not just Mullins) than I've seen in recent memory. And it seems like they are successful about 80 percent of the time! Whatever happened to "the worst shot in basketball?"

@auror, do you have any thoughts on this?

Midrange from inside the top of the key to just inside the FT line is the worst shot in basketball. Based on the fact that the % makes, on average, are not that much better than a 3pt make.

But, if you have an elite shooter getting to the FT line for a wide open jumper and making an above-average %, then yea, a middie is an analytically great shot

 

[CL82]

plus this heady play. This is just very high IQ plays:

Yep. Great peripheral vision, and that touch pass....

 

[uh-no]

I've noticed more mid-range shots this year (from many UConn players and opponents, not just Mullins) than I've seen in recent memory. And it seems like they are successful about 80 percent of the time! Whatever happened to "the worst shot in basketball?"

@auror, do you have any thoughts on this?

defenses are over-pivoting to guarding the 3 and at the rim...making the wide-open mid range a much better shot. Pretty much the defenses aren't staying honest, so you punish them for not guarding the whole floor.



There are the stats from the NBA....but it's obvious the world over-pivoted to the 3 point shot, and now offenses are taking advantage of what they're leaving open. (at the NBA level, it also doesn't help they decided nobody needs big men anymore, so the teams that do have serviceable big men can have more of a field day)

 

[Palatine]

Mullins release is unreal. He is up and the ball is out of his hands so fast it is hard to follow. Very rare.

The touch pass to Karaban was a vintage Larry Bird pass. Not just a tap pass, a perfect tap to exactly the right spot.

 

[HailUConn]

Just watch the shot he put up starting at 6:40 mark, it's such a tough shot:

 

[auror]

I've noticed more mid-range shots this year (from many UConn players and opponents, not just Mullins) than I've seen in recent memory. And it seems like they are successful about 80 percent of the time! Whatever happened to "the worst shot in basketball?"

@auror, do you have any thoughts on this?

Opponent teams are playing us in a deep drop against our DHO and zoom actions. We've played a bunch of teams with a big rim protecting center (Arizona, Illinois, Florida, etc.) and one formula for beating us is switch actions 1-4 or chase over top and then park your big in the paint essentially in a 1-man zone to block our back cuts and slips. The smarter coaches copied the Creighton playbook against us. This is especially effective when we didn't have Reed, because one counter is the center is so deep in drop that Reed can just walk up to him and post and get super deep position (we saw that a couple times last night in the 2H).

This leaves the midrange more or less entirely open. I still don't love the shot, but we've got guys like Solo and Braylon who can hit it at a pretty high clip if they're open. I don't love when those midrange jumpers become too many moving floaters over a center, as that shot is even more difficult.

We saw in the first half that Texas was guarding the DHOs closely with their center pressuring, and Reed found Karaban for a number of slips. They pivoted to the deep drop at the under 4 of the 1H and 2nd half and it worked much better for Texas' defense.

 

[NJHusky]

Opponent teams are playing us in a deep drop against our DHO and zoom actions. We've played a bunch of teams with a big rim protecting center (Arizona, Illinois, Florida, etc.) and one formula for beating us is switch actions 1-4 or chase over top and then park your big in the paint essentially in a 1-man zone to block our back cuts and slips. The smarter coaches copied the Creighton playbook against us. This is especially effective when we didn't have Reed, because one counter is the center is so deep in drop that Reed can just walk up to him and post and get super deep position (we saw that a couple times last night in the 2H).

This leaves the midrange more or less entirely open. I still don't love the shot, but we've got guys like Solo and Braylon who can hit it at a pretty high clip if they're open. I don't love when those midrange jumpers become too many moving floaters over a center, as that shot is even more difficult.

We saw in the first half that Texas was guarding the DHOs closely with their center pressuring, and Reed found Karaban for a number of slips. They pivoted to the deep drop at the under 4 of the 1H and 2nd half and it worked much better for Texas' defense.

Doesn’t the effectiveness of a shot really depend on who’s taking it? You can talk generally about 3 and 2 under basket, but if you have a player that is an elite 2 pt shooter from the foul line, shouldn’t they take it. May not work generally but shooters are specific people. Bray and Solo seem elite at that shot

 

[auror]

Doesn’t the effectiveness of a shot really depend on who’s taking it? You can talk generally about 3 and 2 under basket, but if you have a player that is an elite 2 pt shooter from the foul line, shouldn’t they take it. May not work generally but shooters are specific people. Bray and Solo seem elite at that shot

Definitely. Shot quality is a continuum based on skill and defense attention and likelihood to draw fouls and generate offensive rebounds and how many points the shot is worth, etc..

But there is a typical range of accuracy just based on human fine motor control and physics. The absolute best 2pt midrange shooter in the entire world in the NBA will shoot like 55%, and an average D1 college player will shooter better than 55% at the rim. So there are shots you try to get, and shots you begrudgingly accept as decent alternatives. Reed getting a good angle entry pass after sealing his man is at the top of the chart (a 100% accuracy dunk almost every time), and the Solo and Braylon in rhythm and open midrange far 2s being a bit further down but still above late clock heavily contested Demary floater.

 

[UCOnions]

plus this heady play. This is just very high IQ plays:

Such a heady play, it was worth 4 points!

 

[boog204]

Mullins has a pretty extraordinary ability to dribble into space. Not sure that makes sense, but when he sets up his jumper he’s almost like a good soccer player who creates space for himself. You don’t see that often. It’s a Jordan, Kobe sorta vibe.

Then you add that tip play and incredible court vision especially on cross court passes? Kid is crazy good and is only just barely scratching surface.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Opponent teams are playing us in a deep drop against our DHO and zoom actions. We've played a bunch of teams with a big rim protecting center (Arizona, Illinois, Florida, etc.) and one formula for beating us is switch actions 1-4 or chase over top and then park your big in the paint essentially in a 1-man zone to block our back cuts and slips. The smarter coaches copied the Creighton playbook against us. This is especially effective when we didn't have Reed, because one counter is the center is so deep in drop that Reed can just walk up to him and post and get super deep position (we saw that a couple times last night in the 2H).

This leaves the midrange more or less entirely open. I still don't love the shot, but we've got guys like Solo and Braylon who can hit it at a pretty high clip if they're open. I don't love when those midrange jumpers become too many moving floaters over a center, as that shot is even more difficult.

We saw in the first half that Texas was guarding the DHOs closely with their center pressuring, and Reed found Karaban for a number of slips. They pivoted to the deep drop at the under 4 of the 1H and 2nd half and it worked much better for Texas' defense.

I agree about the floaters. None of our guys seem good at it. Silas is especially bad. It also seems that Alex this year and last and now Solo are taking their outside shots out more by the NBA line

 

[Palatine]

Doesn’t the effectiveness of a shot really depend on who’s taking it? You can talk generally about 3 and 2 under basket, but if you have a player that is an elite 2 pt shooter from the foul line, shouldn’t they take it. May not work generally but shooters are specific people. Bray and Solo seem elite at that shot

Completely agree. Ben Gordon never took a bad shot.

 

[TheChamps990411]

are pure, Jordan-esque, unstoppable!!!
He had one in FL game, and two last night. Two of them hit the back of cylinder, and plumped down the pipe!
We all want to see that unleashed, and more of them because he is too good for Hurley not to take advantage of it.

I'm so pumped for this team to have come together and put out a master performance...like a well oiled tank!

Let's go, Huskies!

HIs release is quick. Not Azzi Fudd but pretty quick. I cant even imagine what he`ll look like in a month.

 

[80shusky]

Midrange from inside the top of the key to just inside the FT line is the worst shot in basketball. Based on the fact that the % makes, on average, are not that much better than a 3pt make.

But, if you have an elite shooter getting to the FT line for a wide open jumper and making an above-average %, then yea, a middie is an analytically great shot

As you say statistically the worst shot. But if you have dude or dudes that can hit that shot at a good percentage it's deadly. So yea, what you said. Instead of instigating a multi-thread flame war, which is fun, im agreeing with your point!

 

[caw]

So according to CBB Analytics - College Basketball Stats and Analytics Platform, Scouting & Research

UConn is at 48.1% from shots inside the arc but outside the paint on 52 attempts this year. The majority of the misses are the side middies (5/14 from the left, 4/12 from the right), from the FT line extended UConn is 16/26.

They also break it down by distance from rim, as opposed to zones and UConn is 15/23 from 15 feet to the three point line, but only 16/48 from 10-15 feet.

So UConn is smoking it at 65% from the worst shot in basketball.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Opponent teams are playing us in a deep drop against our DHO and zoom actions. We've played a bunch of teams with a big rim protecting center (Arizona, Illinois, Florida, etc.) and one formula for beating us is switch actions 1-4 or chase over top and then park your big in the paint essentially in a 1-man zone to block our back cuts and slips. The smarter coaches copied the Creighton playbook against us. This is especially effective when we didn't have Reed, because one counter is the center is so deep in drop that Reed can just walk up to him and post and get super deep position (we saw that a couple times last night in the 2H).

This leaves the midrange more or less entirely open. I still don't love the shot, but we've got guys like Solo and Braylon who can hit it at a pretty high clip if they're open. I don't love when those midrange jumpers become too many moving floaters over a center, as that shot is even more difficult.

We saw in the first half that Texas was guarding the DHOs closely with their center pressuring, and Reed found Karaban for a number of slips. They pivoted to the deep drop at the under 4 of the 1H and 2nd half and it worked much better for Texas' defense.

This is good content.