When will Giffey shoot an open 3 again?

[uconnfan68]

He passed up a bunch tonight, only to see someone else (multiple different players) take an off-balance prayer deep into the shot-clock. Is he being told not to shoot?

 

[RabidHusky]

Totally agree

 

[3uconn]

For some reason I highly doubt that he's being told to not shoot open threes. However, I may be idiotic in thinking that.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

You can probably count the contested shots he's taken this year on two hands. There's a reason no one really talks about him the same way they talk about guys like wragge or even cooney. He doesn't really hunt his shot - if he has a wide open look with his feet set he'll take it. Otherwise, he won't.

 

[tjhusky]

He would be better off taking some of those shot. Passing them up allows the defense to anticipate that he will pass. Defenders are two steps away he has to take it. He should be capable of catch and shoot.

 

[RichZ]

His percentage has dropped way off recently, and I suspect his confidence in his shot has waned a bit. Other than his reluctance to shoot though, I think his overall game has actually improved of late.

 

[VAHuskyFan]

His percentage has dropped way off recently, and I suspect his confidence in his shat has waned a bit. Other than his reluctance to shoot though, I think his overall game has actually improved of late.

I think this is exactly right. Giffey is just 2 of his last 11 over the past four games from behind the arc. And almost all of those attempts were his customary wide-open looks. Probably just a bit of a cold spell. I'm sure once he starts feeling it in shoot-arounds again, he'll start draining them again.

 

[David 76]

I was frustrated with his unwillingness to shoot too. His effort and rebounding have been great. But last night most clearly showed he isn't cut out to be a primary offensive threat. He is a great glue with the ability to hit a dagger if totally open.
I think the notion that he is being told not to shoot open 3s is silly.

 

[upstater]

If he's not set, he is not good at hitting 3s. We've seen it. We know it. In this case, it's not a bad decision on his part to drive instead.

 

[Excalibur]

He had very few chances where he caught the ball cleanly last night -- always seemed to bobble it or the pass wasn't on target.

 

[junglehusky]

He's saving them up for a deep tourney run. I hope!

 

[dsturdy5]

What's up with the wrap on his right wrist? I noticed it in the Memphis game but don't remember seeing it before then.

Also, I noticed that he missed his first couple, one pretty badly for him, and he was reluctant after that. Confidence shaken? Injury? Combination?

 

[babysheep]

To his credit though he was getting some great looks after the shot fake. People HAVE to close on him and contest whenever he looks like he's about to take one, and he knows this.

He did pass up a couple truly wide-open 3s though. He wasn't always getting the best passes either.

 

[tykurez]

What's up with the wrap on his right wrist? I noticed it in the Memphis game but don't remember seeing it before then. Also, I noticed that he missed his first couple, one pretty badly for him, and he was reluctant after that. Confidence shaken? Injury? Combination?

He's had that wrap for quite a while now. I think it was something to do with his thumb? I've always been surprised because it's his shooting hand.

 

[UChusky916]

A lot of the open looks NG had were early in possessions with lots of time on the shot clock. I think he was playing smart basketball by not throwing up a 3 early in the possession when we have a lead. We'd rather let the clock run and draw up some sets and hopefully get a better look.

It just so happened that our offensive sets weren't running smoothly last night at all and we played very sloppy, resulting in some ugly possessions. So in hindsight, we question NG for not shooting early when open because that possession ended with a crappy/forced shot attempt. In reality, he made the right decision.

People will say he's been passing up looks but I think that NG is a veteran who knows its better to take 20-30 secs more per offensive possession when you have the lead on the road late in the second half rather than jack up a 3. That's not his game. He needs to be in rhythm. If he feels he shouldn't shoot, he probably shouldn't shoot.

As others have stated, he has been in a bit of a slump from 3 (he's still over 50% from 3), but I agree that his overall game has been better. That pump fake and pull-up J was nice. And I'm glad he took it into the lane on another occasion. He'll find his stroke soon, I'm not concerned.

 

[chapwilvaug72]

The great steal Giff made vs. Gtwn last year with a shot to win it in regulation sums him up. Does UCONN have a shooting coach? A shooting coach teaches alot more than just release. Shooters who are capable of going "off" & in a "zone" do not acknowledge the defense one iota. They sometimes just look through it as though it is not even there. Giff is the opposite; he is too respectful of all defenses and defers.

 

[RichZ]

A lot of the open looks NG had were early in possessions with lots of time on the shot clock. I think he was playing smart basketball by not throwing up a 3 early in the possession when we have a lead. We'd rather let the clock run and draw up some sets and hopefully get a better look.

People will say he's been passing up looks but I think that NG is a veteran who knows its better to take 20-30 secs more per offensive possession when you have the lead on the road late in the second half rather than jack up a 3.

That would make sense if most of them had happened when we were holding a decent lead, but the truth is, most happened in the first half or when Temple made their short run right after half time.

As others have stated, he has been in a bit of a slump from 3 (he's still over 50% from 3),

His 3 point percentage in league games is 35.1 (30 of 66), and his overall shooting percentage in league games is 45.5. He is shooting over 60% from 2 point range in league games, but has only attempted 29 two pointers, most of which were either on drives to the hoop, fast break layups and the occasional putback.

 

[Palatine]

He passed up a bunch tonight, only to see someone else (multiple different players) take an off-balance prayer deep into the shot-clock. Is he being told not to shoot?

For some reason whenever Giffey gets open, his teammates throw the ball at his knees. He rarely gets a clean pass that he can take up in rhythm. That is the reason he is passing on a lot of these shots. He has to reset and that gives the defender time to close out. He could get more aggressive. But then he would be shooting a contested shot.

 

[SubbaBub]

Shooting at 70% is unsustainable. He's likely a 40-45% shooter on open looks. He is not like Shabazz or Boat you can hit them with a hand in their face.

His catch and shoot motion is a little slow, so if the catch isn't clean, he won't get it off before the defender recovers.

It's nice that he's added the pump fake drive to his game, but he was never a JJ Reddick type of shooter.

 

[nomar]

He had very few chances where he caught the ball cleanly last night -- always seemed to bobble it or the pass wasn't on target.

Mostly. He was open a bunch of times but received bad passes. And then towards the end of the game, he passed up some wide-open looks because they were killing clock. But he did turn down a couple of open shots to put the ball on the floor. I'm happy to see him put the ball on the floor, but not if the 3 is wide open. I agree with others that he's probably a little shy because he's been in a cold spell, but shooters gotta shoot!

 

[UConn17]

Even with passing some open shots, his pump fake is killer. He had some good drives last night and one smooth midrange pull-up

 

[caw]

Even with passing some open shots, his pump fake is killer. He had some good drives last night and one smooth midrange pull-up

His midrange has been much improved recently. Or at least he's taking them more often.

 

[Lethalinjection]

I also noticed that Giffey had many passes to him when he was open for a 3 that were not on target so he didn't force the shot. He is very smart and plays like a professional. He is the least of my worries.

 

[sparky]

I get frustrated at NG not taking the shot when he has it. You are only a threat if you shoot. He tends to pass and not take the open shot. Some of this is the passes are not accurate and at other times he doesn't seem to get his feet set for a catch and release motion. DD does a much better job of being ready to shoot than NG. It may be the European robotic motion that most foreign players have as opposed to the fluid motion of US players.

 

[mauconnfan]

I though most of his "open" looks were during the point they were pressuring and we were trying to use the clock in full so his decisions were based on that………he's still looking to shoot during the heat of the game and I think he's fine. Actually he has had a couple ball fake and then takes as of late and once again, should use that more as he finished nicely.