Joel Przybilla: one of the best two point shooters in the league

[Boob-No-More]

Shooting about 83% from down low this season.

BNM

 

[Zipperhead]

Maybe Joel needs to teach Greg how to finish.

 

[bintim]

We have a great one two punch at center. Greg is a monster and can only get better and Joel plays better having Oden there. Best I've seen Joel play since he's been here.

 

[Crimson the Cat]

His soft touch around the hoop is money this year. Yet another improvement to a blazers game. Pretty special season this is shaping up to be.

 

[BatumKaboom]

Yeah I am really happy with Joel too. Who woulda thought!

 

[The Professional Fan]

We have a great one two punch at center. Greg is a monster and can only get better and Joel plays better having Oden there. Best I've seen Joel play since he's been here.

This is the best Joel has EVER played. For some damn reason, he believes in his offensive game right now. Is it because he can be more aggressive knowing Greg is on the bench if Joel draws fouls (from the offensive end???).

Hm. Not sure. All I know is Joel is playing awesome.

 

[Boob-No-More]

He's 10 for his last 10, 18 for his last 20 and has only missed one shot at home all season (12-13).

He hasn't missed more than one shot in a game since going 2-4 opening night against the Lakers.

He's made more FG in 13 games this season than he did in 43 games two seasons ago.

BNM

 

[The Professional Fan]

He's made more FG in 13 games this season than he did in 43 games two seasons ago.

BNM

Sick.

 

[Pontius]

He's 10 for his last 10, 18 for his last 20 and has only missed one shot at home all season (12-13).

He hasn't missed more than one shot in a game since going 2-4 opening night against the Lakers.

He's made more FG in 13 games this season than he did in 43 games two seasons ago.

BNM

Sick.

 

[KingSpeed]

These are great great numbers. Props for the Joel tribute thread!

 

[Masbee]

Shooting about 83% from down low this season.

BNM

Joel is playing super well. He has never been this good.

I was going to start a thread about it, but saw yours.

My thread title was going to be:

Oden Making Joel Better?

Is the arrival of Oden spurring Joel to play his best ever ball?

Have the practices with Oden motivated Joel?

Has the demotion to 2nd fiddle caused changes in Joel's mindset, attitude or approach to the game?

Or, does it have little to do with Oden? Does this offensive agressiveness and absurd effieciency of Joel have much more to do with the outstandig 3pt shooting creating space in the paint, coupled with willing passers, who are getting him the ball in positions where he can finish?

What in god's green earth is going on here?

 

[Magnum]

I'm pretty sure there's never been an NBA player with a FG% 30 points higher than his FT%...

 

[Boob-No-More]

I'm pretty sure there's never been an NBA player with a FG% 30 points higher than his FT%...

Not that I can think of off the top of my head. Wilt's FG% was> 20 pointts higher than the FT% on several occasions.

Wilt Chamberlain:

1966-67:
FG% = 0.683
FT% = 0.441
Diff = 0.242

1967-68:
FG% = 0.595
FT% = 0.380
Diff = 0.215

1971-72:
FG% = 0.649
FT% = 0.442
Diff = 0.207

1972-73:
FG% = 0.727
FT% = 0.510
Diff = 0.217

I expect Joel's FG% will come down - he's currently at an insane pace (Wilt's 0.727 is till the record, followed by his 0.683). And, I expect his FT% will come up - he shot a very respectable 0.680 last season. So, by the end of the season, the gap should narrow substantially.

BNM

 

[Crimson the Cat]

The offense was built for Greg. Greg wasn't quite ready for it though. The offense still exists. Joel's stepped into it. For the first time he has an offense and a collective mindset from the team that helps get the most from their center.

 

[Webster's Dictionary]

It's the mindset of this team. I've thought for a while that, while never an option, if you threw it into Pryz and had him do basic post moves, he wouldn't be a terrible offensive center at all. On the contrary I think he'd be a decent option once he got comfortable. Well, we're not running low post plays for him, but we are finding him in open positions and he's flourishing. Way to go Thrilla.

 

[Boob-No-More]

During Joel's first season with the Blazers he had some very decent offensive games. Damon, and Nick Van Excel, for all their faults, knew how to hit the open big man. They new where to look for Joel and did a good job getting him the ball in a position where he could be successful. After they left, the team relied more and more on just dumping the ball in to Zach and letting him create his own shots. This clogged up the low post, stagnated the offense and pretty much reduced Joel to a rebounding/defensive specialist who only scored off an occasional put-back. It's taken a while to get back to a more open, free flowing half-court offense. Having multiple scoring threats on offense spreads the floor and creates easy scoring opportunities for everyone - especially Joel.

Joel is the one who usually gets left unguarded when a teammate gets doubled and when one of Joel's teammates (Roy, Rudy, etc.) penetrate and draw the help defender. Having multiple 3-point threats also spreads the floor and creates openings in the defense. Joel is doing a good job going to those open areas and his teammates are doing a good job finding him. I always tell the kids on the youth basketball team I coach that spacing, screening and passing are the three keys to an effective half-court offense (John Wooden's words, not mine). Right now the Blazers floor spacing and passing are outstanding. As a result, they are getting a ton of easy baskets. I also teach the big kids I coach that if their defender leaves them to immediately go to the box and get ready to catch the pass and put it up and in. I also teach my guards to look for their open teammate on the block when they penetrate and draw the help defender. It's pretty basic stuff, but it results in a lot of high percentage shot opportunities.

BNM

 

[BrianFromWA]

I've been pleasantly surprised that when Joel gets it down low, it actually goes in 80% of the time. I mean, he's getting (roughly) the same amount of shots, and in the same area, as Greg...but Greg goes 3-7 getting blocked a couple of times and JOel's 6-6. Joel's showing touch, with lefty hooks, lefty banks, etc to go with the basic 2-handed dunk.

I love what Joel's doing. I love the defensive side, too. Shaq better watch out tonight.

 

[Masbee]

During Joel's first season with the Blazers he had some very decent offensive games. Damon, and Nick Van Excel, for all their faults, knew how to hit the open big man. They new where to look for Joel and did a good job getting him the ball in a position where he could be successful. After they left, the team relied more and more on just dumping the ball in to Zach and letting him create his own shots. This clogged up the low post, stagnated the offense and pretty much reduced Joel to a rebounding/defensive specialist who only scored off an occasional put-back. It's taken a while to get back to a more open, free flowing half-court offense. Having multiple scoring threats on offense spreads the floor and creates easy scoring opportunities for everyone - especially Joel.

Joel is the one who usually gets left unguarded when a teammate gets doubled and when one of Joel's teammates (Roy, Rudy, etc.) penetrate and draw the help defender. Having multiple 3-point threats also spreads the floor and creates openings in the defense. Joel is doing a good job going to those open areas and his teammates are doing a good job finding him. I always tell the kids on the youth basketball team I coach that spacing, screening and passing are the three keys to an effective half-court offense (John Wooden's words, not mine). Right now the Blazers floor spacing and passing are outstanding. As a result, they are getting a ton of easy baskets. I also teach the big kids I coach that if their defender leaves them to immediately go to the box and get ready to catch the pass and put it up and in. I also teach my guards to look for their open teammate on the block when they penetrate and draw the help defender. It's pretty basic stuff, but it results in a lot of high percentage shot opportunities.

BNM

I agree that the players on this team, esp. Blake, Sergio, Roy and Rudy are doing what you say - spreading the floor with excellent jump shooting and passing the ball to Joel in good position when they draw his defender. Basketball 101.

That is a part of it, and a very important part.

Yet, still, Joel is hitting shots and layups that he NEVER has consistently hit so well. He is making lefty layins, and hook shots, etc. at very high rates. In years past he would make a good percentage, but he would also get blocked a lot, get swarmed and stripped, throw up ugly airball shots, and blow a few point blank layups and dunks.

So far this season for Joel:
Turnover % - career low
Defensive Rebounding % - career high at 32%!!
and of course, the career high Field Goal % of 83%.

This is where I think the Oden factor comes in. His concentration and focus is sky high. I don't doubt there will be a reversion towards the mean, but this far along into the season, he is likely looking at career numbers for effeciency.

Either Oden is the X factor or Joel has been using the new shake mix - "Never Miss Your Layups Soy Acai Rainforest Sports Supplement Powder". Got to get me some of that.

 

[PapaG]

This is the best Joel has EVER played. For some damn reason, he believes in his offensive game right now. Is it because he can be more aggressive knowing Greg is on the bench if Joel draws fouls (from the offensive end???).

Hm. Not sure. All I know is Joel is playing awesome.

He has had some monster games in a Blazer uniform. Games that he has not come close to touching this year.

 

[Jurassic]

Lets not get too high on the guy. Of that 83% down low all of them are either put backs, garbage points, or penetrate and dish points. Rarely has he created anything down low for himself.

 

[PapaG]

Lets not get too high on the guy. Of that 83% down low all of them are either put backs, garbage points, or penetrate and dish points. Rarely has he created anything down low for himself.

Thank you for stating the obvious, but did I miss the days when Joel was a primary option as the 55% shooter his career stats show him to be?

 

[Jurassic]

I still don't get why people are excited over every little thing that the Blazers do right. Joel sucks, he just had a lot of options around him this year so he gets ignored by defenses. Kind of like DGeorge on the allstar Lakers team in '04.

 

[PapaG]

I still don't get why people are excited over every little thing that the Blazers do right. Joel sucks, he just had a lot of options around him this year so he gets ignored by defenses. Kind of like DGeorge on the allstar Lakers team in '04.

Yes, he sucks at rebounding and he sucks at blocking shots. He also sucks at FG% this year.

Um, you suck, since we are calling out people for sucking.

 

[Jurassic]

Yes, he sucks at rebounding and he sucks at blocking shots. He also sucks at FG% this year.

Um, you suck, since we are calling out people for sucking.

I don't know at what point this turned personal, but we are talking about Joel here! You are acting like a crazed VC fan.

 

[PapaG]

I don't know at what point this turned personal, but we are talking about Joel here! You are acting like a crazed VC fan.

It turned personal once you posted that Joel "sucks". Easy to say behind a mask of anonymity, eh "Jurassic"?

You suck. See, that's easy.

 

[Drink Your Milkshake]

The stats don't lie! Checkmate!

 

[PapaG]

I don't know at what point this turned personal, but we are talking about Joel here! You are acting like a crazed VC fan.

Przy with 5 blocks, 3 steals, and 8 boards tonight.

Jurassic sucks!!!

 

[Crimson the Cat]

I still don't get why people are excited over every little thing that the Blazers do right. Joel sucks, he just had a lot of options around him this year so he gets ignored by defenses. Kind of like DGeorge on the allstar Lakers team in '04.

Last time I checked the most abundant creatures living during the Jurassic Period were big gigantic lizards. I don't see them around much anymore. Guess they suck too.

That's all I got.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Lets not get too high on the guy. Of that 83% down low all of them are either put backs, garbage points, or penetrate and dish points. Rarely has he created anything down low for himself.

So??????? Name one other player in the entire history of the NBA that has shot 83% from the field. You do realize that there has only been one player in the history of the league to ever shoot great than 67%. That was Wilt. He did it twice - including the NBA record 0.727 the last year of his career. And guess what, at the age of 36 most of his points were also "put backs, garbage points, or penetrate and dish points".

Nobody is claiming Joel is suddenly creating scoring opportunities for himself. What he's doing is getting to the right place at the right time and converting those opportunities at a historically unprecedented rate.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

I still don't get why people are excited over every little thing that the Blazers do right. Joel sucks, he just had a lot of options around him this year so he gets ignored by defenses. Kind of like DGeorge on the allstar Lakers team in '04.

No he doesn't suck. Yes, he's always had a limited offensive game, but there is more to basketball than scoring. He's, once again, among the league leaders in rebound rate and is a solid interior defender. That alone means he doesn't suck.

This year he is also scoring at an incredibly efficient rate. Andrew Bynum is surrounded by a lot more talent than Joel Przybilla. Why is Bynum shooting less than 50% from the field while Joel is at 83%% Nobody on the Lakers, Celtics, Cavs, Magic or Rockets are shooting above 60% from the field. Those are all teams in first place with one, or more, superstars for defenses to focus on. Yet not one player on any of those teams comes within 20 percentage points of matching Joel's FG%. Do they all suck, too? If Joel is at 83% and sucks, they all must supersuck.

Yes, Joel is a role player, but right now he's playing that role incredibly well. Please explain how that means he sucks.

BNM