<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Netted @ Mar 12 2008, 09:25 AM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Mar 11 2008, 10:46 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GMJigga @ Mar 11 2008, 08:41 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>In my opinion, RJ's significant offensive improvements justify him to make these comments; in his mind, I mean. I think its possible that RJ has fallen in love with one side of the ball (easy, Luke) and not the other. His defensive game has taken a hit; he used to be our best lock-down defender. As his offense has increased, his intensity on D has decreased.</div>
His offense hasn't improved. He just forces more shots. He's down 4% and over an assist off his career averages. He's getting to the line slightly more, but his FT% is lower so he's making the same amount as his peak seasons. Basically, he's a less efficient, less effective, more selfish, losery version of his previous offensive self.
Combine that with his lethargic worse-than-Vince-Carter defense and his lack of interest in hitting the boards or going after loose balls, and he just looks like a complete clown when he opens his idiot mouth.
Basically, he's become one of the laziest, most selfish players in the league. F him. Boone should squash his peanut head.
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He's shooting the same percentage as last season taking 4 more shots per game, shooting more free throws at nearly 80% which is 6% better than last season and 2% better than his career avg. Rebounds are down because he's the only one leaking out on the break to get the team some easy baskets, and that's a trend that started last season. Turnovers and assists pretty much where they always are. Yes his FG% is down compared to his career #s because he had 3 seasons where he hit at 50% and he doesn't get as many easy baskets as he did early in his career. I totally agree about his defense not being as good as it was. But he is not jacking up shots all over the place inorder to improve his numbers... he's the model of efficiency.
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So you are comparing his numbers with last season when he was hobbled by injuries and completely ineffective for the majority of the year? That only suppots my point that his offense has declined, not improved.
As for his FT%, I wrote that he was making the same amount as his peak seasons, even though he is getting to the line more. He started the season 67-69, but since then he has shot right at his career average of 77%. That's probably the most positive aspect of his offensive game, but is certainly doesn't represent any improvement.
The more troubling thing is that this offensive decline is accompanied with the complete atrophy of the parts of his game that made him a complete player. He was a good rebounder, an excellent passer, an opportunistic hustler, a willing defender who at least made his man work hard and a guy who could change the game with a key play in crunch time.
Now he is a negative in every one of those areas. He's just not a very good player. I hear the media saying his name along with Kidd and Carter as if he is some kind of star and the Nets should be better because they have him. The truth is that he is a mediocre player who is not worth his salary. He's a losing player. It sucks.
