The Grizzlies Want Mayo and Gay to Shoot Less
Rudy Gay (photo. Carnegie Lee)Right now there are only two tandems in the League who take more shots per game than O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay, who have put up an average of 34.3 shots per game between the two of them. When Tony Parker and Tim Duncan have been on the floor, they’ve tried 36.6 attempts, and Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard have put up a League-high 36.9 shots.
“We have to find that balance between shooting the open shot and making the extra pass,” Iavaroni said. “We’re taking too many contested 2-pointers. It’s all one-on-one. Either you’re open or you’re not. But if the ball continues to move we’ll get better shots. And we have to understand spacing. It’s all a process.”
It’s not necessary that they’re shooting too much. It’s that they’re both making their shots the team’s priority. Instead of letting the offense come to them – as cliche as that sounds – they’re pulling when someone is up in their face.
That’s the biggest difference between the three duo’s listed above. Both the Grizzlies pair and the Mavs pair do exactly that – they stop any offensive rhythm to try to find a shot. Together Gay and Mayo are shooting 43.7%, and Dirk/Howard are shooting 44.9%.
But Parker and Duncan are in a different class. Maybe it’s that Gregg Popovich has orchestrated the perfect offense oriented around them, but it seems like all of their looks are good ones (they shoot 57% from the field), and if they don’t have a shot, they give the ball up. And it’s not like the Spurs supporting cast is much different from the Grizzlies’. Without Manu, the options are just as ugly in San Antonio when TP or TD don’t have a good look at the rim. But they still give the ball up.
Source: Real GM
November 19th, 2008 at 11:54 am
that's whats up says:
SHOOT LESS GAY MAYO !!!
America should take note
November 19th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
fallinup says:
having 5 guys on the floor should limit the fact that you are shooting with someone in your face. Pass the damn ball.
57% on 36 combined attempts gives more credit to the system that Timmy and Tony are playing in than the players themselves. I’d love to see Tim or Tony for that matter start jacking up contested jumpers or going one on one all the time…just because, I love watching Pop ream a new asshole into his players.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
heckler...formerly 'yallallreadyknow' says:
this coach is a fool. let your players play to their strengths.
i mean really…who does he want shooting?
mike conley and darko?
..I think NOT
November 19th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
JCARR says:
It’s not like they have anyone else that can contribute. Lowry-NO, Conley-NO,Warrick-Maybe, Gasol-only inside, Antoine Walker-Where is he?.
Their style of play is run and gun, and if for some reason they are slowed to a half court pace. The only plays they have are one-one. Mayo and Gay are forced to take bad shoots and are young players who dont have the mentality of playing as a Team (yet?)
November 19th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
fallinup says:
Mayo and Gay should just start passing to each other. That would be ideal for Memphis.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Mamba says:
If I lived there I would totally buy Griz season seats just to watch those to get after it each game,
Face it they are the team!!!! – and they are both sick,
Mayo for ROY!
November 19th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
dapro says:
I watched both players take contested shots too many times but I thik the point the coach is making is to take better shots in the flow of the offense
Gay can get to bucket at will he settles for the J alot
November 19th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
JCARR says:
Oh yea did anyone watch that game (prob. not) I watched for 5 minutes and was stunned at how empty the arena was. I saw more seats than people. Iavaroni should be worried about that not how many shots they take.
November 19th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
BxBaller says:
I thought this was Gay’s team? So isn’t he suppose to have the green light to shot? If those two don’t shoot, who else will.
November 19th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Kevin K says:
Mayo is shooting 45% from the field and 40% from the 3s. Some of the games for the Grizzlies wouldn’t even be close without Mayo. Is it his fault that Conley, Warrick, and Lowry can’t shoot? Gay is shooting way too many jumpers for a guy as athletic as him. They need to get Gasol 10-15 shots per game.