Isaiah Cousins

[garyeb2]

If I get a chance to run by practice today, I'll tell Coach Kruger that the message board shot selection experts think that he has it all wrong with how he using Cousins.

If you guys want to use shooting stats to support your argument, it would be nice if you had all the numbers. Coach Kruger has the assistant mgrs. charting every shot each player takes in practice. The staff has a shooting pct. for every player from virtually every spot on the floor.

They put in a couple of plays for Cousins last week to get him the ball for an open mid range jumper. But, they very seldom run anything for Cousins. He is usually the 2nd option when they run something for Buddy. In those instances, Cousins is suppose to have cheated up to be available for a mid range jumper. Other than that, most of what he gets, he created on his own when they got him the ball with a chance to make a play.

They aren't out there playing street ball. They practice getting open in the spots Kruger wants them open. Cousins is taking the shots he is taking because those are the shots Kruger wants him to take.

 

[campbest]

Coach Kruger has the assistant mgrs. charting every shot each player takes in practice. The staff has a shooting pct. for every player from virtually every spot on the floor.

So, like, statistical analytics?

 

[garyeb2]

So, like, statistical analytics?

yes

 

[AdaSooner]

He shoots 48% on twos and 38% on threes. It doesn't take a math degree to figure out which one is better.
That being said, I don't have as much problem with Cousins shooting long jumpers as I would have with almost anyone else. He's a valuable contributor to one of the best offenses in the country. You don't want to shoot a lot of long twos, but you do have to make the defense respect it.

You could make a similar observation about any player you want to name. Besides, 38% from three is not that bad. If I was the coach, I would give him the green light to take that shot anytime he's open.

The rest I agree with 100%!

 

[MichaelM]

That 48% includes layups, 15 footers, dunks, shots in the paint, and ALL two's. Using that % to compare it to the 3 point percentage isn't the same as comparing his 3 point % to his percentage on really long 2 point jumpers.

Not to mention, even if he was shooting 48% on long jumpers (which he is not), if we're talking about 3-4 shots per game, OU would get more points, on average, out of having those shots be all three pointers (38% of 4 shots would produce 4.56 points on average) than 2 pointers (48% of 4 shots would produce 3.84 points on average). Nearly an entire point more, using the faulty 48% on long 2's.

Which was kind of my point. You were right too, it doesn't really take a math degree to figure out which is the better option.

I was supporting your point. 2*48% is less than 3*38%.

If I get a chance to run by practice today, I'll tell Coach Kruger that the message board shot selection experts think that he has it all wrong with how he using Cousins.

If you guys want to use shooting stats to support your argument, it would be nice if you had all the numbers. Coach Kruger has the assistant mgrs. charting every shot each player takes in practice. The staff has a shooting pct. for every player from virtually every spot on the floor.

They put in a couple of plays for Cousins last week to get him the ball for an open mid range jumper. But, they very seldom run anything for Cousins. He is usually the 2nd option when they run something for Buddy. In those instances, Cousins is suppose to have cheated up to be available for a mid range jumper. Other than that, most of what he gets, he created on his own when they got him the ball with a chance to make a play.

They aren't out there playing street ball. They practice getting open in the spots Kruger wants them open. Cousins is taking the shots he is taking because those are the shots Kruger wants him to take.

Well, it is an inarguable fact that all else being equal it is better for Cousins to shoot threes than long twos. However, it is Kruger's job to know when all else is not equal. That's the kind of thing we can't see as easily as he can.

 

[BoulderSooner]

If I get a chance to run by practice today, I'll tell Coach Kruger that the message board shot selection experts think that he has it all wrong with how he using Cousins.

If you guys want to use shooting stats to support your argument, it would be nice if you had all the numbers. Coach Kruger has the assistant mgrs. charting every shot each player takes in practice. The staff has a shooting pct. for every player from virtually every spot on the floor.

They put in a couple of plays for Cousins last week to get him the ball for an open mid range jumper. But, they very seldom run anything for Cousins. He is usually the 2nd option when they run something for Buddy. In those instances, Cousins is suppose to have cheated up to be available for a mid range jumper. Other than that, most of what he gets, he created on his own when they got him the ball with a chance to make a play.

They aren't out there playing street ball. They practice getting open in the spots Kruger wants them open. Cousins is taking the shots he is taking because those are the shots Kruger wants him to take.

cousins takes (and makes) lots of covered long 2's ... not "open shots"

 

[BCSooners]

I was supporting your point. 2*48% is less than 3*38%.


Well, it is an inarguable fact that all else being equal it is better for Cousins to shoot threes than long twos. However, it is Kruger's job to know when all else is not equal. That's the kind of thing we can't see as easily as he can.

A lot of his mid range shots are by dribble pull-ups, whereas his 3s are all spot up. He can't create his own 3 point shot as he can his mid range which is why I bet he takes more of the mid range. However, when he is wide open from 3 and takes a one dribble pull up from 16-18 feet it doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[garyeb2]

I was supporting your point. 2*48% is less than 3*38%.


Well, it is an inarguable fact that all else being equal it is better for Cousins to shoot threes than long twos. However, it is Kruger's job to know when all else is not equal. That's the kind of thing we can't see as easily as he can.

I would agree that a legit 38% 3 pt. shooter should fire them up when they are open. I also understand the math that even a 34% shooter from 3 will score more over the course of time than a 50% shooter from 2.

But, none of that means that the 3 pt. shot is preferable over the 2 pointer every time. Down 1 pt. with the clock winding down. Which shot do you want Cousins to take? Down 4 pt. with just under a minute? And I could go on and on. Shooting 3's puts swings in the individual players game and the teams results. Having a player like Cousins shooting the shots he hits best might enable us to beat a team by 10 pts. every time. Having him shoot the 3's might mean that we beat them by 20 pts. sometimes and actually lose to them sometimes.

I wish things were so simple that everything could be all tidy with a simple stat. They are not.

 

[AdaSooner]

If you guys want to use shooting stats to support your argument, it would be nice if you had all the numbers. Coach Kruger has the assistant mgrs. charting every shot each player takes in practice. The staff has a shooting pct. for every player from virtually every spot on the floor.

That's good to know. I'm not surprised, really. I should have guessed that Coach Kruger spends time in analyzing nearly everything he does. That's why he is such a good bench coach.

It would be interesting to see the chart for Isaiah. I'll bet his highest percentage by far is from around 15 to 17 feet from the elbow on either side, with a slight edge to the right side of the lane. When he takes that shot, it's almost automatic most of the time.

 

[garyeb2]

That's good to know. I'm not surprised, really. I should have guessed that Coach Kruger spends time in analyzing nearly everything he does. That's why he is such a good bench coach.

It would be interesting to see the chart for Isaiah. I'll bet his highest percentage by far is from around 15 to 17 feet from the elbow on either side, with a slight edge to the right side of the lane. When he takes that shot, it's almost automatic most of the time.

I bet you are right.

 

[BigTime]

I don't mind the long twos when they are available. Cousins can knock the bottom out of the midrange jumper (as can Cam and Woodard).

I just don't want Cam to pass up an open three for a forced 2-1 dribble long two with a guy in his face....

 

[WTSooner]

For the record, I don't consider mid-range jumper, and shots just inside the three point line to be the same thing. I have no problems with mid-range jumpers.

 

[WTSooner]

I was supporting your point. 2*48% is less than 3*38%.

My bad, I misunderstood what you were saying.