Actually, basic math (7.3 FGA x 2 games EJ4 didn't start = 14.6/15 additional FGA's) projected more than I tried to. Which would/could have put him only behind Pav and AJC in total shots on the team.
Sorry, I'm having a bit of trouble following.
Elmore didn't start against JMU or UNC Asheville. But he still played 20 and 21 minutes respectively. In games he started, he averages 27 minutes a game. I don't follow why he'd have 14.6 additional FGA just because he didn't start. The difference is about 12 minutes of floor time, and he doesn't average 1+ shot a minute -- or close to it.
Woof. Strong start to the 2025 posts. I calculated like he missed two games entirely — that’s my bad.
In a vacuum, my agreement with Shabamon’s post was based on how he compares with others in FGA’s, MP, and assists. You’re correct that the ball only moves effectively with Pav. But Elmore has less assists on the year than all rotational players outside Searls and AJB.
He’s a wing, sure. But Sheldon and Reef aren’t exactly PG’s by design, either.
On the flip side, he’s played 28 minutes less than Hadaway and trails him by just 6 FGA’s. Is this a little all over the place? Sure. Does it suggest Elmore shoots too much? No. Does it mean he’s more likely to shoot instead of pass when he has the ball (my original point)? I’d say so. Does it mean he’s an ineffective player? Not at all.
All of these statements can true.
I don't disagree with any of this whole cloth. Elmore does not finish inside the arc well, and in a vacuum he should adjust his shot selection to focus more on three point shooting. He's been good there. Second on the team in percentage.
But more broadly, I guess I just sort of see Elmore as reflective of a more team-wide issue, and I'm more inclined to excuse the fact that our guards/wings can't finish at rim at all because I think it's a bi-product of scheme and not having a big that consistently demands defensive attention around the basket. Clayton is a good player around the rim, but he's just not there an awful lot of the time. Too often we get penetration from the wing and are meet by 2 help defenders because we have 4 guys out, and no rim runner to create an easier pass. Hadaway is the closest we have to that. Seems like too often we're asking guards to make a cross court skip pass off penetration, and that's a hard pass to make. It's not in Elmore's bag, and it's not in AJB's either. Feels like there are 8 possessions a game where one of the two of them beat their man and just run into two help defenders, get trapped, and take a contested fall away.
Boals runs a very unstructured offense. He gives the guys a lot of freedom to create, but thus far, on this particular team, it's led to a lot of iffy shot selection and wasted possessions. I wish he'd run more set plays to get guys looks that work more to their strengths.
"Boals runs a very unstructured offense" -- that's how it's felt to me since Preston left. Yes, that was an uber talented team. However, it had all of the correct personnel pieces to make what I think is Boals' offense run correctly and smoothly. It had a true facilitator (Preston), a paint presence (DW3), wings that could shoot the 3 (McDay/Rod), and a stretch 4 (BVP).
We haven't had that same combo since, whether it's been lacking a facilitating PG or more recently -- a true post presence.
Boals either needs to consistently bring in the type of players that fit his offense, or adapt his style to the personnel that he is able to bring in. If we squint, it sort of looks like it might return to that Preston year between Elliot, Evans, and all of the wings incoming, but more recently -- one of the two has needed to give and neither has IMO.
Last Edited: 1/10/2025 9:39:05 AM by FJC31