Game Thread

[KiwiJeff]

Oh--so I was supposed to assume that the statement in the post I responded to was restricted to FT percentage......and not simply "free throws" as it actually stated.

The original argument started on TOS like 3 years ago. A real knuckle dragger over there posted the FT% of every season under Dixon and said Dixon doesn't coach FTs. We tried convincing him that increasing your FT % from 66% to 68% wouldn't guarantee any more wins or losses. It was a very long and drawn out debate that I was largely involved in, and somehow, someone who posts on TOS and here, said people on TOS where saying FTs don't matter. Someone, some knuckle dragger from TOS was able to translate people telling him that there isn't a significant difference in 2% over a whole season as FTs don't matter (he actually doubled down on stupidity and changed it to people saying FTs don't count, as if that could happen). So basically, that is how the FTs don't matter fallacy was born. Nobody ever said it in those words, but it morphed into that, making the whole discussion stupid. Of course they matter. Team FT% not as much, unless wildly different. Our best team under Dixon was the worst FT% team. That team would kill this years team. Team FT% is not a leading indicator at all to how good a team is. Make as many as you can. End.

 

[PittPoker]

He has largely been the only one bringing it up. He didn't understand what people were saying, and has been beating the wrong drum for years. I wish everyone would just let it drop. It is really a dumb discussion. Makes us all look like idiots. No matter what side of the argument you're on.

Yeah I remember this debate from a few years ago so why does he keep bringing it up? I was thinking I missed a few threads on it being rehashed or something.

 

[KiwiJeff]

Yeah I remember this debate from a few years ago so why does he keep bringing it up? I was thinking I missed a few threads on it being rehashed or something.

People like to bitch about FTs, but every team misses them, every team has missed them in clutch time, and there is very little a coaching staff can do about it. We are the #1 FT% team in the ACC, had our best guy at the line, he was clutch for us for many games this year, but blows this one. It happens. There is no magic formula to "fix" that. It is just easy to point at and scream about. They matter. Everything matters. Rebounding, defense, shooting 3s. FTs are an enigma. Make them and people barely notice, miss some and people are lighting their coach on fire.

The only thing a coach can really do, is make sure his FT guys are on the floor at the end. Dixon did. Still missed. Sometimes Cutch flies out with winning run in scoring position. Sometimes a WR drops a key pass. I know FTs are supposed to be easier because there is no defense. But there is no flow to a FT. You are its standing there alone with your thoughts all off a sudden. It's like putting a little. That damn ball is only three feet away from the cup, and I still shank it left. It happens, not worth screaming about when it happens, but people will. And yes, they matter. Though for whatever reason, intelligent people will keep saying people claimed they don't matter. It really perplexes me. I wish everyone would just drop it, which is why I told UPitt139 or whatever his name is to knock it off.