Shaquille O'Neal, .545 FT%...

[Joe Vancil]

...Stephon Marbury, .540.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!

Marbury has looked *AWFUL* at the line this year!  The guy has regularly been in the 80% range, and this year, he can't hit the broad side of a barn?

Does anyone else think that Stephon is trying to find a way to get out-of-town, away from Larry Brown?  Especially given Larry's criticism of him after the Golden State game?

 

[westkoast]

I thought this would happen even prior to the start of the pre-season.  Once the season started thought id give Brown a chance with Marbury because he was able to do the impossible with Sheed.  Looks like you are right though.  There is NO WAY an offensive player of Steph's caliber is shooting that bad from the line without trying to do so.

My friends in NY and I have resorted to battling over who's team sucks more so far this year.

[Skandery]

You know now that you say that, it makes lots of sense.  Stephon just doesn't care, period.  Its a lot like Vince Carter last year.  Career 80% foul shooter, at the beginning of last year in Toronto, he was shooting in the low 60s at the line while just going through the motions to his career low numbers across the board.  Move to New Jersey and, 12-13 performances from the line and 40 point games were all of a sudden nightly occurences.  I mean Stephon has been an automatic 20 and 8 for the last 8 years, he's struggling to get 17 and 5 this year.  So here's hoping he gets traded to some team just like Vince.  Otherwise, you're going to witness the worst year from Stephon Marbury of his career, that's including his rookie year!!

[westkoast]

Joe after last night I may have to say that you may be on to something.  Marbury was being guarded by Smush Parker and Sasha Vujacic (sp?) and did not dominate the game like I thought he would.  Instead he was somewhat passive and seemed to take himself out of the game.  I thought for sure once Sasha got put on him that he would continue to burn him each play down the floor.  He didnt.  No posting up of Sasha, not as many moves to get into the paint as I would have liked to see if I was LB, and on the defensive end he seemed to have trouble tracking Smush on a few plays.  On top of that he wasnt attacking so he didnt get to goto the line to improve that awesome FT% he has going on.

One intresting stat brought up last night tho is he is 1 of 2 players in NBA history to have 20+ points and 8+ assists for their career.  Only other player to accomplish that is Oscar Roberston.  Not bad company at all hehe.

[Guest_Randy]

Westkoast, I had to actually go look that one up because it was hard to believe that Magic didn't average 20/8 -- he averaged 19.5/11.

Marbury is a gifted player but he often plays below his abilities, IMO.  He has been "the man" on most of his teams and if he hasn't been he has wanted a trade.  

A few other differences between he and Magic:
          Marbury - Magic
PPG        20.5       19.5
APG         8.2        11.2
Reb         3.1          7.2
FG%        43%        52%
FT%        78%         84%
Stlpg       1.29        1.9
TOpg       3.19        3.86
3pt%       32%        30%
BlkPG        .1           .4

Have you seen Marbury's stats this season?  He is down in almost EVERY category except minutes (still at 40 mpg).  He is average 15 points, 5 something assists -- it's just pretty pathetic.
 

[westkoast]

Have you seen Marbury's stats this season?  He is down in almost EVERY category except minutes (still at 40 mpg).  He is average 15 points, 5 something assists -- it's just pretty pathetic.

By choice though IMO.  There are not enough good defenders in this league that the Knicks have played this year that warrants his numbers being much lower than his career numbers.

The Laker defense is one of the most pathetic defenses in the league so far this year and he could have easily dropped 20 and 8 on them yet did not.  Players were hitting shots and the perimeter defense would have let him into the lane each trip down if he wanted to get there.

[Derek Bodner]

Kyle Korver: .545% FT

It's an early season.

[Skandery]

Kyle Korver - 6 for 11

Stephon Marbury - 27 for 50


When you see Marbury's attemps are almost 5 times the number of Korver's attempts, I'd say either the wheels have fallen off or he just doesn't care, pick one.  

[Joe Vancil]

There are players in the NBA who foul people who shoot from where Kyle Korver shoots from?

Fundamentals *ARE* getting worse in the league.

[Reality]

Marbury was being guarded by Smush Parker and Sasha Vujacic (sp?) and did not dominate the game like I thought he would.  Instead he was somewhat passive and seemed to take himself out of the game. ......  On top of that he wasnt attacking so he didnt get to goto the line to improve that awesome FT% he has going on.

One intresting stat brought up last night tho is he is 1 of 2 players in NBA history to have 20+ points and 8+ assists for their career.  Only other player to accomplish that is Oscar Roberston.  Not bad company at all hehe.

He must have tanked in the 2nd half?

I saw the 1st half and I thought Marbury looked pretty good, passionate drivin it to the hoop and dishing.  Knicks were up 43-38 just before half.  

Yet in that little stretch before half and opening the 3rd the Lakers outscore them 22-4. :unsure:  

 

[westkoast]

Marbury was being guarded by Smush Parker and Sasha Vujacic (sp?) and did not dominate the game like I thought he would.  Instead he was somewhat passive and seemed to take himself out of the game. ......  On top of that he wasnt attacking so he didnt get to goto the line to improve that awesome FT% he has going on.

One intresting stat brought up last night tho is he is 1 of 2 players in NBA history to have 20+ points and 8+ assists for their career.  Only other player to accomplish that is Oscar Roberston.  Not bad company at all hehe.

He must have tanked in the 2nd half?

I saw the 1st half and I thought Marbury looked pretty good, passionate drivin it to the hoop and dishing.  Knicks were up 43-38 just before half.  

Yet in that little stretch before half and opening the 3rd the Lakers outscore them 22-4. :unsure:

Yea the 2nd part of the game he didnt continue to go into the paint nor did he post up Sasha/Smush like he should of.  Hes much too strong to not post them up.  Check his numbers from the other night.  Considering he was playing a team with weak interior defense and a 2-year player who cant play perimeter defense to save his life he didnt exactly 'go off'

I would also say part of the reason he was having troubles was because Larry Brown put him on Kobe for a length of time and he had to chase him around.  There was one point in the game where Kobe got around him, to the rim, and the only thing Mar could do was wrap Kobe up.  Right after that you see him telling another teammate that he 'cant guard him'.