Landry Fields Elbow

[JimiCliff]

Why does he have to shoot 3's and jump shots for us? Why can't they just expand his role as a primary ball handler and he can focus on his cuts to the basket and his 5 ft floater shots. Honestly, and it's not saying much, but I think Fields has the potential to be our best ball handler/passer on the team. He has good control with the dribble, he's not super quick but he's long and crafty and has a high b-ball IQ.

If he can get on the same page with other members of the team and get to the basket by himself, I think he could even be a starter for us and free up Lowry for 3's.

I think you answered your own question. If Fields is point forward with zero threat of outside shooting his defender can pack the paint and eliminate penetration. It actually makes defense really easy if the point has no outside shot. All the Bball IQ in the world won't change that.

I actually really liked watching him bringing the ball up the other night. His handle isn't bad, and we all know he's a heady player. I wonder if the coaching staff or management have ever discussed trying to mould him into a backup point...rolling with a second unit of Fields, Ross, Acy (at the three when they feel like it) and Psycho-T...very high energy, and we'd be crushing the other team on the boards.

[Raptorsss]

I think you answered your own question. If Fields is point forward with zero threat of outside shooting his defender can pack the paint and eliminate penetration. It actually makes defense really easy if the point has no outside shot. All the Bball IQ in the world won't change that.

You're right as the only time he took a 3-point shot last game was when Minny sagged off of him. Obviously, he can't play in a point-guard role against a set offense. So, they are having him bring the ball up the floor and to see if he can push the fast break. He doesn't seem like he is familiar with point-guard role enough to throw cross court passes yet, but expect them to be trying to use him this way all pre-season and if it doesn't work he'll go back to moving without the ball and doing backdoor cuts to the basket and little else on offense.

[tonious35]

[img] http://t6.imagechef.com/ic/imgout/sa...50191751f6.jpg [/img]

[stretch]

lol. I couldn't see the image so I gave it a try.

[tonious35]

lol. I couldn't see the image so I gave it a try.

Thanks for the cover dude. $100 reward and a date with Mrs. Alden-Fields if you can find it and deliver it to its original owner. Ask Mr. Fields to verify the reward, I might be off a little....

[The Great One]

Question, when the Raps signed Fields last year. What was your expectation? did you people bought in AGAIN to the Colangelo hype that Fields is going to be the Raps Shane Battier? come on!

The same people that are whining and bitching about Fields are probably the same people that bought in to the "Bargnani is the next Nowitzki" hype.

Fields is gonna be alright. He's the team's best perimeter defender. He's going to get his points just because of his energy. Don't expect him to be Shane Battier though.

And if i were you people, i'd be more concerned with Terrence Ross than with Landry Fields.

[caccia]

Look, if the guy cannot shoot, send him to the D-league

OK, I take it all back. Fields shot 3 for 5 and 2 for 2 from the line, with a nice, all-around game this evening.

[Raptorsnz]

Despite the shooting problems he's 10-10 on FTs so far this preseason, which is nice.

[thead]

Despite the shooting problems he's 10-10 on FTs so far this preseason, which is nice.

He could eventually get really good at shooting a fucked up shot ala Marion.

[Puffer]

He could eventually get really good at shooting a fucked up shot ala Marion.

To make a shot in basketball requires several physical and mental attributes. I don't know the technical name for all of them but try this out.

1. a player needs to know where his body is in in relation to other objects like the hoop, defending players and team mates.
2. a player needs to understand intuitively the mechanics of motion ie. "I am moving at a certain speed and will arrive at a certain spot in 'x' fragment of time." He must also know this for the ball and the players around him.
3. a player must understand the principles of the game, from the offensive and defensive sides in the sense of "this is the scenario in front of me. the optimum move would be..."
4. a player needs to know his team mates tendencies and those of opposing players. "I am cutting towards the baseline through the right elbow. JV always sets a screen but the player guarding me tries to go over the screen most of the time so I need to cut towards JV to squeeze the space down to nothing and brush the opposing player off and get an open look."
5. a player needs to know the opposing teams tendencies. "Their coach always wants the double to occur when a shooter drifts to the corner 3 pt shot to defend against it. I know my teammate on the weak side is aware of this and will break for the foul line as soon as he sees the big start to move. I will fake a pass to him and head to the rim"
6. a player has to have a specific set of mechanical motions that he uses every time, the same way, so that he can train his body and eye to correctly send the ball the required distance on the required trajectory to get the ball in the basket.

Fields has everything but number 6. He is working on that. It is far harder to learn how to practice religiously and to learn body control than is is to groove a new set of shooting mechanics, once you have decided that is what you need to do.

Obviously this is not a technical treatise, but I think you get my drift. Fields will fix his shot. It may not be what it could have been but he will be a positive contributor for years.