Grant and JJ -- Orlando-Detroit

[JBDuke]

What is JJ's FG% ?

He's shooting just over 40% from the floor, 37.5% from 3 (about 43% from 2), and 90% from the line.

You can track his stats here.

[YmoBeThere]

are too often hard to find in the same package. When found together it should be celebrated. Unfortunately, no one wants to read those headlines. (I take that back, too oftern the media doesn't seem to want show us these headlines.)

[MChambers]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sport...coll=orl-magic

Teammates still were talking about the shot that rookie J.J. Redick made after practice Tuesday at The Palace. Redick made a shot from a stairwell just below the midlevel suites, nothing but net. The ball was estimated to travel 80 feet. As Redick was pointing out the spot, point guard Travis Diener said, "No, J.J. It was farther back. Come on. You have to say it was even longer. Makes a better story." .

[JJweMISSu]

thats great lol

[phaedrus]

maybe they'll pass him the ball now?

[mgtr]

Well, he did OK in the final game of the season -- 10 points in 11 minutes.

Clearly, JJ has a great future in the league, but I am not at all sure it is with the Orlando Magic if they retain their current coach.

[Lord Ash]

4th leading scorer on the team vs Miami but only the 10th most minutes... Brian Hill is a tool of the first order. JJ should be starting in the NBA.

[dball]

maybe they'll pass him the ball now?

Why not? He's proved he can make 'em from well beyond the bench.

[Billy Dat]

As long as JJ stays healthy and can put in a monster offseason, he is going to be very good next year. My definition of very good is not a go to guy, but rather a solid 10-15ppg scorer who will make teams pay for doubling Dwight Howard. You know that the kid hates sitting on the bench. That leads me to believe that he will have an offseason similar to the one between his sophomore and junior year when he upped his focus and intesified his training regimen. He'll show up for the USA Basketball training week in top shape and will gain extra confidence by playing well against the USA's elite. To me, that's the recipe for him making a leap next year...he just has to stay healthy.

[Constantstrain 81]

I base this on very little actual game watching - I watched the Magic if they were on and I know JJ didn't play that much as well. Still, for JJ to be a weapon, the defense has to feel the threat of him possibly shooting all the time. That means JJ popping open or working to get open is a big part of the offense, whether or not he gets the ball or takes a shot.

It appeared to me that JJ was less than a focal point for the Magic Offense. If he got the ball, it seemed like it was by accident. The beauty of JJ is not his shot-blocking, his wizardry with the basketball dribbling, or his glove-like defense. It is his ability to beat you with the shot. It is his ability to throw your defense out of sync worrying about where he is. If a team doesn't exploit that, then you are wasting a talent. His defense and head for the court game is just fine. His shooting is what made him national player of the year.

Maybe Orlando will figure it out - it just didn't seem like that to me.

[SilkyJ]

It is his ability to throw your defense out of sync worrying about where he is. If a team doesn't exploit that, then you are wasting a talent.

I agree that in order to maximize his effectiveness you have to use him the way you describe. But he can also be effective just knocking down open j's all day.

Also, you are right that the Magic don't use him in the way you describe. The way they use him is once the other team scores, he runs down the court and stands in the corner and then either waits for someone to penetrate and get the kickout, or they run a play that involves a baseline screen and some kind of curl move.

Then again I don't know if Brian Hill knows any plays besides those two.

[Cameron]

Thanks for the link, MC. That's a great story. JJ's flat out a shooting legend. No question. If he's given the proper chance to shine next season--and, like most of you, I agree that Brian Hill's presence needs to be evaporated for this to happen--I think JJ could be an All-Star. Seriously. The fan base he'd get behind him in the League would be amazing if he were given the opportunity to heat up on a nightly basis.

Out of anyone on the Magic team, outside of perhaps Diener, I'd take JJ from 35 feet before anyone else from 23'. JJ got a royal screwing this season. He deserves better than that.

[phaedrus]

si.com ranks nba playoff coaches:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ankings/1.html

[JBDuke]

I wasn't able to watch the game, but after reading the recap and looking at the boxscore, I'm surprised to see that JJ didn't get off the bench. Can anybody give me some insight? Did his strained quad tighten up and keep him from playing, or was this purely a coach's decision? And with the Magic down the entire game, why wasn't the best shooter on the bench in the game to help score some points? More incompetence from Coach Hill?

[Lord Ash]

Brian Hill is an idiot, ranked by SI as the worst coach in the playoffs. Go check out some Orlando forums; they HATE that guy. Just HATE him. I hate him too; the only guy who could hold JJ to zero points. (Sorry had to steal that.)

[Indoor66]

Why do we go from what is usually "dislike" to "hate" so easily and quickly? After hate there is probably only execution to express greater consternation. The concept of "hate" has been cheapened to the point of meaninglessness.

[Lord Ash]

*sigh* Okay, let me rephrase:

I hope Brian Hill gets fired RIGHT NOW, IMMEDIATELY, and NEVER HAS A SINGLE IOTA OF SAY in who plays for the Orlando Magic again.

There has NEVER been a Duke player, EVER, who I wanted to see in the league more than JJ, so for taking away that chance, the chance for me to see JJ again and to see him prove all those haters wrong since his last big public display was a flame out in the tournament, and reducing possibly the best player in Duke history to a joke for Carolina and Maryland fans, in adding a horrible barb to a horrible year in Duke sports, I dislike Brian Hill A LOT, with his stubborn hatred of rookies and apparent lack of basketball knowledge.

I hope they fire him NOW. I wish they had fired him at the beginning of the year.

[SilkyJ]

I wasn't able to watch the game, but after reading the recap and looking at the boxscore, I'm surprised to see that JJ didn't get off the bench. Can anybody give me some insight? Did his strained quad tighten up and keep him from playing, or was this purely a coach's decision? And with the Magic down the entire game, why wasn't the best shooter on the bench in the game to help score some points? More incompetence from Coach Hill?

it was Hill's call. its the playoffs so the lineup tightens up a little and they play two guards ahead of JJ. Carlos arroyo is very solid, experienced, and can score at PG and keyon dooling who is who is fairly experienced and has been deep into the playoffs before and is more athletic than JJ. Its a tough call considering JJ has played well but is yet to prove himself because of his late start. I would imagine he is the next guy off the bench though.

[_Gary]

Living here in west-central Florida, I follow the Magic pretty closely. And there's absolutely no doubt that Hill hasn't given JJ a fair shake this season. Of course, if you're not a starter for Brian Hill, you likely aren't going to be given a fair shake because the guy is schizo when it comes to his bench rotations. Over the course of the year he's had 6 or 7 bench players yanked in and out of any consistent playing time. It's truly pathetic and I too hope he isn't back as coach of the Magic next year.

Gary

[steely2400]

It's amazing what JJ has done this year when he received playing time. Anywhere from 10-15 a game, remember that great layup against the Knicks. The pattern of his playing time has followed no rhyme or reason. I have followed his box scores all year. He will get time 3 or 4 straight games, contribute, then get nothing. As a shooter how is he supposed to develop any kind of rhythm like that?

I read an article where Brian Hill said something to the effect of JJ wasn't coming in and being aggressive. My immediate reaction was , "Duh, how is he supposed to be when you have no rotation and he may only play 3 minutes".

It frustrates me as well because I have to read all of the bust crap that is starting to trickle out. He and Adam Morrison got less than a season before they were both busts.