50, 40, 90 for Ray

[shookones99]

I remember this was brought up last year.   Soon after someone posted it Ray's numbers fell a little bit.  But this year, with healthy ankles and a better understanding of the offense do you think this could be possible?

That is 50 FG%, 40 3PT%. and 90 FT%

[celticmaestro]

Definitely possible. The way things are going for Ray this year, he's not an all-star replacement either, he's an all-star.

[Roy Hobbs]

I don't see it happening.  Ray has never shot over 50% in a season, and he's only hit over 40% of his three pointers four times.  The 90% on free throws is a given.

[ManUp]

Yup, I threw a good ole jinx on him. Thanks for reminding me.  It's looking a lot more possible this year. His numbers have risen as the season progresses instead of declining like last year. It doesn't hurt his FG% that he's doing it with Mid-rangers, drives, and layups instead of flukishly hot shooting. I really hope he can get it done, and they better not snub him from the all-star game this year.

Sidenote: I've finally found a way to by pass the Celticsblog ban at work! CHEERS! lol

[BudweiserCeltic]

Interesting enough, I was saying early in the year, when he was shooting lights out, that his form was bad... that he was making shots inspite of it. I figured that as the season went on, his form would improve... so given that he was shooting well with a bad form, I thought it was very very plausible for him to reach the goal.

I was quite wrong. He struggled with his form, among other things, throughout the year... and he no longer was making the shots inspite off a bad form, but it was causing a decline. Adding to that the disappearance of his midrange jumper, and his awful finishes around the basket.

This year he has looked very good wether he's making the shots or not, so I look forward to him keeping going. One thing that helps more than anything is that his midrange jumper looks amazingly good, and his finishing plays after plays, wether it be layups or fastbreaks.

[ManUp]

Interesting enough, I was saying early in the year, when he was shooting lights out, that his form was bad... that he was making shots inspite of it. I figured that as the season went on, his form would improve... so given that he was shooting well with a bad form, I thought it was very very plausible for him to reach the goal.

I was quite wrong. He struggled with his form, among other things, throughout the year... and he no longer was making the shots inspite off a bad form, but it was causing a decline. Adding to that the disappearance of his midrange jumper, and his awful finishes around the basket.

This year he has looked very good wether he's making the shots or not, so I look forward to him keeping going. One thing that helps more than anything is that his midrange jumper looks amazingly good, and his finishing plays after plays, wether it be layups or fastbreaks.

I agree that it was definitely something physical.

I never saw a problem with Ray's form last year (It's perfect and the same just about every time). What I did noticed was that Ray wasn't getting the consistent lift from his legs last year. It's seemed like what Allen said was true his ankles weren't ready. It probably got really painful going up for those Jumpers after a while. That's why last year a lot of his shots were dead on, but bounced right back they were a bit too flat/not enough arc.

This year he just glides to the spot, catches, and shoots in a seemingly effortless motion. His jumper is a rainbow just about every time, no problem with his arc. Ray is slashing and get into the paint more in 21 games this season than he did all last year. It also seems that Ray is more likely to finish a fast break with a dunk than he was last year. In my head, that adds up on him being able to put more pressure on the ankles.

A first step hurts like hell on a bum ankle, as does jumping. 82 games of basketball with a surgically repaired ankle that didn't have enough time to heal is crazy. I know someone like T-mac couldn't wouldn't go through that. Glad to see Ray back on track. He's got a lot of heart.

[Roy Hobbs]

His numbers have risen as the season progresses instead of declining like last year.

[Last season]I figured that as the season went on, his form would improve... so given that he was shooting well with a bad form, I thought it was very very plausible for him to reach the goal.

I was quite wrong. He struggled with his form, among other things, throughout the year... and he no longer was making the shots inspite off a bad form, but it was causing a decline.

You guys are misremembering, I think.  Ray got much better as the season went on last year.  His best two months -- by far -- were February and March.

Prior to the All Star break last season, he was shooting 42.5% overall, and 37.5% on threes.  After the break, he shot 48.7% overall, and 44.4% on three pointers.  His raw numbers went down in late March and into April, but that's because his minutes were restricted to rest for the playoffs.  Obviously, he had a slump in the playoffs (until late in the Detroit series), but the thought that he got worse as the year progressed just isn't accurate.

(February was his best month; he shot 49.5%, and an insane 46.4% on threes.)

Link.

[BudweiserCeltic]

His numbers have risen as the season progresses instead of declining like last year.

[Last season]I figured that as the season went on, his form would improve... so given that he was shooting well with a bad form, I thought it was very very plausible for him to reach the goal.

I was quite wrong. He struggled with his form, among other things, throughout the year... and he no longer was making the shots inspite off a bad form, but it was causing a decline.

You guys are misremembering, I think.  Ray got much better as the season went on last year.  His best two months -- by far -- were February and March.

Prior to the All Star break last season, he was shooting 42.5% overall, and 37.5% on threes.  After the break, he shot 48.7% overall, and 44.4% on three pointers.  His raw numbers went down in late March and into April, but that's because his minutes were restricted to rest for the playoffs.  Obviously, he had a slump in the playoffs (until late in the Detroit series), but the thought that he got worse as the year progressed just isn't accurate.

(February was his best month; he shot 49.5%, and an insane 46.4% on threes.)

Link.

I'm not misremembering. Even if his form improved throughout the year, he wasn't making the shots (though as you say, he turned the corner around February). As I said, earlier in the season he was shooting the ball poorly, even so the balls went in for him. I know it sounds as a contradiction, but that was the case early in the season.

The games after the All Star break are simply a small sample in comparison with what he had to go through with most of last season. He was very good during the span, but a little too late in regard to what we're discussing here. The first 3 or so months after we were having this discussion weren't that good.

Keep in mind, what I was describing above was from the perspective of when in last season we were discussing this, at it was after a handful of games into the season (first 4 games I think). When I say decline, I mean more from where he was when we discussed this in the context of FG%. At the time when the conversation started he was shooting like 60% from the field... hope that clears up what I meant.

[I Am A Boston Celtic]

If Ray Ray managed that feat, it would be a great accomplishment, the only other Celtic to go 50, 40 & 90 was Larry Legend in 86/87.

Not sure about other players, but I'm quite sure that Bird was the first to do it.

Though Steve Nash has basically averaged that every year since the 04/05 season, freaky!!!

[papa shuttlesworth]

It would be great if he did average 50/40/90, but I think 45-46/40/90 is probably more realistic (and still awesome).

Many people (including me) think of Ray as one of the greatest shooters ever, but what Steve Nash does consistently is very impressive.  He should be in that conversation too.  Maybe he isn't because his jumper is not a pretty as Ray's.

[Redz]

If Ray Ray managed that feat, it would be a great accomplishment, the only other Celtic to go 50, 40 & 90 was Larry Legend in 86/87.

Not sure about other players, but I'm quite sure that Bird was the first to do it.

Though Steve Nash has basically averaged that every year since the 04/05 season, freaky!!!

Mark Price did it in 88-89 (and was really close a bunch of other times)

Reggie Miller in 93-94

Those are just a couple of guys I thought to check and see (actually I'm pretty surprised what a nice FG%  Miller had some years.)

[bdm860]

If Ray Ray managed that feat, it would be a great accomplishment, the only other Celtic to go 50, 40 & 90 was Larry Legend in 86/87.

Not sure about other players, but I'm quite sure that Bird was the first to do it.

Though Steve Nash has basically averaged that every year since the 04/05 season, freaky!!!

Mark Price did it in 88-89 (and was really close a bunch of other times)

Reggie Miller in 93-94

Those are just a couple of guys I thought to check and see (actually I'm pretty surprised what a nice FG%  Miller had some years.)

I believe Bird, Price, Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and José Calderón are the only members of that club.  I thought Stockton was in it too, but he just didn't have the numbers from the stripe, he had a bunch of 50/40/80 seasons though.  One thing that is impressive with that club is it's all star players (except Calderón, but he was still a starter playing 30 minutes a night).  I would think you'd have some guys on the club who don't play a lot or take that many shots, guys like Tim Legler, Jason Kapono, or Matt Carroll.  I think the fact that all those players play big time minutes and take alot of shots for the most part makes it all the more impressive.

Looking it up though it turns out Legler and Kapono both came very close to being the only members of the 50/50/90 club.  Legler went for .522 from the field, .52 from the arc, but only .882 from the stripe in 94-95 (only played 24 games though) and also went .505 from the field, .52 from the arc, but again fell short from the stripe at only .863 in 95-96 (in a much more impressive 77 games).  And Kapono shot .494 from the field, .514 from the arc, and .892 from the stripe in 06-07.  Kapono just barely missed out on that one.

[Redz]

Steve Kerr in 95-96

50.6 FG%
52.4 3PG%
92.9 FT%

[I Am A Boston Celtic]

Steve Kerr in 95-96

50.6 FG%
52.4 3PG%
92.9 FT%

He did have one advantage though.....

Shorter 3 point line.

I think they may have helped a little.....

 

[BigAlTheFuture]

Steve Kerr in 95-96

50.6 FG%
52.4 3PG%
92.9 FT%

He did have one advantage though.....

Shorter 3 point line.

I think they may have helped a little.....

 

Yes but that it still some crazy numbers. 50% for a guard is not something you see often. 52% from three? That's crazy.