A question all Hawks fans should answer...

[Diesel]

I have to credit Pimp with this...

Why doesn't JJ get to the FT line more?

[pimp]

He doesn't drive to the baskett or post up enough.

When he does drive.. he doesn't get deep in the paint.He pulls

up for tear drops and floaters.If he drove all the way to the baskett, he would get more calls.

[frosgrim]

I couldn't agree more Pimp. I was trying to figure out how to say what you did.

[Sothron]

I agree, totally. He never tries to finish around the rim or even really stay with it when he tries to take a smaller guard into the post. He either settles for an awkward 15 foot falling away jumpshot or he passes out of it.

[Swatguy]

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I agree, totally. He never tries to finish around the rim or even really stay with it when he tries to take a smaller guard into the post. He either settles for an awkward 15 foot falling away jumpshot or he passes out of it.

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I never see JJ looking awkward and generally he nails the floater. That floater keeps him injury free and on the court.

Some seem to want him banged up.

[macdaddy]

I think its the reverse. It seems like he doesn't drive much only because he doesn't get to the line. I think he actually goes to the basket a lot.

The combination of being really strong and quiet makes it look like he's not being fouled. As much as I hate to see it if he flailed and winced the way Kobe does he'd be at the line all the time. Instead guys pound him but it appears to not alter his motion in anyway so he doesn't get the call.

[AtLaS]

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I agree, totally. He never tries to finish around the rim or even really stay with it when he tries to take a smaller guard into the post. He either settles for an awkward 15 foot falling away jumpshot or he passes out of it.

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He drives often, but he pulls up or shoots a floater. It's very effective and he shoots it at a high percentage, so I'll take that over trying to completely revamp his game and become a better free throw shooter. For as good a shooter as he is, he's not a great FT shooter.

He isn't the most athletic player, so it's tough for him to get ALL the way inside and finish over people, which is why he's developed a very effective floater. People like Lebron, Tmac, Kobe don't have great floaters because they are so athletic and can finish much better inside.

[Traceman]

I do think the fact that he shoots the floater instead of going all the way to the rim is a big reason he doesn't shoot a lot of FTs BUT he makes such a high percentage of his floaters that I don't think he should change a thing.

[NJHAWK]

I said it before and I'll say it again now, WHY CANT JJ WORK WITH SMITTY AND LEARN SOME POST UP GAME. I mean Steve Smith travels with the team for God sakes and Im sure he would be willing to work with JJ and teach him some of that post up game. I mean who better than Smitty to learn from. Learn how to use his height nad his frame to his advantage.

[AtLaS]

JJ already is a good post up player, he just doesn't get the opportunities. When he posts his man up, he usually scores, and he definitely has post moves. He doesn't get many opportunities because he's constantly doubled and because of Woody's (I don't know what I'm doing) offense. The rule changes have also made it tougher, because teams can play zone.

[pimp]

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I do think the fact that he shoots the floater instead of going all the way to the rim is a big reason he doesn't shoot a lot of FTs BUT he makes such a high percentage of his floaters that I don't think he should change a thing.

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Yea, but what about those games where JJ can't get any shots to fall?Or when the whole team is in one of those long scoring droughts?

It sure would be nice if our best player could bail us out by getting to the ft line.

[AtLaS]

JJ still goes to the line almost 6 times a game so I don't consider it THAT big a problem. Again, it's better to stick to his game rather than trying to completely revamp it. Obviously if he can't get anything to fall, then yes, it would be a better idea to try and create contact.

[Swatguy]

of it.

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I never see JJ looking awkward and generally he nails the floater. That floater keeps him injury free and on the court.

Some seem to want him banged up.

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Bump

[pimp]

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of it.

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I never see JJ looking awkward and generally he nails the floater. That floater keeps him injury free and on the court.

Some seem to want him banged up.

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Bump

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And , Some don't want him to take his game to the next level.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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Obviously if he can't get anything to fall, then yes, it would be a better idea to try and create contact.

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And that would be my only issue with JJ. If the shot isn't falling, take it to the hole and then try to get to the line. If anything, JJ needs to up that FT% to around 80% - 85%. It's kind of unusual to see a guy who can shoot so well from the field and from 3-point range, to be an "average" FT shooter on the NBA level.

( FTA = Free Throw Attempts per game . . . FTP = Free Throw Percentage )

Dirk: ( 7.1 FTA . . 90% FTP )

Allen: ( 5.6 FTA . . 90% FTP )

Kobe: ( 10 FTA . . 87% FTP )

Gordon: ( 5.4 FTA . . 86% FTP )

T-Mac: ( 8.6 FTA . . 86% FTP )

Hamilton: 5.4 FTA . . 86% FTP )

Ginoboli: 5 FTA . . 86% FTP )

Roy: ( 4.2 FTA . . 84% FTP )

Redd: ( 7.8 FTA . . 83% FTP )

Iggy: ( 7.3 FTA . . 82% FTP )

Carmelo: ( 8.7 FTA . . 81% FTP )

Wade: ( 10.5 FTA . . 81% FTP )

Carter: ( 7 FTA . . . 80% FTP )

Pierce: ( 8.6 FTA . . 80% FTP )

Iverson: ( 9.4 FTA . . 80% FTP )

JJ: ( 5.5 FTA . . 75% FTP )

Lebron: ( 9 FTA . . 70% FTP )

I think this is more of an issue for JJ, than him getting to the line more. When he does get to the line, he needs to knock the shots down. I'd love to see him around 82%, but his career history says that he may be around the 75 - 78% FT mark for his whole career. So maybe he is better off shooting the floater in the lane, than getting to the line more.

JJ's point per shot number was 1.25 last year. That number would be higher if he hit his free throws at a higher level. Most of the guys on this list have a point per shot number above 1.3. Dirk sits at a ridiculous 1.43.

And when you look at Lebron from the FT line, just think what he could do, if he raised his FT% to over 80%.

When it comes to actual FG%, only Dirk, Lebron, and Carmelo shoot better than JJ though.

Top 5 in FG% amongst this group:

Dirk: 50.2%

Melo: 47.6%

Lebron 47.6%

JJ: 47.1%

Ginoboli & Hamilton: 46.8%

When it comes to adjusted FG% ( ^ AFG%: Adjusted FG Percentage = [(PTS - FTM)/FGA]/2 ) . . . JJ's 52.3% is better than everybody on this list except Dirk and Ginoboli.

To show you how good Steve Nash is, here are his numbers, who are better than everybody.

61.3 ADJFG%

1.45 ppshot