Can we believe these early NBA shooting trends? Julius Randle and others off to unusual starts

One of the great things about sports is the unpredictable nature of future events.

Great new heroes can rise from the clashes between bitter rivals to cement themselves as the names of tomorrow, just as the older generation can slowly fade into oblivion from one season to the next.

The very fact that we simply don’t know what to fully expect is why we tune in, religiously, to keep track of the ins and outs of a 24/7 league.

One such element, such as scoring efficiency, can also be unpredictable and dramatically alter the course of events, leaning into both our enjoyment or disappointment, pending which side you lean.

Five players and one team stand out this year as having diverged from their regular paths. Given that it’s still early in the season, it’s time to give them a look and ponder the overarching question: Is this anything?

James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers

’24-25: 37.9 FG%, 31.0 3FG%, 54.1 TS%
’23-24: 42.8 FG%, 38.1 3FG%, 61.2 TS%

The former MVP has seen his efficiency dip, quite substantially, in the early parts of this season, and the problem is pretty much everywhere.

The 6-foot-5 Harden has always been built like a tank, using raw strength to get to the rim, while converting nearly 64% of his shots within three feet over the course of his career.

Before the weekend, Harden was down to 53.3% this year, which means he was essentially blowing half of his shots near the basket — a worrying decline for a player who used to practically live there to draw fouls and finish shots over taller opponents.

Harden is 35 now, and his legs have a lot of minutes on them. Counting both the regular season and playoffs, which comes out to over 43,500 minutes collectively, it’s no surprise that Harden is feeling the sting of a body that’s no longer able to take the punishment.

This doesn’t mean the All-Star guard isn’t productive. Despite his shooting woes, he’s still posting 20.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game, numbers that could easily carry him through the season. But the lack of efficiency and athletic pop are real concerns.

Is this anything?

Yes and no. Harden’s athletic decline will cost him some efficiency…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/can-we-believe-these-early-nba-shooting-trends-julius-randle-and-others-off-to-unusual-starts-180512247.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-11-18 18:05:00

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