FanPost

Who Da Thunk It? Smith and Jennings Chucking *Not* Good For Detroit!


Whilst awaiting a "health screening" at a local hospital, I had a wifi connection and some time to kill.

Despite the nearly unanimous calls for Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings to start firing up more and more shots, it turns out that lots of shots from the two of them...um, tend to correlate with losses.

Through 16 Games

Smith and Jennings combine for an average of 28.9 shots per game (number includes "doubling" Smith’s totals when Jennings was out)

Smith averages: 13.3 shots per game

Jennings averages: 15.2 shots per game

Josh and Brandon

Pistons’ record when Smith and Jennings shoot fewer than 20 times*: 1 – 0

Piston’s record when Smith and Jennings shoot between 20 and 24 times*: 3 – 1

Pistons’ record when Smith and Jennings shoot between 25 and 29 times*: 2 – 1

Pistons’ record when Smith and Jennings shoot between 30 and 34 times*: 0 – 3

Pistons’ record when Smith and Jennings shoot more than 35 times*: 0 – 5

(Games 1 and 2 without Jennings use Smith’s shots as the "average". He shot 12 times in a win and 23 times in a loss.)

Another way of looking at it:

· when Smith and Jennings averaged 12 or few shots each per game, the Pistons are 4 –2

· when Smith and Jennings averaged fewer than 15 shots each per game, the Pistons are 6 –3

· when Smith and Jennings have averaged 15 or more shots per game each, the Pistons are 0 – 7

Josh Smith's status as a near unanimous DBB favorite, however, isn't going to be tarnished to a great degree. Although Josh firing up 16 or more shots in a game has led to four losses out of five, the team has had trouble winning when he's shot little, as well.

Josh

Pistons’ record when Smith shoots fewer than 10 times: 1 – 3

Pistons’ record when Smith shoots 10 – 12 times: 2 – 2

Pistons’ record when Smith shoots 13 – 15 times: 2 – 1

Pistons’ record when Smith shoots 16 - 20 times: 1 – 3

Pistons’ record when Smith shoots more than 20 times: 0 – 1

With Brandon Jennings, the connection is pretty damned linear. The more he shoots, the less likely the Pistons are to have won.

Brandon

Pistons’ record when Jennings shoots fewer than 10 times: 1 – 0

Pistons’ record when Jennings shoots 10 – 12 times: 3 – 0

Pistons’ record when Jennings shoots 13 – 15 times: 1 – 2

Pistons’ record when Jennings shoots 16 - 20 times: 0 – 4

Pistons’ record when Jennings shoots more than 20 times: 0 – 3

The usual disclaimer is that correlation does not mean causation. It could well be that losing efforts cause Smennings to feel they need to shoot more. (The wait for the prostate exam wasn't long enough that I had time to go through each game flow and determine how often a rash of fourth quarter shots by Jennings, for example, in a game close to out of reach inflated his "lotso shots in a loss" total.) Or "good" teams (the likes of which the Pistons haven't yet beaten), might be "good" because they are able to deny Drummond and Monroe clear looks at the basket.

But there does appear to be a connection, especially in regards to Brandon Jennings. Looks like maybe he should get three shots a quarter and focus on passing (though not necessarily to Josh Smith.)

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