Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense?

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Don't get me wrong. I'm not really all that upset at Luol Deng, as he has rebounded the ball well and has played great defense.

His base scoring average looks good, but we're smarter than to just look at that. Overall, Deng is leading the team in FGA, and he is scoring at just 50.3 TS%. Now this is a far cry from some of the other awful scorers on our team (Kirk Hinrich, John Salmons, etc.), but it's still not good. It's well below the league average scoring efficiency of 53.8 TS%.

To put it quite frankly, Luol Deng is a big piece of the offensive problem as well. When you're leading shot taker is scoring at an efficiency well below the league average, than you're team's offense doesn't stand a good chance of being very good.

 

[charity stripe]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

Because he's tall and he plays solid defense. That's all people care about seemingly.

 

[jsain360]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

You're just a Deng hater

 

[clonetrooper264]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

For the same reason Fred claims that Hinrich gets a free pass on everything.

 

[TheStig]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

jsain360 wrote:

You're just a Deng hater

What a thourough and well thought out argument. Since we can discredit people by a label, you sir are a poopy head.

 

[houheffna]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

Yeah, I think that is a little bit of hate. His offense is rounding into form, the question was is the old Deng back. I believe that he has answered that and actually has shown that if he can shoot at an acceptable efficiency, he might just be better. It sure seems that he is smarter.

 

[clonetrooper264]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

If he's less anything, it's less explosive in terms of leaping. I don't think I've seen a Luol Deng dunk this year.

 

[TheStig]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

houheffna wrote:

Yeah, I think that is a little bit of hate. His offense is rounding into form, the question was is the old Deng back. I believe that he has answered that and actually has shown that if he can shoot at an acceptable efficiency, he might just be better. It sure seems that he is smarter.

I think its a valid point. Deng is clearly our second highest paid player, biggest contract in team history and our second option. Its legitimate that he needs to step up his efficiency by either getting to the line more or converting on some threes.

 

[houheffna]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

He is not good dribbling and he can't shoot threes efficiently. Expecting him to do those things overnight are unrealistic. Deng is playing fine. His efficiency, as the rest of the team's efficiency should increase over time.

 

[Bullsman24]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

yeah, he's had like two bad games that have killed his efficiency. as an average, he's really playing pretty well

 

[houheffna]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

Some people need not to focus so much on stats and watch the games intently...

 

[TheStig]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

houheffna wrote:

He is not good dribbling and he can't shoot threes efficiently. Expecting him to do those things overnight are unrealistic. Deng is playing fine. His efficiency, as the rest of the team's efficiency should increase over time.

He's actually not bad on corner threes. He just doesn't take many. And he doesn't have to dribble to get fouls, he needs to cut more and draw contact on his putbacks. But this is just from someone who focuses on stats and doesn't watch games :S

 

[houheffna]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

He's actually not bad on corner threes. He just doesn't take many. And he doesn't have to dribble to get fouls, he needs to cut more and draw contact on his putbacks. But this is just from someone who focuses on stats and doesn't watch games

Exactly

 

[TheStig]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

houheffna wrote:

He's actually not bad on corner threes. He just doesn't take many. And he doesn't have to dribble to get fouls, he needs to cut more and draw contact on his putbacks. But this is just from someone who focuses on stats and doesn't watch games

Exactly

I was being facetious but thank you for ignoring the important content of my post. Deng has been good so far with the corner or sideline threes, he should work in more of them. It will help space the floor and give driving lanes for Rose.

 

[houheffna]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

I knew you were being facetious. Just happened to agree. His needing to go to the free throw line more is a bit overboard. He cannot create off the dribble and saying that he needs to slash to the basket and pick up fouls on putbacks is unrealistic. He is averaging 4 FT a game...right around his average. He has only had one good year shooting an acceptable TS%. If he plays the way he is now...I think that is good. But I expect him to increase his efficiency a bit over time.

 

[fola]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

the most damning part of his game, for me, is the fact that he STILL can't dribble. I can't be the only one who starts to hyperventilate whenever he picks up the ball. Seriously, why's it so hard for him? It's just hard for me to fathom that he's been in the L this long and still nothing..

 

[houheffna]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

That is my point. He is a wing player who cannot dribble. That is why I find it funny that people want his foul shots to increase. He is what he is man. He reached his prime and is not going to get much better. You just want him to be consistent, which he was when he was at his best...

 

[TheStig]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

houheffna wrote:

I knew you were being facetious. Just happened to agree. His needing to go to the free throw line more is a bit overboard. He cannot create off the dribble and saying that he needs to slash to the basket and pick up fouls on putbacks is unrealistic. He is averaging 4 FT a game...right around his average. He has only had one good year shooting an acceptable TS%. If he plays the way he is now...I think that is good. But I expect him to increase his efficiency a bit over time.

Its not so hard, he just needs an extra cut play called for him a game and to throw in some pump fakes on putbacks. That shooting that corner three ( 3 of 4 on the year) will drive up his efficiency a few points. He's not incapable of doing that and tyrus draws fouls despite not really being good at anything. Taking all those long twos kills him.

 

[houheffna]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

Nobody wants Deng pump faking. Deng should work to get open and hit jumpshots, if he slashes to the basket he should get the ball and go up with it as quickly as possible and should NOT get the ball to far out on the floor. Turning Deng into Anthony Mason under the basket is only going to cause another problem. Trying to turn Deng into something he is not right now will be counterproductive when he is one of the more consistent players on the team.

 

[Bullsman24]

Re:Why is Luol Deng getting a free pass on offense

i think he's playing great actually. his jump shot is becoming automatic again. he's hitting the corner three without a problem. he's being extremely active on the boards. i think he's playing great.