When everyone was making fun of his shot selection the last couple seasons, I could've sworn there was an article years back about how the coaching staff in Atlanta had talked with him and he was having his best season by dedicating himself to attacking the paint. After his first year in Detroit it felt like I must have hallucinated it.
But no!
Look at his 2009-10 season. He takes 7 3PA the entire season, after averaging more than 100 per year, and 23% of his shots are from 16 feet or more, easily the lowest of his career. He has the best or second-best FG%, TS%, PER and win shares of his career. It was also the only time in the Mike Woodson era that the Hawks won more than 50 games.
Then the next year he took more long jumpers than he ever had, and never went below those being 40% of his shots. I wonder if Larry Drew and his staff thought that was the best way to use them or didn't feel they had the rapport that Woodson had or what. I'm sure there's a minor story there, just need some NBA reporter to ask Smoove "so
why do you take those awful shots?"
