chawx
Active Member
Two words: The Referees.
The reason Harris isn't nearly as effective in Utah as he was when he played for Dallas or NJ (especially his All-Star year) is directly tied to this one stat, FTA per game.
Very little has changed in Harris' game throughout the years, he's always been a player that could drive and either finish at the hoop or get put on the FT line. Now that he's in Utah, the Refs don't give him the same calls that he got in Dallas and NJ and I feel that it's not only effecting his game, but his psyche as well.
Mentally, Harris is starting to check out (see that 3-pointer at the end of the game last night that was a good 2 feet from the hoop), and I think it's because he knows that he's going to have to go out there and get destroyed all night to "MAYBE" earn 3-4 FT attempts per game.
This season he's getting to the line a measly 2.8 times per game. Sadly, I don't see this changing anytime soon, because NO ONE on the Jazz gets calls consistently since Stock and Karl left.
For some perspective on that weak 2.8 FTA per game start this year, Devin's career average is 4.7 FTA per game, and his best year (ie. his All-Star year) he averaged an amazing 8.8 FTA per game - making just over 7 points per game from FT's alone. That attributed to about 33% of his total scoring for that year.
If you're Devin Harris and you're going out there busting your butt and getting smashed every time you drive down the lane, only to be rewarded with a sore tailbone and a blank stare (or, in some cases a smirk) from a Ref who's swallowing his whistle or running down the court the other way to keep up with the action of the game—that's just gotta frustrate the hell out of ya! Especially when you're used to getting those same calls that you were getting throughout your career.
--Side note:--
This is also a reason why IF we trade Harris, we do NOT want him on the Lakers. Because, you watch, he'll magically start getting those calls again, and it'll make the Lakers even that more dangerous, and we'll look like the stupid team that revived the Lakers and made them contenders again.
The reason Harris isn't nearly as effective in Utah as he was when he played for Dallas or NJ (especially his All-Star year) is directly tied to this one stat, FTA per game.
Very little has changed in Harris' game throughout the years, he's always been a player that could drive and either finish at the hoop or get put on the FT line. Now that he's in Utah, the Refs don't give him the same calls that he got in Dallas and NJ and I feel that it's not only effecting his game, but his psyche as well.
Mentally, Harris is starting to check out (see that 3-pointer at the end of the game last night that was a good 2 feet from the hoop), and I think it's because he knows that he's going to have to go out there and get destroyed all night to "MAYBE" earn 3-4 FT attempts per game.
This season he's getting to the line a measly 2.8 times per game. Sadly, I don't see this changing anytime soon, because NO ONE on the Jazz gets calls consistently since Stock and Karl left.
For some perspective on that weak 2.8 FTA per game start this year, Devin's career average is 4.7 FTA per game, and his best year (ie. his All-Star year) he averaged an amazing 8.8 FTA per game - making just over 7 points per game from FT's alone. That attributed to about 33% of his total scoring for that year.
If you're Devin Harris and you're going out there busting your butt and getting smashed every time you drive down the lane, only to be rewarded with a sore tailbone and a blank stare (or, in some cases a smirk) from a Ref who's swallowing his whistle or running down the court the other way to keep up with the action of the game—that's just gotta frustrate the hell out of ya! Especially when you're used to getting those same calls that you were getting throughout your career.
--Side note:--
This is also a reason why IF we trade Harris, we do NOT want him on the Lakers. Because, you watch, he'll magically start getting those calls again, and it'll make the Lakers even that more dangerous, and we'll look like the stupid team that revived the Lakers and made them contenders again.
