Opposite of Kobe Assist, the JJ Barea Assist

[jonathanlambert33]

Yesterday, Kirk Goldsberry wrote an interesting post for Grantland about the Kobe Assist. I recommend reading it yourself, but the gist of the Kobe Assist is the idea that not all shot attempts are created equal. Some (specifically, those that Kobe takes from close to the basket) are very nearly assists because the way the Lakers play means that an astonishing 52% of his misses turn into offensive rebounds, and 32% of them are immediate putbacks. This means that 73% of Bryant’s close-range shots turn into points for the Lakers.
This, of course, immediately made me think of J.J. Barea. Looking at shot attempts through the lens of the Kobe Assist could finally help me make sense of why Barea’s play can be so often frustrating.

But first, let’s concede that there are some things Barea is very good at. Having now watched all of his FGAs this season, I can say that he rarely takes long 2-point jumpers. His game basically consists of two things: transition and pick-and-roll layups or pull-up 3-pointers or 3-pointers off of screens. If there’s one thing Barea is as a player, it’s self-actualized. He does the aforementioned things well for and by himself, but the problem comes when we look at how his decision making affects the team as a whole.
Because his playmaking often comes in transition or when plays break down, his teammates are rarely well-positioned to take advantage of his shots. Here’s an example from early in the season against the Toronto Raptors:

http://www.awolfamon...-barea-assists/

Basically says that while some people view Kobe as a selfish player (maybe fairly), he still does a good job setting his teammates up for putbacks and such, something Barea does not do.