Does Bell just need an adjustment?

[montanazag88]

Everyone knows Bell can be an incredibly accurate shooter. When he misses, he only misses by a small margin and his shots seem to rim out or toggle in the cylinder before bouncing out.

Don't know if any other former shooting guards on this board have noticed, but it appears Gary is floating on his jumper, particularly when he misses. Floating is something only the best shooters in the game can do and still make shots. However, most excellent shooters find a way to go straight up from long range.

Just a thought....I would think they are working with Gary on this, but he's shot this way since he arrived. I can't help thinking about how high his percentage would go if he improved his vertical stability.

[CDC84]

The thing that I am most concerned about with Gary are all the driving opportunities he passes up. So many times when he gets the ball on the perimeter his defender is off balance because they fear his jumper. Instead of driving it, he passes the ball to someone else. He needs to be aggressive and attack immediately. It's not as though he doesn't have a mid range game or an ability to finish around the rim. And if someone fouls him, he's a tremendous foul shooter. He's missing out on a lot of easy points.

[WallaWallaZag]

The thing that I am most concerned about with Gary are all the driving opportunities he passes up. So many times when he gets the ball on the perimeter his defender is off balance because they fear his jumper. Instead of driving it, he passes the ball to someone else. He needs to be aggressive and attack immediately. It's not as though he doesn't have a mid range game or an ability to finish around the rim. And if someone fouls him, he's a tremendous foul shooter. He's missing out on a lot of easy points.

this just goes to his overall lack of aggressiveness...even when he is being offensive-minded, it is hunting out 3 point shots. his driving game has all but disappeared....have the myriad of injuries simply taken a toll or has coaching played a part...who knows???

[hooter73]

He needs sleep, I can guarantee that

Honestly he has the tools, but just has never really shown the mindset to be a first line of attack, foot constantly down type of player, I think at this point people need to just take him for the incredibly gifted player he is and not lament so much on what they thought he could have or should have been. If he's ok with how he plays then we should be happy to have him. It is what it is.

[Zag 77]

Chiropractor?

"Adjustment" is the term my chiropractor uses. Honestly, I used to think it was voodoo, but he really does help.

[vandalzag]

The thing that I am most concerned about with Gary are all the driving opportunities he passes up. So many times when he gets the ball on the perimeter his defender is off balance because they fear his jumper. Instead of driving it, he passes the ball to someone else. He needs to be aggressive and attack immediately. It's not as though he doesn't have a mid range game or an ability to finish around the rim. And if someone fouls him, he's a tremendous foul shooter. He's missing out on a lot of easy points.

Agreed he is at his best attacking all the way to the rim. He is strong to contact and is solid a the line. If we get him back to that mindset things will change for everybody.

[Reborn]

I agree that Gary needs to attack the rim more often, and IMO he has been doing that much better in the last two games, but he's missing every shot on the inside. Just hoping that soon those shots will fall. I'm not sure of how good his hand is. If he's afraid of getting it hurt again then I can understand why he may have some fear of driving toward the basket. It get's pretty rough in there. For now I'm happy he's driving to the hoop, and hope that those shots will begin to fall this week.

[palmerda]

If only we could locate the Gary Bell from the Ohio State game of three years ago. He was hunting machine that day.

[seacatfan]

Bell got off to such a strong start his freshman year. I thought he was going to be a star at GU. I think some people forget how good he was. In the NCAA Tourney game against Ohio St., he more than held his own, in fact he might've been the best player on the floor that game. That was a talented Ohio St. team that went to the Final 4.

Seems like Bell is snake bit with injuries. Last year was up and down but seemed like a bit of regression from his first year. This year he got off to a really good start, but then it was back to up and down, and injury again. Now he's approaching the end of his Jr. season and running out of time to fulfill all the potential he flashed that first year. (I thought much the same about Pangos and thought the 2 were going to go down as one of the best backcourt duos at GU ever, but it probably isn't going to come to fruition)

[zag67]

I guess I will differ and say he is a star. Except for the time out and recovering from injury, he has been the best defensive player on this years team. Also I believe we would have beaten Wichita if he had not been injured in that game. Can he get better? Yes. He also makes his share of threes and is able to tAke it to the rim. Now, can he do more? Yes, but he is a super team player.

[Angelo Roncalli]

this just goes to his overall lack of aggressiveness...even when he is being offensive-minded, it is hunting out 3 point shots. his driving game has all but disappeared....have the myriad of injuries simply taken a toll or has coaching played a part...who knows???

Are you suggesting that he has been coached not to attack the basket when he has his defender on his heels? I think not.

[jim77]

Injuries have taken their toll on the guy but, he appears to me to be entering the jungle...its open season time.

[zag944]

As much as we say we want Gary to be more aggressive on offense, I watch him go out there and play his butt off on defense. He kept Haws in check the whole BYU game and held him to his 2nd lowest total of the season, then he went and played even with Johnny Dee two nights later. I feel like its really asking a lot to want him to also be the star he is capable of being on offense too.

A lot of the greats in the NBA (Kobe, LeBron) are fantastic defenders who make the 1st Team All defense every single year. Yet they almost never guard the other team's best players. It's hard work!

[GorgeZag]

If he doesn't change some things, he's going to join Heytvelt at the top of the "should have been a star" list. Injuries and mental things kept both of them from being monsters.

[CDC84]

Seems like Bell is snake bit with injuries. Last year was up and down but seemed like a bit of regression from his first year. This year he got off to a really good start, but then it was back to up and down, and injury again. Now he's approaching the end of his Jr. season and running out of time to fulfill all the potential he flashed that first year. (I thought much the same about Pangos and thought the 2 were going to go down as one of the best backcourt duos at GU ever, but it probably isn't going to come to fruition)

Another factor might be the wear and tear of being the team's only true defensive stopper on the perimeter, although it's looking like Kyle Dranginis next year might provide Bell some relief if he starts at small forward (which I expect him to). At the college level, you ideally want a wing in your starting lineup who, while he might have some offensive skills, is really more of a defensive stopper. I understand that there are many players like Michael Jordan who dominate on both ends of the floor, but at this level, and at a place like Gonzaga, those players are extremely difficult to land. Gary is too offensively skilled for him to expend so much energy chasing Johnny Dee and Tyler Haws all over the floor. I have to believe the wear and tear of running through all those screens and getting constantly bumped doesn't help his offensive game or mindset.