Why is Pacers’ Roy Hibbert slumping again? That question is asked often, but particularly in 2014 it became more relevant than ever.
After the struggle that ended last season, many fans hoped the 2014-15 season would become the dawning of a new day for Hibbert. Through his first 13 games, Hibbert averaged 13.1 points and 7.8 boards per night and is continuing to protect the rim.
But there has been a clear drop-off in Hibbert’s play since then.
Before his injury on Nov. 22, Hibbert was shooting a respectable 47 percent from the field, but after missing four games with a knee injury, his shooting has dropped to 39.6%. The difference from his first 13 games and his 11 most recent ones is as obvious as night and day.
The most-noticeable problem has been Hibbert’s inability to finish at the rim. He’s still able to hit shots further away from the basket, but any center’s bread and butter should be coming from five feet or less. Not having those easier baskets is showing in the stat sheet.
Before his injury at the end of November, Hibbert was shooting 65.2 percent from five feet or less. Since he returned on December 2, his shooting has dropped to 45.8 percent from that range. What might explain his struggles is an over reliance on his hook shot. Since his return, he’s 6-of-20 when he takes hook shots compared to the 8-of-11 he made in the first 13 games of the season. This could be technique, lingering issues with his injury, or simple luck.
But no matter the exact cause, Hibbert’s 8.5 points a game since his return just aren’t cutting it, especially since he is taking tougher shots from slightly further away that put less pressure on the opponent’s interior defense. In two fewer games he managed to almost double the number of hook shots he’s taken. If you watch those hook shots from earlier in the season, they were more aggressive as Hibbert was fighting towards the rim. Recently, however, they have been closer to fadeaways.
I don’t know if he’s trying to avoid contact after getting hurt, but the abundance of off hook shots has played a part in his poor offensive performance. He’s been less aggressive in his shot selection and he’s been getting fewer passes inside from his teammates.
It has been a snowball effect as Hibbert’s poor shooting has led to less touches, but you can’t blame the rest of the Pacers for not giving the ball to a player in the middle of a cold streak.
Not to abuse the cliché of telling a player to be more aggressive, but Hibbert needs to work himself closer in to the basket and try to get better looks, not hook shots on the run. They were less than 10 percent to his shots before the injury, but since his injury they’re almost a quarter of his arsenal.
Hibbert will need to do what he’s always done when times get tough: Get back to the basics.
Hibbert is frustrating to watch during these struggles because we know how good he can be. If Hibbert works inside more and takes slightly better shots, that might help him improve his offensive numbers. He did that more in the Pacers win over the Timberwolves. He used the hook less and worked more to get into the restricted area for those shots rather than settle for getting pushed away from the basket. When he can work both inside and from the short-range, his offense becomes an issue for defense to deal with.
