George Hill has been a constant force in the league for a decade now after being selected with the 26th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Born and raised in Indiana, he chose to stay home to play college ball at the little known IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) over offers from bigger Universities such as Temple and Indiana. He helped turn IUPUI into a winner and became noticed by NBA scouts in return.
He quickly established himself as one of the more reliable point guards in the NBA. Since, he's become known for his three-point shooting, game management and stifling defense. At 6-foot-3, he's able to use his rangy 6'9" wingspan to terrorize his opponents and make the court appear smaller than it actually is.
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 25: George Hill #2 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket against Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
NBAE/Getty ImagesThe Milwaukee Bucks acquired Hill's services from the Cleveland Cavaliers in December of 2018 as part of a three-team deal that saw the Bucks ship out Matthew Dellavedova, John Henson and two draft picks. Hill immediately became their backup point guard and helped stabilize the position behind the enigmatic Eric Bledsoe.
Despite getting off to a slow start to his Bucks' career, he was a force to be reckoned with down the stretch and into the playoffs. The pillars of his game, valuable floor-spacing and pesky perimeter defense, were on full display for the world to see throughout the postseason. It wasn't uncommon to see him on the court as part of Milwaukee's best lineup to close out games.
However, he has more tools in his belt than first perceived.
From 2015-16 to 2017-18, Hill was a 40 percent three-point shooter with the Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers. He had his struggles from downtown with Milwaukee in the regular season, but returned to his 40 percent form in the playoffs. He's also one of the better finishers around the rim-connecting on 62.9 percent of those shots over the past four seasons.
A must-have in every point guards repertoire is the ability to get buckets when they're stuck in the short mid-range between the restricted area and the free throw line. This happens semi-regularly as defenses work hard to prevent point blank shots around the hoop. Take the Bucks' defense for example. Their drop pick-and-roll scheme protects the basket at all costs and forces teams to utilize this awkward scoring zone.
Derrick Rose receives the ball screen from Dario Saric on this play. As the pick happens, Brook Lopez is sitting just below the free throw line, preventing the quicker Rose from getting a shot at the rim. With Malcolm Brogdon fighting over the top of the screen, Rose isn't able to hover in any one spot for long. Instead, he penetrates just inside the paint and lofts a contested floater over Lopez' outstretched arms.
The floater is a must-have in every point guards tool belt. It's a craft constructed in an empty gym and honed with seven-footers breathing in your face. It may not be as impressive as a tomahawk dunk, but the real ones know it's a tough shot to hit. And, although Hill uses it sparingly, it's an incredibly accurate weapon for him.
The attempts, makes and percentages for "Driving Floating Jump Shots" according to NBA.com
Stats from NBA.comSome of the elite combo guards like C.J. McCollum, James Harden and Mike Conley have mastered this skill. And this is no easy task. Often times, the floater is unleashed in the most crowded of spaces on the court and with a big man staring down a block. It takes an inordinate amount of geometry to quickly configure the height and angle needed to loft the ball over the shot-blockers and into the hoop.
Following the offensive rebound, Pat Connaughton drops the ball off to Hill at the top of the key. With the defense scrambling, he quickly attacks the middle of the lane. However, both Danny Green and Pascal Siakam are there to greet him. As a response, he pushes the ball with his right hand high over the ambitious Siakam and straight through the bottom of the net.
This is mostly a timing shot that takes a tremendous amount of touch. The margin for error is tiny. Just a bit too hard and the ball clanks off the back of the rim. Too short and it's an embarrassing air-ball from close range.
The footwork can also look different on any given attempt. Traditionally, it's a one-two step with the shooter launching off one foot and shooting with the opposite hand. But the guards must be ready to quickly adapt when the situation calls for it.
As Hill catches the pass in the corner, he dribbles toward the middle of the court and is able to get deep into the paint. The defender does a nice job of recovering and getting his body inbetween the ball-handler and the basket. This is where the savvy shot comes in handy. Hill creates a little separation with a shoulder nudge and takes a slight step backward to get the floater off.
This one's a little more conventional. Ersan Illyasova sets a ball-screen at the top of the key, as his man hangs out at the free throw line and only sinks from there. Hill drives just inside the lane and uses a fundamental jump stop to put his man on his back. This also allows him to gather his momentum and guide the ball into the hoop.
It's unlikely to see a ton of floaters from Hill, or anyone else on the Bucks for that matter. Head coach Mike Budenholzer prefers his guys to take threes and layups. This barrier will prevent the same number of attempts we see from some other players across the league.
Regardless, as good as Hill is from downtown and at the rim, this in-between game is underrated. With more and more teams forcing their opponents into these spots on the floor, players will eventually adapt. And the floater is a way to go.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/briansampson/2019/07/28/bucks-summer-spotlight-george-hills-floater-game/
2019-07-28 13:39:48Z
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