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George Hill, Rodney Hood need to reclaim ‘assassin’ mindset from Utah Jazz days

By Quenton S. Albertie

PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 25: George Hill #3 and Rodney Hood #5 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 25, 2016 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 25: George Hill #3 and Rodney Hood #5 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 25, 2016 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Cleveland Cavaliers need George Hill and Rodney Hood to play like they did for the Utah Jazz last season.

Tasked with being go-to scoring options for the Utah Jazz last season, George Hill and Rodney Hood — now teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers — must reclaim the assassin-like mindset they gained in Salt Lake City.

Averaging a combined 29.6 points per game, Hill (16.9 points per game) and Hood (12.7 points per game) were second and fourth in scoring for the Jazz respectively. The two averaged a combined 36.2 points per 36 minutes, with Hill (19.3 points per 36 minutes) and Hood (16.9 points per 36 minutes) ranked second and third in the team’s scoring (per 36 minutes).

Along the Cleveland Cavaliers arduous path to the Eastern Conference Finals, Hill and Hood haven’t looked anything like those players.

In the regular season, though the presence of LeBron James caused a lot of ball-watching from everybody, Hill and Hood still managed to be effective after being acquired at the trade deadline.

In the regular season, the duo averaged a combined 20.2 points per game and 27.6 points per 36 minutes, with Hill (9.4 points per game, 12.2 points per 36 minutes) and Hood (10.8 points per game, 15.4 points per 36 minutes) holding the sixth-highest and fourth-highest scoring averages on the Cavs, respectively.

This postseason, the duo has averaged a combined 13.5 points per game and 22.1 points per 36 minutes

The biggest difference between their Jazz days and their time with the Cavaliers has been the amount that they play off-the-ball. James, who is a naturally ball-dominant player, holds the ball for large portions of the shot-clock, looking for a mismatch or open shooter.

While that’s a fine way to go about the offense in stretches, it’s how the Cavaliers play all game, every game. As a result, players that find themselves trying to acclimate to the James also have to realize that to get the ball out of his hands you have to demand it.

It’s just been harder and harder to do that with James’ potential departure in free agency looming over the Cavs organization. For fear of James leaving, they let everything run through James on the court because it’s perceived to be their best chance at winning.

After all, he’s the best playmaker in the game.

Nonetheless, the habitual ball-watching — which is fine for players who are spot-up specialists — has made players less aggressive.

Especially Hill and Hood.

Hill took 12.4 field goal attempts per game with the Jazz last season and 7.8 field goal attempts per game with the Cavs in the regular season. He had a career-low regular season usage rate of 15.4.

In the postseason, Hill is taking 5.7 field goal attempts per game. His usage rate of 14.0 is a career-low.

This postseason has seen Hood take the lowest amount of field goals per game (5.2) and per 36 minutes (11.2) of his career (regular season included). He also has the lowest usage rate of his career (18.1).

The other big reason for their lack of scoring has been their three-point shooting, which has fallen off of a cliff.

Hill was efficient last season, shooting 47.7 percent from the field, 40.3 percent from three-point range and 80.1 percent from the charity stripe for a true shooting percentage of 59.9.

Hood shot 40.8 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from three and a 78.3 percent from the foul line for a true shooting percentage of 52.2.

Hill (35.1 percent shooting from three for the Cavs in the regular season, 27.8 percent shooting in the postseason) and Hood (35.2 percent shooting from three for the Cavs in the regular season, 11.8 percent shooting from three in the postseason), have yet to dial it in from long-distance.

They’re more than capable of being sharpshooters though, so their inefficiency seems to be related to their general lack of assertiveness on offense as well.

They’re finding shots within the flow of the offense. They’re putting in the work off the court. They just haven’t had enough off a chance to be aggressive.

That’s the fault of four people: the ball-dominant James, Cavs head coach Ty Lue (who needs to get the ball out of James’ hands sometimes), Hill and Hood.

The latter two need to get in the game and play their games. The first two need to let them.

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Last season, a difference in their shot-selection was a small reason for their gap in shooting percentage, though 8.0 percent of Hill’s shots were closer to the rim (0-3 feet) than Hood’s and 7.7 percent more of Hood’s shots came from three-point range.

Hill, whose scoring game consists of layups, floaters, midrange pull-ups and threes, is more direct and effective than Hood (who has diet of tough midrange turnaround jumpers and threes).

Hill is also more athletic than Hood and capable of turning the corner, gliding to the rim and finishing with more ease than the oft-mechanical Hood has been able to do.

Shot-selection and athleticism barely tells the story because Hill was just more effective shooter from every area of the floor.

Nonetheless, if Hood was to improve his efficiency, the versatility of Hood’s game would surpass the importance Hill’s scoring as he can score in virtually any way.

This season, it’s been Hood (14.7 points per game, 19.6 points per 36 minutes) who has been the better scorer.

Hill (10.0 points per game, 13.3 points per 36 minutes), however, was still more efficient.

Nonetheless, Hood improved his shooting percentages from every area of the floor, which showed in his improved percentages from the field (42.9 percent), three-point range (38.1 percent) and even the charity stripe (86.0 percent).

Hill (46.0 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from three, 78.6 percent from the foul line) is just going to be better at scoring around the rim (65.8 percent for Hood this season, 70.1 percent for Hill) and shooting from three.

In terms of slashing ability, he’s more athletic and better at finishing through contact. As a shooter, Hill has a quicker release. Both of these differences seem to result in better efficiency.

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Whether or not the two will play up to their abilities is a mystery but it’s clear that they have more that they can offer the team. Hopefully, with Lue finally emphasizing constant motion, stagnation won’t plague them in the home run stretch.

Bad habits are hard to break but for the Cavaliers to be able to lean on two of their better scorers — proven threats on playoff-contending teams — they’ll have to be broken.

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*All stats gathered from www.basketball-reference.com