by
Josh Smith
The NBA regular season is a grind. It begins around Halloween, trudges through winter, and wraps up just short of May.
During that time, players have nights both good and bad. Some when the basket is the size of the Atlantic Ocean and some when it looks like that tricked-up, double-rimmed hoop at the St. Mary’s Fair.
But sooner or later, everybody breaks out for a big game. It’s the NBA after all, the world’s elite professional basketball league.
Nobody can keep missing the hoop time after time, night after night. It’s impossible.
Or so we thought.
Thus far in the NBA season, 140 players have started ten or more games.
Of those 140, 139 of them have posted at least one game where they’ve shot over 50% from the field.
Stands Alone
It leaves just one. One of 140. The only guy in the league unable to go out for even a single night and make more shots than he misses.
Josh Smith.
It’s hard to know whether to laugh or cry. Maybe both are appropriate.
Smith has started each of the Pistons 17 games. And not one of those times has he hit the floor for the opening tip, then left two and a half hours later with more buckets than clanks.
And it’s not one of those situations where Smith has posted a bunch of games landing right on the 50% mark. Peruse his game log and you’ll find some truly “offensive” numbers: there’s a 5-for-16, a 2-for-17, a 3-for-10, and a 6-for-18 this past Sunday against the Warriors.
(While this piece is focused on Smith’s unbelievable streak of futility from the field, it’s hard not to mention that he played a game in Milwaukee last week where he attempted ten free throws. And converted two. I could beat that shooting from half court.)
It’d be one thing if Josh had even some semblance of company throughout the rest of the league. But he has none.
The other 139 guys have all had their moment, their 48 minutes of NBA ball where they went 6-for-11 or 8-for-14. Some of these players have even had (gasp!) multiple nights when they’ve been plus-50 in the shooting department.
Not Asking Too Much
We’re not asking for a season’s worth of marksmanship. Far from it.
We’re looking for just one instance where Smith, after a game, can call a good buddy, and with 100% honesty in his voice, tell him, “Yeah man, I shot the ball well tonight.”
It hasn’t happened yet. And the Pistons are dying as a result.
Josh Smith is never going to be a sniper like Steve Smith or Dale Ellis. He’s not going to shoot 54% from the floor or 85% from the line. It’s just not in his DNA.
But good, smart basketball players know where they should attempt shots from on the court. And how often those shots should come.
Make enough quality decisions in a particular contest and when the final horn sounds, the column reading “FGM-A” will look plenty healthy, with a decimal north of .51 reflecting a productive night’s work.
We’re into December now, and Piston fans continue to wait for such a performance from Josh Smith.
The upcoming week of games present nothing but opportunity for Stan Van Gundy and his desperate bunch of Motor City hoopers. A quartet of matchups with some of the league’s worst clubs: Lakers (4-13), Celtics (4-10), 76ers (0-17!), and Thunder (5-12). All but one will take place at the Palace.
The eight-game skid the Pistons find themselves in should come to an end.
And Smith’s own personal tug-of-war with the 50% barrier should come crashing down, too.
At least that’s the hope.
We must remember, though, that Baron Davis once played 62 straight for the LA Clippers between 2008-09 without once collecting more makes than misses. Smith would like to put the kibosh on this thing sooner rather than later.
Otherwise, the national media starts to take notice and he becomes some kind of modern-day, upside-down version of Joe DiMaggio circa 1941.
When 139 of 140 players are on one side of the fence, it’s probably a good idea to go join them.
Smith will look to do that against the Lakers and their 29th (out of 30) ranked defense tonight. Maybe the Pistons will even get a win, too.
If so, it will officially go in the books as a ho-hum regular season victory in the 18th game of the season.
But for this franchise, one currently trapped in a seven year nightmare, with its highest-paid player literally unable to put ball into basket, accomplishing such feats will be akin to capturing the NBA championship.
Along Woodward Avenue, a parade will be held in the team and Josh Smith’s honor.
Just as soon as all of that pesky light rail construction is complete.
So I guess we’ll see you in 2026.
