Why can't Ryan Anderson make shots in the Toyota Center?
The Houston Rockets will play the Knicks at home tonight, which could mean that Ryan Anderson finishes out 2016 on a sour note.
Ryan Anderson has been exactly what the Rockets have needed him to be this season. Since his signing, he’s been a perfect compliment to James Harden‘s point guard game, knocking down triples like it’s nothing. A quick skim of his stats this year would leave one impressed. He’s averaging nearly 14 points per game and shooting 41% from beyond the arc in his first season as a Rocket.
A closer look, however, showcases a curious issue. Unlike the rest of the team (most Rockets shoot about the same percentage everywhere), Anderson’s shooting is much worse during home games than it is on the road.
It wouldn’t matter much if the difference in percentage were 5% or even 10%, but it’s a baffling 20% drop. That’s right folks, marksman Ryan Anderson is only shooting 28% from beyond the arc on his own home court compared to 48.3% everywhere else.
It doesn’t make sense, as with many basketball things, but Ryno isn’t the first person to have issues with the Toyota Center. In 2008, Slam Magazine reported that Tracy McGrady hated his own gym and provided the following quote:
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“I really feel a lot of guys are not comfortable playing in this arena,” McGrady [said]. It’s not a good shooting arena for whatever reason. It’s not just our guys. It’s guys around the league. They hate our arena. Who was the last player to score 40 in our arena?”
It could be depth perception, lighting, or maybe it’s just in his head. But the numbers clearly prove that Ryan Anderson (along with T-Mac, apparently) doesn’t shoot well in his current home town.
Hopefully, tonight can be a bit of an awakening for Ryno, considering his team will be down two starters tonight against the Knicks.
