Fredrick's improved play

There is very interesting article in today's Atlanta Journal Constitution about Zam Fredrick and his improved shot selection and overall play. You can read the entire article here, but I just wanted to comment on a couple of specific quotes.

In the first 20 games this season, he hit 35.1 percent of his field goals, 27.4 percent of his 3-pointers. In two games as a sub, he's hit 16 of 23 shots (69.6 percent), and six of eight 3-pointers (75 percent), including three of four Sunday. Somebody's listening to coaches.

"[Assistant] Coach [Peter] Zaharis broke down my shot chart from [3-point range], and I see what they're talking about," Fredrick said. "Once you see it as a player on film, then you believe it.

"Seeing that you shoot 45 percent [of your 3s] on the inside-out, 29 percent on the ball reversal and 11 on stop-and-pop ... you stop shooting the stop-and-pop. You try to get more of the ball reversals and the kickouts."

Sounds like the coaching staff is starting to get through to the younger guys, and they are taking advantage of their strengths and avoiding their weaknesses better. As a matter of fact, it doesn't sound like it's limited to just Fredrick either - his other compatriot off the bench is starting to learn a few lessons as well.

With the Jackets leading 64-62, forward Jeremis Smith lost the ball but came up with it again. He passed to the right corner.

"I think not even two or three games ago I would have tried to take it back up myself and probably gotten fouled," Smith said, "and we'd have been going the other way without a call."

The most encouraging part of the last couple of games has been the emergence of Fredrick as a solid scoring option now that he's playing off the ball more (big ups to Mario for his play at PG as well) and how well Zam and Smith have responded to coming off the bench instead of sulking. Actually, add Dickey in that list as well after his benching earlier in the season and it seems that this group has their heads screwed on straight. Progress is slowly happening, I'm just glad that yesterday the scoreboard represented that as well for once.

(News and Observer photo)