Point of order:
Wasju, I love your opinions and this thread has gotten funny, but you are actually dead wrong about having to shoot 3's to run. In D'Antoni's system you have to. But Lorenzo Romar at Washington, the UNC Tar Heels, the Siena Saints, and Wake Forest played fast (defined as in had a lot of possessions and put up a lot of shots) and they DID NOT SHOOT THREES. Like at all. As a percentage of their total shots, they were below 300th in 3-pointers attempted.
Look at this list - look at the bottom. Also included: the fast U Conn Huskies and the Texas Longhorns: http://kenpom.com/tmleaders.php?c=F3GRate
Missouri was 214th. Virginia Military Institute played at the fastest pace and attempted a lot of 3's, true. But it's not a requirement. The common thread is that those teams protect the ball better and either defend like maniacs (keeping the other team's field goal percentage down) or generate turnovers.
How about this then to be a succesful running team three point shooting would help tremendously! All of Pitino's teams use it, the UNLV and ARKANSAS teams, LMU and D'Antoni's teams, though in fairness the Knicks are far from succesful. It just makes sense. If you are going to play fast and have more shots/possesions why wouldn't you utilize the three. Isn't Pitino's motto "Bang as many lushes on restaurant...er I mean:If you shoot 40% from three it is better than shooting 50% from two"?
I'm just talking possibilities. And if the whole five can run & be shifty in the open court, they can draw fouls. I am a big believer in that stathead view of basketball - because hitting 40% from 2 is FAR better than shooting the same or slightly better from 2. Unless you draw fouls and/ or play great defense.
Really, the problem with not having shooters is that running badly - with poor spacing, poor finishers, and an ineffective secondary break/ plan B - leaves you with no other option.
And one of the reasons Pitino, in particular, as an advocate of the three-pointer is that with a less-talented team or smaller squad, those long twos are going to be more contested. So why not step back a foot and make it count?
(As an aside, it's one of the most frustrating things about watching Mase play, when he did play 2 years ago. He can get his shot off but in looking for his shot, inexplicably finds himself within the line... and then he takes the high-difficulty, lower-reward attempt. If he only shot from 21ft and from 10ft or less, he'd be a more efficient player; that's true for most.)