NBA Random Discussion 2012-13 Season

It's looking that way, but they've had a respectable season given all the injuries. If Rose comes back as good as he ever was next year, the future is promising.

Danilo Gallinari torn ACL.

MRI will be conducted to confirm this but he ain't coming back this season.

Danilo Gallinari torn ACL.

MRI will be conducted to confirm this but he ain't coming back this season.

I know the Nuggets have great depth in his position. But he is a big loss for them.

Jeez, another ACL injury. We've seen a lot of bad luck with that these past couple of years.

Mind-blowing stat: Dwight Howard has missed more free throws this season (335) than Steve Nash has missed in his entire 17-year career (322).

--via https://www.facebook.com/OfficialNBATalk

Wow. It's not that difficult to believe given their respective skill at the line and the frequency that Howard gets there, but it's an eyebrow-raising stat all the same.

It also tells you about the coaching and the trainers who supposedly work with these poor free throw shooters to improve.

Reminds me of this...
DeAndre Jordan is tired of hearing he should practice free throws

One of the things shown about poor free throw shooters is that it's hard to improve them through training because the flaws are more fundamentally set. For example, the Phoenix Suns completely rebuilt Casey Jacobsen's jump shot over a summer and it took because he was naturally sound, just off in his jump. You can't do that with Shaq and Ben Wallace.

Further one thing studies have shown is that the player then overcompensates and overutilizes their training. I can't recall which player it was, but they had drastically improved him in practice but then when he got to the line the game he did whatever more. So if it was say aiming to the left more, the guy in game would then aim like a thousand feet to the left and shoot like 30%. You could SEE Shaq doing this when the Lakers were trying to get him to shoot either closer to the line (and he would step over it) or farther away. Even McGrady (I think) started taking Van Exel style free throws because in practice they found he'd shoot 90% or something if he stood a foot or so back from the line, and he kept drifting farther and farther out during games.

There's also a team effect, when the Spurs had a few key players (Duncan, Parker) slump at the line it tanked the entire team.

And since I'm rambling about free throws, it's also been shown at times that fans cheering and crap raises free throw percentages compared to silence.

In the case of Howard. He's just a bad shooter with bad hands.

So what? Line only matters much.

Line only matters much.

Right, the free throw line matters a lot. Even though you might be great on the floor, connecting at the line has outsized value. It's why Chauncey Billups and Corey Maggette were valuable players.

That's a good article. Benji also made some good points. If players hit their free throws, the defense plays them differently, and the hack strategy goes out the window.

Yes, it's why Dirk Nowitzki became the 2011 Finals MVP. But come on man, if you got good players, it really won't effect your overall game. And every PG can shoot good at the line.

Freethrows are important part of the game so is the ability to get to the line.

If LeBrick could shoot 90% from the line, opponent wouldn't try to foul him as much and he'd be a player on a whole different level. If Harden was a 70% freethrow shooter, his ability to get to the line would matter significantly less. The bottomline is 2 freethrows made returns same 2 points as any ferocious dunk or Kobe's spectacular fadeaway. Vice versa, 2 freethrow missed is 1 field goal attempt missed. Brings same impact to the game.

And every PG can shoot good at the line.

Not always. Rajon Rondo is a particularly notable exception.

Yes, it's why Dirk Nowitzki became the 2011 Finals MVP. But come on man, if you got good players, it really won't effect your overall game. And every PG can shoot good at the line.

I maybe missing the point and I don't get it. Elaborate good sir.

Good sir was applying sarcasm to the Nowitzki ft stats in the finals 2011. Good to see Mavs fans still around, though.

The funny thing is: you're right in a way. Dirk's game is >80% pure touch. He's just an incredible good shooter with great hands. Add his height to it and it already makes him very tough to guard although he is not quick or strong and can't jump high. Sure, he also has a good basketball IQ, but take his shot away and he would have been out of the league in a hurry.

I hate to say it, but Novu pretty well summarized what FTs are all about.

The funny thing is: you're right in a way. Dirk's game is >80% pure touch. He's just an incredible good shooter with great hands. Add his height to it and it already makes him very tough to guard although he is not quick or strong and can't jump high. Sure, he also has a good basketball IQ, but take his shot away and he would have been out of the league in a hurry.

I hate to say it, but Novu pretty well summarized what FTs are all about.

Judging from early games of Dirk I have seen on Youtube[/heh], Dirk was driving to the lane like crazy, fastbreak and all.

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What a great game. Tobias and Vucebitch were splendid. One of nicer OT games this year.

Ouch, not a good foul at all there.

The funny thing is: you're right in a way. Dirk's game is >80% pure touch. He's just an incredible good shooter with great hands. Add his height to it and it already makes him very tough to guard although he is not quick or strong and can't jump high. Sure, he also has a good basketball IQ, but take his shot away and he would have been out of the league in a hurry.

I hate to say it, but Novu pretty well summarized what FTs are all about.

Judging from early games of Dirk I have seen on Youtube[/heh], Dirk was driving to the lane like crazy, fastbreak and all.

Well, he had the drive and was more athletic when younger obviously, but he actually took more three pointers earlier in his career until Avery Johnson forced him to take it to the post more often.

Still, he has never been athletic at all. Just good hands (dribbling, too) and a decent shot. Fundamental stuff.

The Bulls are being dicks these days. Another exciting win streak busted by guess who.

lol that's why "go Brooklyn!"

It's what they're doing this season. Ending streaks, winning games they're not supposed to win, losing games they should win.