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The Most Hated Jumpshot

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A topic of conversation since he joined the ballclub, Rajon Rondo's jumper has made Celtic fans all over the world lose their fillings (grinding your teeth does that.). This post is a quick look into the improvements our starting point has made.

We will not go into the exact details like amounts, percentages and spots, because we don't really need those to judge his shot. Rajon has been taking a few more of them at different times. His shot selection has improved a bit, and even though he's still hesitant every now and then, he's actually been more and more willing to pull up and fire. There's no real need to elaborate why it's imperative that he works on all of this, because by now everyone knows that our opponents seem willing to base their defense around forcing our quicksilver floor leader to take shots.

Luckily, he's improved a lot, though I'm not sure "luckily" is the right word for this. He has been training long and hard on this part of his game, and we're seeing the results. There's two major improvements that I've noticed, form and consistency.

 

Star-divide

First off, he doesn't look awkward anymore. Last season showed an embarrasing likeness to my little nephew when he took a jumpshot. Rajon's form was crooked, he was always off balance and the actual shot was some kind of spastic jerking motion, instead of a proper attempt at lobbing the ball through that iron loop. He's no Ray Allen -obviously- but at least right now he looks like he knows what he's doing when he hops and pulls the trigger.

Secondly, consistency. Since the start of the pre-season, it looks like he's shooting the same shot every single time. He used to have a whole repertoire of wacky, frog-like hops. Actually, some of the time he looked like a bunny, trying to avoid getting hit by a horde of stampeding rhinos (I'm sure this is a daily gig for bunnies around the globe.). But right now, he seems to have found a way to jump up straight, balanced and ready to shoot. If I'd have to carry on comparing to animals, I'd call him a grasshopper.  He still has his arms at a slightly awkward angle, but it's identical every single time he pulls it off.

As I love to point out to the young guns at our basketball club, consistency is key to making buckets. Leave "inventing the wheel" time and time again to this league's Kobes, Anthonys and Iversons. If you become able to put up the same shot again and again, you will be shooting at a higher percentage. The infuriated infant (thanks Steve) is the living proof of this theory. We used to cringe when he took it, but by the end of last year he sank 'm as consistently as films sink the titanic.

So there ya go, Rondo; another compliment to boost that ego of yours.

Be respectful and keep it clean. Thanks.

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nice job Kirk

he does look more confident in it – we’ll only know the results after we see a larger sample size but I’m encouraged early on

if anything I’d like to see him shoot it more often, but I’m not complaining

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Nov 6, 2009 8:00 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Kirk? :]

As in captain? Shweet! Beam me up, Jeffy!

- Dirk 'DaarisDirk' van Boxtel, Celtic fan.

by Kiorrik on Nov 6, 2009 8:07 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Dirk

sorry bout that

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Nov 6, 2009 8:29 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Most hated jumpshot?

Certainly not by the opposition!

by Title 18 on Nov 6, 2009 8:17 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

I thought this was going to be about Rasheed, lol.

by Berkcelt on Nov 6, 2009 8:24 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Great post.

Thanks for writing it.

I did notice Rondo looks more confident taking shots, but I still feel like I’m expecting a miss when he does. I hope he follows the same pattern as Big Baby though, and that we will be able to cheer about Rondo’s shooting touch in the playoffs. And like Jeff, I would like to see him take more shots, because it will only boost his confidence, even he if he misses them.

by Drucci on Nov 6, 2009 8:54 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

He just hasn`t worked hard enough on improving his jumper. He had two sessions with Price in the summer…Two?!?

And he only started a daily jump shooting routine last season after KG`s advice…

I don`t understand why he doesn`t work on it more…if he had PerkĖ™s mentality he would be much further along…

I don`t think he has taken enough jumpers this season for us to conclude that he has gotten better at it. In the playoffs all the teams will double off of him again and unless he steps up we will be in trouble again…

by thebirdman on Nov 6, 2009 9:19 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Picture

Good post. I’ve been noticing the improvement in his jump shot, too (who hasn’t?) but the picture you used doesn’t quite fit. His body isn’t close to squared up with the hoop, his shooting shoulder is rolled way forward, and his elbow is out in space somewhere. That’s pretty bad form, hopefully an outlier….

by Sophomore on Nov 6, 2009 9:25 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Crap, I just noticed what's wrong with his shot!

Check the picture! The basket is BEHIND him!!!

- Dirk 'DaarisDirk' van Boxtel, Celtic fan.

by Kiorrik on Nov 6, 2009 9:47 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Haha

That’s a good one! heinrich is defending the wrong hoop too

by vgarcia890 on Nov 6, 2009 2:38 PM EST via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

that pictures from last year’s playoffs, don’t worry

by misterx2day on Nov 6, 2009 9:53 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

STRONG

Look at his arms – he’s not the beanpole we think.
.

Don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk

by mcpu40 on Nov 6, 2009 9:58 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

If you really want to talk about bad form, there's elsewhere to look.

I watched the Bulls Joakim Noah shoot a free throw the other night, and almost tossed my cookies.

by no kidding on Nov 6, 2009 10:24 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

I am sorry, but...

… no, it doesn’t work this way, on several levels.

First of all, the purpose of shooting is not to look good, it’s to score the basketball.

Second, I haven’t seen any consistency. He pulls up more, he scores about the same as last year.

If anything, his jump shot was way more consistent in the championship year, when it came in catch and shoot situations from the right baseline off of Garnett post passes. They have since scrapped this play from the playbook, and I have no idea why. It worked quite well.

And third, this is not a beauty pageant. It’s a basketball game. So you will just have to go into shooting percentages and numbers, because it’s points that win basketball games. Amazingly enough, I’d hazard a guess that there won’t be a significant difference in Rondo’s success rate in drilling the jumper, small as the sample might be.

by kozlodoev on Nov 6, 2009 11:08 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

rajon needs the jump shot in his repertoire, and it seems that he is working on it. he also has ray allen to work next to every day and learn from. no less trhe celtics shooting coach. it’s those big mitts-the more meat the more things can go awry.

by nazzbo on Nov 6, 2009 12:05 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

he's still aiming the ball

I have a hard time believing a guy who is still squinting at the hoop at his age will ever get a good form that flows. Look at Shaq’s career at the line. He actually has a light touch; but he never stopped aiming the ball.

You’re not born with shooting instinct but you do internalize it growing up. Some people, for whatever reason, can never make it unconscious. It’s amazing considering how physically intelligent Rondo is in every other way. The best we can hope for is only a little bit better than what we’ve seen. I hope I’m wrong.

by Cannoneo on Nov 6, 2009 1:22 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

My guess is that Rondo started playing on the playground and wasn’t big or strong enough make jump shots from distance using proper mechanics. He had to strain and contort his body for the extra muscle. That’s why his shot is so funky.

There have been times when Rondo’s shot has looked decent, but most of the time it looks pretty bad. There are basic fundamantals that can make a poor shooter, at least adequate. It’s hard to really comment on his “new” stroke when we’ve only played a few games. In 50 or 60 games, if he uses the same improved stroke we should see a difference, which would include an improved FG%. And we might not see any real improvement until next year. It’s very difficult to unlearn something that a person has been doing for 10-15 years. Even when you try to change that habit, you often revert to that in a pressure situation because it’s more natural..

by badax33 on Nov 6, 2009 2:03 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Rondo's not doing his work

The way I see it, the young point guard can do leg presses to get a consistent lift. The rest is aim, form, and timing. Since his job is basketball, those are things he can always work on, on a daily basis. There’s too much reliance here on what one was born with then in honing a skill set which every professional needs to do to survive.

by TitleMaster on Nov 6, 2009 2:58 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

To TitleMaster

That’s not necessarily true and you and I can’t know that for sure. He’s been doing something wrong for 15 or more years – that was noticed during his college recruitment days. Trying to UNLEARN a skill is a difficult thing to do!!!! Unfortunately, he MAY NEVER be a good shooter, but he can’ still be one Heck of a PG for this team. Yes if his shooting improves, he will definitely be a more of a threat, but there is another issue that might create.

Rondo is a pass first PG, if he becomes a great shooter, might he become a shoot first, pass second PG. Which would you rather have?

I hope he remains a pass first PG, whether he improves or doesn’t improve his Shot!!!!!!!!!

by badax33 on Nov 6, 2009 6:05 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Would have thought this would be about Marion if this wasn't celtics blog

Does nobody teach fundamentals anymore (other than Europeans)? It’s greatly improved, but if he simply stops shooting with his palm, shoots in front of himself instead of from the shoulder, and squares up, he would be a much better shooter with practice.

by A Guy on Nov 6, 2009 6:08 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

If he can find the time?!

Maybe he can do some practicing on his FT shooting also! Under 50% you got to be kidding me. I would rather see him improving on his (FT)shooting than acting like a jerk on the court or whining about the big 4 instead of the big 3!

by KevinConnor on Nov 8, 2009 5:55 AM EST reply actions   0 recs


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