To T-MAC, his shooting coach, or any coaching staff within the organization...

^^ did he really have polio?

Anywho, I think it's his inconsistent shooting form. I think you hit it right on the money when you put it up as a choice. When he shoots the ball, majority of the time they're contested jumpers where he uses his jumping ability to get the ball to the hoop. Also, he's usually offbalanced when he shoots. I've rarely ever seen him take an uncontested jumper with his feet set. This is the reason why his shot has developed to be so flat. And this inconsistent shooting form translates to his free throw game. His shot is so flat that it makes it harder to get it in the hoop when he's standing still.

 

McGrady fits basketball into his life when he can during the off season. The greats pattern their life around basketball in the off season. That's the difference.

McGrady can't hit free throws anymore because he doesn't practice. That's the only reason a guy can get worse each year at the line when he is supposed to be nearing his prime.

 

His FT shooting can be traced back to one thing-

Mechanics.

No, it is not the staying back a foot behind the line, because he was nearly an 80% FT shooter when he stood back even further behind the line in Orlando. It isn't that he is a line drive shooter, because again, he did that in Orlando. What is different is his stance, and continuity. His stance is now a lot more mechanical and deformed; his front foot is turned sideways, making his stance unnatural and akward. And now he tends to stare at the rim and try to aim his shot, where as in Orlando he simply went up there and shot the ball.

When you look at those few things, it is easy to see that he has actually worked HARDER on his FT shooting since his days in Orlando, but his mechanics are so flawed that even a great midrange shooter like him struggles.

 

I think the reason T-Mac's FT% isn't good is because his jump shot mechanics are totally different than the way he'd shoot at the FT line.

Is it against the rules to jump while you're shooting a FT? I've always just assumed it wasn't allowed but never really seeked confirmation.

Even from my own experience, the way I shoot FTs are very different than the way I would shoot a jumpshot. When I try to use the jumpshot mechanics on FTs, I miss a lot. Tracy's jumpshot mechanics are extremely bizarre and unorthodox. It's like Jeff Bagwell's swing. You would never teach it to a kid learning the game.

T-Mac jumps as high as he can and always shoots off balance, leaning left or right somehow, and kicking his legs out. But obviously he can't do that when he shoots FTs. It is a very different experience for him shooting flat footed and spot up. That's why practice at the gym won't be as productive. In a game, he shoots a few jumpshots and then goes to the line to shoot FTs and use a completely different mechanism, which gets him out of whack.

Think of it as making a bunch of programs in Java, and then all of a sudden having to make a program in C++. It screws with your head!

 

I think Tracy will have a better year at the FT line this season, if not I will be pretty upset myself. I think its all in his haed why his FT% has been so bad. He doesn't think he can make them.

 

His highest was 79%.

 

Shot selection . If tracy shoots 2- 3pters per and the rest inside the arc, he'll be 45% guy.

 

I agree, for the most part. To say he doesn't care or doesn't-or hasn't-work hard is not correct. You don't become a superstar out of nowhere by your 4th year out of high school by just playing on talent-it takes the extra mile of hard work and dedication.

HOWEVER, the last 2-3 years he has obviously trailed off a bit (not a whole lot) in the athleticism department, but after playing all these years, you would think Tmac would atleast have one season shooting above 45%. Now, does that mean he doesn't work on his jumpshot? No, but there is definitely a correlation between practice and shooting performance, etc. Compared to other superstars, especially ones in his generation (ie Kobe, Garnett, Pierce, etc.) he hasn't shown that extra EXTRA dedication that is needed to stay in top shape in this point of your career.

Its sad because I'm a big Tmac fan, but even I know that he was never one to come in early for warm-ups etc. If I'm correct, last year was the first time ever in his career that he came early for warm ups. Not coincidentally, that was right around when Yao went down and THE STREAK started- and conversely, his FG% increased dramatically.

 

so subjective ，lack of support isn't true？ U saw powful support in the playoff fight against to JAZZ？

 

maybe its because he doesn't concentrate as much as he should. Maybe he doesn't have a lot of confidence because he knows he's not as good as he use to be. Maybe T-mac knew it was hard getting out of the first round when he was in his prime and now he has even more pressure on him to get out of the first round than he did in his prime. But who knows...we'll never know the real answer

 

He needs to definitely get his FT% up. I can't even get two free-throws on a row with him on NBA 2k9!

 

I totally agree with this but i don't think there's ever been a more bizarre decline than Tracy's. Vince Carter hasn't really declined that much he just never really improved. But, PER wise Tracy went from elite (30.3 in 2003, amazing) to above average(18.4, ugh).

...and i hate stats but there is clearly something up here.

 

Sadly, just like how he mumbled about wanting to go to the east when we lost the playoffs. all excuses IMO.