I feel exactly like Calvin - how in the world can a professional basketball player not consistently make 80-90% of 15 foot shots with no one waving a hand in your face or bumping your shot. I grew up and played ball in Indiana. Often times we'd be in a tight game in a band-box gym filled with 3-4,000 screaming fans, particularly away games. Stepping up to the line in those situations is pressure, particularly for a 16-17 year old. Maybe not the same as the NBA, but just as stressful. My senior year, I shot 94% from the free throw line. It wasn't so much skill, but more the ability to concentrate and put everything else around you out of mind, focusing on the task at hand. That's why Malone and Hornacek, among many, seem to have these weird rituals at the line. Whatever it takes - bouncing the ball the exact number of times every time or "digging in" at the line - that's what you do. I would have never wanted the guys, teammates or not, reaching out to give me five after the first shot, made or not - it wipes out your concentration. But that's apparently the way they play ball today - unfortunately, it really is distracting to the shooter. I think Calvin could teach them all kinds of techniques, including what to concentrate on. Whether or not today's players want to put that much effort into a non-highlight reel activity is questionable.
This and our TO's does not allow us to hold a lead and win a game. These are the 2 primary reasons why we can't close a game out. The FT % really pisses me off, because it so fundamental.
How are free throws so hard for them? Well they rush it. First of all no concentration. They got to calm down and take time to shoot it. They just throw it up hoping for it to go in.
Practice. Repetition. That's about all there is to it. Rudy oughtta set it up so they don't recieve their paychecks until they've made a certain number of FTs in practice (week-by-week, just to keep 'em practicing)... Call me a Nazi, but I think we're deficient in this regard, and therefore it needs Xtra attention)...
