Critical analysis and solutions to McGrady's FT shooting problems

its all a mental thing

 

Professional players should shoot a high percentage from the line. Free throws are just too easy. I know the fatigue of game conditions make them a bit more difficult, but they are still relatively easy. I am mystified by the Rockets free throw shooting as well as the number of layups they miss. I agree, more drills, more practice. The NBA schedule is ridiculous, but this is a problem that seems always present with this group. Coaching is an issue here.

 

Agreed. When you are shooting wide open free throws and you miss, it's definitely a mental problem. Espeically when T-Mac use to be decent free throw shooter. T-Mac can hit a fadeaway 3 with a defender draped all over him but has trouble making wide open free throws.

 

So often when he misses one or two he comes right back down and nails a tough jumper....

Tmac only has one hole in his game, and unfortunatly it is the one between his ears.

DD

 

Look where he stands from the Ft line on his Fts.He is inches away for some reason he needs to move up.It's like he taking a jumper.

 

Does anybody have a video of Tracy's freethrow shooting. Before we really get to analysis I think some folks need a visual reminder...

 

Thats not the problem, in fact, he probably moved back to try to improve his free throw shot. Nick Van Exel shot free throws way behind the free throw line and shot a good clip too.

 

Practice, Practice, Practice

 

he stood an inch behind the ft line when he was in orlando too. that's not the problem. it's all mental. he just needs to stick with how he shoots the ball in general and practice. no need to do any drastic changes. it simply involves PRACTICE.

 

I seem to remember tmac pushing it too much a couple of years back in the off season and it effecting his season negatively. He's not as lazy as you think.

 

I thought this was about free Throw shooting?

Rocket River

 

The form is certainly different than in his Orlando days....in orlando, he would stand a good 2ft behind the line when he shot the ball, he wouldn't aim the ball like he does now, and his front foot wasn't in such a fixed, akward position.

Those things go a LONG way.

 

Well...kinda true...but Mcgrady is and always has been a below-average free throw shooter. His highest career mark is just below 80%...so I don't think anyone should expect something like 82-85% shooting anytime soon.

 

The slightest changes in form, along with over-concentration (which I think is currently not the problem, which is against most people's beliefs that he is not concerntrating enough), have made him this crappy of a FT shooter. I don't expect him to ever be an 85% FT shooter, but 68% is unacceptable...it needs to go back up to 78% or so.

 

Fixed.

 

It's not practice. Practice is how you end up like Chuck Hayes. You can practice the wrong things. I think it is an absolute travesty that Chuck is shooting with the form he is. I really think he just wants to be special and not conform to more proper ways of shooting. I don't want to digress from the topic though...

Since no one posted a video of his T-mac freethrow shooting I thought I would make a mental note of it last game. He made the free throws that I watched. The angle of his body tells me he is right eye dominant. He also stands a few inches away from the free throw line which tells me he has problems with too much power.

Rhythm shooters sometimes can't approach shooting cognitively. When you can't break it down to yourself, you are slave to the ups and downs of chance. Sometimes fatigue is a factor, making it hard to find rhythm. That is why it is important to know the why, when and what and know how to put yourself back together.

I need to see a different tv angle of his shot but it seems the ball doesn't have a smooth path from when he picks it up from the dribble to when it goes above his head whenever he misses...

 

While Chuck Hayes' freethrow form is atrocious, I don't think that's the sole reason for his poor performance at the line. I have watched him practice freethrows before some games and he shoots at a far higher percentage than what we witness in the actual game. The actual reason for this discrepancy is hard to determine, but game anxiety is without a doubt, a contributing factor.

 

And sometimes, such as in the case of our team, it's bad mechanics.

 

what? it is 95 % of the problem. Too bad there isn't anyone to set him straight. I find it laughable that Clyde, Bull, & you say that he makes them in practice, blah, blah, blah. If he misses with good form, I'm okay with it...because in time it will get better...hey it may get worse before it gets better...the point is the first step is important.

 

good form or not, it does not matter, as long as you make it. isn't that correct? look at barbosa, look at marion. look at our own luther. (around 80%) if you have terrible form like hayes, you gotta practice and you'll get better.

in mcgrady case, his mechanices are alright. nothing really wrong about it. so, for sure, it is just him not relaxing enough, and focusing too hard, since he was around 80 percent pre-rockets.