At the end of the 3rd quarter, FSN showed a birdseye view of Rafer taking a quick outside shot. He swung the ball all the way across his body and released it while his arms were still moving horizontally. It was a horrid and shameful looking shot for a professional NBA guard. He's always had that quirky release and I know it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks but the dude seriously needs to adjust his shooting mechanics.
He probably thinks it's stylish to shoot like that, as most street-type players do -- that cross-side, in the motion shot. Spent a little too much time with And 1, me thinks.
He's actually added that hitch fairly recently, as he never used to shoot like that. If you'll notice, he only tends to use that when he shoots from the elbow and corners, and when he shoots straight on he doesn't do that whatsoever. I'm not sure what the stats are today, but I remember looking at the hot zones and Rafer had above average shooting from straight on midrange and 3, but his corner/elbow percentages were terrible. I think if he just fixed that hitch he could raise his percentages by 4-5%
For him not to have fixed that shot by now is embarrassing. Same goes for Chuck Hayes. What do these guys do in the offseason to improve???
That one was worse than usual but he often misses shots to the left or right. I just can't imagine why that is with that beautiful form he has.
You may be right about adding more hitch to the existing hitch but dude always release the shot from across his body. Crappy looking form usually means crappy results. There are very few exceptions. Kevin Martin is a funky shooter that is highly effective but he is a rare breed. Rafer is definitely not that breed.
He seriously needs to forget about shooting altogether and just drive. Just pass or drive, pass or drive.
Talking about Rafer's shooting is like talking about the speed of a turtle. What shooting? And you want him to drive? Did you see the "floater" that missed everything? If I were Adelman, and thank God I am not, Rafer would be so far down the bench he would be the closest point to the next destination. Yes, I know about his two weeks of glory, but I know much more about his two years of shame. Rafer is not a starting PG in the NBA. You know it, I know it, and the American people know it. Only the Rockets don't know it.
If you watch Martin's shot it's the way he brings the ball up to shoot that's odd, but when the ball get's past his shoulders it's mechanically sound and his follow thru is normal. Rafer's follow thru is never the same! weird.
They know it too,but we don't have any other choice. It's going to take Brooks time before he can become consistent.Even then we will have to get a starter as you said.
i will leave R. Alston alone. He is good to run the team when he is our pg on court. he lost his mind while Mac donminated the ball and take the pg job from him. we can see these: 1\ Mac is SG who surposed to cut, drive and run along with rafer, but Mac's lazy ass wont move makes Rafer's job difficult. 2\ Mac plays pg duty makes Rafer to play SG, that means Rafer should run, cut and drive. ...sign... i can say even with Nash on our team, Mac will make him like average pg.
The Rafer Jump SHot.................Sux. Seriously though. As far as his mechanics, I'd like to see him bend his knees and widen his base slightly. He always seems to fire away with his feet drawn together, base too narrow and his elbows sprouting out of his abdomen. I'd like to seem him widen the base, bend the knees, **** the arms with the shooting arm perpendicular to the rim, jump and release........just once. His mechanics are bad.
I have always thought of Rafer seeking the help of Chip Engelland San Antonio's shooting coach (coach of Grant hill, Juwan Howard) as the best idea to heal his shooting woes. His shot looks like he's putting way too much english on the ball probably altering its straight trajectory. He just needs to shoot it straight with fingers pointed to the basket not on anywhere.
